The last article concluded at the part where we attach the boning channels, when I asked which type of boning channel you would like to see demonstrated. Both external boning channels and the "fake" two layer method proved popular, so we will focus our attention first on external boning channels, and next time on the two layer "cheat" method.

At this point you should have all your panel pieces cut, marked and pressed. For this article we will be using the outer layer panel pieces, which should be cut from your strength layer (I have used coutil).

To recap, you should have two sets of panel pieces cut (one for the left hand side and the other for the right hand side of the corset). 

Each set should consist of:

•  2 x Panel 11 (front panel)
•  1 x Panel 12
•  1 x Panel 13
•  1 x Panel 14
•  1 x Panel 15
•  1 x Panel 16 (back panel cut on the fold)
•  2 x Bust gussets

Each set should be marked with:

•  Panel number
•  The set it belongs to (left/right hand side)
•  Numbered notches along the sides of the panels
•  Waistline

External Boning Channels (EBC's)

External boning channels are arguably the most dramatic of the available choices. You can make them in the same shade as the outer layer to create a subtle three-dimensional perspective, or make them in a complimentary shade for a soft, yet colourful aesthetic. You can use contrasting shades to add drama and grab attention. If you are clever with your choice of colour you can affect the perceived hue of the outer layer; an outrageous pink can be quietened or a boring beige can be brought to life. 

Fabric Choice

External boning channels are essentially tubes of fabric that are stitched to the outer layer of the corset. You can buy ready-made tubes from some corset suppliers but the colour range, widths and fabric selections are limited. They can also be quite expensive when compared to making your own. I know a lot of people have avoided making their own because it conjures up images of struggling to turn endless lengths of tubing right side out, and then battling to press said tubing flat while the seam refuses to lay straight and twists like a contortionist. But there is a way – in fact there a few ways - to make your own and avoid the above frustrations.

Your base fabric (strength layer) should be a stable, tightly woven fabric, such as coutil or canvas. I personally favour coutil but this isn't the only option – just be sure that the fabric you choose isn't too thick and does not stretch. If you want to, you can add a layer of fashion fabric to the outside of your EBC to widen your choice of colours and finishes.

You can purchase satin backed coutil and use this as a single layer EBC, avoiding the need to add an additional layer of fabric. However, there are a few things you should be mindful of:

•  Pale colours tend to have a transparent quality. You can actually see the bone inside the channel, which doesn't look nice and is very frustrating to discover once you have stitched all your EBCs on, much like I did the first time I tried. Black and darker shades don't generally have this problem, but it is worth creating a test case and investigating before constructing and stitching a whole batch.

•  When buying satin backed coutil, try to source a sample first. There is a wide range in quality of satin backed coutil on the market, and price is not always a clear indicator. Poorer quality satin backed coutil fibres tend to break when the fabric is folded and/or stitched. Folding, pressing and stitching a sample (repeatedly) will give you an idea of the quality of the fabric.

I have decided to use satin backed coutil for my EBCs in the following demonstration to give you an insight into some of the steps you can take to minimise fibre damage.

Width

So how much wider than your bones do you want your finished EBCs to be? It really is a matter of personal taste and design aesthetic. I personally don't recommend a fabric margin of more than 35% on either side of the bone, as it tends to look clumpy.

If you are planning on having your EBCs curve across the corset instead of running in a straight line, then the thinner the fabric margin the easier it will be to create the curve without puckering or wrinkling forming on the outside edge of the curve. It will also help to prevent the edge of the EBC from rising up and away from the outer layer of the corset.

Also, ensure that there is zero stretch or "give" in your chosen fabric, as this commonly leads to your EBC stretching lengthways. This causes the width of the EBC to shrink. This will likely become a big problem when you try to insert your bones later. Cutting your fabric on the bias is tempting because it can make the fabric tubes easier to manipulate around curves, but be warned - this is at the risk of stretching your EBC.

You will also need to consider the proximity of EBCs to each other. If your design requires that several EBCs be placed close together, making your fabric margin too wide may mean that you can't fit all the EBCs into the allotted space; it can also make a section look "blocky".

For this article I will be using 7mm (about ¼") bones in my external boning channels –if you are using a different width of bone, please substitute your width in the following calculation. I have decided on a margin of 2.5mm on either side of the bone. I usually go with a slightly smaller margin but I want to be sure that each component of the EBC shows up clearly in the photos. Feel free to adjust your margin, but remember to change the width calculation.

Please don't be tempted to select a much wider margin because you are concerned stitching such a small margin will be difficult. It's actually pretty simple with a little bit of practice. So be brave and think small!

The width calculation is as follows:

(Bone width + left hand side fabric margin + right hand side margin + fold + seam allowance) * 2

Bone width = pretty obvious, but be sure to measure the actual bone; don't just go on what the label says.

Fold = the amount of fabric lost from the width when folded over. Usually this is 1mm, unless you are making some very thick EBCs (i.e. two layers of coutil).

Seam allowance = try to keep this small to minimise wastage.

So for my satin backed EBCs:

7 + 2.5 + 2.5 + 1 + 5 = 18

18 * 2 = 36mm

So to create my EBCs I will need strips of fabric 36mm wide.

Note: Before you start cutting strips of fabric, be sure to create a test batch of tubing to check your calculations result in the right sized EBC. Here is one of mine: note how the bone sits snugly in the external boning channel without room for sideways movement.

 

I usually run up EBCs using several metres of fabric, it's quicker and saves on wastage. However for this demonstration I will be working on a smaller piece of fabric to ensure my photos are easy to understand, but the principles are the same.

Take your fabric, press flat and when cool mark out columns 36mm wide on the wrong side of the fabric. You should draw your lines along the grain line of the fabric and follow the drawing and cutting guidelines we used when creating our panel patterns and cutting out our panel pieces. Trim one edge along the marked line.

Fold over the trimmed edge and line it up to the left hand side edge of the next marked line (ensuring that the right side of the fabric is on the outside). Tack stitch (baste) in place. Your stitching doesn't have to be super neat (just look at mine!) but to save time later on, try to stay either side of the 5mm seam allowance or you will end up machine stitching over your tacking stitches. That way you can just cut one end of the tacking stitch line and pull the other to remove your stitches. If you machine over them it takes longer to separate your tacking stitches from the machine stitches.

When folding the fabric over, try not to press down on the fold with your fingers, as this will create a crease in the fabric. If your chosen fabric is very rigid and you are finding it tricky to fold over, then rub the wrong side of the fabric over with a warm iron to soften it. Be sure the fabric is not too hot before handling. For satin backed coutil I have used an iron on the silk setting (one dot) to soften it for easier folding. If your satin backed coutil is prone to breaking threads when folded, be sure to warm it with the iron before folding.

Stitching 

Now it's time to get stitching. We want to achieve a single line of stitches 5mm away from the trimmed edge. There are several ways to do this:

Option One: Edge to Edge Stitching If your sewing machine allows you to move your needle into a suitable position, you can line up the edge of your sewing foot with the trimmed edge. This technique works best if you use a sewing foot with a long edge. The marked line will also help you keep track of the position of the trimmed edge – this helps you avoid eyestrain when stitching on dark colours.
Option Two: Line Up Before folding the fabric over and tack stitching, draw a line on the right side of the fabric 5mm away from the frayed edge, and use this to guide your stitching. This technique works best if you use an open toed foot and keep your marked line as narrow as possible.
Option Three: Pressing Bars This is my favourite method because, with a little practice, you can stitch accurately and very quickly. It also places the least amount of strain on your eyes, which is always a good thing. For this method you will need: a set of pressing bars a length of ribbon (which is more than twice as long as the tube you are about to stitch) a nail with the sharp end blunted a piping (zipper) foot

 

You will need to make a small adjustment to the pressing bar before stitching. Drill a small hole in the end of your pressing bar (it doesn't matter which end). File the edges of the hole to ensure it is smooth. 

Feed the ribbon through the hole at the end of your pressing bar.

 

 

Next you take your blunted nail and wrap one of the ends of the ribbon around it, leaving a 5cm (2") tail.
Take the other end of the ribbon and wrap this around the nail in the opposite direction, again leaving a two inch tail. Tie the ends together, keeping your knot small and tight. Ensure that the ribbon will not slide off of the nail.
I find that plumbers tape wrapped tightly around the ribbon keeps the ribbon in place. You can pick it up in DIY stores very cheaply (less than £1 in the UK).
The nail acts as a weight, enabling you to make light work of feeding the ribbon through the tube. You can use another object but I've found the nail to work best. With the folded tube to the left, feed the nail through the tube.  I have found this is easiest if you put the head of the nail in first, then keep the fabric in a vertical position and gently squeeze the tube allowing the nail to fall through the gap created. If this does not work, flick the tube away from you and it will fall through the tube.  *Health and Safety blurb* Be sure that you do this in an open space and don't flick the tube in the direction of people or animals.
Once the nail comes out of the other end of the tube, continue pulling until all but the top 1" of the pressing bar is in the tube.
Now, off to the sewing machine. Position the fabric so that the tube with the pressing bar is on the left of the piping (zipper) foot. Now line up your needle so it is in position to stitch 5mm away from the trimmed edge. Be sure that the needle does not strike the piping foot. If it does, then use a larger pressing bar. Start stitching slowly and pull on the ribbon to drag the pressing bar down the tube as you stitch. It can take a while to get to grips with this technique, but it is very effective. Once you have stitched your tube, cut along the white line next to the trimmed edge – separating it from the rest of the fabric. Repeat the process until you have enough tubing for your corset. See – no turning right side out!
Next we need to press the tubing flat. This can be tricky, as it is important to keep the stitch line centred to prevent the tube twisting. Remove the tacking stitches from the seam allowance. Next we need to press the seam allowance flat. You can do this by inserting the pressing bar into the tube and pressing. But you will need to ensure that the seam is positioned in the centre before pressing. With a little practice you can press several meters of tubing quite quickly. But there is a faster way. You will need a double ended knitting needle – one that fits inside your tubing as snugly as possible. If you can't find one then you can use a normal knitting needle, just take the end off and file down any rough edges.
You can pick knitting needles up very cheaply in second-hand shops, so it is easy and cheap to build up a collection of sizes for all sized tubes. Insert your knitting needle into the tube. If you are pressing a long tube you can feed the nail from your boning channel through first, then insert the knitting needle and finally the pressing bar is inserted in the tube. This way the pressing bar pushes the knitting needle along.  Finger press the seam allowance flat.
Next press with an iron. You can use a standard iron, but I have found a ball iron to be easier to use and faster. These come as attachments to mini irons and are very handy.
Next remove the knitting needle (and pressing bar if you used one) and press the tube between your fingers – again you want to ensure that the seam is in the centre of the tube.
If you have used my calculation from earlier, you will notice that when the seam is centred the edges of the seam allowance line up perfectly with the edges of the tube, making the centring process quick and easy. You can adjust your seam allowance when working out your width calculation to create the same effect for different sized tubes.
I usually flatten the first 1-2" and then proceed with pressing the tube with an iron, flattening the tube as I move the iron along the tube. BE CAREFUL not to burn your fingers with the iron. Finally, trim the seam allowance. If you aren't planning to stitch your tubes to the corset straight away, leave this step until you are ready to start stitching – it will avoid fraying.

 

Marking Out the Placement

Next we need to mark out our boning placement onto the corset panels. At this stage we are only concerned with marking those boning channels that are not positioned within 1cm (3/8") of the seams. The various ways I mark my placements are covered in depth in the article "Planning Out Boning Channels".

For this article I will be using the following method:

• I transfer the markings for each panel piece by cutting the pattern along one of the marked boning channel lines, placing it over the corset panel (right side up) and drawing along the cut edge (gently) with a chalk pencil marker, repeating the process until all of the boning channel lines have been marked out.

• Next, tacking stitch your boning channel into place, ensuring that you line it up precisely with your chalk marking. If you're confident of your boning placement and the fit of your corset you can speed up this process and use iron-on hemming tape like Wonder Web. Be sure that your hemming tape is narrower than your EBC. NB: if you use this method, test whether the tape can be removed from your outer layer without leaving a mark. You can remove it by running a hot iron over the wrong side of the corset panel to melt the glue. Peel off the EBC and then pull off the tape before it cools.

Now this stage can be skipped if you are feeling confident in lining up your tube as you stitch. I usually skip this part for straight EBCs but when creating curved EBCs I find it best to quickly tacking stitch into place so I can concentrate on stitching accurately around the curve.

Now to stitching your tube onto your corset panel. Again, there are several ways to do this. I'll discuss the two I use most often. But I'm finding it almost impossible to get a good photograph of the positioning of the sewing foot, needle and tubing, so I am going to recreate their positions away from the sewing machine, which will hopefully help you see what I am talking about.

REMEMBER TO ALWAYS STITCH YOUR BONING CHANNELS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM!

Open Toed Foot

This technique is great for straight stitching and for accurately stitching round corners, as you can keep an eye on the position of the tube in relation to the foot at the exact placement of the needle. Often, when the view is obscured, it is tempting to turn your fabric too early.

Using the opened toe foot, position your panel so that the left hand edge of your EBC sits against the left hand post of the foot. Move your needle so that it is positioned 2.5mm away from the left hand edge of your tubing. If you changed your fabric margin, position your needle to your chosen margin. Start stitching and keep your focus on ensuring the left hand edge of your tube stays in contact with the inner left hand side post of the sewing foot. Repeat for all EBCs.

Then, position your panel so that the right hand edge of your EBC sits against the right hand post of the foot. Move your needle so that it is positioned 2.5mm away from the right hand edge of your tubing. Again, if you changed your fabric margin, position your needle to your chosen margin. Start stitching and keep your focus on ensuring the right hand edge of your tube stays in contact with the inner right hand side post of the sewing foot. Repeat for all EBCs.

 

Piping Foot

This method does have one advantage over the open toed foot method when it comes to delicate/slippery fabrics. Because all layers of fabric are under the pressure of the piping foot as they approach the needle, they are less likely to wrinkle or crease as they are stitched. It is also very handy when stitching a lot of layers, for example when stitching one EBC over another. The open toed foot seems to get a little temperamental when asked to do the same.

There is one major drawback with this technique, however. The width of the margin you can stitch is limited by the needle holes in the foot. You can get around this by widening the gap with a drill, as I have done on some of my feet. This isn't my favoured way to stitch EBCs because it can be time consuming to achieve precision and I invariably end up unpicking at some point (then again, I am a stickler for precision).

For the left hand edge of the tube, position the piping foot so that the left hand edge of the foot is placed directly over the left hand edge of the tube. Position the needle to the desired point and stitch. You will need to be looking over the foot in order to keep a check on the tubes' placement in relation to the left hand edge of the foot. Repeat for all EBCs.
Follow the same process to stitch the right hand side of the tube – lining up the right hand edge of the tube with the right hand side of the foot. And again, repeat for all EBCs.

 

Remember to practice before you attach your tubing to your corset, especially after taking a break.

If you are finding it hard going time-wise, don't panic. With practice you will go faster! I was painfully slow when I first started, but practice has helped me improve my speed a lot. Even with that in mind, there is a lot to be said for quality over quantity.

Next Time

Next time, we'll cover how to create boning channels using the Two Layer "Cheat" Method. This method creates boning channels that are more subtle than external boning channels, but that is not to say that you can't make your boning channels more interesting with clever uses of different colours or types of thread.

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