Crafting a Corset, Part 1: Getting Started

Craft & Design Yarncraft

CRAFT: Sew and Sew

By Alaina Zulli
Corset-making may seem like a job only for the professionals, but anyone who can sew a straight line on the sewing machine can do this project. Over the course of three lessons for the next three Mondays, I will teach you all the techniques I learned as an apprentice to an historical corsetiere. In this first lesson, you’ll get your shopping list, pattern, and instructions for layout and cutting.
Corsets require more materials than the average sewing project, so I recommend getting all your shopping done in one go. Farthingales has everything you’ll need, plus a great selection of fabric and patterns.
You can use any crisp woven fabric for the decorative (“self”) outer layer. I am using a white damask cotton blend for the demonstration, but taffeta, satin, crepe-backed satin, duppioni, brocade, jacquard, or twill would also work. The inner (“lining”) layer should be a firmly woven cotton or cotton blend. Coutil is the traditional material for corsets, but canvas, duck, or twill are also fine.
corset_beach.jpg
(The image above is from the Long Island Staylace Association.)


corset_materials.jpg
corset_tools.jpg

Materials

Decorative outer fabric 1 yard
Lining fabric 1 yard
All-purpose thread
12″ straight busk
Roll of 1/4″ spring steel boning (aka white boning). Alternatively, you can purchase pre-cut boning, but I find this annoying since you have to wait till the corset is assembled in order to measure for the correct lengths. The 10-meter roll will be more boning than you need, but boning never goes to waste in the end!
Boning tips (3 dozen) The 10-meter roll of spring steel comes with a half gross of boning tips, which will be more than enough for this project.
Bone casing tape (7 meters) This can also be purchased by the roll.
Grosgrain ribbon 1 yard, 1″ wide
Corset lacing 2 meters/yards
Grommet setting hammer kit This includes everything you’ll need, including the grommets. I prefer size #0, but you can also buy Farthingales’ better-quality tools separately for size #00.
Awl
Eyelet punch comes with grommet setting kit, but also available at hardware stores
Needlenose pliers (2 pairs)
Wire cutters or bolt cutters or tin snips
Hammer
Clear plastic ruler
Pins
Scissors
Sewing machine

Directions

Step 1: Assemble, and cut the pattern.
The sizes range from 6 to 26. To determine your size, take your bust measurement (over a normal, non-push-up bra), waist (approximately 2″ above the navel), and hip (approximately 8″ below the waist).

Size 6 8 10 13 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 Bust 30.5 31.5 32.5 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48
Waist 23 24 25 26.5 28 30 32 34 36 38 40
Hip 32.5 33.5 34.5 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50

The pattern allows for about 2″ of ease (also known as “spring”) at the back, so don’t freak out if when you measure the pattern it seems small. If you are between sizes, round down to the smaller size. If you want to be able to lace tighter, use a smaller waist size and blend the cutting lines.
corset_fabric.jpg
Step 2: Prepare the fabric.
Cutting on the grain is particularly important in making corsets. Make sure the threads of both your decorative and lining fabrics are perpendicular by stretching and blocking them.
To block, pull the fabric on the bias in both directions. This will loosen the threads and help them to realign themselves. Then iron, pushing the iron along the grain line and the cross-grain. When you fold the fabric in half there should be no distortion and the edges should match.
Lay out your pattern with the grain line following the direction with the most amount of stretch. For most fabrics, this will be on the cross-grain, opposite from how you would cut most patterns. You want the least amount of stretch in the direction of the fabric encircling your waist. Historically, corsets were sometimes cut on the bias to mold to the body, but for this style of corset you will want as little stretch around the body as possible.
Step 3: Lay out the pattern.
To make sure each piece is properly aligned, measure from the grain line to the edge of the fabric. I know that it is tempting to skip this step. Don’t! If ever there were a time to be a perfectionist, this is it.
Pin the pieces on the fabric. Alternatively, weight the pieces with stones or pattern weights and trace the cutting lines with chalk. I prefer the latter method because there is less distortion while cutting.
Step 4: Cut the pieces.
Cut very precisely. Remember that if you cut just 1/16″ larger on each seam, your corset will end up about 1.5″ bigger.
Parts 2 and 3 to come!
About the Author:
author_alaina_zulli.jpg
Alaina Zulli is a dressmaker and costume historian based in Brooklyn, N.Y., who specializes in historical sewing techniques. She spends her days dissecting old clothes, sewing new ones, and researching the lives of the women who wore them.

19 thoughts on “Crafting a Corset, Part 1: Getting Started

  1. massdestrucjen says:

    Oh man… I am incredibly excited about this project. I’ve been wanting to tackle a corset project for a long time. I’m a bit stuck on Step 3, though. Can you clarify what you mean by ‘measure from the grain line to the edge of the fabric’ for each piece? I am not sure which part of the grain line to measure from, or what measurement I’m looking for.
    Thanks so much for posting this tutorial – can’t wait to see the rest of it! :)

  2. Becky Stern says:

    You just want to make sure the pattern pieces run precisely parallel to the grain of the fabric, so make sure that the grain line on each pattern is parallel to the edge of the fabric. One way you can do that is by measuring between the grain line and the edge of the fabric in different spots along the grain line, making sure that measurement is the same everwhere along the gran line, adjusting the pattern piece’s placement on the fabric where necessary. Hope that helps!

  3. kat says:

    I had bookmarked this to come back to and am getting ready to start. Is the pattern here on step one fixed, or is the error talked about in one of the later steps still in the pattern? Just want to make sure I’ve got it right before I jump in.

  4. Becky Stern says:

    I haven’t had a chance to update the pattern yet, so be sure to make Alain’a correction in part 2!

  5. Becky Stern says:

    I’ve updated the pattern with the proper dimensions for piece 2, if you download it again from the link you’ll get the new one! Thanks for your patience.

  6. Barbara O says:

    Sorry, this is probably something ridiculously simple, but I can’t figure it out. I’m trying to print out the PDF file of the pattern full size. So far, I can print the whole thing on a single page; Slightly too large for a Barbie doll. Is there a secret to this? Did I miss scaling instructions somewhere? Thanks so much. I’ve just recently discovered your site and I’m really excited about it. Very cool!!!

  7. zuly maita says:

    no entiendo como emsamblar el busto en el patron del cose esas piezas 7a 7b 7c y 7d no se como ubicarlas muchas gracias por su atencion

  8. zuly maita says:

    no entiendo como emsamblar el busto en el patron del cose esas piezas 7a 7b 7c y 7d no se como ubicarlas muchas gracias por su atencion

  9. gabriela says:

    could back up the pattern please

  10. Corset Training Girly says:

    Yes I agree, it would be great to get the pattern

  11. BellaWantsCorset says:

    Any guidance on measuring bust as regards cup size? I see that there are A, B, C and D(+) cup sizes provided on the pattern, but the measuring instructions do not indicate whether bust size for the rest of the pattern includes the cup or not. I can sort of figure mine out (I’m between a B and C, I made a muslin, C seemed too big, so I went down to B and also a size on the rest of the pattern because I didn’t have enough spring in the waist), but I imagine this might be really confusing for a petite woman with tiny waist and size D cups or something like that.

  12. Seesagirl says:

    Made my first ever corset from this tutorial, and I got mad several times, but once I was done I loved it lol!!

    Tips: mark the top ends of your pieces somehow so that you don’t end up standing there flipping them back and forth trying to figure it out. The first time you make one, use white or light-colored fabrics and make one that won’t show – this can be a practice one that is still usable, the next one can be a pretty one that shows lol. ALSO! Read all three parts of this tutorial thoroughly before starting!! I didn’t, and there were a few mishaps along the way because of it!

    To the author: it would be nice if you included alternative ideas to the type of hooks you use, and finishing the back as one piece with no lacing. I had to jury-rig mine, add fabric panels, etc, so that I had no lacing – I didn’t want anything to show through the bodice of the dress I was wearing, which was very thin (cosplaying Snow White’s feather dress from Once Upon A Time). Also, I came back to you to make another corset (this time steampunk Wasp cosplay!) and I don’t see the link to the pattern! Lucky for me I still have it from where I printed it out the first time, but others will need it! LOVE this tutorial, though!! Firmly pinned to my cosplay Pinterest board!!

  13. Gabi Langer says:

    Hello,

    my english is not the best, so please excuse, if there are mistakes.

    Where can i find the Pattern for the corset to download/print it out?

    Gabi

  14. AshlingCassandra says:

    I’ve looked at this site till I’m cross eyed and I can NOT seem to find the download for the printing of the pattern…….HELP!! This looks to be the only corset that will fit my needs.

  15. Ivette says:

    Same here can not find the pattern

  16. MaryR says:

    I found a pattern (several, really) at the link for farthingales. About $10 Canadian.

  17. MaryR says:

    also look up laughing moon corset

  18. Kelly Horn says:

    Hey I made this corset a year ago and I remember having trouble finding the pattern but now I want to make a new one and I cant find the pattern anywhere!! please help!!

  19. Blue Coaster33 says:

    Healing’s Dragon

    to locate problems to improve my web page!I suppose its alright to help make use of several of the ideas!!

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Becky Stern is a Content Creator at Autodesk/Instructables, and part time faculty at New York’s School of Visual Arts Products of Design grad program. Making and sharing are her two biggest passions, and she's created hundreds of free online DIY tutorials and videos, mostly about technology and its intersection with crafts. Find her @bekathwia on YouTube/Twitter/Instagram.

View more articles by Becky Stern

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