Overbust corsets are non-conical, non-bra overbust corsets popular for modern wear. Historic periods of use range throughout the Victorian and Edwardian, and include all manner of piecing styles involving panels and gores.

This is a bespoke 1800′s style Victorian sweetheart overbust corset.  It has cream dupioni silk cover material, blue flossing, blue lace edging, lacing panel, and metal busk.

1880's Blue and Cream Silk Sweetheart

Core: Two layers of corset coutil
Cover: Cream dupioni silk
Flossing: Blue thread and blue floss
Edging: Cream dupioni silk bias tape
Lace: Blue box pleated sheer and lace
Boning: 1/4" flat spring steel and spiral bones
Piecing: 8 panels per side
Busk: 14" metal straight double busk

After completion, it was necessary to add two gores along each hip.

Overbust corsets are non-conical, non-bra overbust corsets popular for modern wear. Historic periods of use range throughout the Victorian and Edwardian, and include all manner of piecing styles involving panels and gores.

This is a bespoke plus sized long-line Edwardian mid-bust corset.  It is made with two layers of tea stained corset coutil, lace edging, and split metal busk.

Plus-Sized Edwardian Long-Line Overbust

Core: Two layers of corset coutil, lightly tea stained
Lace: 100% rayon lace
Edging: Tea stained cotton twill tape
Boning: 1/4" and 1/2" flat spring steel bones
Piecing: 7 panels per side
Busk: 16" metal straight double busk

These corsets are styled after the fashion profiles of the late Victorian and Edwardian. Underbusts come up to right under the bust, or just a bit below. Waist cinchers usually just cover from the bottom of the rib cage to the top of the hips.

This corset is a bespoke custom commissioned tight lacing waist cincher, with lavender silk cover material, lace edging, lacing panel, and split metal busk.

Tight-Lacing Lavender Silk Waist Cincher

Fabric: Two core layers of corset coutil, cotton lining, silk cover
Edging: Cotton lace
Boning: 1/2" and 1/4" flat spring steel bones
Piecing: Seven panels per side
Busk: 9" metal straight busk

Lace edging can usually be added to a corset at any time, simply applied over the existing edge binding.

If the lace is very narrow, it should be wrapped around the edge of the corset so it finishes on the inside.  Very often, though, the lace is wide enough that it partially covers the grommets or busk hooks of the corset.  When that happens, it should not be wrapped around.  It needs to be loose against the body of the corset so it will not interfere with the busk or the lacing.

The lace is folded back about 1/2″ underneath itself.  Depending upon the particular lace you are using, some sort of an edge finish may be needed for the lace itself to prevent raveling or loose threads.  In this case it is simply cut.

The lace is top-stitched to the edge binding after the corset is technically finished.  What kind of stitch you want to use depends upon the lace you are using and the look you want.  Very often a straight stitch will work nicely.Another excellent options is a basting stitch or hand-basting, which allows for easily changing the lace trim later. Lara of http://www.laracorsets.com informed me that ALL historic corsets had the lace basted or tacked on.

In this case I chose a tight decorative stitch that blended into the lace pattern.

The view of the stitching from the inside. I recommend using a basting stitch, rather than a decorative stitch, so the lace can easily be removed, cleaned, or changed.

If the bound edge of the corset meets the front or back at an angle, the edge of the lace needs to be folded so it will lay in the same direction as the vertical edge of the corset.  In this case, the sweetheart shaping on the bust meets the busk at a very wide angle, so the lace must be folded so when the busk is closed the lace will meet edge to edge.

Adjust the angle of the fold by hand before stitching it down.  The angle needed in this case is shown below.

Every situation is unique and there is more than one way to achieve a beautiful end, but generally this method works well for applying decorative lace edging to most corsets.