My old stays have seen much better days, not to mention changes in my physique, so making a new pair that I could wear underneath my riding habit or my new polonaise seemed like a quite a reasonable idea. (Plus, as far as I am concerned, any excuse to have a new pair of stays is a good excuse!)

There are quite a lot extant stays from the 1750-1760 era, so I was really spoilt for choice, but I had to take several factors into consideration. Although I have made a few corsets and stays, I am by no means an expert in the field so it would have to be something pretty straightforward, especially since I didn’t want to use a commercial pattern and would be relying mostly on adapting the toile and the old stays measurements – more of an equivalent of homemade stays rather than a product of a professional stay maker. I also wanted them to have that homemade look and feel because I will be using them for historical interpretation, either wearing them or as a prop.

After some more research I found these lovely stays from the Kyoto Costume Institute (on left of photo). They are made in brocaded silk and lined with linen, and lace both back and front.  The pattern is very similar to a piece of brocaded linen that I have, and there was just enough to make a pair of stays, and if I am lucky, the sleeves as well. The boning is contained between the two layers of interlining, so the stitches  will not show on the top fabric, so the  beautiful brocade  is shown off to the best advantage.

Materials

• 1 metre (1 1/8yd) of brocaded linen
• 2 metres (2¼yd) of tightly woven linen
• 1 metre (1 1/8yd) of fine linen for lining
• Linen and calico for toile and mock-up
• Linen canvas for strengthening the edges - optional
• Reeds to serve as boning – or if you have them, whalebones!
• Linen threads
• Linen tape for binding – optional, as the original stays are not bound
• Linen tape for lacing

Pattern and fitting

This seemed a bit trickier since I couldn’t really see the back of the original stays. I compared a few similar-looking corsets and realised that the pattern used seemed to be close to the one for the 1750 stays in Jill Salen's book, p10.

As usual, making the toile came first. I drafted the pattern using the measurements from my old stays, so at least didn’t have to do all the maths calculations. Once the toile was cut out, I basted the pieces and tried it on. It needed a few adjustments at that stage and when I was pleased with the initial result, I used it as a pattern for a boned mock up version. A mock-up was necessary since my bust grew a bit since I made my last stays and you cannot really judge if the support and shape is correct just from a soft toile. I made the mock-up using two layers of linen with machine made boning channels. I placed the reeds in the channels, attached a lacing strip (readymade eyelets on a tape) at the back and front and put that on. Needless to say, some more alterations were necessary to ensure correct fit and support, but not a lot: all I needed to do was to take in some of the seams at the sides. With fitting issues sorted, I took the reeds out and dismantled the mock up, using the pieces as a template for the proper stays.
Construction Cut the pieces in top fabric, in lining and in two layers of interlining. Stitch the interlining pieces together first, then place the two layers together and started on hand stitching the channels. I found this to be tedious and frustrating work: I drew the channels on carefully, making sure the lines were straight and the distances even, but I soon found out that somehow following the lines was a bit trickier than I had anticipated. But in the end, after many corrections and undoing the wonky stitches, all will be ready. Now you just need to add the waistline seam to prevent the bones escaping at the bottom and to make sure they all end where you want them to end. Trim the remaining fabric neatly.
Next, add the boning. I used the reeds from my mock-up and added some more where necessary. I had two different sizes at my disposal (2mm and 4mm), and I used the slightly thicker ones for the front channels and for the few channels in the back, to reinforce the lacing. On average, there are 2-3 reeds in a channel.
Once all the reeds are safely in their places, run a line of stitching through the top, ensuring they stay in place. You can then either fold down and stitch the remaining fabric or just trim it down. I chose to fold mine, as it made the top edge sturdier, preventing the reeds from poking up. If your fabric is not tightly woven, and you think the reeds or any boning you use will poke out, secure the edges with strips of tightly woven tape or fabric – I used still linen canvas for that.

You are now ready to mount the top fabric onto the foundation. There are two possible methods – you can stitch the pieces together first and then mount it onto the boned interlining, folding the edges over the edges of the foundation, or you can mount each piece separately, securing it not only at the top and bottom, but at the sides as well. The second method is a bit more time consuming, but it ensures that the whole stays together and prevents the top fabric from creasing.

I chose the second method and started by mounting the front and back pieces. The order is important if you want to have one more opportunity to try the stays on and make any final changes.

Once you mount the front and back pieces of top fabric, do the same with lining pieces for front and back.

Then proceed to the eyelets. Use an awl and bind the eyelets in strong linen thread – you can always add a metal ring and bind the eyelet over it, if you think sturdier eyelets are required. 

With the eyelets ready on both pieces of the stays, you can now lace them together and try them on.  If there are any minor adaptations to be made, this is your last chance to implement them – it is easier to remove a few bones and adjust seams now, before the whole of the top fabric is in place. If the fit is correct, mount the rest of the top fabric and add the shoulder straps.

Tabs

The next step is to add the tabs. The original stays have tabs made in plain fabric – the maker probably didn’t have any top fabric left, or maybe didn’t finish it on time, or maybe that was the design choice - we will never know! I did have some scraps left however, so my tabs consist of the same layers as the main body of the stays: interlining (two layers of stiff linen), top fabric and lining.

Now there are two possible ways of finishing the stays, depending on whether your stays are to be unbound, like the original, or whether you want the nice finish of binding the edges with a linen tape.

Stays left unbound

Tabs first: Just like with the rest of the stays, start cutting the pieces first: remember that you will need to add about half an inch all around. Stitch the interlining together and mount the top fabric on them. Fold the seam allowance over the interlining and secure it to the interlining on the wrong side using strong thread.
Once ready, stitch them to the body of the stays. It will require quite a lot of strength and possibly pliers, depending on how stiff your reeds are. My fingers did hurt quite a lot even though I took frequent breaks, when my assistant (right) took over...
You are now ready to finish the top layer of the stays. Simply fold the excess fabric over the interlining at the bottom and top of the stays and secure them to the interlining and you are ready for the last thing: the lining. You can cut the lining in the same way as you cut the rest of the stays – or use your toile as lining. Cut the lining for the tabs separately – a beautiful example of tabs being lined separately was shown in Hallie Larkin's article on A Pair of Stays, c 1776-1785. I lined my tabs first, and then the rest of the stays.

Binding the stays

Again, cut and prepare the tabs - but you only need to leave a seam allowance at the top edge of the tab, where it will be secured to the body of the stays. You will not need to fold the top fabric around the interlining either: simply baste the two layers together close to the edge and attach to the stays.

Trim and prepare all the seams and bind the stays with a material of your choice (a linen tape, or contrasting or fabric one).

Attach the binding to the top of the stays, then bring it over the edges, enclosing both layers and stitch it down - – and an excellent article by Cathy Hay will come in handy here too!

Once bound, your stays are ready for lining – again, line the tabs first.

Finishing Touches

Stitch a linen tape or a ribbon to the shoulder straps. Prepare the lacing, which should be a linen tape or a plait cord, thread it through the eyelets and the stays are ready to be worn! 

Lace up and ready to wear!

I still have some leftovers of that lovely fabric, so in the future I will probably add the sleeves to make up an informal indoors attire.

Bibliography

Jill Salen, Corsets: Historical Patterns and Techniques,  Batsford 2008

Hallie Larkin's Foundations Revealed article on A Pair of Stays, c 1776-1785.

Kyoto Costume Institute Digital Archives: Corsets from 1700-1750