Part 2: I Sewed 18th-Century Stays (Corset) | Plus: Simplicity 8162 review

[@cassmacdonald-perfectlyimp2486]

Found this just now - I also have a short waist, smaller waist to hip ratio and unfeasibly generous twins, with an apex about an inch lower than most patterns cater for (which also sits nearer the armsyce than most people)L Heck, most patterns don’t cater for my twins AND I have narrow shoulders. I’ve got this pattern, though I haven’t yet stitched it together and I’d already realised I was going to have to make short waist adjustments and extend the shoulder straps. I also recently drafted my own gravity defying padded half moon pads, a la Mariah Pattie and they help SO much with gravity defying. I’ll also have to adjust boning for the bust for extra support, as well as make fuller bust adjustment, so this is all really helpful. I have drafted and made (ok macgyvered from two patterns) a short regency corset (I’m going to make it a little shorter) and because of the new MECFS and long Covid, I intend on fan lacing the back to reduce energy. I’ve got hEDS, with a very dodgy left wrist, so I totally empathise with limitations we have to learn to live with and using every available resource. I know plenty of people who are strong believers in sewing every single seam that won’t be seen. In terms of the tabs riding up a bit, I’ve got a set of stays with rigid steels and the tabs ride up - I think it’s partly our bodies and partly now they work and they do help to help the skirts nicely stick out a little, plus the weight of the two or three petticoats tend to weigh them down

[@ColleenMarble]

Thank you so much for reading and commenting! I'm very glad it was helpful to you and that you saw some of yourself in me. We are all unique but it's so nice to know there are others who have the same body type and need the same adjustments. I too have hEDS and my wrist problems are due to a "minor" injury that resulted in two major surgeries to repair ruptured tendons. It's changed how I function, and I'm learning to accept it and adapt. :-)

[@cassmacdonald-perfectlyimp2486]

@@ColleenMarble hEDS and our unreliable meatsacks! I’m now much more looking forwards to making a disabled-friendly set of 18th century stays. Thanks so much! I used to be an orthopaedic OR nurse, so I’ve seen a fair few wrist repairs of varying types in my life and no stranger myself to wrist braces.

[@SaffronKoysha]

You are an absolute SUPERSTAR! I discovered your channel a few days ago and have been thoroughly enjoying working my way through your videos. I love your editing style and your sense of humour. I’ve just begun my journey into costuming and I feel like I already have a friend (in my head). 😅. You have tackled these challenges and difficulties with such a great attitude. Thank you for being so generous with your advice and the wisdom you’ve gained along this journey. I’m so thrilled that I was able to find your channel. 💕

[@ColleenMarble]

Oh what a wonderful comment! Thank you so much for watching and for taking time to share! I've been away from my channel for a bit due to some extended family difficulties and I'm just now turning my attention back here. It was so nice to see this comment!

[@marthabenner6528]

I've heard the solution to the tab sticking out in the front is an extra layer or two of buckram patches. You make buckram by taking your tightly woven canvas and painting it with gum tragacanth, or gum arabic, or guar gum. Thank you for showing the difference between zip ties and proper boning. You might or might not be surprised by this, but I have watched hundreds of videos on stay making and corsetry, and yours is the first one I have found that properly explains how to do a bust adjustment, (without expanding the waist.) Ps. Mariah Patti in her videos, did an experiment where she used two stuffed half moons to keep her bosom from sagging down into the stay. So she does not have to lace as tight.

[@ColleenMarble]

Buckram would be worth a try! Thanks for the tip. Also, I'm glad you found the bust adjustment information helpful! I too have watched many, many videos on stay making, and you're right, nothing ready covers it for people with small waist/underbust and very full bust. The info from American Duchess about the Georgian FBA was so helpful to me!

[@maxwellmccoy1815]

thank you so much for posting your process of making stays for the first time. this video and the part one have been more helpful than i could have imagined. the problems you ran into with the mock up are the same problems i've been having and i'm incredibly grateful for your videos and the information you've shared.

[@ColleenMarble]

Oh that's good to hear! The best feedback I can get is to know that something I posted is helping someone else in their sewing and costuming journey. I figure if I learn something new, I should share it! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@thecalicoheart7946]

Just found your channel. Came down here to say the same thing. 😊🫶 Off to watch the rest of your 18th century series and see what other joys you have been sharing. Thank you. ☺️🙏💐

[@pukkuncheekin4370]

I just finished making my first pair with this same pattern as well! I wish I had watched your video before hand… I had so much trouble with the binding. But they still turned out lovely! I’m so glad I went for it despite my fear.

[@ColleenMarble]

I'm glad you went for it too! They seem so complicated and scary but once you get going it's not so bad! And it's the best way to learn - just get in there and try! I still use these stays and love them. I'd like to make another pair someday using the Augusta Stays pattern from Scroop - just haven't made it a priority yet. From everything I hear, that's a far superior pattern to the Simplicity pattern.

[@pukkuncheekin4370]

@@ColleenMarble Ah thats good to know! I might try that one next as well!

[@Elirum]

Thanks for the awesome video! I’m currently doing this same pattern and was confused at some points so I’m glad I found your experience with it! The tips are super helpful and that marking thing a mig looks like magic, I NEED it.

[@ColleenMarble]

I'm so glad you found my video helpful! And yes, that marking tool is MAGIC!

[@bobbinsandkalechips]

Your video is so encouraging! I’m about to embark on my first stays make using the same pattern. Thank you for sharing what you learned. I’m looking forward to giving it a go!

[@ColleenMarble]

You are so welcome! I hope my experiences can help you succeed with your stays! They are equally as complicated and much easier than I thought they would be to make. It's a lot of fun to problem solve, though.

[@saralist1200]

Lovely stays!! If you want the front of the bum pad to be Lowe try sewing a hook to the front of your stays where you want the waist band to sit you can use one on either side as well) and then tie them on and hook the ties under the hooks! I have the same issue with being high waisted. I don't think its period correct but it works! The tabs at the bottom will be weighed down some by the petticoat but as someone who has worn courses and stays for 20 years, rigline is the devil and it will warp and poke and buckle over time. Zip ties are a bit better but its also got issues with buckling as you've found out. You may find that we you sit and move around that the tabs permanently kink outward. Plastic "whale bone" from German and metal bones are way more comfortable and forgiving. Thank you for a great video and a well thought out review!

[@ColleenMarble]

Thanks for the tips! Now that I've worn the stays a few time, you are correct that they are poking outward worse than ever. I have thought about replacing the front bones with steel (which I have but thought it wasn't correct for the period). At this point, I'd rather not be 'accurate' but have stays that don't make me look pregnant. LOL! That's good info about hooks for the bum pad. I've been hooking it under my stays but that makes the tabs even worse. Thanks for watching!

[@sheeelashell143]

You look fabulous! Thanks again for sharing It got me a bit emotional that you got emotional about being hindered by wrist pain 😔 However, in your problem solving; to stitch much of the binding by machine, you have offered a glimmer of hope to those of us overwhelmed by the many voices out there saying that binding is the worst (mostly being done by hand) You are fab, thanks again for sharing and I look forward to you sharing your next project 😊

[@ColleenMarble]

Oh thank you so much for commenting! Yes, there is definitely pressure to do everything by hand, and you do hear a lot about how hard binding is. I think a finished project is better than one that is unfinished because you can't do it the way "they" say to do it. Machine sew, hand sew, both -- just do what works for you! And I loved using the twill tape as binding - I think it's more forgiving than regular bias tape. I'm not sure I would have been as happy with my results if I'd used bias tape.

[@aquaaurora2747]

Thank you for the videos they are helpful as I prepare to make this pattern myself. Btw your fashion fabric for the final stays is beautiful!

[@ColleenMarble]

I'm so glad you found my videos and that you think they're helpful! I learned so much from this project. And I do love the fashion fabric! The colors are so great. :-)

[@emilysmith2784]

They look amazing. Well done.

[@ColleenMarble]

Thank you, and thanks for watching!

[@camerongreen2764]

Love your titles (and subtitles)! AND - you have given me the courage to tackle stays!

[@ColleenMarble]

Great! I'm glad you liked the video. Definitely give stay making a try! It was both more difficult yet far easier than I imagined. it's an excellent exercise in fit and precision sewing. Go for it!

[@TheSandshrewBoss]

Thank you for this video! I appreciate seeing your process as I stress about making my own

[@ColleenMarble]

You are so welcome! I was so stressed about making stays, and it really is easier than you think, once you get going. You can do it!

[@novembermoodtutorials]

Hello Colleen! Thank you so much for making this video! I thoroughly enjoyed watching it! It is so interesting to see another seamstress struggling with her wrist! My right wrist is killing me for over a year now! I hope you're doing better nowadays ❤‍🩹

[@ColleenMarble]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Wrist issues can be so disruptive for sewing. Unfortunately, my wrist is as good as it's going to get, which is about 60 percent range of motion and daily pain, in spite of two surgeries in the last three years. It is what it is, and I'm learning to adapt after my injury. I hope you find relief for yours!

[@pippaseaspirit4415]

Those look really good! Comfortable, too!

[@ColleenMarble]

Yes, they've been very comfortable! I've now had the chance to wear them to a few events and they feel good even after several hours.

[@marthabenner6528]

I did it! I made a fitting mock-up. 🙌. Thank you so much. It was entirely with your help. Once I wash the fabric I will make a working mock-up. And then all my pinafore/jumper/kirtle dresses, using the same pattern but with the larger back panels. They fit, I checked. I solved my problem of the belly sticking out too far with the waist tape, the top one follows the waistline where the bottom one curves over the hips and down two inches below the belly button.

[@ColleenMarble]

Wonderful! I'm so glad my videos helped you! And that's really smart to use the pattern for dresses! I hadn't thought of that! Two thumbs up! And I also hadn't thought of waist tapes down low. Smart move. I actually just reopened the front boning channels and inserted stiffer boning. I think it will help. My next video will show it. I am making another 18th century outfit, but it's slow going.

[@marthabenner6528]

@@ColleenMarble that will be cool. Burnley and Trowbridge's baleen while "expensive" is top-tier quality and still cheaper than zip ties.

[@alexbaral2360]

Hey Colleen, thank you so much for your video series on the 18th-Century Simplicity project. Your videos have been really helpful so far and I am glad that I found your channel. I do have one question as I am trying to tackle the stays these days: can you perhaps link the amazon link to the zip ties somewhere? Or at least share the width of the zip ties you used? I am really struggling to find the best option as I have already bought a pack and they were both to narrow and too bendy for the stays. Again, thanks so much for the videos

[@ColleenMarble]

Hi, and thanks for the note! Here is the link to the ties I used: www.amazon.com/White-120lb-Choose-Bolt-Dropper/dp/B07B5TZP3Z. In general, I think bendy isn't bad as long as the fabric you are using is truly non-stretch. The ties or whatever you use for boning should conform to your body. But if, like me, you need extra support, definitely make fully-boned stays. And I do think the lacing channels need extra strength - so maybe double up the zip ties in those channels or use a different material. The rigilene I used is performing well, but I do think they still could have used a bit more stiffness. Thanks for watching, and I'm glad my videos were helpful to you!

[@lisanortum7510]

I also have a wrist injury and can only do limited hand sewing. Thank you for showing me a way to bind my stays by machine.

[@ColleenMarble]

You're very welcome! Check out my video about sewing after injury. There are a few tips there that might help you as well.

[@lisanortum7510]

@@ColleenMarble, thank you I will!

[@maryschiff9580]

I love the corset! It’s very flattering on you. The bum pad looks a bit overstuffed so perhaps taking out some of the padding will help. From the back, it takes away from your pretty hourglass silhouette. Some corsets have hooks sewn into them to control any issues with riding up or twisting of the pad location.

[@ColleenMarble]

Thanks! The bum pad definitely is big, but can you believe I used less stuffing than the pattern called for? It was supposed to be even bigger! I'm going to wait to see how the weight of the skirts makes it behave before I decide whether to deflate it. It should squish down a good bit under the finished outfit. But yeah, it's a LOOK. :-)

[@bcase5328]

I have seen some people tuck the bum pad ties under the front center tabs.

[@ColleenMarble]

I ended up wearing it under my stays in my latest video where I put everything together for the finished outfit. I've seen different people wear it under and over, and I'm not sure which is the correct way - maybe either way is fine. So I tried putting my stays over the pad and I like the fit so much better.

[@FlavorsandTextures]

I am starting my shift and stays next weekend. Very good video!

[@ColleenMarble]

Have fun! and thanks for watching!

[@amybarber8497]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Simplicity 8162 pattern. As I am reading through the directions I don't see how they are saying to finish the front and back on the outside of the grommets. However, I noticed that you have folded yours in. What number is that on the instructions & how much of an allowance is it suggesting? Thanks again!

[@ColleenMarble]

Thanks for watching, and thanks for your note. I'm so sorry to say I no longer have this pattern. I made so many modifications, and I don't intend to sew it again (instead, I'm planning my next stays to be from the Augusta stays pattern by Scroop patterns). So I donated the original pieces and instructions to a friend. If I recall correctly, there is a solid line that is intended to be a fold line. It's on the outside of all the boning channels and grommet indications. When you insert the bones on the edges, you fold over the 'flap' and insert your grommets through it. The double layer of fabric provides support to the grommets. I believe when I made the adjustments to my pattern pieces, I may not have accounted for that flap correctly, so what is folded over is a standard seam allowance of 5/8", but in reality I believe it's meant to be wider. That's an error I honestly didn't notice until you asked! I'm so sorry to have a foggy memory of this and no pattern or instructions with which to refresh my memory. I know a lot of people have made these stays and documented their process, so my hopes is you can find that information. Thanks again for writing.

[@Om-iq1oh]

Hi ! I'd love to try making stays but I don't think I'm there yet with my sewing skills, but your videos are a mine of info, I might give it a try :) Did you find a way to fix the tab ? My two cents as a total beginner, I hope I'm not overstepping 😅 but I recently saw a tailoring video where pad stitches are used to enforce a curve to the fabric, perhaps this could force the tab to stay closer to your body ? Or perhaps it wouldn't be strong enough compared to the boning / wear out the stays quicker ? I hope you found a way :)

[@ColleenMarble]

I'm glad my project might be helpful to you! Yes, in a later video, I ended up adding stiffer boning into the front channels, which helps the tabs behave. I'm not sure pad stitching is necessary for stays - I think the materials and the fit are what make the biggest difference, and I don't think historically they would have used pad stitched, but I'm certainly no expert. I have actually thought about making another pair of stays using the German artificial whalebone instead of zip ties to see if I get better results (although I am still quite happy with this set).

[@hopemartin7673]

you could put pleats in the shift to adjust the fit

[@ColleenMarble]

Yes but that might create a lot of bulk. I ended up fixing the shift in my very next video: 18th-Century Pockets, Petticoats & Problems (and how I fixed them). Take a look! And thanks for watching.

[@roseuyen]

Maybe adding a drawstring to the neckline would help?

[@ColleenMarble]

It had one but the shift was just too big and it created a lot of bulk. I ended up fixing it in a later video! It's much better now. :-)

[@jennifergeorgia5445]

Brava!

[@ColleenMarble]

Grazie! :-)

[@andreaclough44]

Where is the link to Part 1? I can't find it

[@ColleenMarble]

Here you go! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGGzhpWDo8ysb8U

[@andreaclough44]

Thank you!

[@mvrooks]

You did it again! I love the fabric you used for your stays, and the way you solved some fit problems was very creative. All of this will inform my work once I get off my butt and make those stays myself. The question will be: to half bone or full bone? I’m working on my shift right now, and yes, I’m sizing down.💚🤍🖤🩶

[@ColleenMarble]

I'm glad you found my video helpful! And re: boning, I think you wouldn't regret doing fully boned stays. It's not that much more work, but it's so much support.