Robe à la Française - corset

Previous:Robe a la francaise - planning

So, the first step was working with the corset. I have never made anything like corset before. So, I was little daunted by the prospect. Anyway, after some research I found Isis' Wardrobe blog where she had linked a pattern for 18th century corset

http://isiswardrobe.blogspot.com/2011/05/red-stays.html

It looked like something I was looking for.. It also did not scared hell out of me.. so I used the trick I learned from art class - using squares to magnify the image. First I was doing the squares by hand but then I remembered I could use excel to print myself right size squares (I had to figure out how much I actually need to magnify those patterns). 

Making squares, by hand, at first - printing was so much easier

The square method works the following way:

• I make small squares on the original image, so that it would be easier to copy details
• I make sheets with larger squares (depending how much I want to magnify the original image)
• I copy, by hand, those squares, one by one into the larger sheets.. and voila :D

Anyway, this is how I got myself the pattern for the corset. I did it twice - first time I did magnify little too much. Second time, I got it right. I tried my newly made pattern on the mannequin and I was actually surprised it fit that well.

Even thought it fit quite all right, I decided to make a quick mock-up to really see where I need to adjust the pattern. I used some really cheap fabric and it is horribly lousy but the mock up:

After the mock up, I saw that there were some adjustments to be made (mostly at the front where I am smaller than the pattern) and I modified my cut-out patterns. Then, I went for my really nice lining fabric to cut put the pieces. It looks silver, soft and nice. The only problem - my usual marking tools did not worked on the light fabric and pencil did not made any marks either.. so, I used gel pen that was way too strong and left marks that were visible on the other side - I had to pay a lot of attention to sew it together without mistakes. For the lining, of the corset, I used quite strong linen.

First step was to sew everything together so that the corset would be one piece:

Corset lining sewed together and

For the boning, I bought 17 meters (:S) of really light plastic boning. It has fine zones and it is not as width as my pattern assumed.. so that became tricky later. Anyway, it was cheap and in the end, it did the work perfectly. 

corset main fabric and those really ugly black gel pen lines :S

Anyway, when I had both sides made, I sewed the corset together, sewed the lines that have to fit and started to insert the boning (I left the top part open). I started with those small things at the bottom and it was actually great to see when the corset started to take a shape. Then, I submitted boning to the edges and submitted rivets. I had never done that before and that was tricky. I managed to get some kind of set from the fabric shop where you have to use plastic thing where you put the rivet and then hit it with the hammer. I was first scared about the strength I had to put behind the hammer but otherwise the rivets just well out. Then, after like 10 rivets, the plastic thing started to wear out that made later rivets more out of shape as I had to hit them more and harder. In the end, it did not looked too bad.

So, the boning. As it was plastic, it was not a problem for me to sew over it. I must say, I am not even sure what method I used. I first thought I made a tunnel for the boning and then pushed it into but on the other hand - I know I am horrible at sewing straight lines, so I think I probably put the boning there and tried to sew the tunnel while the bone was set.. I know in some places I sew over the boning.. Anyway. It took a lot of work and patience but the result was worth it.

Almost done. I ran out of boning and needed to get some meters more

When I had done with the boning, I worked at the top side. It was a lot of work by hand. Also, I used silver tape on all sides to make sure that the boning would not "eat" trough the fabric. it seemed sufficient enough. 

The mistake I did with the top side was that when I made the tunnels for the bones, I sew it almost to the top side.. Now, when I wanted to turn the two fabrics together to make it look nice, I had to undo  5 cm or so everywhere at the top, finish the top side and then sew, again, those boning tunnels so that it would be finished. Part of not thinking ahead.

Then, I wanted to put a bias tape at the side of the corset for effect- I had nice silver bias tape and then i got few meters of silver atlas tape for the back. Hours small handwork to take the bias tape and then some tricky sewing with the machine and done:

front

back

So, it took me around 3 weeks to make the corset, from the patterns to final piece. And I did put huge hours to it. It was hard and tricky but unexpectedly pleasant. I would have never thought myself that I would make a corset myself and that it was not that hard. lot of patience and work but nothing I could not do. And it feels brilliant when I wear it :D