The corset is done! Has eyelets and all! Here I am in all its glory. 

    The next thing to do is to make a dress to go over top – can't walk around the faire naked! (although my boyfriend insists the chemise and corset is far too many clothes already)

    To make a dress that fits properly, you've got to have your dress double set up right. Put on all your underpinnings and take your measurements. Next, deck your double out in all your underpinnings. Because the dummy can't squish like me, I set her up to have my corset measurements and tie the corset on as well as I can. Now measure her and make sure she matches up with your own.

I've begun with the muslin of the bodice. Cut out your pattern – I always cut a size too big. It'd rather resize with too much than too little. Take your creation and pin it on the double. Take your pins and fit that bodice!

If you've cut a pattern too large, you will have alterations to make.

Woah! too big!

Those pins make a tailored torso!

The blue line means, "Cut here so you can more your arms!"

After everything is cut to size and seam allowances added,

The needed seams in dashes

Connect the dots!

Cut on the blue one!

Ah, perfection!

  I make a copy in pattern ease. It holds up better than paper or tissue. I intend to use this pattern again and don't really want to have to fit it every time x_x. I'm going to turn this muslin into a flatline for the actual outer fabric so that the satin has a nicer body.

Let's bind some eyelets! This is one way I know; maybe you'd like to try? I took lots of pictures so I hope they help and give you confidence to try this yourself.

Before the how to, let's think – why would you chose to bind an eyelet rather than apply a grommet? First of all, it's period (period meaning it's what they would have used before 1830). In addition to being historically accurate, they're easier to apply that the metal grommets if you like upper body strength like I do, you don't have to worry out them popping out, and you don't need specialized tools.

Alright, the how to:

Materials:

Seam gauge: needed to you can space the holes accurately

Dressmaker's pen or pencil: to make out the eyelets

Needle: to help you pull the thread through the fabric, of course – choose one in a heavy gauge if your corset has a substantial interlining!

Thread: choose one that is STRONG! Try upholstery thread, some hand quilting threads, or machine embroidery threads. Remember that lacings are going through those eyelets and rubbing over your stitching. Pick a thread that can withstand it.

Awl, sharpened stick (really, no joke)/pencil: to make the holes. Something pointy like those will stretch the fabric and prevent ravelling. You can also use scissors or that weird hole punch thing that you buy at Jo Ann's to set grommets, but remember that once you cut into the fabric, it becomes weaker.

Ruler: lets you make sure the eyelets are in a straight line.

 

NOTE: These instructions are being written referring to your corset. If this is your first time trying this method, please try it out on scrap fabrics! Everyone needs to practice skills before they go to their corset >_<.

 

Steps:

1. 
   
   Find your eyelet channel. Take the ruler and with your dressmaker's pen draw a line from top to bottom of the corset right down the middle. This will let you set your eyelets in a nice strait line.
   
2. 
   
   Decide how your eyelets will be spaced. Take your seam gauge and dressmaker's pen and plot out where your eyelets will be.
   
3. 
   
   
   

   Take your pointy implement or scissors or punch, and make the eyelet holes. It may seem scary at first if this is your first time making a corset, but don't worry – you need to do this! If you're using a sharpened skewer or pencil to make your holes, please be very careful and mind your fingers!! Last thing you need is blood all over your pretty corset!

   

   
   

   
   
4. 
   
   Holes all in? Good. Grab your thread and needle and cut a very long piece of thread. Then match cut end to cut end of thread and put both cut ends through the needle. Tie all cut ends to the loop side so that you're sewing with 4 threads instead of one or two.
   
5. 
   
   

   Ready now? Take a deep breath and let's go: insert the needle into the back side of the corset and pull through to the front. Put the needle through the hole. Insert the needle through the threads just under the knot and pull to secure,
   
6. 
   
   

   Push the needle through to the front near your first stitch. Pull thread through all the way, pulling tight.
   
7. 
   
   

   Put the needle through the hole, push through back half way.
   
8. 
   

   

   Wrap the thread behind the needle. Pull needle though front of corset.

   

   Take a stitch over the stitch you just made to secure "L" shape.

9. 
   
   

   Insert the needle close to your last stitch from the back and repeat. Keep on and it will look like this:
   

   

   
   
   To finish the eyelet, continue doing what have been doing to make those "L" shapes. When you make your last securing stitch, tie off the threads on the underside of the corset.
   

 

I hope this tutorial helps you. If you have any questions please ask. Remember to try this method and perfect it before you actually implement it on your actual corset. 

    My corset is finally bound! I took the easy way out, I think. I did it with my machine in a rather haphazard way. I don't really recommend this technique. In hindsight, as I say with every corset, it probably would have been easier and prettier to do it all by hand. Maybe, as I also find myself saying with every corset I make for myself, I'll rework the binding by hand one day. I'd worry about it more if it was for someone else, but it's only for my use and I'll really be the only one seeing it, so I suppose it will do.

    Now I'm up to making eyelets. Up to this point I've only inset metal ones. This time, however, I have decided to bind them by hand. I've also decided to make the eyelets in a pattern to accommodate spiral lacing. So far - so good. Although it is very time consuming, I think the effort will be worth it. I think I'll post a tutorial for you all to see how to make a bound eyelet – or, how I bind them. . . for real this time, I swear!

    Alright! Finally, I have completed the dress. Here it is on my dummy. Hopefully I'll con someone into taking some nice pictures soon.

Back

    I've christened this dress the "Hell Dress" – why? Well, the original zipper shredded after I put it in, yes shredded! Then my serger went weird and I went through 3 needles! Crazy. Also, during the whole process I had the worse cramps! So, while being under the weather and frustrated, I failed to document this process well. I'm sorry. I'll try to do better on the next project.

    During this time, my bones came (yay!) and I have since put them into their proper channels. So now I will be working on finishing the corset and then I can, finally, move onto making my gown!