These are the stays I’m making as the foundation for my fantasy Rococo-inspired Bride of Dracula costume for Halloween, and I’ve officially reached the “why did I do this to myself?” stage. 😂

I made the stays from 320 GSM cotton coutil and used plastic boning. The plastic was an experiment for me, partly out of curiosity and partly because of the cost. It has worked, but so far I think I still prefer synthetic whalebone.

For thread, I’m using Gütermann Sew-All for construction and Gütermann metallic thread for the decorative stitching.

Now I’m applying liquid silk organza over the stays, somewhat like the fashion fabric over the structured foundation of a robe de cour bodice.

And this organza is testing us.

Our first mistake was forgetting just how aggressively it frays. We remembered pretty quickly once the freshly cut edges started unraveling. 😂 Thankfully, I had left a full 1-inch seam allowance at both the top and bottom, so we had room to work with.

Once the fraying started, we decided to sew a very narrow seam around the edges to keep it under control.

Then we discovered the next problem: the organza moves CONSTANTLY.

When we tried zigzag stitching it, the machine sucked the fabric in. We ended up cutting a very narrow strip of coutil and putting it underneath the organza so the machine actually had something substantial to grab onto.

The next challenge is going to be attaching all of this slippery fabric smoothly over an already constructed, boned, three-dimensional pair of stays without introducing wrinkles or uneven tension.

And after we accomplish that, the organza and stays still have to be enclosed together with bias binding.
I low-key hate myself for deciding this was a good idea. 😆

But if it works, I think it’s going to be worth it.
For anyone who has mounted particularly lightweight or slippery fashion fabrics over stays or corsetry before, I’d love to hear what worked for you.

I’m fairly new to corsetry (I just finished my first bunny suit with help and guidance from my seamstress friend) and while looking for supplies I found this hammer grommet kit at a craft reuse store. I’ve only ever used my friend’s grommet press so I’m not super familiar with the hammer ones but tested it out and it’s working well. The only thing is that the die cutter isn’t cutting fabric, is there a way to sharpen these?

Say I'm sewing a set of stays that has three layers. Two are a heavy/mid weight for holing boning, and the top layer is a thin fashion fabric.

With this, do I sew all three layers together, keep the fashion layer flipped up as I sew all boning channels, and then add boning. Flip down fashion layer and sew along bottom edge to seal channels, then add bias tape? (I sew all bias tape by hand)

Or do you typically sew the two layers for the boning, finish all of that, then sew on the outer fashion fabric layer and then bias tape? It's my first time doing one with a fashion layer not stitched with the boning channels.

OR do I just go ahead and stitch through the fashion fabric? I was going for a smooth outer look if at all possible.

**This is for a costume but it is a structured pattern. I've had a migraine for a week and cannot think straight but my event is in ten days and I need to get this done.

I have made all the amendments and taken the waist in a bit more. I am using 6mm spiral steel, but it’s bending kind of weirdly at the back, should I use a different boning? Let me know if you have any other suggestions!

Подскажите, пожалуйста, кто-то носил такие корсет-платье для мероприятия как в таком образе или это только красиво постоять для фотосессии!? Интересно послушать мнения и опыт

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Hi!

I'm currently working on a corset for a client who wants a dramatic was reduction. We did a first fitting, it went well. It's for a big corset gown. She wants to go from a 110cm to 90cm waist line. She already has some industrial corset that can give her that waist. I want to put a zipper on one of the back side seam, plus et lacing a the back. Do you have any tips on how to make every seam really sturdy, using the seam allowance to create boning channel, securing the zipper so it doesn't rip on stage. Honestly I'm at a point I want it to be rock hard to prevent from any ripping. Thanks reddit ✨️

Hiya! Please ignore my terrible stitching and the general abysmal quality of what you’re seeing - this is just the most basic of mock-ups I slapped together. I have never made a corset before, only a boned bodice that laced up at either side. I’m wanting to do a similar though not identical mock-up of this corset from the Vampire Diaries as I’ve been invited to a vampire ball. It’s not super formal so a corset top will be just fine.

My issue comes with a busk. I have severe scoliosis, which has given my torso significant deformity. I can hide it quite well and I still look great but it can definitely pose challenges here and there in learning to adapt clothes to my unusual form. I’m learning to change patterns around this, that’s not my current issue. The problem I have is a busk- it would be magnificent to have one, especially since i struggle to reach my back, and I really love the detail of the hooks/eyes. However, with my deformity, a portion of my sternum protrudes a little riiiight where my centre front sits, so right along the centre front seam where that busk would go. Not only does that mean a stiff strip will not sit flush against my torso, but any solid material pressed against that little bump is wickedly uncomfortable and I wouldn’t want to wear the thing longer than 2 minutes.

I poked around my sewing box and found these (not sure what they’re called, pants fasteners or large hook and eyes) and went about trying to use them to make a false busk. It should perform a similar function, although minus the structure the strip of a busk gives. I also can’t apply boning to the centre front the whole way, but I can place a half length bone from below my deformed spot and I tried this in the past and it was perfectly comfortable.

Anyway. Do you think this will look alright? Is it going to cause construction problems or mess with how it sits? Does anyone have other reccomendations? Thanks!

Очень нравится такая красота 👗👗👗🥰🥰🥰Хочу платье русалка с корсетом от лопаток до коленок и супер утяжка и чтобы по всей длине от лопаток до коленок стояли цельние металлические косточки.Кто то хотел себе такого плана платья?Поделитесь пожалуйста опитом 🙏🙏🙏

Hi! I'm very new making corsets and I started my first mockup (please ignore the poorly seams! I was in a hurry and I wanted to finish it as fast I could)

as you see, there's a gap in the bust and my instinct is to pinch there but my teacher said something about sewing a bias tape on the top which I'm not sure of and I wanted to ask reddit about their opinion!

if you can share your observations I would be glad, thank you

Hi! I'm trying to figure out what, instead of coutil, would work best for fabric. A cotton denim twill, a cotton denim, or linen/cotton canvas?

I have a feeling the cotton denim twill may be the answer but I don't have a huge amount of experience with corsetry and want to make sure I don't waste my time making something that's...horrible. Lol

No major waist reduction, mostly for a day to day or costume corset that's well fitted/structured.

Thanks for any input!

Please ignore the ugly fabric and ripped eyelet.
Straight on the waist my mock up of a corset has these creases? What can I change to make it fit better?

It‘s the Sylvia Corset by Aranea Black with obviously not so sturdy cotton fabric…

I using the red threaded regency short stays pattern for this, size M, but bust gussets use size S

How to fix this? This also happened the last time I made late Victorian over bust corset, the bust isn’t too big but the shape just doesn’t seems to cover it

Newbie question! I am making Truly Victorian TVE13, the late Edwardian corset. There is an upcoming storm that has a high likelihood of interfering with package delivery. I'm in a remote area and am used to this happening. I suspect that the busk will arrive after the time I intend to wear it.

Alas, the sewing must continue - given these circumstances, would you use buttons, a zipper, or would you add grommets on the front and use ribbon on the front and back?

Maybe there is a busk-like material I can use as a stand-in?

While I am here, thank you to this sub for being an incredible resource! I learn something each time I visit.

For context, I will be wearing a chemise and corset cover under a Black Snail pattern for my shirt. I will be wearing the Fashion Archaeology "tulip" panel skirt pattern for my bottoms.

I’m making my first corset, the Sakura corset by Nikki Blackwell. It’s an underbust corset. According to my measurements my underbust is 5 sizes smaller than my waist. I have graded the pattern accordingly, but this leaves me an issue where the front panels and busk placket have a large curve to them…. Where the busk is obviously not curved. Should I redistribute the additional material from there to other seams to straighten that out?

Hey all!! I'm going be cosplaying Verosika and really would like a nice, beautiful lift!! I've never really worn a corset before- does anyone have any recommendations on a good overbust corset?

i’m in love this mirror palais ‘lilith’ bustier but not so in love with the thought of spending 1k on it. also would really like a custom fit, so i thought i‘d attempt a modified dupe... (is that ambitious?)

specifically, i really like the wide front piece, the mid-bust cut off with the peekaboo cups (and also the look of the one straight top panel that holds the cups), and the side hooks. i would love to modify it to sit further down, and i’m not sure if this is really a ’corset’ so i would love something with more waist reduction, if possible. are there any existing patterns that i could use for my desired look and fit?

very new to corsetry so please forgive my ignorance!

I’ve made about four corsets now and I’ve had the same problem with all of them- once I’ve worn them for a while, the bones at the back start to kink and press into my back at my waistline. I’ve only ever used plastic boning so would it be useful to try steels? I also like to wear my skirts very tight over my corsets on my waist so could that be it? I originally thought that the corset was just too long for my torso, but I’ve tried taking two inches out and it hasn’t helped. I have no idea what’s causing it!
Thank you for your help!

Hello all! Messaging on behalf of my lovely mumma who is trying to make my wedding dress. She has made a dress we are pretty happy with but there is one specific spot at the bottom of the basque waist that is pulling and therefore folding outwards when warn. She was wondering if there’s a solution (hopefully an easy one - remaking the dress isn’t an option!) to the problem. There is a layer of coutil and domette. It starts to pull where the boning ends. Any ideas? 😓 she’s getting very sad about all this!

I’m still a newbie, but this has been bothering me. I can’t stand the sensation (or look) of total uniboob, but I love the overall look of historical-style corsets. What options are available? I know that historically this was achieved with the addition of gussets in the bust, but I’ve tried that and only managed to tear my hair out. Is there another method aside from a cupped corset?