Skeletal Anatomy of a New Corset

    So after much researching, internet crawling and debate, I finally ended up just winging the pattern of my corset's boning layout. I left a ½" space at each end for the piping, then allowed a 1/4" pocket for a bone, another ½" gap for eyelets, and followed the gap for the eyelets with ¼" pockets all the way to the eyelet strip on the other side. The original effigy corset is pretty rigidly boned. It's bone – to bone –to bone. Lotta bones. All in all, my own corset ended up with 60 ¼" steel bones. I think I've bullet proofed my costume. . .

Gap at side of bust

Back - you can see the bones only extend as far as the side seams

     I decided to try some things out. The last corset I made had bones butted next to each other continuously from side to side and stuck out funny around my bust and hit my armpits in a weird and uncomfortable way. This time I left a gap of boning on the side of the bust in hopes it might stick out less and be more comfy. Although this could be a pipe dream, we'll see soon. The other thing I did differently from my last corset was cut down on the length of the bones that are in the back of the corset. My previous corset was cut high in the back and the bones ran all the way up. Ick. I cut them shorter this time, once again hoping to make it more comfortable.  

 I ordered my bones from http://www.dragontowncorsetsupply.com/. They're my normal go-to corset suppliers. They have the best prices for pre-cut boning and offer different busks and lacing bones, if you need any of that as well.

Finally the white pencil has its day!

    Oh, the other change I made to this corset was my bone channel technique. Previously I have sewn channels to the interlining of the corset. This time I sewed the interlining to the outer fabric to make channels for the bones. This was a lot easier! Plus, I found a use for a white coloured pencil. . . I wonder now if the pocket channels will hold their own against the steel bones like the duck cloth channels do. . .

    No I am playing the waiting game of waiting for my bones!