Unlike earlier corsets, the cording is not inserted after the channels have been sewn, but actually at the same time as it is stitched - it's literally stitched into channels. This means the back layer is completely flat with a heavily textured front.

The back layer therefore needs to be nice and stiff (I used a pre shrunk heavy calico canvas) and the front layer quite soft and "drapy" (I used a soft coutil that I dyed pink, then washed again – adding lots of fabric softener too.)

First I tried using a shop-bought piping foot, which guided the cord while covering it with the fabric and stitching – but the channels, though very neat, were just too far apart, leaving the fabric a bit floppy. 

So then I tried my adjustable zipper foot, (which I love and use all the time!)

[Results from the piping foot on left, zipper foot on right]

I used my thumb nail to run the fabric tightly over the cord while stitching very close. This worked perfectly.

It takes a bit of practice to sew the channels absolutely parallel. I suspect some type of special foot was used by the original seamstress.

If putting your finger that close to the needle worries you, use a tool, like tweezers to stroke the fabric over the cord instead....

Once you are confident about your lines you could use a pretty contrasting thread on a nice fabric...

Cutting Out and Marking

First pin all your pattern pieces to the doubled layer of canvas – cut out allowing a 1" (25mm) seam on each side and ½" (13mm) top and bottom. I always draw my patterns "net" i.e. without seam allowances....

Lay the canvas shape out on a doubled layer of pink and cut out each pattern shape leaving about an extra 1-2" (2½-5cm) seam allowance on each side –this will get taken up by the cording.

In the end it used up around an extra ½" (13mm) of fabric for each 10 rows of cord...

I suggest you try cording one of the smaller panels first.

Have a good practice with scrap fabrics first, then when you feel confident, take one layer of outer fabric and its corresponding canvas pieces. Place the outer fabric right side down on the table, place the canvas with the markings face up.

Pin the layers together to hold steady and mark where the first line of the cording will be.

Stitch along this line on the canvas side so you can see where you're going.

Turn the fabrics over so the outer fabric is uppermost and place your cord tightly between the layers, up to the stitch line. Sew the cord in place, (using the tweezers or your thumbnail as a wrapping tool). Add another cord exactly beside it and repeat until you have the right amount of cords for that panel.

When you have finished the cording you can trim the outer fabric to the canvas shape.

I suggest working on corresponding panels for right and left, rather than completing one side and then the other. That way, each corresponding panel should look similar, even if your stitching gets neater.

Cord up all three top side panels.

Center Back Panel

First place the fabrics right sides together and seam up the centre backs.

Press the seam open and fold the fabric back on itself so you have the right sides outermost. Press again.

Sew three parallel channels for your eyelets and two bones, on each side. Then mark and sew the rear-most cording line and continue to cord as for the other panels.

The Busk

Lay out your front pattern pieces with the wrong sides upward, place the busk the right way round on top of these pieces, with the double hook at the bottom and the studs facing up. Separate the busk and put the side with studs and its corresponding fabric panel to one side.

Place the hook side of the busk on the pattern piece and mark in the seam allowance, either side of the loops.

 Pin the canvas and coutil, right sides together, along the center front edge and mark the gaps for the busk loops with pins. Sew along this seam, stopping and starting at each gap, leaving an opening for the busk to poke through.

Stitch backwards to secure the thread at the beginning and end of each little section.

Press the seam open.

With a zipper foot sew very closely all the way round the busk to hold it in place.

Now insert the knob side. For in-depth instructions, see the tutorial on my blog.

Busk Cording

The bottom of the busk, showing the lines for the cording.

Hip panel

 Putting Everything Together

Start with the three top side panels. Lay them out next to each other. Place a pin in the middle panel on the seam where it will meet the front panel. Place a pin on the back side panel where it will meet the middle panel. These seams are going to be turned in to neaten. Trim them down to about ½" (13mm).

Iron both the canvas and the outer fabric towards the inside of the piece along the marked lines. Make sure, when you lay them flat, that the pressed edges are absolutely even.

Slip the raw edge of the panel that is going to be joined inside the seam to its marked pattern edge. (Pop a few pins in or tacking line if you can't see it.) Trim it further, if necessary, to about ¼" (6mm).

Pin the panels together securely. Tack it if you like to tack.

Stitch nice and close to the edge that is overlapping. This should stitch down both the lining and the outer at the same time at the same distance (if you were careful with the pressing!)

Sew another line, using that one as a guide ¼" away (or the width of a 7mm boning channel -I use the edge of my zipper foot as a handy guide.)

Attach all three panels like this.

Fold in and press the raw seam edges on the top edges of the hip godets. Sew the hip godets to the completed upper side piece.

Fold in and press the raw seam edges on the busked front and the eyeleted back panels. Sew the front and backs in the same way as the side panels.

If you wanted to, you could add bones down the double stitched seams as well. The original corset doesn't have them, but I think it might have been an option offered by the seamstress.

Then try it on. I decided the front side panels were a bit loose over the bust so I unpicked the double sewn seam and adjusted them to fit, marked, trimmed and turned under the new edge line, then re-sewed that seam. No need to unpick everything. Perfect.

During fitting, I realised the corset was buckling a bit over my ample curves so I pushed 7mm bones down all seam channels and also in the side strip. The original I'm copying doesn't have any except the eyelet bones, but as the Symington "pretty housemaid" has them I decided it was O.K. It made a lot of difference to achieving a smooth curve down the side for me. I suspect those of slight figure would find them unnecessary.

Side strip channels

Cut and cord two strips the length of the corset side, and 1" (25mm) wide. You should have ten cords on each strip to match the original garment; I only managed 6 in the space I had.
Turn the long edges under as close to the edge cords as you can, and pin and baste them in place along the side of the corset.
Stitch down, along the very edge and also between the last two cords.

Finishing off

On the original corset the top has tape and the bottom is the same drab coutil, cut on grain and machine stitched.

I cut bias strips of pink for the bottom, machine sewed them on the wrong side, then folded over and top stitched on the front. 

On the right is a closeup of the finished binding.

I then edged the top with black satin bias binding and hand stitched on some pretty Nottingham lace.

Finally, floss the cording panels. The flossing is just for decoration so go wild with lovely embroidery – I haven't yet but I will as soon as I have time.