Ive used cotton duck canvas from the remnant section at the fabric store for the 3 corset like items i have. It's pretty firm and durable, a natural fiber, and i havent seen it sold for more than $10 a yard. And thats at joann! Other online sellers have it for half that price. And like i said i usually go to the remnants for duck since its rare I ever need more than a yard (as a mid size top heavy apple shape)
Thank you for this. I'm fairly new at making stays and this is very helpful. I use sturdy zip ties for boning too, and denim or twill weave for the interlining. Thank you for the paint stick for the busk isea. I had not thought of that. I always tell people not too worry too much about perfect under pinnings, especially when one is new. No one is going to see it anyway.
My first lined bodice had denim as the interlining, so I am glad that I guessed that one correctly. 😂😅👍 Side note, this is an awesome resource! Thank you!
I've done single layer corset with applied bone casings for bigger sizes as well, no issues whatsoever. My personal motto is to use a good, sutrdy fabric like a cotton twill (upholstery kind), non-stretch heavy denim or coutil if you can, and always do the last/wearable mock-up in that fabric, because more stable fabrics will behave slightly differently from the more flimsy ones and some unexpected fit or comfort issues might appear.
Pure Linen Envy in Ontario for linen, I haven't purchased from there yet myself but it was recommended by another youtuber from the US. One of my friends got me some nice linen from there, they carry several weights and have a variety of colours, I can't wait to make my Walking Skirt with the deep purple linen my friend got me!
@@FantasticalFolliesCostuming I've got most of my corset stuff figured out by now but this clarified some things (like why my fabric store boning kinked) and the store links I'll for sure be going back to reference!
Thank you so much for this video. I have learnt a lot. I have inherited some fabric from the 1920's. One is a very heavy herringbone cotton, and the other is a heavy weight silk from my grandmother. Both have no stretch in them, so I thought they might be good for the pretty housemaid Corset. I have made my first mock-up and learnt I need to make it smaller. I get my supplies from Sewing Gem as I live in Australia. Again, thank you for all the videos you make. 😊
I'm about to attempt my first corset, and I needed this video so much haha. Thank you for talking me down from fabric that I love and accepting that my first run at this will be a learning process :)
Fabulous guide! I've always used quilting cotton and canvas or drill (all 100% cotton) for all of my corsets. there's stability, structure, and breathability. even when I started out, I used cotton. but that's only because I'm allergic to poly. yay! I'm the same in that I can get one corset, or 2 pairs of stays out of a meter (wonderful metric system, that i still don't understand, 30-something years later!) God, I hate that ridgealine boning! it's aweful!! 😂😂😂guess I'm in the second camp of people watching. I mean, it's always good to check in with these type of info videos, just in case some new bit of info come up, that's not been mentioned in the last 15-20 years. I've never had a hand sewn eyelet rip on a corset, but my metal ones always do rip through the fabric. so it's interesting that you have it the other way around. some of my corsets have been going for at least 10 years, worn at least twice a week, and still no issues. for the UK there is also sewcurvey who are amazing and I personally use them (though they've since changed their website to be for info, the supplies are still on Etsy, and sold around the world). they're specialists in corsetry supplies, do workshops, sell patterns, anything you could need really. though I am now pissed that they've changed so all the purchases are through etsy😔. but anyway. I think iverambled your ear off enough for now😂!!
Hah, you're definitely in the second camp of people and very much appreciated 😆 it's true, you never know! Do you cut the fabric when you're setting grommets, or use an awl? I used to have that issue until I opted for the awl over the cutter. Thanks for the suggestion! Have you checked the Sew Curvy Etsy shop recently? Last time I checked, it was closed...but maybe it's just for US folks? 🤔
@@FantasticalFolliesCostuming I always use an awl, no matter what! Just the idea of cutting the fabric for holes creeps me out🤣. Yes, I checked just before I posted. They're currently closed while they figure out the best postage options. But they'll be up and running again soon, as far as I know. Their stuff is also sold through other retailers though, like B&T, Richard the thread, actually, quite a lot of the ones you mentioned🤔. So it's all still available through third parties, but I tend to find they give a better price directly. Obviously that's not including shipping to various places though.
Thank you for sharing this information. It is as valuable as a good pair of fabric shears. No matter how good your tools are, unless you have the product to create with... its just a bunch of useless tools lol. *********** Marshalls Dry Goods ************ is another good resource for cotton fabrics. It's a quilting fabric store, BUT, if you're looking for cotton fabrics, they have SOO MANY options. Plus they carry up to 110" wide fabrics!! And the prices?? OMG budget friendly for sure!
Thank you for making this video. The information you provided will definitely save me from making some costly mistakes. I plan to make my first pair of stays this year.
Thank you for this. I'm in Australia so it can be difficult and stupidly expensive to get decent corsetry supplies. In recent years I have found NZ Corsetry consistent across the board and fairly affordable. They also sell millinery buckram and wiring which is fantastic. They have a few types of coutil available as well. My first two pairs of corsets I made have both been in cotton canvas and while hot and heavy for our climate, does in a pinch and with limited funding (currently saving up for coutil and silk both of which are super expensive here in Aus). I do recommend Australia's Spotlight (equiv. to Joanne's) for many fashion and base fabrics, notions, etc, but they can be quite limited. We don't have the same sort of fabric districts those of you in the US and UK have, so it's a bit hard to find and sample fabrics in person sadly 😭
Thanks for the recs!! So glad to get some good Aussie spots!! Yeah, I imagine those fabrics can be quite costly!! (And hot. Silk's insulating 🥵) Y'all have a lot of similarities climate-wise to where I'm at--is there anywhere you can get linen? A midweight linen interlining + linen fashion fabric would be super comfy! And maybe cheaper...maybe 🤔
Excellent and informative video! Great to have one that's practical and realistic about corset making. When I finally take the plunge, I'm going to try to do the free renaissance stays from one of your earlier videos. 🧡💙
Perfect timing, I'm going to my first ren faire in June and want to make as much of my outfit as possible with stuff i already have. I have a lot of old pants saved so one cost down
Hi had a comment go poof but just wanted to say how great Renaissance Fabrics and B&T were. Also, if you want to get canvas but can't afford the more expensive linen. tragacanth gum is your friend and widely available. For me, a game changer. Just use it outside! Also, great video.
Oh no! Seems to be happening with a few folks...not sure why 🤔 Tragacanth gum is also an option for sure--am I right in thinking you can't wash it, though?
I'm at the "have a mockup that needs boning so I can cut the tabs" stage of my first set of stays. I tried a bra top based on an athletic corset pattern I found online that I think turned out to be from Foundations Revealed... that was how I dsicovered my bis reduces a lot and my waist doesn't, because my ribs get highly annoyed when confined. So I'm hoping stays might be the thing, cause bras make me angry. Or I might just make a zip up kirtle since that's one pattern that seems to work! Stupid boobs, why can'tt tey be velcro so I can just thwack them on the wall when they're in the way...
Agreed! So annoying! A trans-woman I'm friends with, choose to get implants because she found the false breasts she was wearing to be sweaty and annoying. SEVERAL of us asked her if she really, truly, wanted permanently attached breasts, because we were all quite sick of ours, and felt we could deal with sweat under (as opposed to just in between) if it meant they were detachable. She also wanted the personal affirmation of having breasts while nude - which as an enby human I don't personally find much value in, but... That said, the trans-woman is the only one with self-supporting, evenly sized, and comfortably proportioned breasts - at 50. Something I haven't had since I was 20, and only mostly at that point. So... I suppose if I were working with those parameters, even without the gender euphoria they bring her, I'd have a different view on them being per-installed gear, that's in the way, requires extra maintenance and is entirely irrelevant for my purposes.
I get them on Amazon. I prefer ones that are 18-24" in length and depending on the era, either go for the 4mm-ish wide ones or the 3/8" wide ones. I usually look for about 200 tensile strength for the wider ones.
It shouldn't! It's really not difficult. Like a lot of things, the anticipation is worse than the action. The tricky part is the fit, which does take a couple of tries to get right. That's why I like to stress to folks that you gotta make some crappy corsets. It's practice!
The range of quality, stability, hand, bias stretch, durability... of "quilting cotton" bwahahahahaha! It is cotton (unless it's actually poly cotton). It is plain weave. Kits, and coordinated fabric collections are popular, not just because people are unsure of their own ability to choose colours and patterns and balance them well, (I highly disagree, that's the best part) but because it's handy to have fabrics that all stretch exactly the same, because they're the same brand/manufacturer, if extreme accuracy is important to you. (6 diamonds intersecting within 1/16th of an inch perfect... if that's your thing... mixing manufacturers can add a whole extra level of difficulty). I've seen a friend's quilts, have one particular fabric, disintegrate from use/washing. It was all purchased, new, retail, within the year or two prior to sewing, and stored out of direct sunlight/not wrapped on cardboard/stored against raw wood. (Yes, fabric can break down and take damage from sun/acids in only a couple years). None of mine have... yet. But I don't have AC, so the bed quilts get a break all summer. And I always use a sheet between the quilt and myself - cuz who wants to wash quilts if it can be avoided?
Kits definitely can be good for folks who are overwhelmed with sourcing materials! With that, though, there are downsides--the cost, for example, and if they come with busks and steel bones, one runs into the same issue with if you have to shorten or lengthen to fit, you may end up having to buy a whole new set. So there are pros and cons!
If you'd like to download my free Corsetry Materials Guide, you can find it here! ko-fi.com/s/b227b1aeeb
Ive used cotton duck canvas from the remnant section at the fabric store for the 3 corset like items i have. It's pretty firm and durable, a natural fiber, and i havent seen it sold for more than $10 a yard. And thats at joann! Other online sellers have it for half that price. And like i said i usually go to the remnants for duck since its rare I ever need more than a yard (as a mid size top heavy apple shape)
Checking the remnants bin is a great idea!!
Thank you for this. I'm fairly new at making stays and this is very helpful. I use sturdy zip ties for boning too, and denim or twill weave for the interlining. Thank you for the paint stick for the busk isea. I had not thought of that. I always tell people not too worry too much about perfect under pinnings, especially when one is new. No one is going to see it anyway.
Glad you found it helpful!! And you're right, they don't have to be perfect! Thanks for watching ☺️
My first lined bodice had denim as the interlining, so I am glad that I guessed that one correctly. 😂😅👍
Side note, this is an awesome resource! Thank you!
Hah! Great first instincts! 😁 Glad you find it helpful, thanks for watching!
I thankfully have a local recraft store where I get all of my tools! I've made several stays just spending $6 on fabric, thread, boning, etc.
That's awesome!!!
I've done single layer corset with applied bone casings for bigger sizes as well, no issues whatsoever. My personal motto is to use a good, sutrdy fabric like a cotton twill (upholstery kind), non-stretch heavy denim or coutil if you can, and always do the last/wearable mock-up in that fabric, because more stable fabrics will behave slightly differently from the more flimsy ones and some unexpected fit or comfort issues might appear.
Aaaaaah that's great to know! Thanks for sharing! 🧡
OMG! You are the absolute Very best. I haven't seen a video this comprehensive. 👏👏👏🥰💜💜💜
Aw, thank you so much!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Another EU supplier: Sartor Bohemia. They have very nice medieval and renaissance fabrics, as well as corset supplies and other fabrics.
Awesome, thanks, I'll add it to the list!
@@FantasticalFolliesCostuming Thanks. 😊
Their fabrics are so gorgeous! Love them.
Pure Linen Envy in Ontario for linen, I haven't purchased from there yet myself but it was recommended by another youtuber from the US. One of my friends got me some nice linen from there, they carry several weights and have a variety of colours, I can't wait to make my Walking Skirt with the deep purple linen my friend got me!
Oooooh! Sounds awesome! Thanks for the rec, I'll add it to the list!
⚡*battle music*💥
(lol, great video!)
😆 Thank you! And thanks for watching!
@@FantasticalFolliesCostuming I've got most of my corset stuff figured out by now but this clarified some things (like why my fabric store boning kinked) and the store links I'll for sure be going back to reference!
Thx for sharing the info. Will be sharing with others that have questions, so I don't have to communicate with people.
HA!! As an extreme introvert, I feel that so hard 😆😆 Thank you for sharing it!
WOW! Thank you for this great run-through and resource! 💖
You're so very welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for this video.
I have learnt a lot.
I have inherited some fabric from the 1920's.
One is a very heavy herringbone cotton, and the other is a heavy weight silk from my grandmother.
Both have no stretch in them, so I thought they might be good for the pretty housemaid Corset.
I have made my first mock-up and learnt I need to make it smaller.
I get my supplies from Sewing Gem as I live in Australia.
Again, thank you for all the videos you make. 😊
Wow, vintage fabric! That's awesome!! Good luck making your corset, and thanks for the shop recommendation!!
I'm about to attempt my first corset, and I needed this video so much haha. Thank you for talking me down from fabric that I love and accepting that my first run at this will be a learning process :)
Good luck! And I'm so glad you saw reason and aren't going to waste the fancy stuff! 😄 Thanks for watching!
Fabulous guide! I've always used quilting cotton and canvas or drill (all 100% cotton) for all of my corsets. there's stability, structure, and breathability. even when I started out, I used cotton. but that's only because I'm allergic to poly. yay! I'm the same in that I can get one corset, or 2 pairs of stays out of a meter (wonderful metric system, that i still don't understand, 30-something years later!) God, I hate that ridgealine boning! it's aweful!! 😂😂😂guess I'm in the second camp of people watching. I mean, it's always good to check in with these type of info videos, just in case some new bit of info come up, that's not been mentioned in the last 15-20 years.
I've never had a hand sewn eyelet rip on a corset, but my metal ones always do rip through the fabric. so it's interesting that you have it the other way around. some of my corsets have been going for at least 10 years, worn at least twice a week, and still no issues.
for the UK there is also sewcurvey who are amazing and I personally use them (though they've since changed their website to be for info, the supplies are still on Etsy, and sold around the world). they're specialists in corsetry supplies, do workshops, sell patterns, anything you could need really. though I am now pissed that they've changed so all the purchases are through etsy😔. but anyway. I think iverambled your ear off enough for now😂!!
Hah, you're definitely in the second camp of people and very much appreciated 😆 it's true, you never know!
Do you cut the fabric when you're setting grommets, or use an awl? I used to have that issue until I opted for the awl over the cutter.
Thanks for the suggestion! Have you checked the Sew Curvy Etsy shop recently? Last time I checked, it was closed...but maybe it's just for US folks? 🤔
@@FantasticalFolliesCostuming I always use an awl, no matter what! Just the idea of cutting the fabric for holes creeps me out🤣.
Yes, I checked just before I posted. They're currently closed while they figure out the best postage options. But they'll be up and running again soon, as far as I know. Their stuff is also sold through other retailers though, like B&T, Richard the thread, actually, quite a lot of the ones you mentioned🤔. So it's all still available through third parties, but I tend to find they give a better price directly. Obviously that's not including shipping to various places though.
Thanks for that flowchart, it will be very useful. And thanks for this video. 😊
You're welcome, I'm glad it's helpful to you!
Thank you for sharing this information. It is as valuable as a good pair of fabric shears. No matter how good your tools are, unless you have the product to create with... its just a bunch of useless tools lol. *********** Marshalls Dry Goods ************ is another good resource for cotton fabrics. It's a quilting fabric store, BUT, if you're looking for cotton fabrics, they have SOO MANY options. Plus they carry up to 110" wide fabrics!! And the prices?? OMG budget friendly for sure!
You're welcome, I'm so glad you found it useful! And thanks for the shop suggestion, I'll add it to the list!
Thank you for making this video. The information you provided will definitely save me from making some costly mistakes. I plan to make my first pair of stays this year.
You're so very welcome! Thanks for watching, and good luck with those stays! 😍
Thank you for this. I'm in Australia so it can be difficult and stupidly expensive to get decent corsetry supplies. In recent years I have found NZ Corsetry consistent across the board and fairly affordable. They also sell millinery buckram and wiring which is fantastic. They have a few types of coutil available as well.
My first two pairs of corsets I made have both been in cotton canvas and while hot and heavy for our climate, does in a pinch and with limited funding (currently saving up for coutil and silk both of which are super expensive here in Aus). I do recommend Australia's Spotlight (equiv. to Joanne's) for many fashion and base fabrics, notions, etc, but they can be quite limited. We don't have the same sort of fabric districts those of you in the US and UK have, so it's a bit hard to find and sample fabrics in person sadly 😭
Thanks for the recs!! So glad to get some good Aussie spots!!
Yeah, I imagine those fabrics can be quite costly!! (And hot. Silk's insulating 🥵) Y'all have a lot of similarities climate-wise to where I'm at--is there anywhere you can get linen? A midweight linen interlining + linen fashion fabric would be super comfy! And maybe cheaper...maybe 🤔
Lacis Museum in Berkeley, CA has corsetry making supplies, but they have no online shop. I've been to Renaissance Fabrics before and they're great!
Awesome!
Got a grommet press on Mercari for about $30 😊
Definitely going to order from Wawak soon
WOW! That's a deal! Jealous!
And yay! I've been happy so far with them!
Excellent and informative video! Great to have one that's practical and realistic about corset making. When I finally take the plunge, I'm going to try to do the free renaissance stays from one of your earlier videos. 🧡💙
Thank you! And that's awesome 😊 it's really a great pattern!
Perfect timing, I'm going to my first ren faire in June and want to make as much of my outfit as possible with stuff i already have. I have a lot of old pants saved so one cost down
Awesome!! I hope you have a blast at the Faire--they're addicting and chatotic and amazing! Thanks for watching 😎
Hi had a comment go poof but just wanted to say how great Renaissance Fabrics and B&T were. Also, if you want to get canvas but can't afford the more expensive linen. tragacanth gum is your friend and widely available. For me, a game changer. Just use it outside! Also, great video.
Oh no! Seems to be happening with a few folks...not sure why 🤔 Tragacanth gum is also an option for sure--am I right in thinking you can't wash it, though?
Your videos are so funny, love the graphics and editing…plus it is incredibly informative. Do you go to conventions at all?
Thanks, so glad you enjoy them! Only local ones, usually, because of cost.
I love wawak... they rock.
I love that that rhymes! 😆 Thanks for watching!
I'm at the "have a mockup that needs boning so I can cut the tabs" stage of my first set of stays. I tried a bra top based on an athletic corset pattern I found online that I think turned out to be from Foundations Revealed... that was how I dsicovered my bis reduces a lot and my waist doesn't, because my ribs get highly annoyed when confined. So I'm hoping stays might be the thing, cause bras make me angry. Or I might just make a zip up kirtle since that's one pattern that seems to work! Stupid boobs, why can'tt tey be velcro so I can just thwack them on the wall when they're in the way...
LOL it would be nice if we could take them off when wanted, for sure. 😂😂 Hopefully the stays work!
Agreed! So annoying!
A trans-woman I'm friends with, choose to get implants because she found the false breasts she was wearing to be sweaty and annoying. SEVERAL of us asked her if she really, truly, wanted permanently attached breasts, because we were all quite sick of ours, and felt we could deal with sweat under (as opposed to just in between) if it meant they were detachable. She also wanted the personal affirmation of having breasts while nude - which as an enby human I don't personally find much value in, but...
That said, the trans-woman is the only one with self-supporting, evenly sized, and comfortably proportioned breasts - at 50. Something I haven't had since I was 20, and only mostly at that point. So... I suppose if I were working with those parameters, even without the gender euphoria they bring her, I'd have a different view on them being per-installed gear, that's in the way, requires extra maintenance and is entirely irrelevant for my purposes.
I got the Wawak magazine and just handed it to my husband and said anything and everything any time you wanna buy me something
HAH! 😆 Love it!
It's so worth looking through the catalog, too, because there's so much stuff on there!
Can you talk a bit more about using zipties? Where do you get yours and what kind do you get?
I get them on Amazon. I prefer ones that are 18-24" in length and depending on the era, either go for the 4mm-ish wide ones or the 3/8" wide ones. I usually look for about 200 tensile strength for the wider ones.
Omfg she can draw hands 😮she means business
😃 I'm glad you appreciate my ~ * sekret skillz * ~ 😂 I love fine art, I wish I had more time for it!
Making a corset terrifies me.
It shouldn't! It's really not difficult. Like a lot of things, the anticipation is worse than the action. The tricky part is the fit, which does take a couple of tries to get right. That's why I like to stress to folks that you gotta make some crappy corsets. It's practice!
The range of quality, stability, hand, bias stretch, durability... of "quilting cotton" bwahahahahaha!
It is cotton (unless it's actually poly cotton). It is plain weave.
Kits, and coordinated fabric collections are popular, not just because people are unsure of their own ability to choose colours and patterns and balance them well, (I highly disagree, that's the best part) but because it's handy to have fabrics that all stretch exactly the same, because they're the same brand/manufacturer, if extreme accuracy is important to you. (6 diamonds intersecting within 1/16th of an inch perfect... if that's your thing... mixing manufacturers can add a whole extra level of difficulty).
I've seen a friend's quilts, have one particular fabric, disintegrate from use/washing. It was all purchased, new, retail, within the year or two prior to sewing, and stored out of direct sunlight/not wrapped on cardboard/stored against raw wood. (Yes, fabric can break down and take damage from sun/acids in only a couple years). None of mine have... yet. But I don't have AC, so the bed quilts get a break all summer. And I always use a sheet between the quilt and myself - cuz who wants to wash quilts if it can be avoided?
Kits definitely can be good for folks who are overwhelmed with sourcing materials! With that, though, there are downsides--the cost, for example, and if they come with busks and steel bones, one runs into the same issue with if you have to shorten or lengthen to fit, you may end up having to buy a whole new set. So there are pros and cons!
Testing. Testing. Just want to see if this comment will also vanish mysteriously?
Nope, not this one! Sorry about YT...looks like it's being extra Pac-Man with comments this weekend.
Holy cow. My response naming places to buy in Australia vanished AGAIN.
@@JenInOz Did you link in the comment? If so, try just typing the name.
EU supplier, Röda Tråden AB. Website has English as an option. Has 15mm wide synthetic baleen (hard to get hold of), and a bunch of other stuff.
Thank you for the suggestion! I'll add it to the list!
@@FantasticalFolliesCostuming Thanks. 🙂