Corset Making for a Crowd?

[KathyBradford]

I've invited a dozen young ladies who volunteer at several historic sites to make corsets Saturday. They are willing to invest in improving their impression, and I'd like it to be as easy as possible for them.

We placed a bulk order for boning, busks, grommets, and lacing to keep the cost down. Any suggestions for streamlining the fitting and construction process and making the day go well would be greatly appreciated.

[CJDaley]

Re: Corset Making for a Crowd?

I've invited a dozen young ladies who volunteer at several historic sites to make corsets Saturday. They are willing to invest in improving their impression, and I'd like it to be as easy as possible for them.

We placed a bulk order for boning, busks, grommets, and lacing to keep the cost down. Any suggestions for streamlining the fitting and construction process and making the day go well would be greatly appreciated.

Call me toll free 1-866-851-1861 and I'll be glad to give you some tips on working with larger sewing circles.

[KathyBradford]

Re: Corset Making for a Crowd?

What a Day! In a whirlwind thirteen hours, eight young ladies, some with their mother’s help, have completed corsets or nearly so, and four more have perfectly fitted muslin patterns and/or supplies. If you’re interested in the logistics and materials lists, please feel free to e-mail. Their materials costs ranged from $21.68 - $24.31, not including patterns. The looks on their faces as they tried them on - priceless!

Thanks to Elizabeth Stewart Clark for sewing how-to information and Chris Daley for his kind offer of advice.

Next - a chemise making day!

dkbrad@hotmail.com

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Corset Making for a Crowd?

Kathy, would you mind terribly just posting that email to the forum here? (Or, email it to me with permission to streamline and post it?) It's just that kind of information that can be very helpful to folks doing some "Group Upgrade" work!

[KathyBradford]

Re: Corset Making for a Crowd?

Corset Making Materials and Logistics

Pattern Tracing Station
Large windows provided space for patterns to be taped and traced. A nearby table held pattern tracing supplies.
"Past Patterns" #213 Victorian Corset Patterns - 1 per person, (to be traced and modified)
11x14 paper or tracing paper
pencil*
paper scissors*
tape measure*
tape

Tools and Supplies Table
A 2x5 table held all the sewing supplies, fabric, and corset parts in one central place.
pins/pincushion*
sewing needle*
muslin 1½ yd/person (no preshrinking necessary)
circle of elastic (to help find natural waist)
water soluble marking pen for fabric*
fabric scissors*
thread*
sewing machine*
seam ripper*
corset fabric (1 yd/person, preshrunk and ironed)
11 ½” or 12” busk (1/person)
ice pick
piece of 2x4
Fray Check
1” cotton twill tape (~1 yd/person)
steel boning in various lengths (20-48/person)
grommets and washers, size 00 (~26/person)
grommet setter
hammer
lacing (5-8 yds/person)
¼” double folded bias binding**
½” double folded bias binding**
silk ribbon for top of corset (optional)
finished corset for example

*items where duplicates are helpful when working with a large number of people
**packaged bias binding contains polyester and is NOT recommended. For authenticity, make bias binding from sturdy cotton fabric or use cotton twill tape.


Work Table
The dining room table was covered by beach towels. Next came an 8x12 sheet of plywood, and finally, a sheet of masonite. Together, they provided a large, smooth surface for layout and cutting. This did get overcrowded at times. If we do it again, I’ll try to add a second work table. A bolt of muslin was unrolled on one side of the table, and the corset fabric was doubled on the other side. By unfolding the corset fabric from the middle, pieces could be cut from both ends at the same time.

Ironing Table
An ironing table with 2 auto-shutoff steam irons stayed hot all day.

Sewing machines
2 treadle machines and 3 electric sewing machines were scattered throughout the unoccupied spaces in the living room and dining room.

Hopefully, the attached photos will be helpful.

I'm still adding photos to step-by-step directions for actual corset fitting and construction. It will probably take a website or a CD to hold it all. I hope that it will be a resource for new ladies in our unit who would like to make their things at a time when a group sewing session isn't convenient.

[KarinTimour]

Re: Corset Making for a Crowd?

Kathy:

What a terrific accomplishment, and what an inspiration to the rest of us! You should really also consider writing this up as an article for the Citizens' Companion -- there are many, many women who don't have internet access, don't read the posts here, or only get to use the computer after their husband and children are done.

Sincerely,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting - Socks, Hats, Balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[BHoover]

Re: Corset Making for a Crowd?

Next - a chemise making day! [/email]

Kathy,

A couple of years ago my wife led a workshop where about two dozen ladies did a bodice fitting day. They took one of the Past Pattern bodices (a legal copy for each lady of course!) and had each lady custom fit the bodice for her size. The end result was everyone there had a custom fit pattern that they could use over and over.

If you are interested I can have her contact you (she has started doing email, but I haven't talked her into browsing forums yet!) and give you more details.

[KathyBradford]

Re: Corset Making for a Crowd?

Bruce,

Thank you. I'd be very grateful for any help. The young ladies who made corsets were so excited to have something "right" that they are chomping at the bit to do more before the summer season begins. The next step after chemises and drawers (Thank you, Elizabeth) will be to fit age-appropriate bodices. One family with younger girls has already begun sewing with Elizabeth's new children's bodice patterns and books, and the mom has all good things to say about them. www.ElizabethStewartClark.com

Historic sites everywhere are fighting low budgets strained by reduced tourism. As an all-encompassing proposal, the idea of properly outfitting each volunteer was too much for anyone to comprehend and approve, let alone expect. We started a couple of years ago and slowly introduced the idea and the clothing with just a few of the youth volunteers. The success of taking one piece at a time and making it affordable for the volunteers to make their own things seems be accomplishing several purposes, but that's a whole different thread.