Back in the days of yor I thought I would put together a tutorial on how to make a corset. I obviously had never heard of the internet – because far more experience people have already created brilliant resources for creating boned undergarments to your hearts content. Instead I will point you in the direction of some links, offer a few words of wisdom, and show you the first overbust corset I made!
This will eventually become my steampunk cosplay corset. I intend to add buckles, because buckles are an integral component of steampunk.
Resources
Foundations Revealed had most everything you could need to make a corset.
- Their beginner tutorial is the best place to start.
- They have instructions on drafting your pattern
- Also check out their other patterns.
- How to insert a busk
Places to get supplies:
- Farthingales corset making supplies
- Corsetmaking.com
Other:
- swing latch busk tutorial
- Drafting an underbust corset (the construction remains the same)
Wisdom
- Corsets are not that scary to make. No really. I am serious. Mostly they involve the following of specific steps, sewing straight lines, and math.
- Corsets are kind of expensive to make.
- Though not all of it, you can get the fabirc on the cheaper side (I for instance used some curtains I found at goodwill for the outer fabic).
- But good steel boning can cost a penny or two, and mostly the busk is silly expensive…
- You don’t need a traditional busk.
- I put in a zipper, which works well.
- Normal hooks and eyes will do (the bigger kind), they just won’t look as pretty.
- You can make funky things like a drawer clasp busk.
- Also you can be busk-less (you might want a friend to lace you up in this case).
- Follow the instructions in order (this might just be advice for past Lauren
- Go for bight colored bias tape for the boning channels. No one will see it but you, and it is totally worth it.
