tutorial » By Sidney Eileen

Corset Drafting Notes – Gores

Corsets, Free Clothing Patterns, Sewing No Responses »

Mar 292012

Modified gored corset pattern from historic Victorian pattern

Today I received an email asking if I have a tutorial describing how to draft a corset pattern with gores. I don’t have a tutorial written for drafting overbust corsets of any kind, let alone gored corsets. It’s a tricky endeavor, and when I do create that tutorial it will require extensive writing and illustration. It’s a lot of time I don’t have right now for that particular project.

That said, I can give some tips which will probably be most helpful to people who already know how to draft their own basic corsets, or at least already have a vertical panel corset pattern they know fits. The least technical way to go about it is to base your gored pattern off a vertical panel pattern, cutting off and reshaping parts of the vertical panels into gores. Make your mock-up, try it on, and have a friend help you pin (or baste) the hell out of it to adjust the shaping. Alter the pattern, make another mock-up, and go again. Look at as many gored corset patterns as you can (especially if it is accompanied by a photo showing the final shape), paying particular attention to the shapes of the curves of the gores in different places and the curves of the panel pieces they attach to. Look at and how those curves affect the shape of the final corset.

For example, if your panel piece is curved and the gore piece is straight, the gore will stick outward from the panel. If the panel piece and gore piece have the same exact shape, the two will meet flush without any variation in the shape of the corset at the seam. Most gores are somewhere between the two extremes, generally being straighter where they should move outward from the body piece, and curved more similar to the body piece where the transition should be smoother. When the gore piece is curved more dramatically than the body panel, it will cause the surface of the gore to pull or curve towards the part of the body which meets the greater curved gore. This is most easily seen on bust gores, where they are curved more dramatically than the body piece so the cup of the bust will curve back in towards the body. A gore at the front of the hip will usually be straight (or nearly straight) along the top so it will arch out from the body and the curve of the panel piece around the body will pull the entire panel towards the side with it.

This image is an adaptation of an 1890′s corset pattern I made a couple years ago, and it shows one way that gores can be shaped to create all the curves of the human body.

Modified Historic Gored Corset Pattern

Regency Corset – Assembly Day 1

Corsets, Sewing, Tutorials, Work in Progress No Responses »

Mar 282012

I spent the afternoon and evening working on the regency corset. There will be absolutely no metal boning anywhere in the corset, and all the materials, including the cording, have been pre-washed in hot water so the finished corset will be machine washable. I’m taking advantage of this fact and using pencil to mark the corset. I will be washing it when finished to remove all pencil marks before sending it to the customer.

This is a photo of the mock-up, after it was returned by the customer. If you ever get a mock-up for a custom item, keep this in mind. I have never received back a mock-up so well modified and descriptive. Safety pins are holding folds of fabric to make the corset smaller where needed. It’s drawn on or folded back where it needs to be shorter, and where the armpit needs to be a little larger. Extra material is pinned on at the bust and the back of the hip to show where the pieces should be extended. To top it off, she very boldly marked the part of the shoulder strap which she would like padded out for more comfort.

Following the marks and modifications on the mock-up, I was able to modify the pattern with complete confidence.

There are going to be three layers to this corset. The core layer is white coutil. The cover is white drill, as is found on many extant regency corsets. The lining is white muslin. The cording is white poly twist intended for the core of piping. Stitches will be in white, and the edging will be white cotton taffeta.

Before doing any actual sewing, I first did some testing with scrap core/cover material and the cording. I made channels of different lengths until I figured out a width I could just barely get the cording into. You want the cording to be as snug as possible so it will be more effective for stiffening the corset. If the cording is sloppy in the channel it will have little effect other than decorative. Since this corset is plus-sized, it is especially important that the cording be tight, and that there is a lot of it.

The first step was to add the bust gores to each layer of the front panel.

Then I just grabbed the cover layer, front panel. I marked where the busk pocket will go, and then marked out my cording design. Since this is plus-sized, it will need a fair amount of cording throughout to hold shape nicely. Extra cording is also important if there is very much waist reduction. If the regency corset is very light-lacing, small, and just for bust support, very little cording is necessary. However, it can look very nice.

I looked to extant pieces for inspiration and placement. Almost all of them I saw had some sort of support arching down to the bottom of the corset a short distance from the busk, so I figure there is probably a good reason for it. Even if it’s not necessary for support, it looks nice.

The one thing I did here which I would caution against (now that I’ve corded a bit) is having squiggles with a lot of sharpness to them. It’s extremely difficult to get any cording material into them, so much so that it’s really not practical. I think this explains why so many extant pieces have diamond patterns rather than squiggles.

Once the pattern is drawn, formulate a plan for how to sew and cord. In order to insert the cording, you need to be able to get your hand to both ends of the channel. That means if a set of channels end at the broad side of another channel, you will need to sew the terminal channels first. In this design I have four areas which terminate in the broad side of another channel. Each bust, and the sweeping channels extending from below the bust towards the bottom of the corset. Since the bust is the most hindered by other channels, and the least hindering to any other channel, I will start there.

Before sewing the cording, I lined up the core and cover layers, wrong sides together. I then pinned them together to stabilize while sewing. They are pinned with bent pins so the material can lay flat without puckering (I keep a pin cushion with bent pins just for this purpose). You can also baste by hand if you prefer. The point is to keep the two layers from moving about while sewing, or you’ll end up with ugly distortions.

Stitch the channels in an order where you can make adjustments if needed based on actual channel width. I first sewed the center channels, and then the side channels starting closest to the gores. For the channels alongside the gores, I used the pencil marks as general guides, and used my presser foot for precise guide. I want the channels to be harmonious with the gores, so the outermost stitches are lined up with the edges of the gores via the presser foot edge. Then each successive channel was spaced using the presser foot as a guide so the widths were totally even.

As you can see in the photo, the actual channels are placed a little different from the drawing, so the squiggles need to be adjusted to look right. I used a fabric eraser (yes, a specific fabric eraser – it works much better on fabric than a normal eraser and can be purchased in the notion section of many fabric stores) to erase parts of the squiggle and redraw it before sewing.

When the section is ready to be corded, the next step is to prepare the cording. I am using tape to keep the end of the cord tight so it will go through the channel. My channels are tight enough that there is no room for the cording to bend back on itself and still make it through.

I am using buttonhole thread because it holds up better under heavy tugging. I still had it break every couple channels while working. It is tied tight around the cording just below the tape, and then the needle is run through the tape and out the end so the pressure is direct on the tip of the cord. I am using a very dull and large needle so it will go through the channel instead of poking through the fabric.

Be sure to have enough length of thread that you can get the needle entirely through the channel and have some thread to grab hold of when pulling the cording through. If you do this, it will save you a lot of frustration.

As I worked, I found that I only needed half that much tape on the end, and it was actually a little easier with a shorter tape bit. Also, when your needle is entirely through the channel, guide the tip of the cord into the channel before pulling hard. It sometimes takes some coaxing while tugging, or between tugs, to get the cord started through the channel. Pull it most of the way through, and then tug the fabric so it’s not compressed and the cord is settled in the channel. You don’t want your cord to be shorter than the fabric. Then, while holding the cover material at the start of the channel, slowly tug the cording until it’s just barely visible. Cut the exit end flush as well. If the cording is tight in the channel, it will stay there all on its own.

As I mentioned earlier, I should not have put in squiggles with such deep curves. The first problem was just getting the needle through, which I discovered needed to be done before adding any other cording. The second problem was getting the cord to go around the turns. The pull was towards the edge of the corset, but the cord needed to go sideways, so I ended up having to split the cord in half and run a smaller cord through just to be able to do it. It’s not much good for support, but the presence of some cording material at least makes it look consistent with the rest of the channels.

So, I got the cording into one bust and called it a night. I spent about eight hours working on this today, but it should go faster from here out now that I have some idea what I’m doing.

Project: Regency Corset

New Tutorial – How to Lace a Corset

Corsets, Sewing, Tutorials No Responses »

Feb 242012

Illustration of Standard Lacing

I have just posted a new tutorial covering in detail how to lace a typical modern corset (crossed lacing pulling from the waist), and how to spiral or offset lace (lacing stays with offset grommet configuration).

The standard lacing directions include detailed photos and description of how to estimate the length of your lacing material.

The offset lacing directions include detailed drawings of how to tie off both ends of the lacing.

How to Lace a Corset

Offset Lacing Diagram

How to Lace a Corset

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This page shows you in detail how to lace a typical modern corset (standard crossed lacing pulling from the waist), and how to spiral or offset lace (lacing stays with offset grommet configuration).

Standard Corset Lacing

This is how to lace modern and Victorian style corsets. It’s used for any kind of corset where the grommets are spaced identically on both sides of the opening. Very often the two grommets at the waist are spaced slightly closer together, but even if they are not it is important that the lacing pull from the waist.

Illustration of Standard Lacing

The first step is to estimate the amount of lacing material you will need.

To estimate the length of lacing you will need, decide how wide you want your corset back to open. If you have a front opening, this is usually the lacing gap plus waist reduction plus an extra 2”-4”. If you have no front opening, it needs to be wide enough to allow the corset to be slipped on over the head.

Take the maximum back opening width and multiply it by the total number of grommets down the back of the corset. That is the length of lacing you will need.

Start at the top of the back of the corset and, keeping both ends of the lacing even, lace your way down the back of the corset following the diagram. The loops for pulling should be at the waist of the corset, even if that means there is more lacing and grommets above or below.

As much as possible, keep the “X” crossings to the front or the back of the corset. If your lacing crosses from front to back or back to front when going across the gap, it will create extra friction and abrasion on the material, and it will put extra stress on the grommets.

I usually find it’s helpful to put the corset on the floor and kneel on it while lacing. That way I can keep the width of the back even and quickly pull the lacing through without lifting or tangling the pieces.

Tie it off at the bottom.

Measure the maximum width in back, estimate your lacing length, and start lacing at the top.

Start the lacing at the top, keeping the crosses entirely to the back or front of the corset.

When you get to the waist pull the lacing through. I usually skip the closer waist grommet because this creates additional stability at the waist when tightening, but the trade-off is extra strain on the grommets. Lace to whichever you prefer.

Lace down through the closest waist grommet, and then continue the cross pattern.

When you get to the bottom, tie the two ends together.

Your corset is now fully laced.

Offset Lacing

Offset lacing is found on historic examples of conical stays and corsets. The biggest advantage is it is much faster lacing into the corset vs. even grommets which require crossing the laces and handling two ends. The corset must be grommeted specifically for this style of lacing. If you try to cross-lace a conical corset with offset grommets, or offset lace a conical corset with even grommets, the corset will not lace evenly and one side will sit higher than the other.

Offset Lacing Diagram

A corset which is set up for offset lacing will have grommets that are offset. The very top and very bottom grommets will be even. Then the next grommet on one side will be fully spaced, and the next grommet on the other side will be half-spaced. The half-spacing is repeated at the other end of the corset on the other side of the gap, bringing the end grommets even.

The lacing is very simply laced up the corset in a spiral pattern, one end threading through every single grommet along the way. The only tricky part is tying it off, and once you get the hang of it, that’s not hard at all. It’s simply not a knot that many people will have encountered before.

I like to use two half hitches at both ends. This particular knot holds very firm under pressure, but also comes undone very easily when pressure is released. On the end where lacing starts, it is tied without a loop. After lacing, it is tied with a loop so the end can be pulled free, loosening one half of the hitch so the other half can be pulled free.

You can lace from either the top or bottom of the corset. Try both and use the direction that is most comfortable for you. Some people will find they settle into the most comfortable fit lacing from the top, and other people will be most comfortable lacing from the bottom. For some people it won’t make a difference. There is no right or wrong direction to lace the corset.

Two Half Hitches

To start the knot, run the end of the lacing through the outer grommet with the half-spaced grommet next to it. It is critical that you start at the side with the half-spaced grommet, or the corset will not lace evenly.

Loop over and then under the long part of the lacing. and then up through the hole made by the lacing next to the edge of the corset. You now have a half hitch. Tighten it against the edge of the corset.

Loop the end away from the edge of the corset and then underneath the long part. DO NOT cross in front of the long part.

Loop over the front of the long part, and through the opening you just made. If this end is the starting end, pull the loose end entirely through and tighten down the knot. If you are tying the knot after lacing, leave the loop so you can pull the end of the lacing and free the knot.

Congratulations, you now have two half hitches.

Photo of a conical corset with offset lacing.

Revised Tutorial – How to Add a Double-Busk

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Feb 222012

I have completely revised my corset making tutorial, How to Add a Double-Busk. It uses all new photos I took while making the corset for my section in Steampunk Projects from the Gaslamp Garage, and described how to make a complete backing panel for behind the busk, the same height as the corset and edged to match.

Sewing Updates – 18 February 2012

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Feb 182012

I’m getting down to the wire for my section of Steampunk Projects from the Gaslamp Garage, and spent today speeding through making the corset to illustrate it. It’s more than half-way done, and I now completely understand why most professional corset makers use some version of the welt-seam method to create their corsets. It look me 1/4 the time it normally would to get this far because instead of sewing each layer separately and then joining them together, I assembled almost the entire corset in one go. The only thing I forgot was the waist tape, so I’ll make another using this method a little later to illustrate including waist tape.

Click for larger version

As you can see, it is entirely together, but there’s still a lot of detail work to do. I need to stitch the boning in place, edge it, grommet it, make the backing bone for the busk, and make the lacing panel.

Just a few days ago, Steam Ingenious posted a brief corset-making tutorial featuring a variation of the method I used to construct the corset above, plus she remembered to include waist tape. ;)

In other upcoming projects, I have heard back from one of my customers, so in March I will begin work on the final version of the Victorian corset with almost full boning, external bone casing, and lots of flossing. I’ll be posting detailed descriptions as I work on that corset.

In March I’m also planning to make an unfinished corset core for a felting artist in Belgium. She’s planning to make a cover of solid shaped felt to go over it, and should be sending me some photos along the way to share with you folks.

New Sewing Tutorial – How to Insert a Triangular Gore into a Slash

Corsets, Costuming, Sewing, Tutorials No Responses »

Jan 252012

This new tutorial walks you through two different methods of inserting a triangular gore into a slash. This kind of construction is sometimes seen in modern and vintage garments, and it is commonly used to define bust shape in women’s undergarments throughout the 1800′s. The images used to illustrate were taken while I was constructing a mock-up for a Regency era corset.

How to Insert a Triangular Gore into a Slash

Project: Regency Corset

How to Insert a Triangular Gore into a Slash

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This tutorial walks you through two different methods of inserting a triangular gore into a slash. This kind of construction is sometimes seen in modern and vintage garments, and it is commonly used to define bust shape in women’s undergarments throughout the 1800′s. The images used to illustrate were taken while I was constructing a mock-up for a Regency era corset.

The first step in any sewing endeavor is to transfer all your marks. When you are going to be inserting gores into a slash, mark the end point of the slash, the slash line, and the seam lines.

It is usually easiest to mark the end points and the seam points first.

And mark the lines using a ruler. Here I am using a pencil because this is a mock-up and I don’t care if the marks show. You can use chalk or whatever marking tool you prefer.

It is also important to mark the gore(s) so you can tell where they go and how they should be oriented. This regency corset has two gores on each bust, so I marked the inner one “A” and the outer one “B”. The dot indicates where it matches the apex of the slash, and the arrow points towards the center front. Here they are photographed below their corresponding slashes.

While not technically necessary, I strongly recommend stitching close to either side of where you will be cutting the slash. Back stitch along the stitch lines at the apex of the slash. This helps to prevent fraying and reenforce the fabric while inserting the gore. If you like, you can also use a bit of fray check, but if you do so be very careful of it discoloring any material which might be visible in the finished garment.

Wait to slash each gore until you are ready to sew it.

New (Old) Tutorial – Drawing Fur in Colored Pencil on Black Paper

Drawing, Fine Art, Tutorials No Responses »

Jan 192012

This is a tutorial I originally wrote in 2008, and I am posting it now to my web site with some minor edits and expanded explanation. It describes in detail how to realistically draw fur on black paper, utilizing layering and opacity to create detailed color and lighting. To create such a drawing for yourself you will need black paper or another black drawing surface, a graphite pencil, an opaque white colored pencil, and an array of other colored pencils.

How to Draw Fur in Colored Pencil on Black Paper

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This tutorial describes in detail how to realistically draw fur on black paper, utilizing layering and opacity to create detailed color and lighting. To create such a drawing for yourself you will need black paper or another black drawing surface, a graphite pencil, an opaque white colored pencil, and an array of other colored pencils. You can use any colored pencil brand you want, but brands which use an oil binder will tend to be more opaque than wax-binder brands. In any brand there will be significant variation in opacity between pencils, so you will need to familiarize yourself with your own pencils in order to use them the most effectively.

For your white pencil I recommend Lyra Rembrandt or a Derwent China White pencil. Either will show up very opaque on black paper. The Prismacolor Premier white is very translucent and will hardly show up at all, so it is entirely unsuitable. If you have another brand of white pencil, test it on a black surface to see if it will work for this purpose.

I own a huge set of Prismacolor Premier pencils, which is what I used to create this drawing. I name the exact pencil colors I used at each stage of the drawing, some of which are no longer made. You will want to familiarize yourself with your own pencils and test each color on the black paper to achieve the exact colors you want. If the color you want to use is to translucent, test how it applies over white pencil. Sometimes this will allow a color to show and be usable on black paper even when translucent.

It is also very important to keep your pencils sharp. I sharpen constantly when drawing fur so that each hair is cleanly defined.

Reference Photo courtesy of stalksthedawn

http://www.wetcanvas.com/RefLib/showphoto.php?photo=41496

Reference Photo: http://www.wetcanvas.com/RefLib/showphoto.php?photo=41496

Examine and Outline

The first thing I do when approaching a new piece is examine the reference material very closely. I take in the shapes and the colors, paying particular attention to how the light and shadows fall. Examine where the darkest areas are, where the fully lit areas are, where light reflection occurs. Observe what seems to glow. Look for what median tones can be dropped into the blackness, and which should be brought into the light. What shapes might need more definition, and which might need less? Is there anything that is unclear, or are there any details which might be more dramatic if they were less clear? How should the subject be placed on the paper? How large should the drawing be? Would it look better in black and white, or in color?

Once I have closely examined the reference material and have a compositional plan, I draw a basic outline sketch of the subject. I will typically use an “F” hardness graphite pencil. “B” also works well. The shininess shows up clearly on the black paper, but is easy to erase if drawn lightly. WIP1 (below) shows the sketch lines very faintly. Some artists prefer to use white charcoal, pastels, or even colored pencil for the basic sketch. I do not recommend using colored pencils due to the difficulty of erasing them, but try any or all of the above until you decide what works best for you.

Choose Your Colors

If you are drawing the piece in color, you will need to pick out your colors. Examine the reference for dominant color tones, and try to find corresponding pencils. When working on black paper it is likely that you will need to choose much brighter and lighter pencils than would be required on white paper. Shading will often be achieved just by applying less pencil to the paper, or using less opaque colors.

It is also very important to observe the opacity of the color you wish to use. Different brands of pencils will have different properties, so always test the color on the edge of the paper before using it on the piece. If a pencil has very little opacity, it might not show up well enough on the black paper to be used. Sometimes those colors can be used anyway because of layering, which will be demonstrated later.

Click for larger view

Layering the Fur

To achieve the most realistic fur possible, each hair must be drawn individually, and they must be layered one on the other so that the viewer sees hints of the fur underneath.

For the first layer, I chose Prismacolor’s Peach Beige, lightly applied. This defines the areas that are to be colored, and provides a base that is not stark black. Very little of this layer will be fully visible in the final piece, but without it, the drawing would not have a fully realistic level of depth.

I am right-handed and always steady my hand on the art surface, so I worked the piece from left to right, finishing each section as a go. This process prevents me from smudging or distorting finished parts of the drawing. This is entirely a personal preference. It is also possible to work a layer across the entire drawing before moving to the next, finishing the drawing as a whole rather than in parts. As you create more drawings you will find a pattern of work that is natural for you.

Click for larger view

The second layer is a firmer application of the Peach Beige, creating a stronger backdrop in some areas and fully defining some of the hairs. The lit areas on the first section are now defined.

Click for larger view

The thrid layer is Prismacolor’s Orange Mineral. In some places I applied it lightly over the beige, to tint the area slightly orange. In other places, I pressed firmly to create a stronger color. This is laying down a color layer that will be deep in the fur, creating a tint or hint of color when covered with more fur.

Click for larger view

This layer adds Prismacolor’s Orange Deco. This layer partially hides the Orange Deco with a softer orange tone. The brightness of the Orange Mineral underneath prevents the Orange Deco from seeming flat.

Click for larger view

For the final layer, I used Derwent Chinese White to brighten areas and define the white portions. I also added some tiny flecks of white to show where hairs were catching the light particularly brightly.

The white pencil is the only non-Prismacolor pencil I used in this piece, because the Prismacolor white is not opaque enough to show up on black paper. The Lyra Rembrandt white works as well as the Derwent, and I use the two pencils interchangeably in my art.

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