As I mentioned in my 2021 goals post, my big, year-long project is a late 1890s corset! Given that my last (and so far only) foray into structural garments was my Regency short stays - which I started about 5 years ago and are of questionable quality and are technically stays, not a corset - I figured I'd better do some serious research before I jumped in.
Hence this post! I wanted to compile my research into one place to serve as both a reference to myself and to help anyone else who is starting their corset making journey. You can come chat with me on Instagram @whennnow about it if you'd like. (There are a lot of links in this post, but I'm not promoting or selling anything or being sponsored or affiliated.)
Inspiration
Let's take a moment to get inspired and remind ourselves of the end goal here. On Pinterest I have a sub-board for 1890s corsets, and here are two more boards (Late Victorian Corsets and 1890s Underwear) for your viewing pleasure.
The Symington Corset collection has an official Tumblr blog where they post photos of Victorian and Edwardian corsets. (And we'll be back to them in just a moment...)
Patterns
There is no shortage of available 1890s/late Victorian corset patterns! There's Ladies' Victorian Underwear from Laughing Moon Merchantile, Hour Glass Silhouette from Past Patterns, Corset for Stout Figure and more from Ageless Patterns, several from Atelier Sylphe Corsetry on Etsy, and the list goes on (especially if you extend your search to all late Victorian corsets).
The Symington Corset Collection offers one of their patterns for sale along with a replica corset box and offers FREE instructions for constructing this particular corset on the Tumblr blog I mentioned earlier, which is very cool of them.
If you, like me, are filled with confidence (or is that hubris?) about your ability to construct a corset without specific instructions, then I'd turn your attention toward the rest of the Symington Collection. The collection includes high-resolution images of 109 patterns (!!!) from the original Symington Corset Company, all of which can be viewed online for free or ordered as a digital file or a print (at least when there's not a pandemic on).
And all of this doesn't even touch on the patterns found in books! We are spoiled for choice or 1890s corset patterns, especially if you're willing to do a bit of extra work to adjust a pattern to your size.
If you're using a pattern diagram like the Symington patterns, I'd suggest using this tutorial on how to make initial size adjustments to your pattern from Wicked Rain Studio.
Materials
Corset fabric can be divided into three sub-sections - the base structural layer which provides strength and durability, an optional fashion fabric which provides extra prettiness, and an optional lining layer.
Cotton coutil is a very strong non-stretch material which makes it a go-to base fabric choice for corset makers. Suppliers include Corset Making Supplies, Sew Curvy, Richard the Thread, and Vogue Fabrics. Unfortunately for those of us on a budget, coutil is also very expensive.
Less expensive options for the base layer include cotton drill, cotton canvas, duck canvas, and maybe also cotton twill. The point is to find a sturdy, non-stretch fabric that will hold up to the strain corsets are often under.
There's a lot more freedom with fashion fabrics! Silk is a popular choice, especially silk satins, taffeta, and brocades. Silk-like polyesters are a more budget-friendly alternative, or you can use a second layer of your base fabric. Depending on your construction method (and whether or not your pattern includes cording) you may not need a fashion layer, but you can use one anyway!
Linings aren't really seen in Victorian corsets and aren't necessary, but if you'd like a lining, a plain cotton or even linen will do nicely.
Other Supplies
Corsets require many different supplies. Aside from fabric, you need a busk (straight busk or spoon busk), bones (synthetic whalebone, flat steel, or spiral steel), grommets, lacing cord, a waist stay/waist tape, tape for boning channels, binding for the upper and lower edges, thread for construction, thread for flossing (cotton embroidery floss or silk if you're fancy), and whatever lace or ribbon you want for decorating.
Corset Making Supplies and Sew Curvy are good places to look for just about everything on that list, as they are both dedicated corset making websites. Burnley & Trowbridge has some boning, plus cotton tapes perfect for waist stays and boning channels, silk thread for flossing, and silk ribbon for decorating.
Lace and ribbon for decorating can also be found in most fabric and craft stores and in many Etsy shops.
Construction
Once you've got everything you need and you've settled on a design, it's time to put it all together. Books on corset making - Victorian or otherwise - are great resources. Foundations Revealed hosts a wealth of knowledge on the subject - a free membership grants you access to some materials, but you need the paid membership to access all of it. Sidney Eileen has several articles on corset making, covering construction for multiple kinds of corsets and individual skills and details. Sew Curvy, one of the suppliers mentioned above, has curated a great list of tutorials and tricks.
YouTube is a great resource too! Prior Attire has a video on lapped seam construction, and Morgan Donner has a video with three more corset construction methods. Not tutorials, but educational nonetheless are Enchanted Rose Costumes' Symington corset construction video, and Cat's Costumery's late Victorian corset video. Starkers Corsets has a corset sew-along playlist which goes in-depth in each step of the process, from making and fitting mockups to setting grommets (but right now it is missing videos on binding and flossing). AraneaBlack also has a 12-part playlist that covers her entire corset making process (though unfortunately the video titles don't say what is being covered in each video - you have to look in the description), plus other playlists full of great corset making info!
Steam Ingenious has a tutorial for the folded seam method, which similar to Prior Attire's lapped seam method except that here the seams become bone casings and the edges of those seams aren't finished, resulting in the need for a lining. The Sempstress has a tutorial for a single layer corset where the seam allowances are covered with bias tape and become boning channels (her casings end up on the outside, but this method could easily be adapted to put the bone casings on the inside). I'd also direct you back to the free instructions provided for the Symington pattern.
As long as this post already is, it's not exhaustive in the slightest. Because of that, I intend to update this post with more resources as I work on this project!
There will be at least two more posts in this corset making series - one on mockups and pattern adjustments, and one on actually constructing the corset. Those are at least a few months down the road, though, as I have a lot to do and so much of it is new to me! There will also be other posts between these, as I have plans for less intense projects and a new book to review.
Stay warm. Stay safe. Stay healthy.
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