Binding a bodice, navigating boning &c

[gem]

I'm looking for some guidance and troubleshooting for applying bias binding to the edges of a bodice/corset. How do you manage working close to the boning?

I've posted before that I'm in the process of making a new version of this bodice (yay! Finally!). One difference is that the original was lined and turned & topstitched... and the new one will have edges bound with bias tape, like my pink corset.

Yesterday I assembled the canvas flatlining where the bones will be installed. It follows the same pattern as the original:



With a row of boning along the front lacing edges. As I was doing this, I realized that the pink corset doesn't have any boning at the lacing edges, making it MUCH easier to bind. But it also laces up the back where, arguably, you (I) don't really *need* boning up the lacing edges. In front, not so much. 

There *is* a seam/binding allowance along the edges, but I'm still concerned that it's going to be pretty hard to do the binding right along that front bone. I'm still experimenting with the best technique, so I'm not sure if I'll be hand-stitching the back side of the binding down, or machine stitching-in-the-ditch... but I think either technique would be pretty difficult that close to a cable tie!

Short of unpicking those seams and moving them farther inward, I'm thinking my best option here is to give the fashion fabrics a little extra allowance at the edges?

Any other suggestions?

Any general bodice/corset binding tips?

Gramercy!!

[Lady Rosalind]

A zipper foot and patience! Lots of patience! Go slow. I hate that part...

[gem]

Alas, I have a weird, extra-wide zipper foot that's no use at all for navigating tight spaces:



...Although I'm having lunch this week across the street from my Viking dealer. It may be worth a visit to see if my machine will take the skinny/"ski" one, too. 'Cause, you know, it's not like I was going to go in there anyway or something. 

[Butch]

What about if you just did a standard seam at the lacing edge, and then folded to the front?  So, I mean, place the outer fabric on the skin side of the bodice, machine stitch it along the lacing edge, and then open it up right side out?  You could bias tape the rest with topstitching.  You could even cheat a bit and pre-stitch the bias tape along the lacing seam, so it appears to be topstitched all the way around.

[Lady Rosalind]

What about if you just did a standard seam at the lacing edge, and then folded to the front?  So, I mean, place the outer fabric on the skin side of the bodice, machine stitch it along the lacing edge, and then open it up right side out?  You could bias tape the rest with topstitching.  You could even cheat a bit and pre-stitch the bias tape along the lacing seam, so it appears to be topstitched all the way around.

I've tried that, Butch, and I ended up redoing it because it looked weird.

Gem, I think the ski style foot should work better. My old machine came with a great adjustable zipper foot, and I have since picked up a few more from garage sales (because you never know when you might find a better foot!).

[DonaCatalina]

When I made the corset recently, I did allow some extra fabric around the edges for the outer layer of cotton. The bones were actually sewn onto the inner layer of down proof ticking inside their individual casings. But it was not very much and I very slowly sewed it together with a very narrow foot.
By the time it was all assembled you couldn't tell there was extra width on the top layer.

[Orphena]

I hand stitch it. Sometimes I machine stitch one side, then just have to do the other by hand, but I usually find that slow hand stitching gets me the most control......

[Elennare]

What I've done, is use the seam allowance at the lacing edge for the boning channel.  So, sew sides together, than rather than trim the extra, leave it there when I turned the bodice right-side out.  Stitch down the edge of the seam allowance to create the pocket right along the seam and stick the boning in there.  (Hope that explanation makes sense).

Could you try something like that, and just put the bias tape over the boning?  That way, you'd sew it down first, and then add the boning and close up the channel at the top or bottom when you get to that part with the bias tape.  I haven't put trim tape all the way around the edges before, but it seems like that could work.

[gem]

Elennare, that is an interesting and wholly logical suggestion! I might think about that. It would involve some strategic planning, and remembering not to sew up that spot, but I can totally see how it would work.

I went to my Viking dealer today to pick up the narrow zipper foot, and it has to be special ordered! Really? A zipper foot? Isn't that something that normal people sew with all the time? You know, people who make clothes with zippers? 

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

When I have done Bias Binding around the edges of a Bodice, I make sure the boning is sewn to 5/8" from the edge. Bias tape at the crease is usually 3/8" of an inch. That leaves some room for machine or handsewing and not interfering with the boning.

[Kate XXXXXX]

I use either the Bernina or the skinnier Viking foot on Lily.  I cut the bias tape 3" wide, fold it in half lengthways so it's doubled, and sew it round the edge, cut edge to cut edge of stays.  Then I trim everything nice and even and fold the bias to the inside and hand stitch it down.

[gem]

So I'm At That Point. It's time to bind! And I still have some questions.



My tests (and the binding on the tabs) turned out really well, and I seem to do best with 3/8" binding made from 1 & 5/8" bias strips with only one edge folded, then stitched-in-the-ditch.

I also got my new zipper foot, but it came with no instructions whatsoever, and I'm not sure how to use it. It can attach to my machine in 4 different ways, so I'm sort of stumped.


I can hook that on using either the front or back bar, on either the left or the right. ? Any advice on the best way to use it? I still find it a little more cumbersome than my transparent foot I use for everything, so maybe I just need practice.

Next question! I'm concerned that my binding may be a little narrow for the hem and armhole edges where the tabs are.


When I made Centuries's pocket, I compensated by using slightly wider binding where necessary (it's 1/2" binding everywhere but 3/4" along the top). It's not really noticeable there, and it was a small amount to work with, but I'm not sure how to do that here, especially with places where the different sizes would intersect. I'm wondering if my best bet is to grade down some of the seam allowances to reduce some of the bulk.

Binding gurus, any more tips for me?

Gramercy!!

[isabelladangelo]

I wouldn't bind the waist at all or the armscye.  I would have sewn the already finished tabs to the waist of the fashion fabric, flip them down and flip the waist of the lining up - just whip stitching everything closed.  No need to bind then! 

The way you have it now - it will be hard to do.  You need to fold the tabs under and hand sewn the binding to the visible seam.

If you want the binding look around all the edges - which I think is what you are trying to do- you could take the waist and armscye apart, put the tabs on the lining fabric, sewn the binding to only the fashion fabric edge and then whip stitch it all together to keep it looking neat. 

[Kate XXXXXX]

To get the bound look round the waist:

Cut your bias tape 3" wide.

Fold in half lengthways. Press.

Open up and place one cut edge along the bottom edge of the bodice.  Sew along the crease.

Fold the bias closed again.
Place your tabs along the waist and sew with a slightly narrower than usual seam allowance.

When you flip the tabs down, a narrow strip of binding will show along the waistline...

If your bodice is supposed to be reversible, sew a similar binding strip to the alternative edge and then whipstitch that side down along the seamline.

To do this, you need to use a fine cloth for the binding strips.

[CenturiesSewing]

http://new.husqvarnaviking.com/en-US/Accessories/Narrow-Zipper-Foot

Same type of foot, shown attached to the sewing machine.