In part 1 of this series, I described how I researched and cloned a pattern from a mid-1910’s corset. Using that pattern, I will give tips for how to make some basic alterations to the size, and I will also show you step-by-step directions for making up this garment using the same techniques as the original. I also want to share my thoughts on how the reproduction corset compares to the original version, both in fit and feel.
Altering the Pattern
I wear a modern size 14, and I have a 32” natural waist, which I am pretty sure would be considered “stout” by Edwardian standards. So I was very excited to see a period corset that is already sized up for a fuller figured woman, and I hope that this pattern provides a good starting place for those of us who don’t have the luxury of a 22” waist.
If you need to alter this pattern, I recommend that you simply use your waist measurement as a guide and adjust the width of the panels uniformly to keep the original proportions of the corset intact.
Corsets during this period were sold by waist measurement only, so it was assumed that the lacing gap would take care of any fine-tuning that was necessary through the ribcage or hips.
I also find that you can get a more authentic-looking silhouette if you try to avoid micromanaging the fit of historical corsetry. Instead of worrying about fitting the corset exactly to your body, I’m a firm believer in letting a corset do the job that it was made for - molding our non-ideal bodies into a more idealized shape. Of course, all figures are different, and I am sure there are necessary exceptions to that rule, but I feel that most women would have good results using the original 1910’s proportions.
The first step is to enlarge the pattern on a copy machine. I enlarged my pattern by 264%, although I find that this number varies slightly on different machines. I checked my size carefully by making sure that 8 squares equaled 8” (20.3cm), which is more accurate than just checking the size of a single square. After I enlarged every part of the pattern, I then taped it all back together and cut the pattern pieces out.
The original corset has a 28” (71cm) waist, and it is typical to include a 1”-2” (2½-5cm) lacing gap, which means that it would result in a 28”-30” (71-76cm) waistline when worn. This gave me 2-3” (5-8cm) of waist compression while I was wearing it, which I found to be a very comfortable amount, although you might prefer more or less considering your own personal “squish factor”.
Enlarging the Pattern
Once you have determined how much you want to enlarge or reduce your corset, draw a line down the middle of each pattern piece and cut along that line. I also taped the side-front top and bottom pieces together temporarily before altering their size.
Since there are 8 total body panels in this corset (I’m treating the front side panel - which has a top and a bottom - as one piece), every ¼” that you adjust on each panel will result in a 2” change to the overall measurements (or in similar metric terms, every ½cm that you adjust on each panel will result in a 4cm change to the overall measurements). Due to the narrowness of the center-front panel, this system only works with the larger sizes though.
This chart shows you how much to add to each of the four body panels if you wish to enlarge the corset from its original size.
Keep in mind, this measurement is for your desired corseted waist size. The smaller size listed is for the corset laced completely closed with no lacing gap:
| Desired Corseted Waist Size (in) |
Amount to add to EACH panel |
| 30”-32” | +¼” |
| 32”-34” | +½” |
| 34”-36” | +¾” |
| 36”-38” | +1” |
| 38”-40” | + 1¼” |
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Desired Corseted Waist Size (cm) |
Amount to add to EACH panel |
| 76-81cm | +6mm |
| 81-86cm | +13mm |
| 86-91cm | +19mm |
| 91-96cm | +25mm |
| 96-101cm | +31mm |
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To enlarge the garment, spread the pattern pieces apart along the cut line and make sure the edges are parallel. Re-trace the pattern pieces or add a strip of paper to fill in the cut. The top and bottom edges will need to be smoothed out after the width is adjusted. |
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Reducing the Pattern
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To reduce the size of the corset, you will overlap the cut edges instead of spreading them apart. Measure in from the cut line by the amount that the piece is to be reduced, mark this line, and then you know exactly where the other half should be positioned. Again, you will finish by taping the pieces together and smoothing the top and bottom edges. If you tried to use this same system for waist sizes under 28 inches (76cm), your boning channels would begin to overlap each other on the center-front piece, so I suggest that you take an additional 1/4" (6mm) off the back panel to adjust for this.
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Here is the amount that you should remove from each piece for the smaller sizes:
| Desired Corseted Waist Size (in) |
center-front panel | side-front panel | side-back panel | center-back panel |
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66-71cm |
-¼” |
-¼” |
-¼” |
-¼” |
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61-66cm |
-¼” |
-½” |
-½” |
-¾” |
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56-61cm |
-¼” |
-¾” |
-¾” |
-1¼” |
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51-56cm |
-¼” |
-1” |
-1” |
-1¾” |
| Desired Corseted Waist Size (cm) |
center-front panel | side-front panel | side-back panel | center-back panel |
|
26”-28” |
-6mm |
-6mm |
-6mm |
-6mm |
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24”-26” |
-6mm |
-13mm |
-13mm |
-19mm |
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22"-24” |
-6mm |
-19mm |
-19mm |
-31mm |
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20"-22” |
-6mm |
-25mm |
-25mm |
-44mm |
Assembling the body
Use the supply list from the notes in the first installment of this series to order boning lengths and fabric. (For my corset I used herringbone coutil from tutu.com, and I ordered my boning from voguefabricsstore.com. Both of these stores have very reasonable prices and good customer service.
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I did make one change to the construction of my reproduction corset that you should be aware of before we begin. The original version does not use a separate facing piece for the center-front edge – it just has an extra-large, ¾” (2cm) selvage that wraps around to the inside of the corset, and the raw edge is covered by a narrow boning casing. Small slits are made in the fabric to allow the busk hooks to pass through the folded edge, and these cuts are not finished at all. I find this to be a less desirable solution than using a facing, but if you want to stay 100% true to the original, you will omit the front facing instructions and use a ¾” (2cm) center front selvage instead. On the left, you can see the inside of the 1910’s corset compared with my version, which has a facing, on the right. |
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My pattern does not include any seam allowances, so you need to add those yourself. I used a 3/8” (1cm) seam allowance for mine. DO NOT add seam allowances to the top or bottom edges of the corset, DO add a seam allowance on the edges of the two side-front panels where they join at the waist. |
When the pattern is completely traced, it will look like this. (I turned the side-back piece upside down to conserve fabric.) |
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Begin assembly by joining the top and bottom sections of the side-front panel, right sides together. Press the selvage down and then topstitch 1/16” (3mm) away from the first seam, over the pressed selvage, to reinforce it. |
When the pieces are joined, they will look like this. |
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| Next, pin the center-front piece to the side-front piece, right sides together. |
Sew these pieces together, then press the selvage toward the front of the corset. Topstitch over the pressed selvage, 1/16” (3mm) away from the seamline. |
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| Next, join the side-back piece to the side-front piece. Press the selvage toward the back of the corset, and topstitch as before. |
Finally, join the center-back piece to the side-back piece. Press the selvage toward the front of the corset and topstitch. The finished half of the body will look like this. Repeat this process for the other side of the corset, but be sure to flip the pieces over to make a mirror image of the first side. |
Inserting the busk
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Add the facing to the center-front edges to hold the busk.
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Next, sew the facing to the front edge, but stop your stitching at each of your marks where the busk hooks will pass through. Jump over that section to leave the seam open there, and then continue stitching to the next mark. Once again, skip a space for the next hook, and continue the process until you reach the bottom edge. |
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The 1910’s corset has a slight, permanent curve over the lower belly, like you would find in a spoon busk. This keeps it from jutting out at the bottom edge when worn. Before I inserted my busk, I added a slight curve to the metal just by bending it with my hands. I tried to only bend a small section at a time, and then move to a new spot on the busk and bend again so that there were no drastic angles or weak spots. The spoon shaped belly curve covers the bottom 4” (10cm) of the busk. When placed together as you see here, there is ¼” (6mm) space between the busk stays at the widest point. |
Once the facing is added to the hook-side of the front edge, turn it to the inside and press. Insert the hooks though the open areas of the seam. Once it is in place, pin the layers of fabric together beside the busk to keep it from falling back out. |
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Using a zipper or cording foot, stitch right next to the edge of the busk and continue this line all the way to the bottom edge of the corset. |
On the inside of the corset, fold the raw edge of the facing under and pin it. You will also need to add your waist tape under the folded edge. I used a 1” (25mm) wide grosgrain ribbon, but you could also use twill tape or a strip of fabric. The original corset uses a strip of lightweight, straight-grain fabric with unfinished edges for the waist tape. |
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Stitch ¼” (6mm) away from the first seam that you made next to the busk. Make sure that the folded edge and waist tape are securely caught in this row of stitching. |
On the other side of the corset, sew the facing to the front edge, fold it around to the inside, and press. Lay the two center front edges together and mark a dot in the center of each hook to show you where the posts of the busk will go. |
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Using an awl or knitting needle, poke a hole in the fabric and stretch it out enough that you can insert the knobs of the busk. The original corset has small, unfinished cuts to accommodate the prongs, but I prefer to just stretch the fabric. |
Once the knob side of the busk has been inserted, finish that side using the same steps as the hook side. When finished, it will look like this. |
Sewing the boning casings
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You could probably save yourself a good bit of time by using pre-made boning casings or twill tape, but I made mine out of strips of coutil, as was done in the original corset. The casing for double-boned strips are 7/8” (22mm) wide (1 3/8” (35mm) wide before pressing the sides under), and the single-boned casing is ¾” (19mm) wide (1¼” (32mm) wide before pressing). Check the pattern and notes sheet for directions on how much you will need of each. I cut two templates out of poster board to help me iron the edges under. |
The boning casing is sewn over the seams on the inside of the corset, which hides the selvage and provides an easy guide to follow for placement. To help center the double-boned strips, I folded the casing in half and ironed it so that I could place the fold exactly over the seamline. Make sure that the waist tape is properly positioned under the boning casing and the rest of the tape is pinned out of the way. You might need to trim down the selvage to make sure it is completely covered by the casing. |
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Before I go on, I’d like to point out that you should check to see if your fabric has ANY stretch to it, and if it does, the fabric should be stretched slightly before pinning the waist tape down. Even with heavy coutil, I found that it still had a bit of give. This will result in the waist tape looking slightly loose when lying flat, but it will be smooth on the body. You can better see this effect on the back panels, as shown here. |
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Once the boning casing is pinned in place, flip the corset over and use a zipper or cording foot to sew the center seam right next to the raised edge of the seamline. |
Switch out the presser foot, then sew the outside seams of the boning casing 5/16” (just a bit over 1/4”) (8mm) on either side of the center seam. I used the width of my presser foot to measure the distance from the middle. Repeat this same process for the boning casing that covers the side seam. |
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The seam between the side-back and center-back panel is covered with the narrower, single-row casing. The easy version is to sew the edges of this casing down from the inside of the corset so that you can see exactly where the casing is (which is what I did), but you could also baste in it place and sew it from the outside using your basting stitches as a guide. The space between the seams should be 9/16” (just a bit over 1/2”) (14mm). |
The center-back is finished off with a facing strip that is 1¾” wide and 18” long (4.4cm x 46cm). Sew this strip to the edge, fold it to the inside, and press. Topstitch the facing 1/16” (2mm) away from the edge, then add an additional seam 5/16” (8mm) in from the first one to hold the boning. Skip over 3/8” (1cm) to accommodate the eyelets, then sew another seam. The last step is to fold the raw edge under, pin the waist tape under the folded edge, and then sew the final seam 5/16” (8mm) in from the third seam. This will create another row for boning. Make sure the waist tape is securely caught under the facing. |
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There are additional rows of boning casing that run down the middle of the side and back pieces. These are centered in the middle of the panels and sewn the same way as you did the others. |
When all of the boning casings are in place, the inside will look like this. Add boning lengths as shown in the notes and pattern diagram. There are no stitches to secure the placement of the bones in the channels, although you could add some if you find that your boning shifts too much. |
Finishing the corset
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The original 1910’s co , straight-grain binding, but I used store-bought ½”(13mm) bias binding. I started by opening up one side of the bias binding and pinning it to the inside edge of the corset. I then sewed along the fold line. |
Next, I folded the bias strip around to the front and top-stitched it down. I tucked the ends of the binding under at the center front and back edges, whereas the original corset simply cut off the extra binding and left these ends unfinished. |
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The top edge of the corset is trimmed with a row of wide lace that is topstitched over the binding. The lace is folded around to the inside at the center-front and back, and tacked down with a few hand-stitches |
The small, two-part eyelets that I used were bought at Walmart. Once again, I used an awl to stretch holes in the fabric instead of cutting holes, which weakens the fabric. Use the pattern diagram to space the eyelets. |
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At the center-front, add two large hooks below the busk to hold the bottom of the corset closed. |
For the garters, I found two sets of 1” (25mm) wide vintage hose supporters on ebay. The original corset had woven garters instead of elastic ones, but I thought that elastic would be more comfortable. I sewed them to the inside with two rows of stitching. |
Comparing the results
I have worn this corset to two living history events now, and I am happy to report that it is very comfortable and easy to wear. Since the boning stops around the top of the hips on the front and side, it is no more difficult to sit, bend, walk, drive, or use the ladies’ room than any other corset that I’ve worn. I also love the way it supports and smoothes the lower abdomen and hips, which actually made me feel much more relaxed and comfortable in my Edwardian clothes.
I am also pleased with how closely my reproduction matched the original. Since my antique corset is still in sturdy condition, and it is FAR from a museum-worthy piece, I decided that it would be worthwhile to try it on for long enough to take pictures and get a first-hand impression of how it feels on the body compared to my reproduction. You can see my version, which is brighter white, and the original corset below.
Original Corset
The original corset is not as tightly laced in these pictures because I didn’t want to put too much strain on it, but that actually taught me a lesson in one respect. I noticed in these pictures that I laced the top of my reproduction corset too tightly, which resulted in a bit of a “muffin-top” look in back where the chemise and the soft flesh on my back puffed out above the top edge of the corset. The line of the more loosely-laced original corset looks much nicer across my back, so I will definitely make a point of concentrating the tightness at my waist and not on my ribcage in the future.
My version
I also came to appreciate how much the garters help to pull the bottom half of the corset tight and keep everything in place. The original corset’s garters were cut off before I purchased it, and it has much more of a tendency to ride up or wrinkle when I sit down, and it didn’t keep my hips as smooth without that additional tension from the garters.
But the main thing that struck me when wearing both of these corsets is how much lighter and more flexible the original 1910’s corset was. The fabric that it is made of is a very lightweight herringbone coutil, and it was significantly cooler to wear. It also has a bit more stretch to it than modern coutil. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that strong, lightweight coutil fabric of this nature is a thing of the past.
I was also surprised by how much more lightweight and flexible the boning on the original corset was vs. the modern one. At first, I was worried that modern boning wouldn’t be strong enough, so I considering doubling it up to make it less flexible. But I soon realized that my preconceptions about what boning should feel like were entirely wrong, and I should actually be worried that modern boning was TOO strong. This is probably most obvious in the lower back. There is a slight ridge where the boning stops in my reproduction, but this isn’t visible at all in the original, which curves better to fit the body. In the 1910’s corset, I could barely feel the weight or stiffness from the boning at all. However, the one exception to this is found in the 1910’s busk, which is significantly more sturdy and rigid than my modern busk.
That’s not to say that my reproduction is overly hot, heavy, or stiff. These factors probably would never have even crossed my mind if I didn’t have the opportunity to compare the feeling of my reproduction to the original. Although these slight differences did not seem to have a significant effect on the overall appearance of my corset, I thought it was interesting to note that my reproduction lacks some of the finesse of the original in regards to comfort due to the difference in modern vs. period corsetmaking materials.
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Thanks so much for this very helpful article.
I was wondering though do you have any thoughts about what to do for someone with a really long/short torso? I thought all of your notes about sizing were wonderful and would love to hear your thoughts on how to make this corset work for those of us that are really tall or short.
May I ask how tall you are??
THANKS!!
Gwynedh