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.