New corset designs for 2014

Every corset designer worth their salt never rests on their laurels.

Most corset makers, like myself, take every opportunity available to try out construction and pattern cutting exercises, from trying to make headway on an interesting patent found on Google or an interesting book that comes out or through personal study and research.

Today I am going to share my own self study process, just one of many ways in which your corset study can be informed and enriched. Even making mistakes is a form of study, and one which I relish as a knowledge increaser rather than a failure of task.

When I want to start I start with my regular Size 12 block with all the ease removed, which is where you would also start if you were to begin making lingerie, in which the fabric sits so close to the body as if to form a second skin. I also know I want to make a corset with more pattern pieces so I can increase the amount of boning I am using with the addition of seaming. So I'm going to go for a 16 panel corset, lets see where we end up.

Must apologise for the darkness of the photo's, I only had black coutil in the studio today.

So here is my size 12 black, I trace this onto a fresh piece of dot and cross paper.

 From there I use my knowledge of how a body is shaped and how I want to reduce the waist to draw up my pattern. At this point I have a pretty good idea of how this will shape on someone's body, and there is no better way of testing the pattern without putting it together.

And here is the first draft of the pattern. From here it's my job to question all aspects of the design and make decisions on how I want to alter it. I need to think about how I want the corset to modify the body and it's silhouette, about the design lines and where I will place the boning.

Here is my coutil mock up pinned where I intend to modify the pattern.

Changes:

• straighten up the seam lines into a more vertical position
• more waist modification for nipped in silhouette

 Things to consider

• neckline, love the height but not sure I want it to stand proud of the body (which it will)
• boning placement around the bust to stop creases around the bust where it is super tight for an enhancement effect.
• hemline shaping

That's it for now, off to redevelop the pattern ready for the next installment.