Crafting an 1860’s Gored Corset
Hello Everyone!
Today, I want to talk to you about the precision of Victorian Corsetry meeting modern Swiss Engineering. If this is your first time meeting me, hello! My name is Jessica Cronin. I am a professional Costume Designer, Fashion Historian, and Corset Enthusiast.
Today, we are talking about how the features of the BERNINA 770 QE PLUS have made the process of historical garment making–specifically corset making–incredibly enjoyable to me. The corset pattern that I used is the 1860s Gored Corset pattern by Redthreaded. I also used fabric gifted from Benartex Fabrics to make this project possible, so thank you, Benartex!
Historical Corsetry & Modern Sewing Machines
It might sound strange to use a modern sewing machine to make something historical, but that is a wonderful bridge we as modern sewers get to access. Not only do we have a world of information left to us by our sewing ancestors, but we also have amazing machines to help us achieve in hours what took them months to do! How lucky are we?
This is especially true when you need to create something beautiful, wearable, and it needs to be done quickly. If you have ever made a costume for a production – whether it is for your local theatre, a high school performance, or a professional gig–you KNOW that deadlines can be tight!
A quick turnaround and precision sewing are achievable thanks to a reliable machine. Having the ability to sew with ease is so important, which is why I love sewing historical garments on my B 770 QE PLUS.
Historical Corsetry & Fashion Sewing with the B 770 QE PLUS
- The BERNINA Stitch Regulator (BSR) – The BSR is a tool that is essential for maintaining consistent stitch length on multiple fabric layers & bias cut materials. Sometimes corsets can have two to four layers of different fabrics, and there is a lot of curvature needed in the pattern pieces to fit around the body. The BSR helps keep fabric from sliding and bias edges from stretching out while sewing.
- Precision Straight Stitch – The foundation of all corset construction – a strong straight stitch! I particularly love the needle down function as it allows me to pivot the fabric 360 degrees to get all my boning channels, binding, and pattern pieces sew perfectly together.
- Automatic Thread Tension – Thread Tension is critical when working with varying fabrics that have different thicknesses or weights to them. Sometimes corsets can have a lining layer which could be a poly blend, a cotton or linen, anything that is comfortable next to the body. Then there is an internal coutil or twill layer for structure and support, and finally, a fashion layer which could be anything from silks to brocades. Sandwiching all these layers can result in fabric wonkiness, and the thread tension, along with the BSR, helps control that fabric movement while sewing.
- Automatic Threat Cutting Feature – Arguably might be my favorite feature behind the knee lift presser foot. It sounds SO silly, but when you’re sewing multiple boning channels, and you have threads everywhere the project can risk looking and becoming messy, and the thread cutting feature makes keeping these threads in control – it ALSO knots your thread before it cuts it so no more will your stitches come undone once you have cut your threads and no need to back stitch!
- Knee Lift Presser Foot – This is a feature commonly found on industrial sewing machines and helps with managing bulk and keeping hands free to guide the fabric precisely through the machine. It completely becomes second nature to use it, and once you do, you’ll never go back!
Fabrics for Historical Garment Making
The fabric I used for this project is arguably not historically accurate in print; however, it is cotton, so that is historical! I want to thank Benartex for sending out these fun samples of branded fabrics for us to use, and I had a blast making this corset and using it as a way to introduce myself to my fellow 2024 Ambassadors.
That being said, here are a few collections from Benartex that I think would make excellent historical or historically inspired garments:
- April’s Garden
- The Beloved Collection
- The Bluesette Collection
- Classic Keepsakes
- Classic Keepsakes in Blue
- Elegant Keepsakes
- English Autumn
- Premium Yarn Dyes
- Samsara Collection
Make sure to check out all the amazing fabrics Benartex has for your next project!
Construction Process
Below are some key construction steps that I found particularly enjoyable when making my corset using the B 770 QE PLUS.
Boning Channel Creation
- I love how the straight stitch and adjustable stitch width create perfectly straight channels
- The Edgestitch Foot #10 can also be used for precise distancing from seam lines if one likes that option
Seam Finishing
- There are multiple stitch options for different seam treatments. I also like to use a zig zag stitch on fabric edges to finish – much like a serger – but it is so easy to switch between stitch options, you save so much time going from one machine to the other
- You can also use decorative stitches for embellishments (an option I did on a different corset that I will post about very soon!)
Binding and Finishings
- The B 770 QE PLUS handles bias binding and piping like a dream – no slips or misses while sewing
- You can adjust the speed as well, which helps to navigate tricky curves and tight corners of the corset
I really could talk for hours about all the nuances the B 770 QE PLUS offers to fashion and historical clothing sewers, and why I think it is an ideal machine. This machine has made these incredibly time-consuming projects so joyful to sew. I’d say it’s the little things that count, and that they all compound into a beautiful sewing experience.
I invite you to try corset making ( I do highly recommend RedThreaded’s patterns and corset kits) or maybe try other historical projects out on your machines, and please ask any questions you might have!
You can find me on Instagram @jesscronindesigns for more historical and historically inspired creations & more! I can’t wait to see what YOU create.
