Today I had some good questions on corset making from Niki
I recently bought your videos and I am wondering what sewing machine you are using?
Also, do you have lists of supplies needed for all of the patterns you include? Like which require a busk, which use what kinds of bones and how many, which use strechier fabric, how much fabric is required for each, etc?
Thank you for your time.
Niki
Hi Niki,
I’m using a singer curvy but it’s not as good as my nan’s older machine to be honest. Any decent home sewing machine would do fine. There is a list of the best places to buy supplies in the corset making manual ebook that came with the videos. The amount of material you need will depend on the size you are – when you scale up the pattern and have all your finished pieces, you can lay them out and work out what length of material you could fit them on. For an underbust or a small overbust I can usually manage with half a meter. With a corset belt a quarter meter is sometimes enough, but it’s best to lay out the pieces and work it out before buying. Don’t forget to leave room for seam allowance and don’t forget to buy both outer and lining fabric. As for stretch, always go for the less stretchy fabrics and always use coutil or similar non-stretch fabric for lining.
All the patterns can be made with or without a busk. To make a front closed corset (one without a busk at the front) you simply cut out the front two panels as one – so the patterns in the book show one side of panels that you would cut out twice, one lot for the left side one for the right. But instead of cutting two of the front panel you cut the front panel out ‘on the fold’ (you fold your material in half and place the front edge of the pattern piece on the fold line then cut out. So when you unfold the piece of material you have just cut out, it is the shape of two of the front panels joined at the point where the busk would have gone. Then you just completely ignore the busk step. I hope that makes sense.
Which bones you use is completely down to preference; spiral is more comfortable, sprung steel gives a better line and more support or a mixture of both with the spiral at the sides for flexibility and sprung to front and back are all options to consider, none are wrong and all should look good and feel comfortable. For larger or ‘plus’ sizes, choosing thicker sprung steel will give more support but it really is down to individual preference.
Let me know if you have any other questions, Scarlett
