Love/Hate relationship with corsets.

When I was younger I was obsessed with corsets (I still quite like them, but I'm not as crazy about them as I was), and dreamt of being able to make them. How hard could it be? Turns out, they're really difficult to make. The first one I tried (with this gorgeous fabric) was so twisted out of shape, the grommets didn't stay in right (the fabric frayed and they fell out) and I ended up using the rest of the fabric trying to make it again! Both went in the garbage and I have no photo evidence of their existence.


This was the next attempt. Ended up wonky, the stitches were horrid, and the fabric was so thin that you could see the seams and allowances imprints through the fabric. Needless to say that didn't get worn anywhere. 

Then, after butchering another pattern and making this one way too big, I had to make adjustments to make it fit better. I ended up sewing on the hook and eye closures a little off so it didn't line up perfectly, and the fabric was so slippery I had to use iron-on interfacing on each piece just so I could draw the pattern shapes on. I might have worn it once but was overall not pleased.

Then I tried the same green fabric again but a different pattern (I knew that the fabric was too thin but I liked the color so much...) I liked the shape of the bust (first time I had tried something like that and I lined up the pieces well) but the rest of it just fit.. odd. And the boning was too heavy for the fabric and kept wanting to curl.

Then finally, I made one right! I got the pattern right, everything sewed together correctly, I had at this point invested in a tool to better install grommets, and when I put it on, everything lined up. I ended up making another one immediately afterwards to sell on etsy, and made one other one after that to custom fit the client (the last one was boned, the others weren't). They're made of comic pages layered between vinyl, and they're lined with denim. I learned how to use bias tape, and as I made more, it got better. I've worn this one several times and it's held up very well, only slight tearing on the comics by the seams at the smallest 'waist' point of the pattern, but you can only see it up close.

I still have this :)

I plan on making more of these in the future but I had wanted to complete this one first.

Closeup of patchwork detail and raw leather edges.

Same pattern, not boned, and made completely of scrap leather. And another craft off my list. I picked up 2 huge bags of scrap leather during the summer and had been using it slowly ever since. Wrist bands, fortune cookie charms, a belt (that I will finish soon! I swear..) and a couple necklaces, but this was the biggest thing I've ever made of leather and it was not only a learning experience but a test in patience. I've been working on this on and off since the summer! One thing I'm happy worked out with this patchwork style is that I wanted to not be able to see any seams, to not see where one piece of the lining ends, and the next piece of the pattern starts. Because of how I laid the leather pieces on, it looks like one big mass of form fitting leather. :)




PS: Every year after the holidays craftster comes out with a list of the top crafts of the year before, and I'm happy to say that my dinosaur necklace made the list! I'm so proud. :)


PPS: Sorry for the run on sentences in this post. I'm tired. And for the not great pictures of the last corset. After having worked on it this long, I just want to show it off already!