![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rhienellethI didn't get any outlining done last night. BUT, what I did do, was work on the 3/4ths finished corset again, finally. I drafted, cut out, and finished the modesty panel, sewed it and the rest of the lining onto the corset, finished boning it, and now literally all that's left is the ragged top and bottom edges to take care of. Which will consist of sewing twill tape over each edge to close it, then adding trim over the top of that, for looks. :) If I work on it tonight, I should be able to finish it, and finally, finally be done. If I don't, then it will probably languish until this weekend.
Either way, I'll be pleased to finally have that project finished. Plus, I'll be able to wear it. To what, I don't know, but it sure is gorgeous. Maybe I'll make a Victorian skirt to go with it, and wear it for whatever Halloween party or masquerade we attend this year. (And by "we", I mean me and the girls. Mark does not dress up, ever. Although he has stated that he'd wear full samurai garb to the Ren Faire if I made it for him. But that's the only concession I'm getting.)
You know, a custom made corset can't be bought for less than $300. A well made one, that is. They start at that. After making my own, I now understand why.
Hmm. I think I need a sewing icon.
Either way, I'll be pleased to finally have that project finished. Plus, I'll be able to wear it. To what, I don't know, but it sure is gorgeous. Maybe I'll make a Victorian skirt to go with it, and wear it for whatever Halloween party or masquerade we attend this year. (And by "we", I mean me and the girls. Mark does not dress up, ever. Although he has stated that he'd wear full samurai garb to the Ren Faire if I made it for him. But that's the only concession I'm getting.)
You know, a custom made corset can't be bought for less than $300. A well made one, that is. They start at that. After making my own, I now understand why.
Here, I'll break down the process.
First, we have materials.
- Fabric: I bought 3 yards of basic muslin to make the mock-up for fitting, my fashion fabric layer, and then enough heavy cotton twill for three more layers. I would say I spent about $50 on fabric, all told.
- Notions: Two kinds of trim, spiral steel bones, busk (the front closure piece that gets sewn into each side), grommets and grommet setter, an awl for making good holes in the fabric, thread (because a corset uses a LOT), and ribbon for lacing it up. I would guess at least $80. Maybe as much as $100, though next time I won't need to buy bones, or as many, cause I have extra, or the awl or grommet setter. But still, probably around $100 this time.
So just on materials, I'm at $150 for my corset, maybe a little less.
Now, the process:
~ First, I made a mock up out of muslin, single layer, for fitting, based on my size according to the pattern. The mock up worked pretty well, so I moved on the the actual corset. I had to cut four layers of fabric - the pretty "fashion layer", a layer of twill to flatline that to, making one stronger piece (the fashion fabric is too weak and would rip apart w/steel bones if not made stronger). Then a layer to make the boning channels, and finally a layer for lining.
~ Then I did the boning channels. Some people just use their seam allowance at the seams as boning channels, but to me this would appear to put too much stress on the seams. I wanted the corset to last for a long time, and I wanted the boning channels to be invisible. To this end, I sewed the channels into the two middle twill layers first, then I sewed the fashion layer to the top twill layer for strength.
~ At this point, I have ten separate panels, each one three layers of fabric. Now, this was the easy part. I sewed the panels together, making the two halves of the corset. I held the pieces up to me to make sure everything was on track for fitting correctly. Now things get complicated again.
~ I had to insert the busk. A busk looks like this:
Mine looks like the one on the far left. The little tabs are connected to strips of steel, which get sewn into each front half of the corset and acts as boning for the front, in addition to keeping anything from gapping in between each tab. A pain in the butt to fit into the corset, let me tell you! I'm sure repetition will make it easier, but for now, that part took me the better part of 2 hours, all on it's own. I also chose to sew a length of trim over the top one side, so the seam wouldn't be visible.
~ Next, the grommets. I had some difficulty figuring out how to set them for correct spacing from the edge, and exactly equal on each side. i ended up having to redo both back panels completely. the grommets took me, oh, I'd say 4-5 hours because of that, and having to do them over. Next time will be easier and quicker.
~ Whew, the really hard stuff is done. Next, I cut trim for each seam and sewed it into place, for decoration.
~ I sewed the lining on, and boned the corset. Oh, and I decided I wanted a modesty panel for underneath the lacing. The pattern didn't include one, so I drafted it myself and created one. Another good couple hours of work.
~ And now I'm to the final part, closing the top and bottom as described above, and adding the top and bottom trim.
If I had to guess, I'd say I have...a minimum of 20-25 hours into this thing. If I were making it for someone else, it would be more difficult fitting it, etc. You figure at $10/hour (a paltry sum for "custom work" whatever the field), my corset at it's cheapest would be $350, and that's charging for the materials what I paid for them, and the very minimum amount for my time. This is why I don't think I will ever, EVER make a custom corset for someone else. Unless it's for a friend and they somehow beg, plead, or bribe me into doing it, but at that point, I'm not charging them for my time, anyway.
But since this is all just for me, I can pat myself on the back and be pleased at how cool the end result is., all thw while saving money, because I didn't order a corset from someone else. :D
First, we have materials.
- Fabric: I bought 3 yards of basic muslin to make the mock-up for fitting, my fashion fabric layer, and then enough heavy cotton twill for three more layers. I would say I spent about $50 on fabric, all told.
- Notions: Two kinds of trim, spiral steel bones, busk (the front closure piece that gets sewn into each side), grommets and grommet setter, an awl for making good holes in the fabric, thread (because a corset uses a LOT), and ribbon for lacing it up. I would guess at least $80. Maybe as much as $100, though next time I won't need to buy bones, or as many, cause I have extra, or the awl or grommet setter. But still, probably around $100 this time.
So just on materials, I'm at $150 for my corset, maybe a little less.
Now, the process:
~ First, I made a mock up out of muslin, single layer, for fitting, based on my size according to the pattern. The mock up worked pretty well, so I moved on the the actual corset. I had to cut four layers of fabric - the pretty "fashion layer", a layer of twill to flatline that to, making one stronger piece (the fashion fabric is too weak and would rip apart w/steel bones if not made stronger). Then a layer to make the boning channels, and finally a layer for lining.
~ Then I did the boning channels. Some people just use their seam allowance at the seams as boning channels, but to me this would appear to put too much stress on the seams. I wanted the corset to last for a long time, and I wanted the boning channels to be invisible. To this end, I sewed the channels into the two middle twill layers first, then I sewed the fashion layer to the top twill layer for strength.
~ At this point, I have ten separate panels, each one three layers of fabric. Now, this was the easy part. I sewed the panels together, making the two halves of the corset. I held the pieces up to me to make sure everything was on track for fitting correctly. Now things get complicated again.
~ I had to insert the busk. A busk looks like this:
Mine looks like the one on the far left. The little tabs are connected to strips of steel, which get sewn into each front half of the corset and acts as boning for the front, in addition to keeping anything from gapping in between each tab. A pain in the butt to fit into the corset, let me tell you! I'm sure repetition will make it easier, but for now, that part took me the better part of 2 hours, all on it's own. I also chose to sew a length of trim over the top one side, so the seam wouldn't be visible.
~ Next, the grommets. I had some difficulty figuring out how to set them for correct spacing from the edge, and exactly equal on each side. i ended up having to redo both back panels completely. the grommets took me, oh, I'd say 4-5 hours because of that, and having to do them over. Next time will be easier and quicker.
~ Whew, the really hard stuff is done. Next, I cut trim for each seam and sewed it into place, for decoration.
~ I sewed the lining on, and boned the corset. Oh, and I decided I wanted a modesty panel for underneath the lacing. The pattern didn't include one, so I drafted it myself and created one. Another good couple hours of work.
~ And now I'm to the final part, closing the top and bottom as described above, and adding the top and bottom trim.
If I had to guess, I'd say I have...a minimum of 20-25 hours into this thing. If I were making it for someone else, it would be more difficult fitting it, etc. You figure at $10/hour (a paltry sum for "custom work" whatever the field), my corset at it's cheapest would be $350, and that's charging for the materials what I paid for them, and the very minimum amount for my time. This is why I don't think I will ever, EVER make a custom corset for someone else. Unless it's for a friend and they somehow beg, plead, or bribe me into doing it, but at that point, I'm not charging them for my time, anyway.
But since this is all just for me, I can pat myself on the back and be pleased at how cool the end result is., all thw while saving money, because I didn't order a corset from someone else. :D
Hmm. I think I need a sewing icon.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-03-14 05:14 pm (UTC)You take to new skills like crazy! I'd love to learn how to sew (like for real) and would love to be able to make a corset. Why, oh why don't you live closer?
I am mucho impressed.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-14 05:19 pm (UTC)But I so wish you lived closer, too. :( Of course, then we'd have to win the lottery or otherwise become independently wealthy, so we could have enough time to sew, bead, roleplay (actually, that should have been listed first) and talk about characters and favorite books and things.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-14 06:07 pm (UTC)Indeed. I keep saying I'd like to win that other lottery, you know the one where they give you money? That should happen. I can't wait to see you in June.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-14 07:00 pm (UTC)Can't wait to see pics. I'm on panel #6 of 9 for my knitted one, then I'll have some hella seaming to do and then adding on the top and bottom.