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This is my dark blue Victorian corset, which I have finally finished altering to fit me better. It's actually a lot darker navy than it looks in the photos, but it's got a really nice sheen. It's lined with cotton and interlined with canvas. The outer fabric is polyester, I think (bought it years ago and I can't remember, but that's my guess), but it looks almost like blue/black shot silk. It's pretty. This corset is entirely hand-stitched, mostly because I didn't own a sewing machine when I started it and partly because I like hand-stitching.
The corset is made from Lavinia H. Foy's patent from 1868, which I have included in the image. I simply scaled the pieces up to size. The corset is a really beautiful shape and is quite comfortable, despite the fact that it reduces my waist by 5 inches. I'm told that it's not really safe to take more inches off right away, and despite the comfort of this particular corset, I can understand why after wearing it for more than a few minutes.
There are a few issues with the pattern that I will warn people about, as it's a pretty common one for reproductions.
First, the wrinkles in the hip gusset. I have seen these in almost every single version of this corset I have seen. The gusset is made for hips smaller than most people's. It almost needs a gusset to widen the gusset. Since the corset will be covered, anyways, I don't mind them, but if you know about it ahead of time you probably want to widen that gusset.
Second, this is a DEMI-BUST corset. Not underbust, not overbust. As such, you need to measure where your bust naturally sits (no push-up bras) and alter the pattern pieces so that the length between your waist and your mid-bust line is accurate. The corset as it is will probably be too short for you.
Third, if you are a size medium in your shirts or smaller, you will need to make this corset a good 4" or more thinner all the way around to leave room for waist reduction and lacing gap. I had to take mine apart and alter it. Not so fun.
Anyhow, I hope if any of you decide to make one of these that you're as happy with it as I am. It's a really beautiful corset and it's especially nice because it achieves awesome waist reduction without constricting your hips too much. Enjoy!
The corset is made from Lavinia H. Foy's patent from 1868, which I have included in the image. I simply scaled the pieces up to size. The corset is a really beautiful shape and is quite comfortable, despite the fact that it reduces my waist by 5 inches. I'm told that it's not really safe to take more inches off right away, and despite the comfort of this particular corset, I can understand why after wearing it for more than a few minutes.
There are a few issues with the pattern that I will warn people about, as it's a pretty common one for reproductions.
First, the wrinkles in the hip gusset. I have seen these in almost every single version of this corset I have seen. The gusset is made for hips smaller than most people's. It almost needs a gusset to widen the gusset. Since the corset will be covered, anyways, I don't mind them, but if you know about it ahead of time you probably want to widen that gusset.
Second, this is a DEMI-BUST corset. Not underbust, not overbust. As such, you need to measure where your bust naturally sits (no push-up bras) and alter the pattern pieces so that the length between your waist and your mid-bust line is accurate. The corset as it is will probably be too short for you.
Third, if you are a size medium in your shirts or smaller, you will need to make this corset a good 4" or more thinner all the way around to leave room for waist reduction and lacing gap. I had to take mine apart and alter it. Not so fun.
Anyhow, I hope if any of you decide to make one of these that you're as happy with it as I am. It's a really beautiful corset and it's especially nice because it achieves awesome waist reduction without constricting your hips too much. Enjoy!
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5572x3192px 16.58 MB
© 2011 - 2024 Arasiyris
Comments13
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You're still good to have handstitched it in four months - I worked on my Regency stays for four years! On and off, of course, but still...
I love the binding - is it velvet? Such a great final touch.
Here's some tips for further corsetting, and for your viewers who might want to try their hand at it:
This PDF tutorial provides overall awesome tips for making a pattern draft for a corset fit you: www.foundationsrevealed.com/fr… - and that site in general is great. Subscription-only, but they have some free articles as well (and I'm saying this as one who can't afford the site-wide subscription).
And The Dreamstress has a great introductory post on the sort of measurements / sizing a corset should be for different figures to be comfortable: thedreamstress.com/2012/08/wha…
I'm posting these because, having seen many beautiful corsets made by the participants in the Historical Sew Fortnightly / Monthly, I think neither the wrinkles, nor the uncomfort after just a few minutes of wearing a corset are necessary!
It's good to remember that 1860s corsets - which is when this pattern dates to - weren't actually primarily meant for drastic waist reduction (which, in fact, overall isn't terribly historically accurate, because a corset for a woman in history was the same thing a bra is for us now). They were meant to be worn with those wide, wide skirts, and to help support them - and it was mainly those skirts that provided the impression of a small waist.
I love the binding - is it velvet? Such a great final touch.
Here's some tips for further corsetting, and for your viewers who might want to try their hand at it:
This PDF tutorial provides overall awesome tips for making a pattern draft for a corset fit you: www.foundationsrevealed.com/fr… - and that site in general is great. Subscription-only, but they have some free articles as well (and I'm saying this as one who can't afford the site-wide subscription).
And The Dreamstress has a great introductory post on the sort of measurements / sizing a corset should be for different figures to be comfortable: thedreamstress.com/2012/08/wha…
I'm posting these because, having seen many beautiful corsets made by the participants in the Historical Sew Fortnightly / Monthly, I think neither the wrinkles, nor the uncomfort after just a few minutes of wearing a corset are necessary!
It's good to remember that 1860s corsets - which is when this pattern dates to - weren't actually primarily meant for drastic waist reduction (which, in fact, overall isn't terribly historically accurate, because a corset for a woman in history was the same thing a bra is for us now). They were meant to be worn with those wide, wide skirts, and to help support them - and it was mainly those skirts that provided the impression of a small waist.