Floral Cream Underbust Corset

Hey all! I made another corset this past winter. This is not an obsession I swear... This one is an underbust corset that is going to act as a waist cincher/posture modifier, to be worn under my Phoenix costume (which is currently on hiatus). I also made it with another future steampunk outfit in mind... 

Showcasing here the new pistol prop I bought in Austria last month. Also worn with my Long Pleated Skirt.

I like how the shape of this one turned out much better than my black corset. Instead of using a fashion fabric on the outside, I just used the coutil. Except this time my coutil has a cool floral pattern on it! I picked up this fabric from the Farthingales booth at CostumeCon32 last year. It's super strong and super pretty.

 First I used twill tape to mark out my seam lines on my judy. Then I draped muslin over those sections to get my pattern piece shapes. I used a pen to draw the shapes on the fabric, unpinned the pieces and then cut along the lines I drew.

The pattern I ended up with looked like this. I numbered my pieces from 1-7 (center front to center back).

After making a mockup and tweaking the pattern to reflect the changes I made, I reduced the pattern so that it would have a 2" gap at the back. This means that I divided 2" into 7 parts and shaved off that amount from every seam. I shaved off just slightly more at the waist so that part could cinch even tighter. 

Then I cut my pieces out of my coutil. Remember you need 4 of every piece, a pair for each side.

For the center back panels I first sewed the pairs right sides together along the CB edge, then turned them right way out and pressed them. I flat basted all my pairs together (excluding the center front panels) and top stitched all the boning channels. The 14 panels looked like this.

I added in the busk to the center front, then flat basted it and added the last boning channels. If you want a tutorial on how to insert a busk, go here!

Then I began to sew the panels together. This is done very carefully, lining up the flat basted lines and the waist line. Accuracy is your friend.

Then I cut my spiral bones to length and inserted them.

I made my own piping trim from leftover fabric from my Steampunk Corset. If you want a tutorial on how I make piping trim, go here!

I attached the piping, then hand stitched down all the seams on the inside. Then I put the eyelets/grommets in the center back and added some cord to lace it.

Presto! Another corset! ;D

Busk Closure Tutorial

Today I will talk about how to put a busk into a corset. A busk is a really strong hook and post closure that is frequently used in corset making as it provides a secure closure and holds up really well under tension.

The example I am using is from my original Steampunk Corset, that will be posted sometime later in April. (For now you can follow my progress on Facebook!)

Putting in a busk is not extremely difficult, so much as it just requires a lot of patience and accuracy. Half the battle is purchasing a good quality busk that aligns properly. I got mine from Farthingales and it is really nice. They come in different colours too. The one I have has antique bronze coloured hooks and posts.

Each busk piece is inserted/sandwiched between 2 pieces of fabric; this keeps it nice and secure. So essentially you have 2 pieces of fabric for each side of the busk. If you have a fancy fabric for the outside there will be 3 layers of fabric on each side. It is important that if your fancy fabric is thin that you have a strong fabric underneath to protect it from the busk wearing through.

Firstly you line up the center front seam right sides together. (If you have a fancy fabric layer--called a fashion layer--for the outside, that will be sandwiched in the middle.) The hook piece should go in the left-hand side of the closure if you were to look at someone wearing a corset. Spacing the busk evenly between the top and bottom seam lines, mark where the openings need to go for the hooks. Make sure to be extremely accurate when marking for the openings!

Then you stitch along the center front seam, backstitch every time you get to a marked opening, then lift the machine foot and continue on the other side of each marked opening, ensuring to backstitch again when you start. Make sure not to stitch past your opening marking pins, otherwise the opening will be too small to fit the hooks. On the other hand, try not to stop short, or they will be too big and sloppy. There is no need to cut the threads each time you stop and start, you can do that at the end (but it isn't really necessary).

When you are done stitching, try fitting the hooks through the holes to double check that it fits.

Flip the fabric right way out and iron the piece flat. (You can actually get it to turn right way out cleaner if you press the seam flat open first then fold it over.)


Again use pins to mark your openings and topstitch 1/8" in along the edge. Like before backstitch at each pin and be careful to not overshoot your pins.

Then slip the hook piece of the busk through the hole as far as possible. Using a zipper foot on the sewing machine stitch around the busk to hold it firmly in place, snugging the needle up beside the busk and continuing to push it as far through the holes as possible. Make sure to stitch around the top and bottom ends.

Next you prep the opposite panel for the post side of the busk. Sew the pieces right sides together on the center front seam. (Like with the first side if you have a fancy fabric it should be sandwiched in the middle of the two fabrics so it will be on the outside when you flip them.) Again flip it to the right side and press it. Then topstitch 1/8" in from the edge.

Line up the left side and the right side of the center front panels. Mark with pins where the top and bottom of the busk should go on the right panel so it will properly align with the left one (which should have the hooks in it already). Carefully mark where the holes will go for the posts. Keep in mind when you mark the holes you want to have the busk piece as snug to the stitch line as possible without the fabric pulling oddly around the posts.

Using an awl carefully poke each hole and the slip the post through. These holes should not be going through all the layers, only the through the fashion layer (if you have one) and the top layer. It may take a couple tries to get the post through as these holes tend to close quickly. Use the awl again to loosen it if need be.

Once you have all the posts through then use the zipper foot and stitch around the busk the same as the first side.

And then you have a lovely busk closure! Very sleek, very strong. ;D

Black Corset, Beetle Green Trim

This is the first corset I've ever made! I really love the beetle green silk I chose to make the trim, I think it contrasts nicely. :) I say "beetle green" because it reminds me of the iridescent green colour of many beetles.

Since it was my first time, and I had no clue what I was doing, I am only posting finished pictures of this rather complicated piece. Expect more in-depth detail on my next corset! Haha But you can still take a look at how I made from scratch and attached the piping trim here!

Thanks to my sister for doing this impromptu photoshoot with me!

It was constructed from a pattern from Farthingales (aka the best place to get corsetry supplies). It had to be modified a bit to fit my size--as between my bust, and hips I fell under 2 different sizes, and my waist was somewhere in between... Not quite entirely happy with the fit at the front, but that is just the style.

The bones in this corset are plastic.

It's actually quite comfortable! (Corsets should be comfortable if they fit correctly!) Technically I could lace it tighter if I wanted (you can see I have plenty of room to at the back), but I prefer the look of it this way.

Pictured left you can see the embroidery detail at the top front up close. Those were pretty fun to do, wish I had had time to do more of them... I hand embroidered all the eyelets as was required for the project. Those were much less fun...

Already working on corset #2! Praying it will be finished in time for the deadline!