How to Make a Basic Two-Layer Coutil Corset

The most basic kind of corset I make is a two-layer, plain coutil corset, using vertical panel piecing.  This tutorial describes exactly how I make these corsets, and will note any simple variations you may want to try for yourself.  As always, this is not the only way to make a corset, and you will want to try different methods until you find one you like.

This method is also extremely similar to how I make the core layers for my covered corsets.  When I use a separate cover material without visible boning channels, it is added after the boning is inserted and secured, before edging or grommeting.  Full details on how to do that will be covered in a different tutorial.

Preparations

Before you start, you will want to have extra machine needles and extra pins in the smallest guage you can find.  Chances are good that you will break at least a couple machine needles on boning, especially when you first learn to make corsets.  You want small guage pins because they will distort the fabric less than larger pins.

Also, be sure to never purchase brittle-steel pins, because they can shatter instead of bending.  From personal experience, I avoid any and all pins made in China or Japan (good steel, but brittle).  I have never had a problem with any pins made in the USA or Britain.  I have no experience with pins made in other parts of Europe or Asia.  To test your pins, put on a pair of safety glasses and go somewhere safe to potentially shatter your pins.  Use two pairs of pliers to bend a couple of your pins.  If they bend, you’re good to go.

I also recommend wearing eye protection anytime you will be sewing near boning or pins, just in case a pin or needle shatters.

You will need an iron and ironing surface, for pressing your seams while working.

Also, remember that precision is key when making a form-fitting garment.  There is no ease in a corset, especially a multi-layer corset, so if you are imprecise in your cutting or stitching it can cause problems while sewing, or visible distortions in the final garment.  For example, if you have a 6-panel corset and stray an extra 1/8″ deeper on every seam, your corset will be more than an inch smaller in diameter when it’s finished.

The methods I use for making corsets are particularly unforgiving of imprecision in sewing and cutting.  If you know you will not use absolute precision when making your own corset, you may want to try a different method.  Some methods, like the welt-seam method (LiveJournal link), are much more forgiving of imprecision, and will still yield beautiful and quality functional garments.

Materials

Corset coutil is an ideal material, specifically created for use in corset making.  It is very strong for its weight, made from 100% cotton (so it breaths), and has very little give in any direction, even the bias.

If you don’t have coutil, you can use a sturdy cotton duck (canvas) or quality linen instead.  When using cotton duck, expect that the finished corset will have more give (natural stretch in the fabric) and fit slightly larger than would be expected from coutil.  Both will have more bias stretch, which may or may not affect the fit of the corset depending upon the particular piecing you are using.  I would also recommend edge-stitching all your panels before starting, to help prevent fraying while working with the material.

Wash and dry your fabric to prepare it, and press it flat so there are no wrinkles or folds to distort the fabric when cutting.

Purchase a quality matching thread.  Any good all-purpose thread should work.  To test the thread, unravel a length and try to snap it with your hands.  If it breaks easily, don’t use it, because it will break under tension on your finished garment.  If it is very diffuclt to break, or doesn’t break, it should work well.

The Pattern

When I create my patterns, the panels are numbered in ascending order from the backmost panel (where the grommets will be).  In this case, they are from right to left, Panel 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.  Panel 6 will contain the busk.  Throughout the tutorial, I will refer to the panels by their number (ex. Panel 2), and to the seams by the two panels joined together by the seam (ex. Panel 2,3 seam).

All pieces are marked at the waistline at seam depth with a solid dot that will be matched when pinning.  They are also marked with different numbers of open dots to help keep them distinct.  For example, the waistline of Panel 1 is marked with a solid dot for the waist and one open dot to show it belongs to panel 1.  The matching waistline mark for Panel 2 (for the Panel 1,2 seam) also has only one open dot.  The other waistline mark for Panel 2 (for the Panel 2,3 seam) is marked with two open dots, and etc.

Each panel is also marked with an arrow or triangle at the top of the panel, to prevent inverting one of the panels when sewing.  The panels often look so similar that it can be very easy to get them backward or upside down if they are not carefully marked, and the small differences in the shaping can create dramatic differences in the fit of a final corset.

Cut two of Panel 1 on the fold.  If the corset will have a solid front, also cut two of the frontmost panel on the fold (in this case, Panel 6).  Cut four of every other panel (two per side).  Mark all pieces and stack them from highest number to lowest (ex. Panel 6 on the bottom of the stack, then Panel 5, 4, 3, 2, 1).

If you are using my method for inserting a busk, you will want to cut one of Panel 6 on the fold, and two of Panel 6 with seam allowance.

Assembling the Panels

When assembling the panels to each other, I always start at Panel 1.

Place your first pins matching the waist dots and the top and bottom edges at seam depth.

After those first three pins are in place, ease the curves of the two panels together and pin as frequently as needed to keep the edges even.

Set your machine to a very small stitch width.  I typically use a “2″.  Stitch your seam, going very slowly down the entire length of the seam.  It is much easier to sew precisely around all curves at a slow speed.  Stitch very slowly and wait until the last possible moment to remove the pins so the fabric will shift as little as possible.

If you intend to iron open your seams, or if you just want to make your corset extra strong, lock-stitch after pulling the pins.  Lock stitching is when you stitch back over a seam that has already been sewn, further securing the seam and the first layer of stitching.

I almost never iron open my seams.  Instead, I fold the seam allowance to one side, and stitch it in place using a top stitch about 1/8″ from the main seam.  This places the pressure of the garment on the grain of the fabric, rather than on a stitched seam.

If you are using open seams (not the folded seams shown below), iron them open with a hot, dry iron.

If you are folding the seams, iron them to the side before top-stitching.  This ensures the seam allowance doesn’t curl or bunch up under the seam.  If you do find that some of your seam allowance is bunched under the seam, pull the stitches, re-iron, and top stitch it again.

After the first Panel 1,2 seam has been sewn, attach the second Panel 2 and fold its seam allowance in the same direction as the first.  It is critical that all seam allowances for each half be folded in the same direction so that the bulk of the seam allowances do not end up on the same side of the seam.

To test this, when your panel looks like the one below fold it at the center of Panel 1 where the grommeted edge will be.  Line up both Panel 1,2 seams.  If they were both folded in the same direction with the panels laid out flat, once they are lined up one of them will face the back edge, and the other will face forward.

Stitch together Panels 1 and 2 for the other half of the corset.

Only after all four pieces of each panel have been sewn to the growing corset halves should the next set of panels be added.  This helps to save confusion regarding which panel has been sewn to which, where, and when.  There are few things as frustrating to the beginning corset-maker as staring at a mixed up pile of very similar-looking panels and not knowing where they belong.

As you go along, be sure to use as many pins as needed to keep the edges of the two panels even.  If a curve is very sharp, you will need more pins.  If one piece has a sharp curve and the other is nearly straight, you will need a lot of pins.  There are times when I place a pin every 1/4″ or so before sewing the seam.

Don’t forget to stitch the seam allowances so they all fold in the same direction.

Turning the Panels into a Coherent Corset

Build each half of the corset as above until you reach the front-most panel (in this case, Panel 6).

If your corset will have a solid front, take one of your Panel 6 pieces and use it to join the two halves.  Take the second Panel 6 piece and sew it to the body of the corset on only one side.  Then attach the waist tape before sewing the other side of Panel 6 to the body of the corset.

If you are using my method to insert a busk, prepare the hook half of Panel 6 as per the busk tutorial.  Then stitch only the front side Panel 5,6 seams for both halves of the corset.  Leave one seam on each half open, so it will be easier to add the waist tape.

Clip your seams as needed.

Add the waist tape (if desired).  The image below shows the inside of what will be the front part of peg half of the corset.  i.e., on the very right is Panel 6 (for the peg half of the busk), and to the very left is Panel 1.  The other panels are off the image to the left.

Stitch all remaining seams so the corset body is a closed loop of fabric.

If you are using a busk, finish inserting it now.

Create the Boning Channels

Your corset is now ready for boning channels.  One of the great advantages of dual-core corset construction is the ability to sandwitch boning into the body of the corset without using boning tape, and the ability to place that boning anywhere, regardless of seam locations.

In most cases, it is easiest and most efficient to bone along the seams of a vertical panel corset.  If you are not boning along the seams, you will still want to match the seams and pin them together (and possibly baste them as well) before stitching the boning channels  This is because you need them lined up to prevent any distortions, bunching, or rippling in the body of the corset.  Also, if you choose not to bone along the seams, you will want to make sure of the intended locations of the channels and mark them with chalk before stitching.

This corset is double-boned with 1/4″ spring steel flats at all seams.  Double-boning is simply placing two bones side-by-side.

To stitch my boning channels, I pinned along the entire length of the Panel 6,5 seam, carefully lining them up.

Pin basting the body of the corset along the seams.  I have bent pins set aside specifically for this purpose.  The hooked shape allows them to hold the corset without distorting the fabric (the pins bend around the fabric, rather than the fabric bending around the pins).  There are places where you can buy curved pins and needles, but they are very expensive.  It’s much cheaper to bend the pins yourself, and works just as well for this purpose.

The first stitch was directly along the Panel 6,5 seam.

I then moved the pins to the Panel 5,4 seams (again, very carefully lining them up), and used the presser foot as my guide to stitch a boning channel on either side of the Panel 6,5 seam.

I repeated this procedure for every seam.  The image below shows the peg busk half side of the corset, with all seam boning channels sewn.

Prepare the Grommet Area

Use a hot iron to press the back panel flat, so you can cleanly find the back edge.

I like to re-enforce my grommets with twill tape, which is secured by the boning channel stitches.  The twill tape is 1″ wide.  I usually feed it through Panel 1 using a Sharpie pen.  I’m sure a proper bodkin will work great too.  ;)

Make sure the twill tape is flat within the panel, and close to the back edge of the corset so it will catch in the seams.

Again, I use the presser foot as my guide for the channel width, using my hands to keep the back panel flat to the fold.

I usually make my grommet channel 5/8″ wide, which is just larger than the size #0 grommets I typically use.  When I plan to use #00 grommets, I make the channel 1/2″ wide.

When I need to stitch at a depth greater than the marks on my sewing machine plate (as often happens), I typically use Sharpie to mark a seam guide.  It dries quickly, and can be easily cleaned off of metal and most plastics with a little rubbing alcohol.

An alternative is to place a piece of masking tape on your machine and mark the tape in pencil or normal pen.

I again use the presser foot to guide the width of the last boning channel.

Insert the Boning

The corset is now ready for boning.

I always use precut bones for my corsets.  They come in 1/2″ length increments, and frankly, cutting them myself is more time and trouble than I care to go to.  I’d rather spend the time on detailing the corset.

You always want your spring steel or spiral steel bones to be held tight within the corset.  If they have wiggle-room, they will eventually wear holes in the corset you’ve worked so hard to make.  One beautiful option is flossing, but if you don’t know how or don’t want to take the time, the boning can be secured using a sewing machine.  All it takes is a couple back-and-forth stitches against the edge of the bone.

Remember to wear eye protection when stitching close to the boning.  If you strike the boning with your sewing machine needle, the needle will break, not the bone.

Be sure to center the bones exactly where you want them in the channels before securing, and have spare machine needles handy in case you strike one of the bones.  I always set the needle into the corset by hand (snugging it as close as possible to the end of the bone), and then stitch back and forth a few times with the machine.  Trim the outside threads first, then tug the ends to the inside using the loose threads on the inside.  Trim all loose threads from the inside.

Finishing Details

Trim and edge the corset (described in its own tutorial).

At this point the corset is a very finished-looking garment.  The only thing it still needs is to be grommeted.

Many other details can be added.  Now is the time to add a double-busk, if you want one.  You can also make a lacing panel, add a lace edging, add applique designs, or floss and embroider the boning channels and body of the corset.

The only things I added to this particular corset were a double-busk and a lacing panel.  the little white spot you can see on the inside of the corset is my label.

For more views of this particular corset, please visit its gallery page.

Thank you for reading.  I hope you found this tutorial helpful or interesting. :)