So I'm getting ready to cord the flatlining of my curved front bodice:
(http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL417/1033223/4707019/391056040.jpg)
And I'm having trouble deciding how to mark the boning channels.
Normally, my instinct would be to put them straight up and down, like on Jen Thompson's corset (http://www.festiveattyre.com/gallery/linens/un4.html), but this bodice has the curved fronts AND angled side seams, and I just don't know how to lay out the boning channels. Because of the curves and the angles, they can't go straight up and down, but I don't know how to combine the curved bits and the angled bits, and what to do in the middle. If I were using rigid boning, I'd fudge the angles and leave gaps between the boning channels, but I don't know if you can really do that with cording. All the pictures of corded corsets/bodices I've seen have been fully boned (tightly packed channels, no gaps). Since I need a lot of support, I'd like this to be fully boned.
Here's what the pieces look like. You can see the curved front, but not really the angled sides.
(http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL417/1033223/4707019/391056234.jpg)
Everything I do seems to leave a fairly sizable gap somewhere.
???
Thanks!
Hi Gem.
I don't know anything about using cord for boning, but I had a thought, and since no one else has suggested anything I though I'd throw it out there.
Can you angle the channels to match the side seams, and fill in with some shorter channels where you run into issues? I assume that would be in the front where the curve makes the bodice a bit wider. So, you'd have a few shorter channels in the front and then pick up with full length ones as soon as they fit on the bodice.
Here is a very poor ascii-art illustration of what I mean.
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Good luck!
That corset I made the mom in those pics from the MN renfest was hemp cord boned.
I would trace the outline of the front edge of your closing. Then, I would use that as the marking guide for sewing the channels. I would make front shaped verticle channels to the inside edge of your shoulder straps.
I would then make 45 deg channels from there to a verticle line at the rear of your arm.
I would then make some straight verticle channels at the rear center of your corset. I imagine you could make these all the way across the back, until they meet with the 45 deg channels on the sides.
NOTE: On the corset I made, I did not sew the verticle channels that sealed off the 45 deg channels until AFTER I had threaded the 45 deg with cord!
I used a large embroidery needle (backwards so the point wouldn't go through the material) in order to thread the cords.
Good luck! I'm sure it will turn out beautifully!