Corset Mod Question

[Elennare]

I have a problem with a corset I made, that I am not quite sure how to fix.  It's for my steampunk outfit, which is not strictly for faire, so I hope it's ok to ask here.

I used http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m4109-products-1011.php?page_id=1012, view A.  I put a seperating busk in front, instead of hook and eye closure, and made it lace in the back.

When I was making it, I had a bit of a problem with the straps.  The directions say to fold the seam in and topstitch (I believe.  I forget the exact direction, because it's been awhile since I made it).  I could not get the fabric to actually do what the pattern called for, because there appeared to be no way to actually fold the fabric in and keep the line where the strap attached to the body of the garment.  It just buckled, and would NOT keep a smooth line. 

So, I took strips of fabric and bound the edges, instead of finishing per the directions.  That worked much better, and I didn't have nearly as much issue with the fabric buckling.  When I wore it, it fit fine, except the straps kept wanting to fall off my shoulders.  I found that if I tucked what would have been the seam allowance under the strap, it stayed up just fine.  Also, for some reason, all of my eyelets in the back decided to rip out.  That's not the issue, except...

...I just finished hand sewing all the eyelets back, so I could wear the corset.  At the same time, I decided to tuck under and sew down the binding around the arm hole, since doing that minus the sewing kept the straps up before.

Well, I finished that and tried to wear the corset, and now the boning in the back side-seam is stabbing me under the arm.  I had to take it off after half an hour, because it hurt!  I am very confused about what could be causing this, since it wasn't an issue before I sewed down the seam.   The arm holes are too small, I think, but I don't know how to fix it (especially without making the falling off the shoulder problem worse), and am also confused about why it wasn't an issue when I just tucked the seam in, but now that I sewed it down, it is.

Help?

[Kate XXXXXX]

That pattern really isn't a corset at all.  It's a boned bustier top.  It won't fit like a corset without heavy modification.

I have it somewhere in the loft, but I can't remember what it says about the straps either...  Hm...

Can you post some detailed pix of the problem areas and of it on you?

[Elennare]

Yeah, I know it's not a real corset, but I couldn't find a pattern for one in the style I wanted.  Apparently corsets with straps are out of style right now    Aside from the armhole, though, it does fit like I want.  ...Now that I'm thinking about it, I think I did adjusted the fit in the bust a bit.  Probably because a made a smaller size than my measurements called for, which would have made the cup size wrong.

I'll try to get some pictures of the problem tonight, but for now here is a shot of it from the front, before I messed with the armholes and they started stabbing me.



Whatever the directions said, it did not seem physically possible to me.  I don't think what I did to the bust should have effected that, because it seemed like the shape of the pieces there was wrong to do what they wanted, and I didn't touch that area when I changed the bust.  I'll see if I can find the directions tonight as well, and check what they said.

What's really got me preplexed is that there wasn't a problem until I made "permanent" the temporary fix that seemed to work.

[Kate XXXXXX]

The bodice looks good, so yeah...  Colour me flummoxed!  Maybe the pix and the destructions will shed light.

[Elennare]

Didn't have time last night to find the pattern instructions, or to take pictures of me actually wearing it, but I did throw it on my dress dummy and take a few pics.  I should have more time tonight to get more pictures if these aren't sufficient.

Overall shot, from the back:


Close-up of the stabby boning:


Inside of the armhole:


Close-up of the front of the strap, where the fabric wouldn't follow the instructions:

Note that this area layed much better and wasn't as wrinkly before I sewed down the seam.

Thanks for the help!

[Kate XXXXXX]

I think one of the major problems is the bias binding.  Rather than turn it to the inside, have you thought about binding the edges so it comes out like this:

http://www.farthingalesla.com/applying_binding.html

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sparklewren.co.uk/images/gallery/burlesque_bridal/Sparklewren_lilac_bridal_detail.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.sparklewren.co.uk/gallery/corsets/427/&usg=__VLesp27c8wDG2QxDWq1ae34zlig=&h=1000&w=893&sz=469&hl=en&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=hgG7t07IsTDDTM:&tbnh=149&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3DSparklewren%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1

[Delireus]

First off, you look adorable! I love everything about your outfit, so cute.

Secondly, this may be the most stupid thing in the world, but is it at all possible to trim the boning? Again, this might be the equivalent of asking if the sky is purple, but is that an option at all?

Sorry for my ignorance, but good luck and let us know how it goes

[Elennare]

Thanks for the replys.

Kate, that's what I did originally, instead of turning the edges in and top stiching (per the pattern instructions).  When I wore it, the straps wanted to fall off my shoulders and I kept tucking the binding in.  For some reason, that seemed to fix the falling off the shoulders problem, so that's why I decided to turn the bound edge in and sew it down.  And that's when the problems showed up.

Delireus, Thanks! I could trim the boning (and probably will end up doing so when I get this figured out), but that doesn't really solve the problem of the magically shrinking arm holes, or explain why it wasn't stabbing me until I sewed down the edge.  It *would* fix the current stabby problem though.

Wondering if it would be easier to just scrap this one and start over...*ponders* ...I'd like to fix it, though, if I can do it without taking the entire thing apart and pretty much starting over.