1911 - garter placement

Thanks so much for the input regarding the trim on the top edge of my corset. It's going. And I'll definitely add a bow. Or two. While I rework the trim I thought I'd show where the garters are placed. The placement is marked on the post Edwardian pattern, but not on the Corsets and Crinolines one.

Three garters on each side, the first is right at the center front, the second is at the side, and the third lines up with the bone casing on the last panel. Of course one could add more, or less, and you don't really need to mark them on the pattern, but once you do you don't ever have to think about it again.

Flossing tomorrow!

1911 - the last work on the pattern, really.

Welcome to week 5 of the corset sew along! Did I say our patterns were finished? Whoops. But after this last little bit of work they really will be. We need to mark the boning placement since the patterns were slashed and spread, or slashed and shrunk. All you'll need today is the pattern, a pencil, a straight edge and hip curve. You may want a highlighter too.

If the boning runs along the seam, as it does on most pieces if the post Edwardian pattern, you don't need to change a thing. But others not on the seams will shift a bit. Find the center between the boning when the pattern has been spread.

Using the hip curve extend the line to the top and bottom edges of the corset, blending to make a smooth transition.

Sometimes all that needs to be done is extend the lines with a straight edge.

I drew the casings in and highlighted them, but the center line is really all that is necessary since the casing will be centered on this line. Here is the competed pattern.

Later this week we will sew the bone casing and attach the back facing. How is the corset construction progressing?

1911 - patterning the back facing

Welcome to week four of the 1911 corset sew along! Your pattern may be a mish-mash of taped paper scraps by now, mine is. One could trace it on new paper or card stock. I rarely do this. A pattern has to be pretty battered for me to take the time to trace and cut out a copy. I'm going to add to the frazzled look of my pattern by using brown craft paper originally used to wrap art supplies. Waste not, want not.

Today we will pattern the facings for the center front and center back. I'm going to break this into two posts because there are so many pictures. You will need your pattern, paper, tape, pencil, ruler, and scissors or an exacto knife. Everyone should be working with patterns that are at least 17 inches at the center back. If you are using shorter bones near the lacing then it can be shorter, but's it's worth double checking so you can make any alterations needed before patterning the back facing. Also, make certain all the notch marks are still there. Notches can be cut or papered over during pattern alterations so if some are missing add them back in.

Lets' get started. Place the back pattern piece on a piece of paper and draw a line along the center back, a parallel line 1 1/2 inches from the center back, and one more parallel line 1 inch away.

Flip the back piece over lining the center back against the center back line you drew. Trace the top and bottom curves.

Draft one last line 1/2 inch from the center back line.

Cut the piece out leaving extra at the top and bottom edges, then fold sides back along the lines.

Flip the piece over and cut the top and bottom on the curve you traced.

Transfer the notch marks to the new pattern piece. You should end up with something like this.

Here is how everything will fit together when sewn.

The back facing will be sewn to the center back. It's the one piece we've added seam allowance to on the pattern. So seam allowance isn't added again when the pattern is traced to fabric write a note right on the pattern. We won't add any seam allowance to the front facing either so you may want to note that on that piece. I did.

Next we'll pattern the front facing and our the pattern will be complete.

1911 - patterning the front facing

We're almost finished patterning. Unlike the separate back facing piece I'll be patterning the front facing on a fold. The corset used to make the post Edwardian pattern is cut this way. The openings for the loops are slits cut in the fabric so that's what we'll be doing when the time comes. Place the front pattern piece on a piece of paper and draw a line along the center front, then draft a parallel line 1 1/2 inches from the center front.

Flip the pattern piece over with the center front still on the center front line and trace the top and bottom edges.

Lift the front pattern piece and draft a line 3/8 from the outside line. In the picture below the top line is the center front, the bottom/outside line is 1 1/2 inches from it, and the edge of the ruler is 3/8 up from the bottom/outside.

Tape the front piece on the center front line and cut out the facing. It should look like this.

Fold the facing piece over on the center front, then fold the 3/8 inch section back. Like this.

Flip everything over and trim the excess from the top and bottom edges.

Put a notch at the top of the center front. The finished piece should look similar to this.

Here is how it will work when the fabric is sewn. You can see how it's the same as the original post Edwardian.

That's it! The patterns are done! If you are still fitting your mock-up you have a few days to catch up before we cut the fabric and begin sewing. I'm so looking forward to seeing everyone's corset come together!

1911 - the center back and bottom edge

Let's start the day by looking at a picture from the article I posted a couple days ago.

"The right kind of corset allows you to sit down comfortably." I couldn't have put it any better. The fabric may skirt the thighs, and the wearer may even sit on the fabric, but the bones do not poke into the chair seat. Because the center back of the Corsets and Crinolines pattern is roughly 2 inches shorter than the post Edwardian pattern we added length to the center back. How did the added length work? If you are tall it may have worked perfectly, if you are like me it was too much. Or rather, the boning at the center back was too long but I liked the length at the hips. We can't have boning hitting seating so we'll adjust the center back length first, the rest of the extra length can be dealt with later. Today you'll need the usual drafting tools, paper, tape, pencil, ruler, hip curve, and scissors or an exato knife.

I marked the bottom of the corset just a couple fingers above the seat of a chair when I was fitting the mock-up I know where the bones must end.

The mark was about 2 inches from the bottom of the mock-up. We have 16 1/2 inch bones so I must add length at the top of the corset so I can use them. I transferred than mark to the pattern then measured up 17 inches.

This adds almost 2 inches to the top at the center back of the corset. I don't need that 2 extra inches all the way around the top, just at the lacing, so I'm going to draft a nice curve down so it meets the top edge at the side of the body. First add the 1 inch that was added when the pattern was traced to fabric, then draft any alterations that were.

See that line about 3/4 inches above the other pencil lines? Since the bones on both sides on the grommets are equal lengths you need a line straight across the lacing section. Then using the hip curve draw a nice smooth line to the next piece.

You can see I continued the curve a bit into the next piece.

I'm not terribly worried about getting this curve perfect, I can fine tune the shape before finishing the top edge. Of course it's also possible to cut the boning to the length needed, but suppose you don't have tin snips? Plus I'm using the same pre-cut lengths as many of you out there, and I want them to work for all of us. We need at least 17 inches to squeeze those bones in. If there is a bit more, fine. But there can be no less.

Other than the center back, I was happy with the length of my corset. Extra fabric beneath the boning is not an issue. I don't want it too long though, so I'm leaving an inch below the end of the boning. I just drafted a curve to the edge of the pattern piece and called it a day.

Like the top edge, I can decide on the bottom edge later. Once I pattern something and cut fabric I can't go back and add length. Better to trim fabric later. If you know without a doubt that you do not need the extra length, then you can remove it from the pattern now. I want to keep my options open.

Figuring these alterations can be the the trickiest part of making a coset. Once this step is over we can pattern the facings and then it's on to the real corset!

1911 - transferring alterations to the pattern

Once you've sewn and fit a mock-up you've already used all of the skills needed to make the a finished corset, drafting, tracing, cutting, sewing, grommet setting, and fitting. For the rest of the sew along we'll just be building on and refining those skills. Yea.

So the fit works, now it's time to transfer the changes to the pattern. You will need paper, tape, pencil, a ruler, a tape measure, a hip curve, and scissors or a exacto knife.

First, if you added seam allowance to the top of the pattern when tracing and you want the additional height you must add that to the pattern. Everyone using the Corsets and Crinolines should keep that inch because we'll add to the top of the center back so we can use the 16 1/2 inch bones at at the center back. I'll explain this in more detail later, but for now start by taping the pattern to a piece of paper and draft the higher edge 1 inch from the pattern, the same way you added the seam allowance.

Use the hip curve to extend the seam lines so they reach the new top edge.

You should easily be able to see how much you altered each seam by measuring the fabric. There should be a line at the patterned seam 1 inch from the edge of the seam allowance, just measure the distance measure the distance to the alteration you sewed. Often when fitting the seams they may not have been altered the exact same amount. Say the first seam on the right side was taken in 1/4 inch, and the first seam on left side was take in 1/2. Split the difference. So the alteration will be 3/8. Remember that 3/8 taken in on a seam means that 3/8 must be taken off of each pattern piece that joins to make that seam. If you have been sewing for a while this is obvious, but if you are new to patterning and construction it isn't, and it's frustrating to sew up a corset and figure this out when it doesn't fit. So learn from my mistakes and make the change to both connecting pieces.

Go to the pattern and mark the alteration. For example, I let out the fabric 1/4 inch on the seam at the underbust line. So I'll measure 1/4 off the top edge of the pattern piece.

The new seam line is drafted so it blends to the waist using a hip curve.

Then I do the same thing to the other pattern piece. If you made large alterations you should measure and true your seams again, but for most any change won't be significant. You can see here the difference was just 1/8 of an inch. You can also see I scribbled out the old seam line so I don't accidentally measure or cut it.

If you need to reduce a seam mark the adjustment, draft the new line using the hip curve, and cut off the excess.

Whether adding to, or subtracting from, a seam your newly drafted lines should always blend smoothly into the existing seam line. If you are using the post Edwardian pattern you are done. Cut out your pieces and relax. Those of us using the Corsets and Crinolines pattern have one more step, adjusting the center back length, which I will explain tomorrow. Until then, take pride in your fabulous pattern drafting!

1911 - tracing the pattern to muslin

This week we'll sew our mock-ups, but before we start sewing we'll need to trace the pattern to muslin. Today we'll need our patterns, a ruler, tailor's chalk or a pencil, and muslin. If you haven't already pressed your muslin do iron it before tracing the pattern. It makes it much easier.

Start by folding your fabric in half with the selvedges together. For those who are new to sewing the selvedge is the woven edge of the fabric, not the raw, cut one. It's also the direction of the grain line which is the strongest direction of the fabric. You can see it on at the top of the photo below. It's important to align the pattern pieces with the grain line so they lay properly on the body. Place the first piece with the center front 1 inch from the selvedge and trace around it.

I don't pin the pattern to the fabric, I usually set a small weight or two on it to hold it in place. After the piece is traced add 1 inch seam allowance to the sides. If you are tall you may also want to add an inch at the top and and inch or two to the bottom edge. Draw the top and bottom edge lines all the way to the selvedge so the center front has 1 inch seam allowance too.

One inch is a giant seam allowance. It's possible to make adjustments with a narrower allowance, but it gets difficult to pin with less fabric to grasp, especially if you are doing the fitting alone. I square the seam allowance on the mock-up and shape it on the finished piece. See how the end of the seam allowance forms a right angle with the corner of the pattern piece?

If you prefer drawing the seam allowance around the pattern piece with out tracing it that's OK. Either way, don't forget to transfer the notch marks to the fabric.

You can double check to make sure the next piece is aligned with the grain line by measuring to the selvedge,

or to the grain line of the piece just traced.

When you trace the final piece, the back panel, add seam allowance only to the seam line that connects to the previous panel, not to the center back edge. Now cut the pieces out and make a small snip at the notch marks.

Done! We'll pin the pieces together and sew the mock-up on Wednesday.

1991 - notching the pattern and adding length

Almost done patterning! Today we'll be cutting out and notching the pattern so we'll need sharp scissors or and x-acto knife, and a pencil. If you are using the Corsets and Crinolines pattern you'll need tape and paper too. First cut out the pieces. If you are using scissors please make sure they are not the same ones you use for cutting fabric. For those new to sewing, paper dulls the blades and makes it impossible to cut your fabric nicely when the time comes. No fun. The notches will be our guides for assembling so they are important. Once the pieces are cut, line two up together and make a mark between the two.

Cut out a small V at the mark on one side.

Do the same on the other, and they should match right up.

The post Edwardian pattern already has notch marks but they may need to be adjusted if you cut through any vertical seams when expanding the pattern, or if there was distortion from enlarging. I've flagged my notch marks for the Corsets and Crinoline 1911 pattern so you can use the placement as a guide for notching your own pattern.

There should be only one way to assemble the pieces because the notches will only connect one way.

If you are using the post Edwardian pattern you're done! The rest of us have one more step to do. We're going to add two inches to the bottom of the pattern. Why? Norah Waugh's pattern is for a very small corset and is shorter than the post Edwardian. Once we expand the pattern the shorter length will make the corset look blocky in comparison, and we don't want blocky. We want long lines. Plus, I want everyone who purchased pre-cut boning to be able to use the same lengths at the center back. The lengthening goes quickly. Tape the first pattern piece to some paper and redraw the bottom edge 2 inches below the original using a ruler.

Extend the vertical lines using the hip curve.

Cut out the new piece. When you are finished the bottom of the pattern should look like this.

This addition should not significantly change the seam line length enough to bother with re-truing the seams. If you align the extended sections next to each other they should match up. We've got our patterns!

If you're just joining the sew along, or running a bit behind, you can catch up this weekend. Next week we'll trace the patterns to muslin, add seam allowance, and sew the mock-ups. If you don't have muslin a plain weave, non-stretch fabric will do. You've seen what I use, usually fabric given to me when friends are thinning their stash. I hate buying muslin.

Have a great weekend!

1911 - drafting new seam lines

We've adjusted the pattern to the reduced waistline, now we need to reconnect the broken seam lines and make adjustments for the hips. We'll need our hip curves, tape measures, and pencils today. I mentioned yesterday patterning the hip alteration is optional. And I genuinely mean that. I'm not doing any hip adjustments to the pattern myself, but I will explain for those who wish to boldly go back to the drafting table.

So, reconnecting the broken seam lines. If you are using a hip curve just align it along your split seam line and draw in the new line. If you don't have a hip curve just draw a new line from one endpoint to the other, nice and smoothly.

If you have to connect a vertical curved line then blend by lining the hip curve up so it matches the already existing line, then angling it toward a point mid way between the space you're connecting. Like this.

Then do the same coming from the other side so your lines meet.

The goal is a smooth transition.

Next we need to make sure the seam line of one piece is the same length as the corresponding seam line on the next piece. Measure each seam line. Chances are there is a small difference between the two.

If the difference is small, say less than 1/8 of and inch, simply redraft one line to meet the other.

Mark out the incorrect line right away. You don't want to have to remeasure two seam lines because you forgot to cancel out the bad line and later forget which one is correct.

If the difference is say 3/16 or more then balance the difference out by adding a bit to one side and taking a bit from the other. For example one seam line measures 12 7/8 and the other 13 and 1/16. Add say 1/8 to the shorter side and remove 1/16 from the longer. I'll try to look the other way if of some of you decide this is too tedious. But not before saying patterns that work are patterns whose seams have been balanced. Every fraction of an inch adds up as patterns are traced, then cut, then sewn, so what seems at first like an inconsequential difference can have a large impact on the finished piece. There is no need to rush, we've got the time to measure those seams. Let's prevent mysterious wrinkles from appearing later because one piece was longer than the other by truing those seam line now.

Now for the hips. This can get confusing so if you punch out don't worry, just don't make these adjustments. It really will be OK. We'll sew our mock-ups with a one inch seam allowance so there will be plenty of fabric to work with if the hips are too snug. So then, subtract 2 inches from your hip measurements, divide the result in half (because the pattern is for half of the corset) then compare those numbers to the hip lines of the pattern at 6 1/2 inches below the waist and 9 inches below the waist. What is the difference? Suppose there is a 2 inch difference, that means you'll break that 2 inches up and distribute it between the pieces. There no need to add for the hip on the first seam because that crosses the belly, and who wants it larger there? But if you are using the post Edwardian pattern there are 3 seams, or 6 seam lines to add those increments to. That works out to about 5/16 inch per seam line. Mark that distance on the hip lines. You'll need to cut your pattern out and tape the pieces to a new piece of paper because the new lines may start crossing the next pattern piece if you don't.

Line your hip curve up connecting those two new hip points, angling it so it aims toward the waist, and draw a line.

Now draft a line from the waist to the line you just drew.

Your new line should look something like this.

Do that for the rest of the seam lines. Now go back and measure the seam lines and true them up. That's a fair amount of work right? Imagine you do that, sew your mock-up, and when you fit you find it works better if there is more room in some areas and less in others. You still need to pinch fabric or rip seams and pin and mark the adjustments. I have learned the hard way that you can spend a lot of time drafting only to go back and change, or even completely eliminate, your work.

Even though I'm counseling against drafting the hips at this time I feel it's important to know how to change something if you need to. Now you know. Do with this information what you will. I'll just say one more time I am not adjusting the hips on the pattern. I have complete faith in our ability to make adjustments after fitting!