More cording

The most recent canvas corset I've been working on has cording panels at the front and diagonal cording at the back, running from the waist to the top edge.

The diagonal cording was created once the panels were sewn together. I marked up the angle I wanted and top stitched five channels 4mm wide. Odd numbers always seem to look best – I think it's one of those things that mimics nature.

To insert the cording I used an awl to ease open the weave and inserted a loop turner with a nice small head (the stitching lines running parallel to the edge are for the boning for the lacing panels, grommets still to be inserted).

The cording was then hooked onto the loop turner, pulled through and left with a tail at both ends.

Wrong side, showing 'tails' of cording

Right side, showing tails at edge and external boning channel

Once I had checked I was happy with the cording the cord ends were trimmed. I put a few stitches through each for extra stability but they probably don't need it. Once the top edges are stitched and bound the cord can't escape!

The trimmed cords and stabilising stitches

The cording panels for the front were created separately before cutting. This ensured the panels were accurately sized (cording distorts the size and shape of the fabric so, when cording a larger area, some size is lost).

Only the top of the front panels was to be corded so the panels were sewn to the rest of the front using a flat felled seam.

Cording panels in place, showing exterior boning channels and watch pocket on the left

The inside

I love the effect of cording and it's relatively simple to do (even if time consuming). No doubt it will appear again soon!