You mention that the boning and lacing boning should be 1/2″ shorter than the join length, but you don’t say anything about the busk length. Is the busk supposed to run the entire length of the front closure or should it be 1/2″ shorter as well?
Yes it should be that little bit shorter as well, this is to allow you to sew on the bias binding at the end without them getting in the way of the machine needle.
You mention that sprung steel should be used for front and back and spiral steel for the sides. Is the first bone after the busk and the first bone after the lacing bone sprung steel as well?
Yes this is what I meant but it really is down to preference, I have made corsets with all sprung and some with all spiral, it depends what the wearer wants. Sprung will be stiffer and give a smoother line, spiral will give more flexibility.
Does boning width matter? Looking online at suppliers, some sell 1/4″ boning and some sell 1/2″ boning. I assume the 1/2″ would make the corset more rigid. Will this effect the look of the corset? What is typical?
I use a 1/4 inch but for plus size corsets a 1/2 inch would be better as like you said it is just a matter of rigidity, the thicker the bone, the less it will bend under pressure.
Finally, coutil. We went to just about every fabric store in my town (Denver, CO, USA) and nobody carries this material. The best fabric store actually had somebody look up what it was to make sure. They couldn’t think of anyone who would have it other than specialty shops (online). They were wondering if a cotton twill type fabric would also work. We looked at quite a few twills and some stretch and some don’t depending on the quality and pattern. It also seems like the coutil is quite expensive, and I am hesitant to purchase it online because I have no experience with the fabric. I am somewhat nervous that the coutil will not be a comfortable fabric against skin. Can you shed some more light on this for me? I am using a brocade fabric for the outer layer of the corset, if that makes a difference. The brocade doesn’t seem to stretch any, but maybe it can’t stand up to the tight lacing like the coutil can.
Coutil is specially designed for corset making and is a cotton fabric (normally 100% but you can get polyester mixes) with a tight herringbone weave. It can be expensive but remember you only need a 1/2 meter or yard to make one corset, when making a short underbust I can normally get two out of 1/2 a meter. All the suppliers on the list in my book make good quality coutil and some of them are quite cheap, so you can be sure they are fine to purchase from. Many other fabrics are used as substitutes by amateur corset makers or are found in historic corsets. Twill is but one. Natural fibre content is important in any material because it allows the skin to breathe. Historically they were made of strong linen, but duck canvas or drill can be used.
Any strong cotton canvas that doesn’t stretch when pulled can be used. In fact anything sturdy without stretch can be used but coutil will do the job best. Its tight weave stops stretch and its smooth cotton surface won’t irritate skin. You can use interfacing to add more strength to an already sturdy fabric if you wish. One thing I don’t recommend using is denim as this seems stiff but will give after a few hours of wear. I always say ‘if in doubt give it a good tug’ and look for stiffer, tighter weaves in the cloth – herringbone is best, the smaller the better.
Of course if you’re not using the corset for corset training or cinching the waist in and it is more for fashion, then the strength is less important but you should still look for a fabric with little to no stretch. If your brocade is a strong one, this will help take some of the tension, corsets have been made from strong brocades and upholstery fabrics in the past. I have used both but always with a layer of coutil. If you’re going to put all that work in, I always believe it’s best to not skimp on materials.
I hope that answers all your questions, I look forward to seeing your finished corset! Scarlett
