Something new: Making Corset

Have you ever caught something like this? I think it can be called seamstress’ block. These past few weeks I’ve been really wanting to sew something but no idea at all. No, not another dress or skirt or top or pants, I need something new! And my fabric stash is so boring! It didn’t help that the sight of those fabrics made me feel guilty for not wanting them.

After days of browsing for ideas, I stumbled upon corset making. I’m not unfamiliar of wearing one as I wore a medical corset in my teenage years to help my scoliosis. Sadly, it was sort of a traumatic experience. Wearing a full body corset while living in a tropical country is not pleasant to put it mildly. Not to mention the whole teenage and body image thing. But now people often comment on how straight my posture is, so maybe the traumatic experience worth it. My spine is still curved though and I often have back pain.

I don’t want to remember corset as that white, rigid, unpleasant thing that caged my body (and soul) decades ago. From what I’ve seen, (non-medical) corsets are supposed to be pretty and hug your body in a loving way. Not to mention that it can also help posture or relieve back pain. Maybe my handmade corset can help my back pain as well.

Coincidentally I found a pretty Japanese pattern book for corsets, the title is かわいいコルセットstyle, or Cute Corset Style. It was just published several months ago in Japan. As the title suggested, the corsets are indeed very cute worn by doll-like models. Here’s several sneak peeks:
かわいいコルセットstyle (Cute Corset Style)
かわいいコルセットstyle (Cute Corset Style)
かわいいコルセットstyle (Cute Corset Style)
かわいいコルセットstyle (Cute Corset Style)
かわいいコルセットstyle (Cute Corset Style)

The book also list all the materials needed for corset making and step by step pictures. This is something that I love about Japanese pattern books, they always have a lot of pictures and diagrams instead of text. It is really helpful for me as my Japanese skill is laughable (Sidra never laughs at me though, he is very supportive of my half-assed attempt to learn Japanese).
かわいいコルセットstyle (Cute Corset Style)
かわいいコルセットstyle (Cute Corset Style)

So I decided to order a corset making kit from Sew Curvy Corsetry, a UK online shop owned by Julia Bremble. It was delivered very quickly and arrived yesterday in beautifully wrapped package. My kit is Laughing Moon Underbust corset kit, and the content is Laughing Moon Underbust Corset Pattern which includes patterns and instructions for 2 additional corsets,  0.5 m coutil fabric;  flat and spiral steel boning with end caps, boning tape, 1 busk fastener, 1 eyelet kit, stay tape, cotton lacing, and bias binding. Underbust corset will be a good project for a beginner since I don’t have to deal with the bust area!

Sew Curvy Underbust Corset Making kit Sew Curvy Underbust Corset Making kit

I’m still not sure if I will use the underbust pattern from Laughing Moon or from the Cute Corset book. The biggest size on the Cute Corset Book (LL) is equivalent to size 14 on Laughing Moon pattern, while the smallest size (S) is even smaller than size 4 in LM pattern. Not that I’m that small, I don’t have 18″ waist! However I find Japanese pattern usually more suitable in length for my petite body so I don’t have to shorten them. I think I should compare the pattern and decide later which one I want to use!

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