Where to Put Boning in 18th Century Stays & Corsets

[@AndromedaCripps]

I've just recently set my heart on doing a middle class 18th century outfit for an event in April 2020, and the stays, to me, seemed like the hardest part to get right. Then I find out that not only do you have a full 18th century underpinnings pattern pack with simplicity (but it's American Duchess so I can trust it for historical accuracy :D), but you have all these incredibly helpful videos walking us through various questions and steps in the process!! At this point I'm 90% certain I'll be purchasing that pack, and I'm sure either way that I'll be referencing your videos on the pattern for the next few months! Thank you so so much for this. You really make the stays feel like a realistically doable garment, even for a relatively beginning sewer like myself!

[@Lady_dromeda]

Texadon - Andromeda Cripps it sucks that you were going to do all that work, for something that most likely was cancelled. If you have finished, I hope that it turned out well and that you will be able to wear it to something soon.

[@AndromedaCripps]

Andy Dawn Thabks for your kind comment! I actually ended up constructing my own pattern from several resources and making my stays back in the fall! I never finished my jacket, but repurposed some modern clothes into one and was able to wear it for Halloween 🤷🏻‍♀️. I also hosted a booth at a Maker Faire talking about my stays and historical fashion, where I taught people to make caps! So it wasn’t tooooo sad when the event was cancelled this April!

[@Lady_dromeda]

Texadon - Andromeda Cripps that’s great!

[@sewingwithjazz]

thank you for this video. hope to see more videos like this from you

[@madelinerose5177]

Are there any less expensive but good substitutes for coutil? I've never made stays before and would like to keep my material costs reasonable

[@AmericanDuchess1]

yes, you can use duck canvas, mattress ticking, heavy linen, heavy twill

[@madelinerose5177]

fantastic! thank you for replying:)

[@catherinevaught1594]

I'm using gabardine for mine as I had it in my stash.

[@BiologicalClock]

Me watching this video: Wow, this looks so much easier than I thought! Me actually trying to draw channels for my stays: *PANIC*

[@christys8551]

How does the boning pattern differ from the package pattern and why would one change it? Is it to be more historically accurate? Thanks.

[@AmericanDuchess1]

Christy S the package has a half-boning pattern. It's accurate, but some may wish to do fully-boned stays or play with the position of the boning to create different shaping effects for different decades.

[@christys8551]

American Duchess Okay, that makes sense. Thank you for the response.

[@ann_petiterose]

@@AmericanDuchess1 I'm hoping to use this pattern for 1760s-1770s stays (to eventually go with a robe à la française). Should that boning be changed to adapt to the decade and social class or is the boning from the pattern fine as it is for an upper class robe à la française? And if it needs to be different, how might I adapt the boning?

[@YellowboneLonghairedStar]

Hello do I leave a seam allowance when cutting out the pattern. New to seeing

[@Maritotten]

MachineGunMermaid on this pattern the seam allowances are already included but it will always say whether the seam allowances are or are not included on the pattern

[@MorganeRainbird]

Hello ! thank you for thé vidéo ! I have a question : if the bone casing touches thé edge of the tab, how do you bind here ? you are forced to handsew or something ? I am a beginner. thank you

[@kamym4937]

I'm not the author of this video, but yes! You do handsew here. You can't go through the bone, of course, but just pick up the fabric ontop/under the bone with a whipstitch or something like that. I hope this helped. :)

[@whiteraven8322]

Good evening, I have a question. Do I have to follow the seams when it comes to boning or can I disregard them at times? I'm using butterick's pattern B4254 and it only has 3 pattern pieces for one side of the body, this leaves the side panel with an awkward shaped panel with an awkward boning pattern. I feel if I can disregard the seam from the side to front panel the boning would look a heck of a lot better, but is that ok to do so?

[@AmericanDuchess1]

You don't typically see boning crossing seams in 18th c. stays. They usually generally follow the seamlines or relatively closely. I've made the Butterick stays and it's a pretty good pattern, surprisingly. Yes, that triangular side panel is weird but it's accurate and the boning pattern for those stays is pretty accurate too.

[@2enigma8]

Curious can I use waxed canvas for my corset? Thanks

[@clairestrubberg562]

If i was to use these patterns for a halloween choir show, should i make fully boned stays or just half boned? Also, can you take a deep breath in the stays? Thank you

[@AmericanDuchess1]

Totally up to you - you can choose whichever boning pattern you like, and make them as heavy or light as you like. You might also try hem cord for boning in fully-boned stays rather than the zip ties. And yes, you can take a deep breath. Just don't lace your stays super tight.

[@krisb294]

I haven't made my Georgian stays yet, but I can take deep breaths in my Elizabethan stays & my Victorian corset. I hope the Halloween choir show went well. :)

[@taylordossetor3608]

This is a bit of a weird question and I realise it not historically accurate at all, it's just me trying to improvise but I'm making an intense version of the 2015 Cinderella dress. I'm wanting a lot of support in the bodice mainly just to support my torso cause I'm going to me carrying a lot of weight in the form of petticoats, skirts and a hoop skirt. I was wondering if there's a way to kind of incorporate the heavily boned stays/corset look into my bodice without making it a separate entity, and just kinda putting the outside layer of fabric overtop... how well do you think this would work?

[@cfrost87]

How do we size them up if the largest size in your patterns aren't large enough?

[@AmericanDuchess1]

Hi! We recommend Googling the "slash and spread" method

[@christinemec8295]

For my hips and bust I'm between sizes and my waist is 2 sizes smaller. Should I size up or down?

[@AmericanDuchess1]

I would cut the larger size, make a cardboard mockup, and take in the seams where it's too big in your waist.

[@noconnell874]

Hi this was a great video, I've just cut out the fabric and am making my first mock up of the stays. But the lady in the fabric shop insisted on selling me something called "fusable" which adheres to the outer and inner layers, instead of some heavier lining material. The "fusable" seems really lightweight. Should I go ahead with this or go get some linen or twill instead? Kind regards

[@noconnell874]

I should add the fabric I've chosen for the fashion layer is just a simple cotton, this was to be the inside layer too. I'm kinda worried that without a thicker material inside the bones may poke through too easily. Am hoping to get lots of wear from these stays!

[@AmericanDuchess1]

hi! great question! There's no need to fuse or back the thin cotton with the fusible interfacing, but you will want to use it as a fashion layer only. I've made stays with a thin cotton outer fabric and here's what I did - Mount the cotton to an interlining layer like a strong linen or twill. Don't fuse it, as this can cause weird wrinkling later on when the pieces need to bend in complex curves on the body. Treat the mounted pieces together for the rest of the project, as if they were one.

[@noconnell874]

@@AmericanDuchess1 thanks so much for your reply! I've machine basted the pieces and fully finished the straps. Gonna start piecing it together tomorrow. So excited! Am already planning to make your other stays pattern next, hoping to replace the bra in my wardrobe with classy stays!

[@leahreinsager8237]

Why did you change the size of the zip ties you are using to 1/4” instead of 3/8” as the label said?

[@AmericanDuchess1]

I prefer to use the narrow zip ties and more of them for fully-boned stays. They make for a lighter and less bulky garment. For half-boned I still use the larger zip ties and fewer of them.

[@GlitteryDinosRAWRgoogleplus]

I just realized I didn't leave much seam allowance. yikes

[@chloexianah3070]

Dont mean to sound rude but you sound like you always have a cold

[@AmericanDuchess1]

cool comment. Yes, I do.

[@cassidywall1140]

I heard this video had alot of boning in it. Not cool!