Mind The Gap

Cutting

Reference the pattern instructions to lay out the pieces on the fabric, being mindful of the grain line, nap, print, and all that jazz.  Cut the pieces from your outer fabric, canvas interfacing, and lining fabric (if desired).  There should be two of each piece, which should mirror one another, from each type of fabric being used.

This part isn’t hard…but sure is tedious.

Interfacing

For corsets, you’re going to want something sturdy for interfacing.  I’ve taken to using heavy canvas, as it seems to work pretty well, and I often run into small bits of it just perfect for this size project in the remnant bin at a nice discount.

I hate fusible interfacing, but I’m also too lazy to baste the edges together on the fabric and interfacing, so here’s what I like to do:

• Match each piece of fabric to it’s corresponding piece of interfacing
• Protect your surface with newspaper or something similar (I’m a fan of a sheet of foamcore)
• Lay the interfacing (canvas) down on your surface
• Spray on the adhesive
• Move canvas to another area of the work surface away from the overspray (sticky side up)
• Smooth the fabric onto the canvas (right side up)
• Set aside
• Repeat

If you’re lining your corset, I think an easy way to do this would be to flip the canvas/fabric pieces over so the canvas side is up, spray the adhesive on, and then smooth on the lining fabric.  I haven’t tried this yet, but it might be easier than trying to make a separate lining with all the pieces stitched together and then having to attach it to the rest of the contraption (which is the normal lining method given in the pattern instructions).

Assembly

Once you’ve recovered from the adhesive fumes, it’s time to move on to assembly.  Pin the pieces together, right sides in/wrong sides out, and stitch with a 5/8″ seam allowance.  Reference the pattern instructions for more detail and diagrams, if you haven’t done much sewing before.

Remembering to keep all the pattern pieces right side up, put them together in this order:

• front to middle front
• middle front to side front
• side front to side back
• side back to middle back
• middle back to middle

Once those are all sewn up, pin the two halves together along the front seam, and stitch that up too.  This will result in a single long piece for the corset, which will lace up the back.

Then, to give a neat look to the back edges, fold each side under about an inch along the edge, then stitch 5/8″ from the fold to create a boning channel at the edge.

Press the seams out flat, and you’re all ready to start the boning channels!

Move on to Boning Channels & Boning!

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