Tuesday 16 February 2016

Blue-brown Renaissance Costume - Corset

So I made the pattern, now let's make the real thing.
I drew the pattern at the upper of two layers of fabric and marked each outline to its symmetrical piece - each line was drawn really thick, I put them wrong sides in and thuded with a fist. Method for the lazy :)
I remembered that once I was making a prototype from lightweight fabric and then the real sturdy corset with three layers was too narrow, so I sewed 2 mm from the drawn line.
I also had to put a bit more to the front center. I found out that the seam allowances must go to the center. The bones would lay one on another at the lowest point of the front panel if I didn't widen the pattern. A tunnel for each bone.
I sewed and serged the seams where I was sure I won't be adding in case the corset is narrow. I fitted it and found out it was just okay. So in the end I added 2 mm to each seam plus half a cm to the center front.
I sewed the boning tunnels on to the corset body. I ironed fusible web where the grommets would be and sewed a tunnel there too. I serged the lower edge and closed the tunnels with few more stitches where the boning would end.
The steel boning must not be sharp cause it could cut the stitches. My grinding machine did the job (oh, I love it!).
Maybe once I'll want the buy these special endings for boning, but at the moment, I don't see the point.
I cut the upper edge. I inserted the boning until I reached the stitches and drew a line at the upper edge. Then I took out each bone and made a line 8 mm lower than the first one. There I will cut and grind again
I punched the holes for lacing. They are just behind the boning, so that the fabric would not tend to wrinkle. I inserted grommets.
The upper and lower edge is neatly finished with a bias tape.