Foundations Revealed

Alisha guides us through the project of making a modern underbust mesh summer corset.

Sabrina tackles the challenge of making a 1908 Corset, a transitional year between the S-curve era and the straight-line Teens era corsets.

Rachel Haggerty discusses the techniques used to work with metallic fabrics like taffeta and lamé to create a bodice worthy of Wonder Woman herself!

Luthien recreates this 1882 overbust, hourglass corset, designed to 'conform to the shape of the person more perfectly' than earlier Victorian corsets.

Kelly outlines the process of recreating this low-busted early 20th century corset from the original 1913 patent and pattern through to flossing and garters.

Barbara explains ways of creating a push-up overbust corset, including important parameters that influence the position of the bust and how to modify them.

This month, Anna works with us on refining the fit and starts to think about the final design of this Edwardian transitional corset for our 2013-14 competition.

Wendy analyzes over 80 stays from 1790-1829 for fiber, colour, weave, length, opening placement, shoulder treatment, bust shaping, boning or cording.

How did Edwardian women support their busts with such low cut corsets? Jen shares the details and patterns of two 1910's brassieres in her collection.

Jenni addresses the combination of patterning, support, body type and fabric to get a perfectly smooth fit.

Continuing discussion on the home sewer's approach to leather corsetmaking, one part professional technique, one part broke college student ingenuity.

Today many burlesque performers commission pasties (small nipple covers) to match their costumes, so the ability to make them is a valuable commodity for a corsetmaker.

Jenni finishes up her simple broche corset with casings, eyelets and binding.

Kelly guides us through making a Teens brassiere that would be suitable for wearing with eveningwear in 1913.

Wendy puts her earlier research on transitional Regency stays into practice and reproduces a set of stays for herself, walking us through the fitting stages.

Jenni discusses the effects that shifting the distribution can have on the front hip area of contemporary corsets.

Kelly discusses the home sewer's approach to leather corsetmaking, one part professional technique, one part broke college student ingenuity.

Jenni constructs a simple Broche corset to help explore and understand the six rules of good corsetry.

Now the mock-up has been fitted, we move on to the construction of the final corset and find out just how wearable this Edwardian overbust style is.

Luthien walks us through the construction, decoration and finishing of this beautiful overbust corset, including changes to the original Victorian pattern.