Trying something new (for me)

In the last couple of weeks I have been testing my standard pattern for modern victorian overbust with variations on torso length and top and bottom edge shaping. As I'm making test pieces I thought I'd try out various seaming methods.

I know lots of corsetieres use flat felled seams but I haven't tried this on corsets yet. Here's my first attempt. It was sewn with wrong sides facing, one seam allowance trimmed and then the other allowance pressed into position and topsitiched.

Super tidy flat felled seams . . .

. . . and even without boning the hip flare holds it shape . . .

. . . and super tidy inside too – makes me happy!

Verdict: convert. Not only does it give a really tidy finish to the outside, it creates a ready-made boning channel and a matching super-tidy inside seam. Very impressed. What I also enjoy is that, even without the boning, it creates a nice structure and curve to the fabric. Mmm, lovely.

Next up: sewing seams with wrong sides facing and external boning channels. I made the channels using long strips of matching fabric, pressing bar and piping foot. I found that using a wide strip and then trimming before pressing was easier than using a narrower strip of fabric that wouldn't need trimmed – the wide strip was far more manageable through the sewing machine.

I made a long length, rather than lengths to match the corset, and just chopped it up to suit

Once I'd added the channels to the seam lines I tried pinning channels mid-panel to double-check positions
(I'd used a herringbone stitch to hold the first channel in place and I think it looks pretty cute) 

Most of the channels have been added by this point
(It's a bit frustrating looking at this photo as it makes the channels look wobbly! In reality they are straight!)

Again this makes for a really tidy inside

Both of these seaming styles allow for single layer corsets with neat finishes on the inside and are definitely less time-consuming than adding boning channels internally (and then sewing from the right side).

Most of my current corset patterns are modern victorian in style with predominantly vertical seams, usually constructed using either the sandwich method, which doesn't need applied boning channels if using two layers of coutil, or with boning channels applied internally to seam lines and panel centres.

I've tried using the 'all-in-one' method but when using two layers of coutil find it too bulky and stiff – admittedly it was a hugely curvy pattern and the coutil was very stiff.
Note to self: try again with less stiff fabrics!

Also on the agenda is trying out different closures and some more cording. Ah, the possibilities are endless. I'm finding the real problem is trying to restrict myself so that I keep a coherent story with my corsetry: something I've been guilty of not doing in the past!