I've recently revised the XXL pattern to fit more sizes and include more bra sizes. This corset gives an instant hourglass figure for fuller figures. It is based on a historic pattern from the 1880s, and the engineering of it astounds me. The e-book is a complete corset making tutorial, and includes everything a novice corsetmaker could need to know in order to feel confident tailoring and making this pattern. This listing is for the PDF pattern and 40 pages of PDF instructions. You will not need any other corset making instructions or hints, every step is shown with detailed pictures (more than 100 pictures). Typically a novice corsetmaker would need to invest in a historic pattern ($5-15), a corset making book ($20), and sewing several mock up corsets to alter the historic pattern to fit her contemporary dimensions. The most recent historic pattern that I adapted, for instance, took 19 hours of patterning and mock ups before could size it accurately. Save yourself that time! I've done the research and compiled everything into one place here. This listing is for an expanded pattern that fits a range of US bra sizes: 38AA 38A / 40AA 38B / 40A / 42AA 38C / 40B / 42A / 44AA 38D / 40C / 42B / 44A The PDF pattern for this listing is sized to fit US size 18-24 or Euro 48-54. It can fit dimensions slightly larger or smaller than the range below by adjusting the lacing gap. full bust: 39-51” / 99-137 cm under bust: 37-45” / 94-115 cm waist: 34.5"-42.5" / 88-108 cm hipline: 45-53” / 114-135 cm The pattern includes substantial cinch at the waist. The instructions include how to alter the amount of cinch, bra size or hip size. This is an over bust pattern, and the pattern includes trim lines for the under bust height. The model is shown wearing the under bust version but rest assured you're getting a full length pattern! I include instructions for how to very precisely alter the pattern to fit your measurements, size conversion charts for Euro, UK women's sizing, an explanation of how to fit incorporate your bra sizes into fitting a corset, and all the goodies to make tailoring this pattern (or any other!) to your size easy. The PDF document is standard size 8.5 x 11" pages for easy printing. The pattern pages and instructions are separate documents. Each pattern piece spans 2-3 pages, you will have to tape them together, but it's easy to match up the pieces due to the placement of the pattern notes in overlapping areas. I include scales on each pattern piece so you can check that it printed to the right size before you cut into your fabric. Past reviews have included: "There is really no reason to buy a book on corset making when there is such a detailed and beautiful pattern available!" "I have got to say that I am EXTREMELY impressed and satisfied with how simple they have made this. The only things I've sewn in my life were easy, so this was a scary project to take on, and I'm not done yet, but the instructions that come with these files are like no other. There is no one else out there that sells such easy to understand step-by-step instructions that match the pattern. I'm very excited to continue this project and thankful how easy it was made for me!!" I've included a PNG of the full size pattern document in case you have access to a large-format printer and that's easier for you. For this corset I recommend a combination of spiral and straight steel bones. I include materials sourcing information. Inspired by an 1880s corset Images and size-adjusted / adapted design copyright 2013 by Uku Clothing LLC Resale or distribution not permitted. This pattern and the accompanying intructions are for personal use only, no commercial use is permitted. Second edition, October 2013
As I build out my 1890s wardrobe, it became clear that the threadbare early 1800s chemise I had been using wasn't sufficient. I wanted...
Frances Grimble’s Bustle Fashions 1885-1887 has a pattern for a front apron that is very similar to LACMA’s Tennis Dress. Although that pattern overlaps much further in the front than I wanted. An overlap that far would make it impossible to have the skirt attached to the bodice as the LACMA’s Tennis Dress is. That being the case I decided to either draft or drape my own front apron. I spent quite a while looking at the Frances Grimble pattern and could never really figure out how to alter her pattern to make it useable. I gave up and tried my hand at draping the front apron. It was much easier than I had thought. I very quickly, within an hour, had the perfect shape. I was lucky with this dress, because the fabrics stripe helped me to find the originals straight of grain, and by counting the stripes, I easily estimated the horizontal lengths. There are three pleats at the waistband and three pleats at the side seam. I was a bit confused by the hem edge. The original has a one inch hem. This seemed strange to me, because that edge has an extreme curve and I worried that it would bunch oddly there. I decided that I would use a bias strip of polished cotton to hem the overskirt. I caught the cotton lace trim up in the bias hem, so all the raw edges are nice and tidy. Another worry that I had was how to make the pocket in the under skirt accessible when the overskirt was installed. I decided to accomplish this by pleating the side seam of the over skirt and covering its raw edges with polished cotton bias tape. I then whipped stitched the overskirts front apron side seam by hand to the under skirt. The back drape was much easier to construct. It’s a full bolt width and one yard in length. The waist band edge is knife pleated with a box pleat at center back. The sides are blind hemmed by hand with a half inch hem. The bottom hem is finished like the hem of the overskirt. I used a bias strip of polished cotton and caught the cotton lace trim up in the hem. The back drape is tacked up with hooks and eyes. The closure of this skirt is done so that both the over and underskirt share a waist band. The underskirt closes at center front, but the over skirts waistband crosses in a wrap closure. I followed the instructions for Making a Round Bodice on pg 264 on Frances Grimbles Bustle Fashions 1885-1887. “ Cut and piece the lining as directed for a basque bodice, with the exception that you cut it only 2 inches below the waist all around.” I enlarged the “Plain Basque” pattern on pg 74. The only alteration that I made to the pattern was to make the back and side back pattern pieces all in one. I thought it best to make the princess back seams faux. I made up the mock up out of my lining polished cotton. I altered it to fit, and when I was happy with it, I cut it apart and used it as my pattern to cut out of my fashion fabric. I boned the bodice with Rigilene boning. The inspiration dress from LACMA has a gathered center front that I believe is a separate piece of fabric. I didn’t make a pattern piece for this, I just cut two rectangles of my fashion fabric gathered one edge and pinned it in place. I did this a few times and finally I found a look that I liked. The waist band is a strip of fabric torn on the grain, sewn to the bottom edge of the bodice and flipped up over the fashion side of the bodice. The collar is also a strip of fabric torn on grain. It’s trimmed in cotton lace. The center front buttons are faux. The bodice actually closes with hooks and thread bars. The sleeve pattern is a two piece style with a curved elbow. I have used this particular pattern many times and actually drafted it for a 1780’s zone front anglaise. The only changes I made were to bring in the sleeves side seams at the shoulder only, 1/2” on each side, so 2” total. I also shortened the sleeve so that the cuff falls midway between my wrist and elbow. The sleeve is lined in polished cotton and trimmed with cotton lace. OK... after a week of posting this info to you all I feel like I've run a marathon!! lol! I hope you all enjoyed it, and it wasn't too annoying to see my name YET AGAIN on you friends page. I said it in the comments before, but I'll say it again here. Thank you all for inspiring me. I hope these posts are of use to you. :)
This article originally appeared on Your Wardrobe Unlock'd. The original dress that this is based on can be seen on my antiques blog, here. I'm breaking this tutorial up into three parts, the skirt, overskirt, and bodice. The scaled pattern for each part will be at the bottom of the post. There's also another post with the dress actually being worn. The techniques here will work for any bustle bodice pattern. The construction is fairly standard for the period. A confession--I used an existing pattern to make this bodice. I’m a huge believer in using base patterns to make different styles. That said, the pattern I used is on my website and is from a similar date and remarkably similar to this dress. I laid the pattern pieces over this dress and all had the same general shape, only the size was a little different. First, cut everything out! My preferred way of cutting is to cut the more stable first--that’s the lining that you see laid out on the voile--and use to cut out the less stable fabric. The lining was more stable here. For something like a silk dress lined with linen, I’ll cut the silk first. Then I use the stable fabric to measure my seam allowances, and ignore any wiggling the other fabric has done. The bodice is flat lined. The pieces were not basted together before sewing. Though basting pieces together is a common modern technique, it’s not one I’ve noticed in any of my antique bodices. If you smooth the pieces as you pin them, it works very well and you don’t have to worry about any wrinkles or bubbles caused by basting the pieces together. There are no seams in the pleats. The pieces are simply placed a few inches apart and connected. Pin the center back seam. The seam should extend slightly past the edge of the pleats. Repeat for the side back pieces. Start at the bottom so the pleats are lined up, and pin to the top. Again, the seam should extend slightly past the pleats. Repeat for the side front and front pieces. I find it easier to wait until the body seams are done to pin the shoulder seams. Sew the seams with a ½ inch seam allowance. Press the seams towards the front, and press the placket in. Clip the placket where the waist curves out. Clip the seam between the front and side front pieces. There are two cuts at waist level, about ½ inch apart. Though the seam is relatively straight, both on the original and mine, which makes it not an obvious place to clip, it helps it fit over the hip. (Please note--this picture was taken later in the construction process.) Fold the excess fabric between the side back pieces and the back pieces into box pleats. The edge should extend slightly past the seam allowance as shown. Fold the excess fabric between the center back pieces into a double box pleat. Baste the pleats into place, and cover with a piece of cotton tape. Whipstitch the tape into place. Make the darts. My preferred method is to try the bodice on inside out, pin it shut, and pin the darts into place. The darts are then sewn, cut open, and the raw edge overcast. This may or may not be the order the original was done, but it gives the same result. I chose to not cut my darts open. My darts are always quite narrow, and cutting them didn’t seem logical. Press the darts. On the original, the first dart is pressed to the front, and the second is pressed to the back. On the left side of the original, while both are pressed this way, the first dart is sewn towards the back. I decided to press both sets of darts in the same direction, as that was apparently the intent of the original. Next, finish the bottom edge. Cut a strip of self bias, and sew it right sides together to the bottom of the bodice. You don’t need to pin this into place, just set the strip on your bodice and machine sew through all of the layers. Turn this up and whipstitch into place. At the front edges, the bias is folded at a diagonal. Sew the center seam on the collar pieces. Fold in half, right sides together. Sew the two collar pieces right side together down the diagonal outer edges. Turn right side out, and press. Pin the collar to the right side of bodice. Pin a strip of bias to the edge. Sew through all these layers. Press the seam allowances towards the bodice, fold the bias under the seam allowance, and whipstitch into place. There is a loop in the left underarm, presumably for hanging. To make this loop, fold the edges of a small strip of fabric in, and then in half. Whipstitch shut. It should be just a little longer than the undearm. Sew to the seam allowances. I noticed when doing this step that the left front seam allowance was, unlike the others, pressed to the back. Presumably, this was so the strip could be sewn to the underside of the seam allowance. Make 17 buttonholes and sew the corresponding buttons on. It sounds like so little when you say it like that! I made 16, as I had a set of 16 antique buttons. The interior seams are then finished with an overcast stitch. Sleeves First, sew the darts in the elbow area. On the original, the dart was clipped open and overcast. I chose not to do this as my fabric is a looser weave. Hem the bottoms of the sleeves with a 1 1/8 inch machine hem. My hem is smaller as I forgot that I needed to add a little for the hem allowance while cutting. Sew the sleeve seam, starting at the bottom so you can be sure the already hemmed cuff matches up perfectly. Just skim over the part where the dart is since the edge has changed a bit, and trim it after it’s sewn. Hem the seam allowance in the cuff by hand. Be sure to sew across the bottom to secure the seam. Sew the sleeve into the armscye. It’s sewn normally--pinned right sides together and machine dwn. And with that, we have a dress!
Today's post was contributed by my friend and fabulous costumer Sue Woods. I am always flabbergasted by her beautiful handmade historical costumes as well as drool worthy collection of vintage clothing. I knew she would be the perfect person to give us all some tips on how to get started with Victorian costuming, especially the
Antique Richards and Hartley vaseline uranium glass oval bowl circa 1880s EAPG (Early American Pattern Glass). In great condition for it's age with no chips or cracks. Shipped quickly and safely. 9" x 7" x 3"
These corset patterns were taken directly from online editions of De Gracieuse magazine. All boning placement and markings are as they are ...
As I build out my 1890s wardrobe, it became clear that the threadbare early 1800s chemise I had been using wasn't sufficient. I wanted...
These corset patterns were taken directly from online editions of De Gracieuse magazine. All boning placement and markings are as they are ...
It has been awhile since my last post, largely because I have spent the last two months working on a new Victorian wardrobe for myself. I have had plans to make an early 1870’s gown and under…
I drafted the chemise pattern after looking a lot of museum examples online. I tried to make it in a style that would fit both 1860's and 1870's. It's made of thin cotton and the trimmed with cotton lace. The drawers are also drafted by me, trimmed with the same lace and pintucks. The is a one layer cotton coutil corset, sewn with machine using period techniques described in The Fashions Of The Gilded Age by Frances Grimble. The pattern is based on the c. 1873 corset from Corsets and Crinolines by Norah Waugh. The corset is heavily corded with cotton cord, which stiffens the corset wonderfully. The bustle pattern is based on the one in Corsets and Crinolines, only drafted a little lager. The petticoats are stiffened with flounces and cotton cording. The layers.
Introducing The Zinnia Jacket! This free jacket sewing pattern was made for slaying this fall. Wear it as a statement piece over denim for a cool downtown vibe or over a matching trouser for a chic formal look. This gorgeous style can be made up of a variety of fabrics, including jacquard, wool, or even a substantial knit like ponte!
Riding costumes were introduced in the 16th century, after which women wore clothing and accouterments which were built for safety and style. The line of a woman’s riding habit mirrored that …
For the last couple of years I’ve become increasingly interested in the Natural Form period of fashion. If you’re unfamiliar with this transitional style of Victorian fashion you can ch…
