Victorian Corset

I have a few Victorian projects coming up, so it was finally time for me to make a good corset.  I've made tons of corsets..somewhere between 30 and 40, but I've never made a real Victorian corset with gores.  Gores are indimidating!  They are!  If you run across them in industrial patterns they are usually poorly explained.  Sidney Eileen does a much better job of explaining how to insert them.

Unfortunately, and fortunately I have a naturally tiny waist.  My hip spring is 10", so when I corset I want at least a 12-13" hip spring.  That amount of curve is a bit daunting when drafting.

I really wanted this corset.  It's absolutely gorgeous and perfectly historical.  Before the Automobile is amazing; she is one of my absolute favorite seamstresses.

 

She links to the pattern she used.  Granted the instructions are in a different language, but I figured I would be able to figure it out.  But good golly- what the heck?  I couldn't even tell where to cut!

So I bought this pattern thinking it would solve all my problems- I mean NO DRAFTING!  I cut out the pieces and then puzzled at them.  There were no directions.  None.  The pieces had numbers, but I couldn't figure out what they were trying to tell me to do.   I'm sure it will be a good pattern, I've heard great things about Ageless Patterns, but I'll have to contact the owner to figure out what to do next.

Frustrated, I started from scratch, and modified an existing pattern that I drafted last year.  I added gores and tried to place the bones in a similar location to Before the Automobile's corset. I got close...ish, but it isn't perfect.  The corset fits me perfectly, but barely brings in my waist.

At least I've learned enough to improve upon the next corset!