S2621 bodies bound, still need eyelets

I meant to post this pic yesterday when I snapped it, but forgot as my head is still fuzzy from this miserable sinus crud.  I finished up the binding on the corset tops and bottoms the other night, but still haven't felt up to hammering in my eyelets yet.  However, this is a milestone for me - the first time I am showing a pic of the lining inside!

S2621 corset bound

It may not be beautiful on the inside quite yet, but this is definitely the best looking one I've done to date.  One of my stated purposes of doing mockups to to practice techniques, and this one has fit the bill on trying to make decent looking linings.

I used retail-bought bias tape for the binding, mostly because I wasn't feeling up to making my own since the jacquard stripes would show if I wasn't perfectly on the bias.  I already had a headache for the past week ... why add to it and risk frustration?  Meh, maybe I am just trying to justify a bit of laziness here.

Either way, it is still waiting on eyelets.  I think I'll use the "antiqued brass" colored ones instead of the shiny goldtone ones.  In the meantime, I do have things cut out that I can sew together - rayon floral tunic, light colored denim mid-Victorian ... plus I need to remove cat hair from the core layers of the mid-Victorian.  My shed monsters struck again.

S2621 corset boned and basted

Believe it or not, I am still alive ... even though in the past week I have felt like that was debatable.  I've even managed to make some progress on my Simplicity 2621 corset mockup.  Just very slow progress.  I did finally get all the cable ties cut and filed and basted in ... despite my fat fluffy cat's best attempts to "help" catch the end of the cable tie when I was filing the ends smooth.  So it's boned, and sitting on the corner of my table this morning:

S2621 corset boned and basted

It has cable ties in the middle, but I chose to "hide" them by only stitching the boning channels in the middle two canvas core layers.  I think the pic itself is fuzzy ... and not just me still feeling fuzzy.  Meh.

The entire house has the sinus crud.  Hubby has employed a wet warm washcloth to get his eyes all the way open, and son's voice sounds as raspy as mine ... meanwhile I have been resisting the urge to check my ears after each sneeze to see if any brain matter has been forced out.  Blech ... y'all probably don't want details.  Just that y'all know it's bad when I leave Ren Faire early like I did yesterday.

Since we're not going today - still hoping this mess will decide to clear up and LEAVE the house - that leaves only tomorrow, the official last day of Faire.  I still don't have my new Elizabethan corset mockup done yet ... and last year's version is too stretched out to wear anymore.  Yesterday I went in my denim mid-Victorian again, as my back was acting up and I really needed the lumbar support.

If I can get my few tiny thoughts focused today, I should be able to bind this and put in eyelets (dependent upon headache level, of course).  Here's hoping.

S2621 corset - boning

So I broke out the fabric marker and ruler and planned out my boning (since I am probably off the pattern ... I haven't even looked at the instructions since last year!  LOL)  I was sewing veeerrrrrryyyy slllllooooowwllllyyyy in a sincere attempt to get these channels sewn straight ... the stitches themselves might not be perfectly straight, but I stayed on the fabric marker line today!  Of course, once the first line was sewn, then it was easier to slide a cable tie in and use the boxy zipper foot to snug up to it.  Pic snapped this afternoon:

Boning for S2621 corset

It's not period-correct, but that isn't what I am going for on this one.  I happen to really REALLY like the support these cable ties give me.

Oh, a new one for the "Thank you, Sgt. Obvious!" file: I have discovered - by accident - that topstitching looks so much nicer when you press it afterwards ... apparently "everyone" knows this, but I honestly don't recall seeing anyone ever mention it.

S2621 corset going strapless

Yes, I finally made up my indecisive mind on this: due to the lovely jacquard striping of my outer fabric (unknown home dec remnant) I will be making this version of the Simplicity 2621 Elizabethan corset ("pair-of-bodies") strapless.  My mind is so made up, I even cut off the outer top of the shoulders where the straps are supposed to attach:

making S2621 corset strapless

I actually snapped this pic yesterday afternoon ... right before the weather sirens went off and we went under tornado warning.  After the all-clear noise, I promptly forgot about the pics sitting on my memory card.  Hubby said last evening that the funnel cloud was up by Ft. Campbell.

This morning was the third in a row I've woken up to the roll of thunder ... and the second in three days most of my clocks have been blinking the wrong time.  In fact, son's school had to have a 2 hour delay due to power outages!  Yeesh ... enough of this storm and rain!  I would happily send it to Texas where they are worried about wildfires.  We're under flood warnings here (again).

Back to the Elizabethan corset ... I have realized I forgot something important!  I forgot to put in the twill tape for the waist and underbust.  Bleh ... this version won't hold up for long, at least not as well as it would have if I had remembered.  I do think I have settled on a boning scheme for it, though.  As long as the power stays on, I should get the channels sewn today.

Meanwhile, work continues on the second denim mid-Victorian ... and my fingertips are not happy with me after basting the denim outer layer last night and this morning.  This denim is beefier than the last one, but pics will have to wait until I can switch thread on the machines and stitch it up.  Another good reason to knock out the Elizabethan full mockup (which is what this home dec jacquard stripe version is).

S2621 corset: Boning channels and directional sewing

First of all ... I am already sick and tired of this storm front!  It rolled in a little after 11 last night and promptly knocked out our power ... while the power has stayed on for this morning, we keep getting bands of strong storms, and this early morning's lightning strikes sounded almost on top of us.  What a way to wake up ...

I've already started up on sewing together the layers for my Simplicity 2621 Elizabethan "pair-of-bodies" (the period term for a corset).  I have the front boning channels on either side of the eyelets in, and it occurred to me I haven't mentioned a mysterious peculiarity of sewing boning channels: directional sewing seems to count!  I haven't seen an actual explanation for this, but each time I've seen it mentioned, the person posting it swears it makes a difference even if s/he doesn't know why.  Once you start sewing the boning channels on a corset panel, you need to continue sewing in that direction ... or you end up with small wrinkles around the boning.

directional sewing - boning channels on S2621

If you check the larger image, you'll see yellow pinheads on only one side of each corset half: marked "top" on this pic, as in the end that gets sewn first.  This is how I am keeping track of my directional sewing this time, and I find it so much easier than leaving thread tails!  Now, for a closeup, just because it came out clear!

Closeup front boning channels S2621 Elizabethan corset

Another plus of this closeup turning out clearly is I can show off my outer fashion fabric layer: an unknown home dec remnant that has a jacquard/brocade style stripe to it.  I am hoping the vertical stripes provide for a visually slimming effect ... although I strongly suspect they will mess with the shoulder strap idea.  If so, I will simply make this one strapless.

Almost done with B4254 D

I spent yesterday putting on the bias binding after making some up in the denim left over.  My fingers are still protesting because I sewed half of each bias binding by hand ... yes, your handsewing-hating blogger is still handsewing!  For good reason ... this is the first time I've done bias binding that I don't hate once it's finished.  No wrinkles, nothing kinked under, nothing gone wabberjawed ...

I did try to do continuous bias binding, but somehow hosed up sewing the crooked tube and my lines didn't line up, so I ripped that seam out and just did strips.  Machts nicht ("mox nix") since each strip did a top or bottom with a little bit left over.

I did attach the bias to the front of the corset halves by machine.  While my machine sewing still isn't *all that* it does look straighter than my handsewing, and is quicker to boot.  After the first bit of binding, I had the smart idea to trim the corset layers before folding the binding over.  This made it both easier and much less messy, as the edges were trying to fray after so much handling.

Now, about that handsewing that my poor fingertips are still complaining about ... do it!  When someone who avoids handsewing (when possible) heartily recommends sewing something by hand, there is a darn good reason.  The results will speak for themselves, but - especially on corsets - handsewing is worth the time and sore fingers.  Apparently, the way I did my binding is the same way quilters do theirs, so if you don't believe me ... go ask a quilter.  LOL

I don't have in-progress pics of the binding ... I guess I got a little excited about getting it done before bedtime.  This morning I am setting the eyelets, and will *TRY* once again to get clear pictures of this step-by-step as has been requested since the waist corset I made in December.  It's almost 10 AM here, and I am still waiting for a bit of sunlight ... it is so grey today I need to turn on the lights even with an east-facing window in the sewing area (that hubby and son still insist on calling "the dining room").  I do have the eyelet tools gathered up and the spacing figured already.

I marked the waist by feeling for the waist tape I put in, then figured out from there with the two eyelets-to-be right next to the waist being a tiny bit closer than the others, as these will be where the "rabbit ears" will be.  I have both satin and grossgrain style ribbon that matches the lace ... right now I am leaning towards the satin.

I need to find my FrayCheck, as the lace is trying to fray at the cut edges.  Since I don't have buckram in the lacing panel, I'll want to use it around the eyelet holes as well.  I just straight up forgot the buckram this time ...

What a difference flossing makes

No, not teeth (although it does hold true as well) but corsets ... I have one half completely flossed, and while I don't know if y'all can tell the difference in the pic (due to my poor photog skills) but I can sure feel a difference when I pick the two halves up.  The flossed half holds its shape!  This may be something I have been missing in previous corsets I've made.  Oh, the pic:

I'm using jeans thread on top, since I have decided to go with the lace under the top binding.  The bottom binding will just be topstitched denim bias.  Besides flowers grow *up* ... even completely pink flowers.  Using the jeans thread which is practically invisible on this denim gives me the opportunity to try out variations on flossing.  My still coffee deprived mind is also wondering how the designs will look with variegated thread ...

B 4254 zipper and boning

I actually put the zipper in yesterday afternoon, but didn't bother with taking a pic because I was pretty stoked to roll on ... I got half the corset boned last night and finished the other half this morning.  I had to knock off last night when my hands started hurting a bit from cutting and filing the cable ties (remember I had to buy tin snips for these cable ties!).  The snips leave an edge where they cut, plus there are the corners to round, so I've spent some quality time with my metal file.  Add in my cats trying to "help" every time I use my dressmaker measuring tape ("It's moving!  We'll save you from it!") and also attacking the end of the long cable ties as I file the end ("It's moving!  I'll save you!") ...

Fuzzy pic alert ... again ... here it is boned with the zipper in:

I should mention I think metal zippers are where the expression "like pulling teeth" comes from ... I had to pull 5 teeth from each side of the top before putting on new zipper stops.  And just a grumble on the side: Why do zip repair kits contain almost a dozen slides but only four zipper stops?  If you know of a source to buy *only* the stops, please post it!

Next step after boning is flossing the cable ties in.  Of course I have a link to a corset flossing tutorial ... and of course it is once again from Sidney Eileen's site.  I thought I had bought green embroidery floss, but in sunlight it is actually grey ... so I am flossing all in pink.  I am still planning to put my pink lace into the top binding, although I am still waffling to-and-fro on whether to use lace on the bottom.  Pic with lace and floss:

Now ... I have half a dozen short pieces of cable ties left over ... pretty much too short to actually use in a corset ... but the perfect size to stitch into some scraps to practice flossing designs!  Errr ... to practice flossing, period ... I've never done it before today.  However, in between fussing at the camera and waiting for my computer to install updates, I think I got the idea I want:

I had to turn the flash off, then lighten the pic in gimp due to the very pretty shiny-ness of my rayon embroidery floss ... but the shiny is why I bought the rayon kind.  This will definitely be the flossing design on the bottom of the boning channels.  Right this second I am thinking flossed flowers on the bottom, then use the jeans thread on top under the lace.

Anyone have opinions or suggestions on my current bit of lunacy?

Butterick 4254 D boning and inspiration

Here's the point I stopped at last night: the vertical boning channels sewn after basting my layers together.  Well, all but one vertical channel ... and I need to put the zipper in before I do that one last.

The curved channel through the bust cup was a royal PITA to sew ... but it does curve!  They all curve to some extent, which is the idea.  Today's project is putting in the diagonal boning channels, with aid of a fabric marker.  I need the channel seams to be mostly straight as the cables ties have no sideways bend to them, which is also a good thing.  I'm also thinking of adding another diagonal channel/bone between the bust and side seam. Pic with extra boning:

From browsing threads and comments over at Merry Corsetiers the diagonal boning helps support both bust and stomach ... which is what I am working towards with this. 

Now, for a real treat for those of y'all who don't have a copy of Nora Waugh's Corsets and Crinolines ... the inspiration for this project and boning scheme!

It's the center - right sketch on page 102, and has very similar bust gusset cups along with diagonal boning along the side.  There's no back sketch, unfortunately ... and no pattern for this one.  The bottomline is different - with hip gussets - but the overall style is pretty close to my pattern and as you recall when I switched boning schemes in fitting it is definitely a better shape than the vertical-on-seams scheme from the pattern instructions.  I'm also wondering about the double boning shown in the sketch ... maybe another cup of coffee is in order before I start.

B 4254 D progress and waist tape

Just a quick check-in after running my only errand on this absolutely lovely spring day, and to snap a couple pics before I baste the layers all the way together.  Last night I basted in twill tape along the shortest length of each side, following instructions from Sidney Eileen's tutorial on adding a waist tape into your corset.  For those who haven't bookmarked it yet (or had the old bookmark before her site revamp), Ms. Eileen has a number of useful pic-heavy corset-making tutorials.  So here's a pic of my waist tape on the canvas core layer:

And I tried to snap a pic of the topstitching, plus how neat the CB looks by using the stitch and flip method instead of trying to bind the center back ... with my usual (too) "soft focus" photography (lack of) skill:

Meh, you can sort-of see the pink topstitching I did with my narrow twin needle.  You can also see where I intentionally skipped the top part of the seam through the middle of the bust cup.  No need to emphasize just how far out that seam will sit.

Now, to grab bright red thread and baste the layers together to put in the boning channels.  I was asked last night in chat why I am hand-basting when I dislike handsewing so much ... my battle with fitting this corset showed me just how much a difference moving the seams can make ... and there are six vertical panels!  If each slides even just 1/16th of an inch, then the layers will not only be hosed overall but if it's off by more than 1/4 inch overall that changes how it fits.  With everything basted together instead of pinned, that is one less thing to worry about as I sew and I can concentrate on trying to keep the seam where it ought to be.  Not to forget about another benefit: if everything is basted together, that is much less chance of getting the bottom lining layer folded up underneath or caught in the wrong seam!  (That's an oopsie that tends to happen about every other project.)

B4254 view D layers sewn

Not much to snap a pic of, but I have all three layers sewn for my Butterick 4254 view D that I have been working on for several days now.  I decided to use my medium blue linen/cotton left over from that wacky Simplicity jacket last spring for the lining, and decided against pink topstitching on the denim layer ... although I may break out the pink embroidery thread and topstitching needle anyway ... I haven't decisively made up my indecisive mind on that yet.  Well, here's a pic of the layers stacked on each other in the post-lunch sunlight:

They're not laying flat on each other ... simply because this pattern is shaped so it can't lay flat.  A good thing, since my body has no flat surfaces!  LOL  I found my twill tape, and need to review putting in a waist tape along with hammering out the details on this next step of construction ... err, the hammering step is part of the eyelets.  I need to quit mixing metaphors or make an afternoon pot of coffee ...

Hand basting B 4254

You read that post title right ... I am hand basting the seams on my Butterick 4254 corset.  No, this is not a guest post.  No, I am not a pod person left in place of your handsewing-hating blogger after her abduction by aliens ... at least I don't think I am!  And no, I haven't suddenly developed a love for handsewing either ... and yes my fingertips are still letting me know about it.

We've been having some lovely spring weather, so I have been running errands and admiring the cheery bright yellow daffodils and watching the white and pink dogwoods bloom.  Yesterday after some errands I cut out the canvas core layer for my B4254 corset ... and while leaning over the last piece to cut with the rotary my back gave me a warning that it was not about to tolerate sitting at the sewing machine after all the errands and cutting.  So, no putting it together ... unless ...

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but determination and stubbornness are what tend to get things done for me.  I still wanted to put the pieces together - not just to make progress, but to keep my furry feline faction from "playing" with it as I slept.  My cats may be cute, but they are still ornery mischievous monsters.  So yesterday evening I hand basted all the seams except the side seams and the seam in the center of the bust cups.

I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee, took time to clean my machine and change the needle, dig out light pink thread ... and it still isn't even noon.  I have all those seams machine-stitched, pressed, pinked, and even topstitched.  Already.  Seriously!  Even stitching up the bust gusset curves was easy.  And here is the obligatory "Prove it!" pic:

I basted with the dark green that is still on my desk after the velvet ribbon handsewing for my friend's doublet.  I used up the last of the lavender thread in a bobbin ... errr, I don't recall what project that is left over from.  For the canvas layer, I am pressing the seams the opposite way - towards the front - as the outer and lining layers will have their seams pressed towards the back and I am not thrilled with the idea of sewing through 12 layers when I put it all together.  I've also decided to do only three layers instead of four.

I've come to the conclusion handsewing is like exercise: while I don't really enjoy the process, I do like the results.  Now, to hand baste the remaining four seams ... then cut out the denim and indigo linen/cotton for the lining so I can hand baste them this evening.

B4254 fitting round 2, part 2

More frustration ... and a couple new problems without the "last" problem really being fixed.  I'm still glaring at the pics, trying to figure out what's gone wrong and what might fix it, but I'll post them up with commentary in hopes more eyes and more brains may help spot things.  The front:

Now too much room at the top of the bust cups, and the "center" seam for the bust cups has naturally moved more to the side ... a little too far for my tastes.  The two extra boning strips alongside CF haven't brought the CF against my chest, even with double cable ties (and also double cable ties in the inside V channels as well).  I am thinking I want to keep the extra CF channels, but I may need different pieces for inside bust gusset versus outside bust gusset, taking some of the middle seam off the inside gusset and moving it to the outside gusset.  The Sharpie marks on my left (your right) bust cup are where I think I will try tapering the seam allowance to bring the top of the bust cup in for a bit more contour.  The side view, showing the slack in the bust cup top:

Noticeable slack in the outside bust gusset ... grr.  Faint distributed wrinkles along the side panels ... and the side seam is no longer straight along my side.  Now for the true Charlie Foxtrot*, the back pic:

Not only do I have more distributed horizontal wrinkles, but spillover at the shoulder blades!  Eek!  The cure for spillover is to let out the seams a bit, so this means I took the back in too much when I flipped 5/8 inch over at CB in my attempt to get a lacing gap.  And I *STILL* don't have a gap between the lacing.
So as I still attempt to get this puppy fitted, I've let out the front too much and took in the back too much ... and right now am wondering if maybe the size 12 would fit as I am wanting.  I've tried Googling for corset *fitting* tutorials and have come up with exactly bupkis.  Plenty of construction tutorials, and a good amount on pattern drafting ... but tweaking fit?  Either there just aren't enough or my Google-Fu is weak on this one.

Does anyone see anything I've missed in this critique?  Any suggestions?  Links to fitting tutorials you've found?

(* Charlie Foxtrot is an enlisted US military term ... I won't explain it here as it does involve profanity.)

B 4254 bust gusset

I spent a little time this afternoon pulling all the boning casings and eyelet strips off my kaleidiscope scrap fitting muslin ... then while showering I had a thought about the bust gussets.  Don't panic, it's only one thought  ;)  Bust instead of tweaking the gusset shape more ... why don't I first try backing the seam allowance down to 1/4 inch instead of the 5/8 inch?  That would bring the entire gusset out more, which is what I am thinking will help.

So I'll need to rip out 3 seams, resew them ... then put the eyelet strips and boning casings back on again.  If this moves the gusset out from CF enough (and it should if my fraction math is correct) then I'll need to make two more boning casings and run cable ties between the CF/zipper space and the bust cup, which should help even more with getting that CF straight (as opposed to sticking out still).

So standby for fitting muslin #2b ... or not to be ... LOL  Hubby is taking me out this weekend to a local production of Hamlet for our date this week.

B4254 view D fitting round 2

First of all, hubby says he likes the shape of this one (go figure, LOL).  I lengthened the pattern pieces half inch a little above the marked waistline and another half inch at the bottom,  made the bust gussets a bit larger, and as y'all can see I tweaked the boning scheme - in addition to cutting a size 14 this time (last time I cut a 16, and the measurement chart puts me in a 20!).  The pics:

I still have the horizontal wrinkles at the waist, but instead of one noticeable crease they are distributed.   The CF still sticks out, but I am thinking that enlarging the bust gussets more may fix this.  This boning scheme is more comfortable than the last one, and the biggest surprise is there is still no gap in back, although it no longer feels loose.  The wonderful curves hubby likes still give me fits both sewing and pressing ... but I am liking the results!  This fitting muslin is an improvement over the first one, in my opinion.  Feel free to leave your observations and opinions ...

Final note, I used up some scraps making this.  Continuing the "scrap use" theme of the past week, maggiedoll shows off her scrap quilt and JillyBe finally devotes a post to her scrap scarf.  If you have a blog and a use for scraps not already highlighted, feel free to jump in on the fun!

B 4254 D fitting round 1

I finished converting scraps into boning casings and basted them onto the corset mockup.  To make taking them off easier on myself, I basted the boning casings on using bright red thread on top for easy seamripping.  Here is today's round of pictures:

This time, I wore a simple elastic-band skirt instead of jeans ... and it does make a bit of difference.  The crease in the fabric above the marked waistline is still there ... and I think that make me either my waist or simply the smallest circumference around my body ... but my KS bustier is also developing the same crease in the same spot so this is something I need to nail down and fix.

Remember I said I cut a size 16 instead of the size 20 the measurement chart would have me do?  I think I need to go down another size to a 14 ... this is still loose on me (for a corset).  To my eye, it also looks like I need to make the bust gussets a bit bigger, and even though the hip flare has smoothed out I want to try it a smidge longer.

First things first, though ... I am going to take a nap on the idea!

B4254 fitting in progress

... and I'm not quite sure how it's going, so I'll post up pics and ask opinions and observations.  I took all but the front seam on the bust gusset in to 5/8 inch again, and have so far taken 1/2 inch of each side on the CB, and still have next to no gap in back.  If you recognize the fabric on the boning casings ... yeah I am using scraps from my friend's doublet.  The back eyelets were cannibalized from the original version of my Elizabethan which didn't fit.  The pics:

I should probably whip up more boning casings ... that *might* fix the wrinkles at the side waist.  Also - I am wearing a bra under my shirt and am wondering if this is messing things up as well.  I'm trying to mimic the spacing for a zipper in the front.

Butterick 4254 D fitting muslin

I've gotten the canvas fitting muslin almost done now, except for some more markings and basting eyelets on the back (and figuring how I want to do makeshift boning casing for it).  Here is a pic I took earlier today, before I became exasperated enough at the fraying to overcast the outside edges:

Although the pattern doesn't mention seam allowances at all, which usually means the Big 4 standard 5/8", I played with the seam allowances rather than cutting new pieces to get the right width around *so far*.  The proof will be when I put it on and lace it up.  My original 1st version of Simplicity 2621 is donating the eyelets since it was a lesson in fit last year and isn't comfortable to wear.  I just need to decide how I want to cut the eyelet strips off to baste onto the fitting muslins (plural ... my intention is to reuse them as long as they hold up).  For the front two seams, I went down to 1/4" for the seam allowance, and then used 3/8" seam allowance on the side seam.  This put everything in the right spot on my front when holding it up to my body.  The back panels were fine with the intended 5/8" seam allowances ... of course I am half-wondering what this says about my body shape versus the "model" Butterick used to draft this pattern!

On the pattern tissue, the waistline is marked on the CF and CB panels, and the line goes around the waist very neatly.  I also need to mark the CF line on the fitting muslin, although I plan to use a zipper and will need to leave a space for that.

As for boning casings for fitting muslins, I am thinking to construct some canvas tubes with finished flaps to either side that I can hopefully baste on then remove.

I've done mostly thinking on this today, as I woke up with a headache and an achy back and neither seems too inclined to leave just yet.

Butterick 4254 view D pattern error

I meant to post yesterday evening on this, but simply forgot until it was late enough for me to be tired.  I have learned (the hard way) to not sew when tired, and realize I probably shouldn't post when tired either.

The pattern error is a wrong-symbol-printed one on the center front piece for view D and involves the bust gusset attachment:

I circled it in red on the pic ... it should be a single notch, as depicted in the instructions, and not a double notch as printed on the pattern.  The double notches will be where the two sides of the bust gusset attach to each other.

Now, about those instructions ... I am not going to be using them much at all for constructing this corset, because I don't care for the idea of sewing the outer and inner layer together, turning it, then sewing boning to the outside.  They also say to sew the trim on the topline after the boning is sewn on ... and I am planning to attach it under the bias binding with the lace hanging down instead of sticking up.  My last two working brain cells also say that if you wanted to have lace sticking up on a turned corset, why not sew it into the seam before turning to cut down on steps?  Meh, maybe I'm missing something here, as those poor last two working brain cells tend to be overworked.

I thought I had everything cut out yesterday ... but I only cut one set of bust gussets when I need two sets.  A little more coffee and then I can get rolling on that one.

Setting eyelets: Tools

Time to set my eyelets in the Kwik Sew 3850 bustier corset.  I've had several requests to show how I set eyelets after zipping through it in December with the McCall's waist corset, so here we go.

First up, the tools I use:

From top right: A screw punch, the baggie of eyelets, circled in red are the Dritz setting tools, the magic seam gauge, handy-dandy hammer, and - just for Gloria's amusement - my now-broken cutting board, all on my cutting mat.

• Screw punch: I use this to start the holes.  It's a now discontinued scrapbooking tool which punches a circle into whatever.  After 3 boned bodices, 2 versions of the Elizabethan, and two waist corsets it's still pretty sharp.  A whole lot of people say an awl should be used to avoid cutting the threads ... YMMV.
• The eyelets themselves, which come in two parts.  Dritz usually puts more "tops" than bottoms in their packs, so don't freak out if you have more of the inner rings (like I did the first couple times).  They also come in silvertone and antiqued brass, but I am partial to the shiny goldtone ones.
• The two Dritz setting tools.  Not much to look at: a plastic ring with an impression to hold the bottom ring and a metal spindle-like thing to fit over the top ring then smack with a hammer.  Some folks use the pliers tool, but I haven't tried that one myself.  I get much more satisfaction out of whacking it with a hammer (except when I miss the top of the spindle and hit my thumb ...)
• Magic seam gauge:  This is how I determine where to put the holes in with the screw punch.  I've heard about a tool that stretches or retracts to figure eyelet/grommet spacing, but haven't seen it yet.
• Handy dandy standard issue home hammer ... also useful when threatening fabric or machines that don't want to behave themselves!  LOL
• Two parts of one wooden cutting board, retired from food prep to crafting ... maybe hammering eyelets on it wasn't the smartest thing I've done, but if you squint at the pic you might see all the circles from using it with the screw punch.
• Cutting mat - hopefully this will absorb the shock of my hammering ...

Half a cup of coffee to finish, then the fun starts!