Heya, part two of Elsa bodice/corset progress.
The first pic shows ya the kind of zipties I use, but any wide heavy-duty will work. just make sure they are not wider than your bias-tape.Ā As you can see, after putting a channel(a line of bias tape) on the seams, I put one between them as well (sometimes 2 of them between each seam, depending on spacing).Ā There shouldnāt be more than a couple of inches between each channel/bone. These are what will hold the dress on and up, so donāt skimp, especially if youāre busty.Ā
I then sewed a line across the top to make sure all the channels were closed at one end, then sewed the front of the dress to the foundation corset across the top as well(the front is in white, the lining and foundation are blue). This means when i turn it inside out, you will only see the front layer of the dress and not all the crazy channels and mid-lining. (pic 2 shows the front layer flipped up, then 3 and 4 are the front and back after attaching the front piece.) I also sewed a line across the top, close to the seam, to keep it all flat.Since Iāll be covering the bodice in a mosaic of blue tiles, none of it will show anyway.
Next is the boning. Work each piece through the channel like in pic 5, til the end bumps into your seam. You will probably have a lot leftover that sticks out. Grab some crafting scissors and bunch the fabric down a bit near the end(pic 6) and cut the end off. Try to round the ends as much as you can. Pointy edges have a bad habit of sneaking through and poking you. After you cut it, there should be about an inch between the end of the fabric/channel and where the plastic bone ends inside it. Once you filled them all, sew a line across the bottom to close them. Try to sew as close to the bone as you can without going through it. Last step is optional, but I use bias-tape to finish the edge so it is nice and clean. This also reinforces your bottom stitch and keeps bones from slipping out once youāve worn it several times.
Last pic is the nearly finished product! Remember, your inner corset should be a little smaller than the dress or bodice itself. The white fabric is what will show, the blue is the lining/corset. Iāll attach a zipper to the white layer once I have tested the corset for fit. The corset brings you in, holds the dress on, and gives you a nice shape!Ā Then the zipper-layer makes it appear like a normal dress, like magic! XD
Hope this helps!! (Learned the basics for this from Elrowiel and modified it a bit for my own project! Check out her tumblr for fancy dresses as well! XD)
