Community Profile

Welcome to a community for corset makers! Our primary focus, if you haven't guessed, is the construction of corsets from any era. Whether you're a historical re-enactor, a lover of fashion from across the ages, or just a simple fan of fabric and steel, you're welcome here.

News: If you wish to contact the community maintainers, we have a new email address: corsetmakers(at)gmail(dot)com (sorry to have to spell it out, but you know what spambots are like)

The Rules
Please read these before posting!


If You're Looking for Research Assistance (10/22/07): Sometimes, people ask for research assistance, and the community is glad to help those folks - up to a point. If you make a post clearly stating a specific thesis (ie "Construction of corsets from 1880 - 1900"), detailing the research you've done so far (the resources you've already employed) and what you're still looking for, we might be able to help you. However, if you're a 10th grader asking the community to do all of your research for you kthxbye, prepare to be told to go do your own dam' work. The membership is pretty good at telling the difference between the two types of post, so you have been warned!

Policy Reminder (1/21/08): "Eye-candy" posts (ie, pix showing off lovely examples of the art) are only permitted by the manufacturer of the featured item. If you wish to show off some amazing pix of someone else's work, please use another community, such as corsetry. Of course, if you want to brag up your own work, go ahead - but be sure to share some of the behind-the-scenes information, too! Corset-making is what we're all about!

Policy Reminder (8/13/07): The practice of bungee-ing in to an entry, leaving comments and then deleting them, after damage has been done will not be tolerated. For more information, read this.

Policy reminder (8/12/07): We are not the intellectual-property police, nor do we tolerate "Corsetry vigilantes" on this community. Please read this post for further clarification.

If you are looking to have a corset made for you, please visit corset_shoppe! That community exists specifically for buyers and sellers of custom-made corsets. "Make me a corset" posts made to this community will be deleted, and you will be redirected to corset_shoppe.

If you have made a corset for sale, you may post a link to your corset_shoppe listing here Providing that you adhere to the following conditions:

• You must have made the corset yourself
• You must include some information about the construction of the corset and the creative process - this community is corsetMAKERS, after all. We want to hear this stuff!
• If posting pictures, please use a cut tag after the first picture
• Do not post the terms of sale, or anything like that here. Simply end your post with a hyperlink to corset_shoppe (or ebay, or wherever you're selling it) with some simple text along the lines of "by the way, this corset it for sale over *here*" - no oversize fonts, no !!!!11one!! punctuation. All three mods here have sold corsets and trust us, lousy punctuation doesn't help you.
• The primary purpose of this community is to discuss corset construction and links to sale posts are allowed only on a case-by-case basis. If you simply pepper us with pix of your corset and "plzbuyitkthx!", the mods WILL delete your post and tell you to try your luck at corset_shoppe
• Let's just repeat that: If you can't follow these rules, your post will be deleted. Multiple offenses will get you banned from the community

If you have a corset that was made for you, and you want to sell it, please go to corset_shoppe. Do NOT post a link here, just go directly to corset_shoppe and try your luck there. For-sale posts of corsets NOT made by the seller will be deleted.

If you're looking to buy an off-the-rack type corset, please visit ready_to_wear, a community specifically for selling those types of corsets.

If you are looking for corsetmaking supplies, please visit corsetsupplies, a community specifically for bulk group orders of corsetmaking supplies at discounted prices.

If you are looking for information of the "How do I make a corset" "Where can I buy boning?" or "What pattern should I use to make a corset" type, please visit the pages listed below - these are our 'Memories'. The community supports those FAQs to keep from having to answer the same questions over and over again.

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Here are the community memories/FAQs, in order of creation. If you're new to the community, please consult these pages before posting a question. These are the updated memories which are still in progress. The original memories will continue to be listed below until they are all updated.

Corset Materials - North American Suppliers

Corset Materials - European Suppliers

Corset Materials - Australian Suppliers

Here are the community memories/FAQs, in order of creation (left to right horizontally, not down the left col and then down the right) . If you're new to the community, please consult these pages before posting a question.
Corset supplies	Tips for the first-time corset maker
Corsetry on a Budget	Economical grommet setter
Scaling and adjusting corset patterns	Online corset lace length calculator
Online directory of corsetiers	Review of Laughing Moon's corset pattern
Review of Simplicity's corset patterns	Review of Ageless Corset Patterns
Review of Butterick Pattern 4254	Online fabric stores
Tracing paper, sources and ideas	Cutting spring and spiral steel in the sewing room. Tin snips or bolt cutters?
Different methods for lacing a corset	Yet more lacing - fan lacing
Online Corset Pattern Generators (Free)	About foundation fabrics
Sewing with Leather	Selecting a corset pattern - summary and advice
A Pricing Comparison of Some Corsetiers	Patterns for waist cinchers
Duct Tie Vs. Cable Tie - The Showdown! (Alternatives To Steel Boning)	Bias Binding - Some Advice
17th & 18th Century Stays - Pattern and Reference Suggestions	Buying Steel Boning In Bulk - Some Sources
Lots and LOTS of corsetry links - patterns, sewing tips, suppliers, reference....	Corset Liners - Some Thoughts and Suggestions
Book Recommendations for Corsetiers	How to post photos on LJ and places to store your pix online
Selling a corset, and why custom corsets cost what they do - very handy tips for first-time sellers, and arguments to use against buyers who don't understand the work and costs involved in the process.	Matching fabric patterns when constructing a corset - with handy illustration!
Simplicity Pattern 5726 - Yet More Thoughts	Determining busk length, and some tips about boning channels
Eyelets & washers, vs. grommets and setting tools for same	Attaching Waist Tape
Removing Botched Grommets	How many layers are used in corset construction, and some discussion about the comparative strengths of spring and spiral steel
Awl or cut? Setting grommets into fabric - a debate about methods.	Creating corsets for plus-sized customers - discussion of differences in fitting and patterning.
Another economical grommet setter	Corset Theory 101 - an interesting discussion on the purpose of corsets, and why some comm members like to wear them and to what purpose.
A Compendium of Boning Types - general discussion	some unvarnished feedback regarding Grannd - corsetry supplies, complaints and compliments.
A Review of Simplicity's "Fashion Historian" line of patterns - including corset patterns. PDF file, not HTML, so you'll need Adobe's Acrobat Reader (a free download).	A Review/Discussion of Some Corsetry-Related Books
Interfacing - What To Use?	Corset Pattern Making - What Some People Use and Do
How to Make Seams - A Discussion/Info. Dump	Bust gussets... how do you draft them?
How to make a corset dummy	Working with difficult fabrics
Links for UK Corsetiers - supplies, tools, etc	Tipping Spiral Bones
Using an Angle-Grinder to Cut Spiral Steel	Making Modesty Panels

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8/5/07 - On Using Tags

We highly encourage you to use tags with your entries, but we would really appreciate it if you could stick to the following list, as otherwise we'll end up with mass confusion on our hands. Follow the hyperlink to read the posts with the apt tags.

Ageless 1339 - entries about this specific pattern

Boning channels - used along with techniques, but specifically dealing with the boning channels.

Busks - also can be used with techniques as well as tools, for when specifically dealing with busk related issues.

Butterick 4254 - entries about this specific pattern

Corsets and Crinolines - entries about patterns taken from this book

Corsetiers - includes pricing your work for sale, lists of corset makers and more.

Critique - when you're looking for feedback on a completed piece OR a work-in-progress.

Eye candy - can be used with "fabric" as needed. Sorta self explainatory. Use it when bragging up your completed work.

Fabric - can be used with or without "materials" as needed. Tag posts sharing sources for lucious corset fabric (or tough-as-nails duck/twill) here.

Flossing - fairly self explanatory, use when discussing it, showing off examples of it, etc.

Lacing - an art unto itself!

Laughing Moon 100 - entries about this specific pattern

Laughing Moon 113 - entries about this specific pattern

The Little Corset Book - entries about patterns taken from this book

Mantua Maker 1810-3 - entries about this specific pattern

Materials - anything to do with the physical items used to construct a corset, that doesn't fall under "Tools".

McCalls 3609 - entries about this specific pattern

McCalls 4861 - entries about this specific pattern

Men's Corsets - self explanatory, it doesn't come up often, but it does still come up.

Newbie Advice - very basic advice for people new to the community or new to corset making. We suggest you check out the "patterns" and "materials" tags, too.

<Past Patterns 106 - entries about this specific pattern

Patterns - includes reviews of commercial patterns, searches for specific patterns, and/or questions about assembling same. Please use this tag and a specific pattern tag when making entries that are pattern-related.

Period Costume for Stage and Screen - entries about patterns taken from this book

Reference - reference sites, historical documentation about corsets or corsetry, etc.

Repair - for use when you need advice on repairing a corset, whether it be a broken busk or popping bones.

Sewing Machines - for reviews, advice, etc. related to sewing machines.

Simplicity 5006 - entries about this specific pattern

Simplicity 5726 - entries about this specific pattern

Simplicity 9769 - entries about this specific pattern

Technique - can be used in conjunction with "patterns", as needed. Tag tips and queries regarding specific techniques, such as insetting bust gores, finishing seams, etc.

Tools - share the great price you found on a grommet setter, or a warning about a lousy pair of tin snips with this tag.

Truly Victorian 110 - entries about this specific pattern

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1/19/05 - If you are looking for equanimity's online corset pattern generator, it has been removed at her request. If you find a cached page of that document, please do not share it here.

This is a place for you to share your experiences of corset-making, ask for hints and help from other corsetiers and - of course - brag about your work when it's done!

Please note that the focus of this community is the making of corsets and all matters pertaining thereto. If you want to post one of your own hand-made items for sale, you're welcome to do so - otherwise, you might want to consider using another community, such as corsetry.

Addendum 3/18/05 - The policy of 'only show off your own work' applies to all posts. If you made a lovely corset, it was used in a photo shoot and you want to show off your work, then feel free. But if the corset was made by a third party I – again – suggest that you visit corsetry.

All I ask is that everyone play nice and be polite to each other - even when disagreeing. We've had an issue with that recently, and I'm not squeamish about bouncing people who can't be civil. Spirited disagreement is okay, name-calling and bickering is not. As the community mod, I'm the final judge on what qualifies as which, and I will delete offensives posts or comments as I see fit. Users are encouraged to bring questionable posts to my attention, as I often can't keep up with everything going on around here.

Repetition never hurt a soul...

If you are looking for information of the "How do I make a corset", "Where can I buy boning?" or "What corset pattern should I use" type, please visit the Community's Memory Page for our Corsetry FAQs before you post. The community supports those FAQs to keep from having to answer the same questions over and over again.

If you are looking for other groovy costuming communities, I suggest you check out sewcraft_dir - a directory of sewing, costuming and crafting LJ communities.

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