Corsets are fashionable and slimming garments.
Corsets cinch your waist while lifting and accentuating your breasts and hips. This slimming effect provides you with a flattering figure that enhances that look of dresses and other outfits. Corsets are also sexy garments to wear as tops. Making your own simple corset isn't a difficult endeavor and allows you the ability to experiment with different fabric styles, colors and textures.
Instructions
1. Take your measurements and cut two pieces of fabric to match them plus 2 inches. For example, if your bust measures 36 inches across with a length from your underarms measuring 19 inches, the fabric segments will be 38 by 21 inches each.
2. Lay one of the segments of fabric in front of you widthwise right side down. Squeeze a line of fabric adhesive along all four inner edges of the fabric. Fold each edge of the fabric inward 1/4 inch. Repeat this step with the second piece of fabric and let both dry for 10 minutes. This creates two hemmed rectangles of fabric.
3. Keep one of the fabric segments in front of you horizontally, right side down. Place 4 5-inch-long bamboo reeds in the center of the fabric segment, 2 inches apart. This will serve as the boning for your corset.
4. Cover each reed with a generous amount of hot glue. Cover each reed so that the glue oozes onto the fabric beside and beneath it. Immediately layer the second segment of hemmed fabric, right side out, evenly over the first, encasing the glued reeds. Let the fabric dry for 20 minutes.
5. Use the grommeting tool to install chrome or gold grommets up and down the sides of the corset. Keep the corset positioned horizontally. Place a grommet ring into the slot between the clamps of the tool. Insert the fabric edge between the clamps and squeeze the handles firmly to install the grommet. If needed, squeeze a line of fabric glue around each grommet to secure. Place up to 12 grommets vertically along each side, spacing them 1 to 2 inches apart.
6. Cut a length of wide-gauge silk ribbon measuring double the measurement of your bust. (This ensures that the ribbon will properly lace and tighten while wearing the corset.) Lay the corset down horizontally and insert one end of the ribbon through the outer side of the bottom grommet on the left edge. Feed the ribbon through to the inner side of the bottom grommet on the right edge of the corset. Continue to lace the corset as you would a pair of shoes, in a zigzag fashion.
Tags: right side, between clamps, bottom grommet, Cover each, Cover each reed, each reed, fabric segments