Regardless of whether you've been naughty or nice this year, we've got lots of tempting ideas for your gift list!
First off, we finally have a calendar for corsetmakers! Melanie Talkington of Lace Embrace Atelier has put out an Antique Corsets 2012 Calendar which I think should be on everyone's wall this next year! Even better, she's using the proceeds to start an antique corset museum.
If you know someone who is just starting out in corsetmaking, or have a friend who's been talking about finally making one for herself forever, why not buy them a corsetmaking kit from Sew Curvy which has everything (pattern and materials) that they'll need to make one?
Need more light for your workroom? Why not be easy on your eyes and ask for a full spectrum daylight desk lamp? If you're doing a lot of embroidery or close stitching, you might find that a magnifier workbench lamp makes the job easier.
If you're tired of setting your eyelets by hand, you really should look into upgrading to a professional setup and get an eyelet press! Vena Cava sells one, and there are a couple of other options from Tandy and Corsetmakers.com (be sure and read the reviews from LJ's Corsetmakers before purchase to make sure you get one that will work for you.)
For the more advanced corsetmaker who seems to have everything, Atelier Sylphe Antique Corset patterns would make a perfect gift! Jenni Hampshire (Sparklewren) has made several corsets from her patterns, and here are a few pictures of the results.
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Practical & Inspirational Books
Trying to figure out who you want your customers to be and how to pitch your business? In her series on "Branding for Corsetmakers", Jenni Hampshire recommends reading The Luxury Strategy and How to Set Up and Run a Fashion Label as two key books you need to read to get you on the track to success.
Lingerie
You asked us for more on lingerie (and we're working on it!), but in the meantime, here are several titles that should be in your library if you're serious about making underthings.
Patternmaking for Fashion Design, 5th edition by Helen Joseph-Armstrong
For lingerie garments, there are several relevant sections:
- A great chapter on "dresses without waistline seams", or as I like to think of them, "slips and nightgowns"! There are shift, princess, and Empire styles covered, and many different variations on the basics after that.
- An excellent chapter on working with bias cut fabrics that includes step-by-step instructions for several styles of slip dresses.
There are three chapters on knit garments that build on each other:
- A basic chapter on working with knits and Lycra fabrics;
- A chapter on patterning bodysuits, leotards, and leggings;
- The last chapter is on swimwear, but don't let that mislead you! Yes, she starts with basic shapes like the Maillot (and some cute vintage styles!), but then gets into different styles of bikinis. These bikini pieces are really bras and panties!
The bra instructions are pretty basic (Mark's articles are better), but she covers a couple of classic bikini styles (bandeau and triangle) which would translate well into satin and lace. There are several basic knicker/pantie styles, but she shows you how to increase the cuteness factor by changing the pattern slightly. There are also instructions on how to change the knit patterns to work with woven fabrics, so these patterns will work for both. There is a chapter on strapless foundation garments, but it's aimed at dressmakers, not at corsetmakers.
Vintage Lingerie: Historical Patterns and Techniques by Jill Salen
The Victorian/Edwardian underwear includes 1850's drawers, a set of combinations, a corset cover, a Khiva bust bodice and a frilly petticoat. There are a few pieces from the 20's, a pair of "Tango knickers", a beautiful set of lace and chiffon brassiere and knickers, and two 20's brassieres designed to smooth the bust into the fashionable shape. However, its main strength is the wide selection of 1930s - 1950's vintage lingerie pieces that make this book a must-have if you're interested in that period of fashion.
All in all, it's a nice survey of ladies' underwear from the 20th century, containing 12 brassieres, 3 girdles, 3 pairs of knickers, 2 full slips, 1 waist cincher, 1 suspender belt, 1 corselet and 1 corset. The one corset is an interesting 1960's Spirella fitting corset, with adjustment panels that could be set to different sizes, and measuring strips sewn down every inch to allow a tape measure to be threaded through and accurate measurements taken at the same place around the corset.
The one issue I have with the book is that scale is not noted on the patterns, it's in the appendix at the back of the book (I have the UK version, the US version might be different). However, I do like the book, and enjoy Ms. Salen's commentary about the support (or lack of) given by the various brassieres. There are several pieces that I really want to make up, like the divine 1950's black corselet!
Underwear: Fashion in Detail
While not a pattern book per se, it does have line drawings of the garments that could help you draft a pattern along similar lines. However, its strength lies in the detailed photographs of the details of the lingerie (how the lace was attached, how the ribbon was stitched, how the tiny little flowers were scattered about just so...) and in the descriptions of each piece. If you struggle with the details and need inspiration, this would be an excellent book to put on the wish list.
Putting the Pieces Together
Now that you've got all this wonderful lingerie inspiration, how do you actually sew it?
Out of the many sewing lingerie books out there, these are the best two that I've found: Kwik Sew's Beautiful Lingerie and Sewing Lingerie (Singer Sewing Reference Library). Each one has its strengths and weaknesses, and you should look through the table of contents to see which book is best for you. Kwik Sew certainly has the best section on handling lace and decorative hem finishes, but it doesn't cover knits. Singer's Sewing Lingerie has a good section on working with knits, but doesn't cover lace in as much depth as Kwik Sew does. Singer also has a wider variety of garments than Kwik Sew, although Kwik Sew does include basic patterns with the book.
Embellishment
The Art of Manipulating Fabric
This is another "go to" book on my bookshelf. If you're looking for a book of inspirational ideas for different fabric treatments, this is the book you need! This book is the exhaustive reference book on how to do everything from gathering to ruffles and flounces, pleats and tucks, cording to darts. What I love is that every technique is not just illustrated with drawings, but with photos of what fabric looks like when the technique is executed. The author doesn't do one technique and move onto the next, but shows how with just a small variation in grain or stitch length, dramatically different looks can be produced. I like to use it as a reverse look-up book when I find a new fabric technique that I'm not familiar with, I just flip through looking at the pictures until I find what I'm looking for.
Fine Embellishment Techniques by Jane Conlon
The author does a wonderful job of explaining each of the different types of materials for each technique, the best tools for the job, how to avoid problems, and how to get the best results. I found the beading section particularly helpful as I was not aware which needle and thread worked well with which kind of bead. She also does a wonderful job explaining the different stitches and methods for laying the beads down on the fabric and securing them. The binding and piping section covers six different types of bindings, including how to bind scalloped edges neatly. I'm really looking forward to trying out a narrow corded edge on a future project!
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Thank you for these ideas ! I just ordered the 2 embellishment books
