7 top tips for corsetry beginners

Corsets are back! From featuring in the new Cinderella film, to contestants on The Great British Sewing Bee creating them for a challenge, they’ve never been more popular. We spoke to an expert in the field, Julia Bremble of Sew Curvy, to get the lowdown on just what it takes to make your very own corset.

“Making a corset is not as difficult as it first seems. If you can sew in a straight line, then you can sew a corset! In the past, before machines were invented, people stitched their corsets by hand, however, these days I’d recommend a good sturdy mid-range sewing machine capable of sewing through many layers or a good vintage Singer machine. Most modern corsetry is based upon the styles of the Victorian and Edwardian eras which have the archetypal hourglass shape. Don’t be fooled by the small looking waist! Cutting techniques in modern corsetry, means that a corset is comfortable and curvy!

7 top tips

1 Be as accurate as you can, use sharp marking tools, a good tape measure and be absolutely meticulous with your cutting. Mark the waist and stitching lines on the wrong side of each of your corset panel pieces.

2 Be organised, make sure you keep all your corset panels sorted in order in separate piles for each side (left and right) and make sure you mark them so you know which way up they are.

3 Iron your work after stitching your seams but do not use steam. If you use steam, you may shrink panels, but ironing is important before adding boning tape in order to get a smooth and curvy finish.

4 Keep the working pattern to hand in case of mix ups.

5 Make sure all your tools are sharp - new blades for rotary cutters, new needles for the sewing machine, a new stitch unpicker, and strong, sharp pins will all help you.

6 Keep your workspace tidy at all times!

7 Stitch slowly and use a quilting foot for measuring and stitching even bone channels.

Find out more
To see more of Julia’s work visit www.sewcurvy.com or www.clessidracouture.com

For classes with Julia at the Oxford School of Corsetry visit www.schoolofcorsetry.com

Get tickets for the 2015 Oxford Conference of Corsetry here www.conferenceofcorsetry.com

Photography credit: Jenni Hampshire