Boning

[damsel58]

Newbie here about to try her hand at making a irish-style dress ala Simplicity pattern 8855, with minor adjustments. I am a well-endowed girl, and the boning for the bodice I've found in at Joann's seemed extremely flimsy. Is there a good webstore for heavy-duty boning? Or is this a case of "get a corset"?

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

HEAVY CABLE TIES !!!!!!!


Cable Ties, which come in a  package of 6- 36" inch pieces can be cut and measured to fit for Corsets, Bodices, etc. Sturdier than the flimsy Bridal Boning. Durable and  more Flexible than Steel Boning. A package at Menards, Lowe's, Home Depot, or Hardware store   in the Plumbing section and cost under $3 a package.

I use Cable Ties for all my boning needs.

[Rahne]

Thank ye kindly for that bit of information. I have used the boning from the fabric shoppes and found it lacking in the support area.  I will have to try this on my next project.

[Trillium]

Lady K beat me to it!!  Cable ties are a wonderful thing!

[Marietta Graziella]

cable ties all the way!

Be sure to buy the heavy duty duct ties-the long ones (36").  NOT the short ones you find in the bundle of 50 or so.  Those are too short, and too thin.

[nliedel]

I tried them on one gown and fell so deeply in love, they are on all my gowns now. I opened them up and re-did them. The comfort and comformaty is amazing.

[gem]

Be sure to buy the heavy duty duct ties-the long ones (36").  NOT the short ones you find in the bundle of 50 or so.  Those are too short, and too thin.

Yep!  Here's a picture, if it helps.  You want the ones on the left:

[Taffy Saltwater]

Make sure to snip off the fat ends - a tin snip works well for this.  You can either (carefully) melt the cut ends, file them smooth, and some people use a Drexel to smooth the cut ends.  If you melt them, take them outside - very yucky.

[isabelladangelo]

Cable ties are great and I use them all the time.  Other options are metal boning (I use http://www.abrahamslady.com/sewing.html ), reeding (flat basket reeds), or cording (thin corded rope).   However, cable ties are cheap, easy, and work!

[Alison - Not Caterina Anymore]

Cable ties or steel boning. Best methods I've used yet.

[PurpleDragon]

Call me a purist.. but I use NOTHING but steel boning in my corsets.  Most of my customers are rather well endowed ladies and well, lets say they can use a bit of extra support or "hold-in" in some areas.

[Merry]

If you go to Lowe's or Home Depot, look near the Water Heaters. They have VERY long sturdy ones in that department:)  Melting works for the rough edges.  It's not to bad if you are careful, but be sure to wash any soot off before you sew with them:)  The long ones are also good for the farthingales!

[verymerryseamstress]

Purple, I prefer steel boning too.  I'll use other types if my customers request it.  But my first choice, and what I always use (unless otherwise requested), is the 1/2" steel boning.  It be good stuff.   

[Miranda]

http://www.modehistorique.com/elizabethan/boningtypes.html
Sarah Lorraine, who is a GENIUS, in my humble opinion, did a whole article on comparative boning.
Worth a read...heck the whole site is worth a read.

[silverstah]

Call me a purist.. but I use NOTHING but steel boning in my corsets.  Most of my customers are rather well endowed ladies and well, lets say they can use a bit of extra support or "hold-in" in some areas.

The thing about boning is that it shouldn't be what's holding your assets in place.  The boning is there to add support and structure to the garment - but it's the *cut* of the garment that holds everything where it needs to be.

Although I am not amply endowed, I do a fair bit of sewing and fitting assistance for those who HAVE been visited by the b00b fairy.   If a properly fitted bodice boned with cable ties can support a 38F... then they can support darn near close to anything.  

My 38F friend usually wears landsknecht garb - which has a very similar curve to the bust as the renaissance Italian garb.  To get that gentle bust curve, she uses hemp cord in her corset - and, again, it's *very* supportive.
http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/cording/cord.html

Of course, there are earlier period garments (commonly called "cotehardies" or "gothic fitted gowns") that are simply two layers of linen, or a layer of linen and a layer of wool. 
http://www.cottesimple.com/fem_silhouette/comparison/comparison.html

Boning - be it steel or cord or plastic cable ties (I ADORE the cable ties, personally!) - just keeps things smooth and in place, and offers a bit of support and structure.  The majority of the support should be coming from the cut of the bodice/corset rather than the boning.

[PurpleDragon]

I agree that it SHOULD be the fabric and cut of the garment offering the support, however too many times when working with a customer, they choose the wrong fabric for the garment.  They being the customer are right of course, but I know that it won't work as it should, so I have to add more boning so they can actually get the support needed.  (Not necessarily from my Faire customers, but those in the dark world of the fetish).

[verymerryseamstress]

too many times when working with a customer, they choose the wrong fabric for the garment.

That's exactly why I have a strict policy against customer-supplied materials.   

[PurpleDragon]

too many times when working with a customer, they choose the wrong fabric for the garment.

That's exactly why I have a strict policy against customer-supplied materials.   

I do of course try and persuade them that they are not going to be happy with that particular fabric as that particular garment.  That tends to work MOST of the time, but there are those that for some reason think they know better than the person who does actually know how to sew a garment. ~shrug~ They'll learn when they have to come back and pay for an entirely NEW piece to be made because they did not heed my warnings the first time around.

[operafantomet]

Call me a purist.. but I use NOTHING but steel boning in my corsets.  Most of my customers are rather well endowed ladies and well, lets say they can use a bit of extra support or "hold-in" in some areas.

I tend to use rigilene for most of my bodices, but maybe I should try cable ties next time.

Come to think of it, I've used hemp boning two times as well, and I adore it. So comfortable, so easy, so period-looking.

[Margaret]

I am an all steel boning kind of girl too.  However, I am lucky.  I live close enough to a store that sells it, so I have it readily available.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

"Boning - be it steel or cord or plastic cable ties (I ADORE the cable ties, personally!) - just keeps things smooth and in place, and offers a bit of support and structure.  The majority of the support should be coming from the cut of the bodice/corset rather than the boning." 

Excellent observation!!

I like to use some boning, via Cable Ties in Bodices, for structure support. There's nothing more unflattering than a bodice that is puckery and bunchy that does not fit well on the body. I learned that with the first set of garb I made eons ago.

I have learned a lot since then through research, observations, asking questions, etc.

[Orphena]

I prefer steel, personally, and I have bought from farthingales.com - I have used cable ties, and they are easier to purchase, but I LOVE my steel boned corset. I find to get the same amount of rigidity from the big cable ties, you almost have to put 2 in each channel - which does make it thicker that a single, heavier bone. Of course, the advantage to cable ties is that they can by cut to the required length, and I wouldn't want to try that wth the steel ones I have purchased. I just make a mockup, and order steel bones in the correct lengths.

[PurpleDragon]

I have bought numerous times from farthingales.com and have always been happy with my purchases.  They have a great selection.