Redthreaded 1860's Corset Pattern Review & Mock-up
Hello, stitching and non-stitching friends!
I am currently attempting to recreate a late 1850's and early 1860's dress. I already have many of my undergarments sewn and fitted, which I will discuss in another post. For today, I am going to discuss making my corset, using a patter from Redthreaded corsets. Please note, this is not an affiliated or sponsored post, this is just my own opinions.
I purchased this pattern in early December 2019. I also purchased their corresponding corset kit, which included everything I needed to make the corset, excepting some basic things I could purchase at a local fabric store (twill tape, thread, bias tape, et cetera).
Pictured above is the kit as I received it (plus my sneakers, cause terrible angles). The kit included just over 1 yard of white cotton coutil, a steel busk, several yards of 1/4 inch boning casing, and 1/2 boning casing. It also came with small grommets, some satin ribbon for lacing, and the appropriate length straight and spiral boning needed for the base, unadjusted pattern size.
I myself purchased some fun fashion fabric, corresponding bias tape, and thread. I also purchased some twill tape for a waist tape, a grommet setter, and some sturdier ribbon in a different colour, in case I wanted to changed the lacing.
Since I am a huge coffee hound, including my locally brewed and purchased coffee was a must. This picture show some of the extra items I purchased, including the 100% cotton thread and bias tape.
As is recommended, by both Redthreaded and every tailor ever, I began by making a mock up. A mock up is just a quick 'run through' of a pattern using a cheap, basic fabric. I normally use cotton muslin for my mockups, but since muslin wouldn't hold up to the strain of being tightened and wouldn't perform like the coutil used in the final cut, I opted to use unbleached cotton drill. I only purchased a yard of cotton drill, since I could always go back and get more, and my fabric stash doesn't need to be any bigger.
As per usual, I cut out the pattern pieces and roughly sewed them together. This gave me an opportunity to not only see how the pieces would fit together, but also to see how the pattern and instructions turned out on real, physical fabric. I cannot recommend mockups enough; they are an invaluable teaching tool.
The pieces for the corset are large, and fairly to put together. I had never sewn in either gussets or gores, and this pattern utilises both, but they were easy to insert and came out beautifully.
Inserting the busk was probably the most difficult part, but I can highly recommend YouTube and Google as excellent sources. Bernadette Banner and Enchanted Rose Costumes on YouTube both have corset videos that are exceedingly helpful for real-time viewing and seeing how the pieces came together.
In my mockups, I don't finish seams, I didn't add the boning channels or bones, nor a waist tape. I could do all that in the final cut, but it isn't worth the time since they won't change the size of the pattern too much, and you really just need to determine how to properly fit the finished garment.
I have to say, the mock up turned out beautifully. Far better than I could've imagined! I used the blue thread for the both the mockup and final cut. In the mockup, it was important that I see my stitching clearly, to see how to improve it for the final model. I did take out the busk stitching about three times, and I wasn't satisfied with it, even in the picture up above, but it was a mockup and I had to move on.
Here's the mockup on my dress form. I think it turned out great, and it didn't need many alterations to the base pattern at all. I ignored the wrinkling, since I figured boning would help straighten and support the dress. The uneven lacing is also due to my being afraid to lace it too tight on a mannequin with no give, and also because the holes weren't reinforced with bones or metal grommets.
Overall, I really enjoyed this pattern. I was super scared to sew a corset for fear or snapping needles into my eye, or misplacing a bone and unintentionally stabbing myself in the spleen. However, this pattern came together very nicely and with some lovely shape, despite me being an absolute beginner.
It is important to note that this pattern comes together in flat pieces. The front are cut on the bias to aid in stretching and improving fit, but they lay flat unlike extant corset patterns. The dimension and shape of the corset comes from inserting the gores and gussets.
It turns out that I had actually sewed in my hip gores upside down, which is embarrassing, but when I switched around to the right side up, it wasn't nearly as comfortable, and I didn't care for such a flat line at my hips. But do bear in mind that in all of my photos, the hip gore is upside down.
The boning for this corset was a phenomenal length; they fit easily and smoothly into the boning channels, and I didn't fear running over them with my machine when stitching. The corset uses a mixture of 1/4 inch straight steel bones, 1/2 inch straight steel bones (for plus sizes) and 1/4 inch spiral steel stays. The bones also come pretipped and prepared, which saves on time and expense, as you don't have to buy steel cutters.
I personally wish the corset came a bit higher, but Redthreaded did an excellent job researching victorian corsets, and it sits at the appropriate height for the time. The fit is very comfortable, and I can easily see myself wearing this for long hours at a time, once it's been properly seasoned.
On the financial side of things, at the time of purchase, both the pattern and kit together cost around $102 USD. This is a steal, considering that most custom victorian overbust corsets start at $350, and even off the rack, standard sized models usually start at $150. This kit and pattern allows you to personally make and tailor a fantastically fitting corset, with historically accurate shaping and structure, for less than a third of the cost of a custom made corset with no extra options.
I hope this review and brief pattern overview helps, and feel free to comment and question!
Sincerely, The Victorian Alaskan
I am currently attempting to recreate a late 1850's and early 1860's dress. I already have many of my undergarments sewn and fitted, which I will discuss in another post. For today, I am going to discuss making my corset, using a patter from Redthreaded corsets. Please note, this is not an affiliated or sponsored post, this is just my own opinions.
I purchased this pattern in early December 2019. I also purchased their corresponding corset kit, which included everything I needed to make the corset, excepting some basic things I could purchase at a local fabric store (twill tape, thread, bias tape, et cetera).
I myself purchased some fun fashion fabric, corresponding bias tape, and thread. I also purchased some twill tape for a waist tape, a grommet setter, and some sturdier ribbon in a different colour, in case I wanted to changed the lacing.
Since I am a huge coffee hound, including my locally brewed and purchased coffee was a must. This picture show some of the extra items I purchased, including the 100% cotton thread and bias tape.
As is recommended, by both Redthreaded and every tailor ever, I began by making a mock up. A mock up is just a quick 'run through' of a pattern using a cheap, basic fabric. I normally use cotton muslin for my mockups, but since muslin wouldn't hold up to the strain of being tightened and wouldn't perform like the coutil used in the final cut, I opted to use unbleached cotton drill. I only purchased a yard of cotton drill, since I could always go back and get more, and my fabric stash doesn't need to be any bigger.
As per usual, I cut out the pattern pieces and roughly sewed them together. This gave me an opportunity to not only see how the pieces would fit together, but also to see how the pattern and instructions turned out on real, physical fabric. I cannot recommend mockups enough; they are an invaluable teaching tool.
The pieces for the corset are large, and fairly to put together. I had never sewn in either gussets or gores, and this pattern utilises both, but they were easy to insert and came out beautifully.
Inserting the busk was probably the most difficult part, but I can highly recommend YouTube and Google as excellent sources. Bernadette Banner and Enchanted Rose Costumes on YouTube both have corset videos that are exceedingly helpful for real-time viewing and seeing how the pieces came together.
In my mockups, I don't finish seams, I didn't add the boning channels or bones, nor a waist tape. I could do all that in the final cut, but it isn't worth the time since they won't change the size of the pattern too much, and you really just need to determine how to properly fit the finished garment.
I have to say, the mock up turned out beautifully. Far better than I could've imagined! I used the blue thread for the both the mockup and final cut. In the mockup, it was important that I see my stitching clearly, to see how to improve it for the final model. I did take out the busk stitching about three times, and I wasn't satisfied with it, even in the picture up above, but it was a mockup and I had to move on.
Here's the mockup on my dress form. I think it turned out great, and it didn't need many alterations to the base pattern at all. I ignored the wrinkling, since I figured boning would help straighten and support the dress. The uneven lacing is also due to my being afraid to lace it too tight on a mannequin with no give, and also because the holes weren't reinforced with bones or metal grommets.
Overall, I really enjoyed this pattern. I was super scared to sew a corset for fear or snapping needles into my eye, or misplacing a bone and unintentionally stabbing myself in the spleen. However, this pattern came together very nicely and with some lovely shape, despite me being an absolute beginner.
It is important to note that this pattern comes together in flat pieces. The front are cut on the bias to aid in stretching and improving fit, but they lay flat unlike extant corset patterns. The dimension and shape of the corset comes from inserting the gores and gussets.
The boning for this corset was a phenomenal length; they fit easily and smoothly into the boning channels, and I didn't fear running over them with my machine when stitching. The corset uses a mixture of 1/4 inch straight steel bones, 1/2 inch straight steel bones (for plus sizes) and 1/4 inch spiral steel stays. The bones also come pretipped and prepared, which saves on time and expense, as you don't have to buy steel cutters.
I personally wish the corset came a bit higher, but Redthreaded did an excellent job researching victorian corsets, and it sits at the appropriate height for the time. The fit is very comfortable, and I can easily see myself wearing this for long hours at a time, once it's been properly seasoned.
On the financial side of things, at the time of purchase, both the pattern and kit together cost around $102 USD. This is a steal, considering that most custom victorian overbust corsets start at $350, and even off the rack, standard sized models usually start at $150. This kit and pattern allows you to personally make and tailor a fantastically fitting corset, with historically accurate shaping and structure, for less than a third of the cost of a custom made corset with no extra options.
I hope this review and brief pattern overview helps, and feel free to comment and question!
Sincerely, The Victorian Alaskan
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