These photos were taken a couple days ago.  I finished the eyelets for the bottom of the busk pocket and attached the pocket.

For the bottom of the busk pocket I decided to make hand-worked eyelets using a looped buttonhole stitch.  The first step is to define the eyelets.  Then create a running stitch just outside the circumference of the hole size you want.  The running stitch will help the eyelet hold its shape, and provide a guide while you create the buttonhole stitches.

Open the eyelet hole with an awl.  Depending upon the material, you may need to slash the material inside the eyelet hole so that it will evenly fold back away from the hole.  I had to do that for the busk pocket because the material was too thick to nicely open with just the tapered awl.

Each stitch starts from the back side of the eyelet, pulled through to the front.  These stitches define the outer edge of the eyelet hole, so try to keep your stitches an even distance out from the circle of running stitches.

Next drop your needle down through the eyelet and have it emerge to the front next to the prior stitch, maintaining your distance from the circle of running stitches.  Make sure the tail end of the previous stitch goes around the outside of the needle before dropping through the eyelet hole.  It is that loop which creates the border edge.  To finish the stitch just pull the thread tight (as tight as you can) and you will be back at the photo above.

If you do not want to create the edge border to your eyelets, just leave out the loop around the needle.

When you have completed the eyelet, instead of dropping the needle through the eyelet hole, run it down through the same place the very first stitch emerged.  This will create a loop to complete the edging.    As you can see, it’s been a while since I’ve done this and the circle is not even.  Practice is the only way to fix this problem.

The busk pocket cover, with both eyelets stitched.

I pinned the cover in place down the center front of the corset.

I then stitched down the busk pocket cover, stitching right along the edges of the cover.

To finish the busk pocket I used a narrow zig-zag stitch along the top edge of the corset.  The photo is from the front, but I actually stitched this with the lining up so I could see the border edge of the corset.

It is now ready for the top edge to be trimmed and bound.

 Project: Regency Corset