Corset Project - Black corset w grey dots.

Two new coutil fabrics came in a few weeks ago and I've got an event coming up in October (the Creativ Festival) that I'd like a new corset for.  I had settled on a black and grey herringbone suiting that I could make into a waist cincher using the new black coutil with grey dots (spot broche coutil) as the the foundation.  When it came time to cut the fabrics out I decided I didn't want to hide the coutil! So I'm making a long-line under-bust corset using the black coutil with grey dots and I'll wear it with a black skirt and black blouse.

Here is where I've got to so far.

The busk looks silver but it's actually black metallic and I created a placket behind it to protect my skin or at lease keep my blouse from getting caught between the two fronts.

 

 



 

I like to have a pocket on my corsets so I have some place to put my lunch money and don't have to carry a purse so I added one and incorporated it into decorative stitching.  You can see it in the curved row of stitches. 

 

 

I rarely line my corsets though I did think about doing it on this one but most corsets I make end up getting looked at by students so it makes more sense to keep the inside lining free and all the details visible. A well made corset is just as neat inside as out so a lining is really not needed. I opted to use contrasting thread to sew the bones casings on but I did not use the contrasting thread on the outside of the corset as it seemed like it would make it too busy since there was already decorative stitching.

 



 

 

 

 

I'm busy working on another project so this is what I'm doing when I need a break. I'll post more as I get it done.

 

 

All products are from www.farthingalescorsetmakingsupplies.com

This particular coutil known as "spot broche", "dot coutil" and "spot coutil" is available in several colour combinations and is the ultimate in durability. It's used by theatres all over the world because it's easy to work with and corsets made from it last!



 

 

 

 

Corset Busks; regular, wide, spoon and colours

Corset busks that open have been around since the mid 1800's. Made of metal an opening corset busk consists of two parts; one side has knobs and the other loops. When the loops are hooked over the knobs the busk acts like a clasp to hold a corset shut. This means that you can get into a corset without someone to dress you. Always loosen the corset laces before attempting to get into and out of the corset. Since a corset is essentially smaller that your body, trying to put the corset on without loosening the corset laces will be impossible and trying to take the corset off without loosening the ties will potentially damage the busk.

 

You have choices when buying a busk.  The most common busk is a "regular busk" or "straight busk" which is white with silver coloured knobs and loops. More colour options have become available in the last few years so you can now get "gold busks" that have gold knobs and loops,  "antique brass busks", "black busks" and even ones that have "diamonds"/clear crystals set in the knobs that are called "diamond busks" (though no, they are not real diamonds). Having colour options means you can co-ordinate the busk to the fashion fabric.

 

There are also "wide busks" and "spoon busks" both of which are silver in colour and made from stainless steel. The "wide busks" are extremely supportive and a good choice for women or men needing/wanting more support - they don't flex nearly as well as a regular busk so they don't curve over the chest well.  The "Spoon busk" is historically accurate for corsets of the late 1800's and the bowl of the spoon is meant to cup the stomach...not the chest!

 

The busk (regardless of style or colour) should be put into the corset with the loop piece on the right-hand side so that the wearer can pull the loop section with their right hand while holding the left side in place. Hooking the loops over the knobs.

 

Busks can be found in many lengths from 4" to 18" so you can likely find one for any project you have.

 

The link below will take you an article about getting into and out of a corset with an opening busk.

 

http://farthingalescorsetmakingsupplies.com/tips.php?article=17

 

The next link will take you to a wide selection of articles related to costume making

 

http://farthingalescorsetmakingsupplies.com/tips-index.php

 

and the last link will take you to a web page to see all the busks that Farthingales offers for sale

http://farthingalescorsetmakingsupplies.com/products.php?cat=busk



Making a Mesh Corset

There's been a lot of chat lately about "mesh corsets", likely because it's been so hot just about everywhere. Farthingales sells several types of net and mesh so I thought I try my hand at making a mesh corset. I started by choosing a mesh and decided on the one that has the smallest holes - why? because a corset is tight and who wants to have flesh  squeezed through hundreds of little holes! It would make for a very uncomfortable and likely itchy corset experience.

So I chose item #24-5550-90a very fine nylon mesh (it is not elastic or stretchy). I decided to not use any coutil so the front and back panels are two layers of the mesh, this meant the corset busk would be visible if I used a white one, so I opted for a 10 " black busk #15-85BL-10. To encase the bones I chose black bone casing tape 74-3412-90 and black eyelets for the back. I bound the top and bottom edges with black bias binding...next time I'll use Petersham as the mesh looks really nice and the bias just isn't quite as nice a finish.


This is the result so far:

The corset front panels w the busk sew in. Despite the fabric being mesh the main part of the busk is not visible because it to is black. Only the knobs and loops are visible as they are exposed and they're a black metallic.







This is the left side of the corset as it rests on a white surface, you can see how fine the mesh is, there is no way any flesh can get squeezed through this. It surprisingly strong! I did set eyelets down the center back and they seem quite secure (they are set in 4 layers of mesh when the seam allowance is included).

 The corset on a mannequin - unfortunately all of my "squishy: mannequins are covered in black so the corset would not show on them. This mannequin is a hard body one and while the corset does fit fairly accurately is does not allow for the waist cinching effect, but you can see what the corset looks like.

I expect to get someone in next week to try it on so I can get pictures of it in on a human

All supplies for this mesh corset project are available from

www.farthingalescorsetmakingsupplies.com

direct link to the Mesh page

https://www.farthingalescorsetmakingsupplies.com/Corset-Mesh-p/24-5550.htm

Coutil Long Line Waist Cincher is my Current Project

.A "Long Line" waist cincher is a corset that comes low over the hip but leaves the bust exposed...unless of course you wear a bra, pasties or something else.  It's a great style to keep a smooth line over the hip area and offers more belly support!

This corset is made from two layers of spot coutil / dot coutil. The outer layer is black coutil with black spots and the inside layer is black coutil with red dots. Two layers of coutil makes for an incredibly durable corset - not matter what it's used for. I used a regular busk but it's a black busk not a standard silver busk. Some of the bone casings are mid-panel and decorative and others are on the seams - some inside and some outside.

This is just one half of the corset and it's still not quite finished

 

The spot coutil has been embellished on either side of the busk

And some bone casings have also been embellished

 

 

The bones will be a mix of spiral steel bones and white steels. There will be grommets with lacing up the back, and the top and bottom edge will likely be bound with black satin bias tape...have not decided this yet.

 

All the product I used came from:



http://www.farthingalescorsetmakingsupplies.com