Hi! Is it possible to modify a corset pattern to become buskless, and if it is, what modifications other than seam allowance + adding stronger bones there should I include? Is there a trick to it? Is it highly inadvisable?
Hello! It’s possible to remove a busk and make it a closed front, although you will probably end up with it being 0.5 - 1 inch smaller than it was originally, if you want to conceal the holes from the knob side of the busk within the seam allowance (and of course, take the same amount off the other side of the corset so it’s equal on both sides!)
This tutorial shows how to remove a damaged busk and make a front lacing corset. To make it closed front instead, you’ll want to sew the two sides together - reinforce it a whole lot (where there are seams, there is weakness) - and it’s probably a good idea to put a double-width external boning channel down the center front. It will straddle the center front seam which will make it stronger, and you can add two sturdy flat steel bones in the front to keep it flat. I like to put 4 bones in the center front of a closed front corset actually, but that’s a matter of preference.
It’s up to you whether you want to overlap the existing binding on top and bottom, or remove the binding completely and put one continuous length of binding around the entire edge. I would probably do the latter so it looks neat. :)
