Draft Your Own Corset Pattern
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- Written by Cathy Hay
Perfectly fitting patterns at last! Muhahaha!
One of the most frustrating challenges in corsetmaking is to get the darn thing to fit properly. Corsets are such unforgiving, tightly fitted garments that a good one must have a perfect fit; there's no room for error.
After getting frustrated with commerical patterns, you're probably starting to wonder how to draft (draw out) your own patterns from a list of measurements. Here's how, in a step-by-step format specially designed for complete beginners.
(You can also play with pattern drafting a basic bodice with our equally simple (and free) Easy Pattern Drafting tutorial at our sister site.)
After giving this method a try, I hope you will start to see the awesome designing and dressmaking power that drafting skills can give you. Taking your measurements and drawing out your own pattern can save a lot of money and a lot of time fiddling with fit.
I've devised these instructions for you based on corset designs of the late 1870s. You'll still need a mock-up to check, but you will be very surprised how well it fits. And furthermore, as you can tell from the photographs below of corsets made using this tutorial, it can easily adapted into a variety of styles.
- "chobap", Livejournal
Corsets made using this tutorial
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[Above left photo] This is the first corset I drafted for myself using the above tutorial; I've not used a commercial pattern since! Construction wise it's not great (I've learnt a few things since then) but I'm still pretty happy with the shape I managed to create. Thank you for inspiring me, and enabling me to get creative with corsetry! - Hannah Light, UK
[Above centre and right photographs] Both of these designs started as the FR tutorial... - Rachel Haggerty, Ivy Rose Custom Corsetry
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