My experience with Truly Victorian TVE01 1903 Edwardian S Bend Corset

One thing I have been wanting to make for quite a while is an S bend corset.  I am not the most prolific corset maker because it's not my favorite activity. However, I really want to delve into this era and one must start with the proper foundations. I had already made some Edwardian combinations quite awhile ago. Probably my most favorite style of under garments. Alright! Let's go!

Pattern and sizing:

Multi sized with different cup sizes up to DD. The corset had 3 bust heights and 3 hips lengths. Really, I mean REALLY read thru her size selection several times. It will make things so much easier. By following her directions I only needed one mock up. First off don't over fit this corset. Use padding where needed. I have a hip/rump pad that I use under my 1890s costumes because my hip/waist ratio is very small. A little extra padding gives me a more hourglass shape.

What can be tricky about the sizing is waist/bust size. If there is 2 or more size differences between your waist and bust measure you need to reduce your cup size. I wear a D cup bra. Do to my waist/bust size I went down to a B cup. Trust me, it works. I started obsessing about hip size but stopped once I made my mock up and realized I had made them too small. I knew I was over thinking and went up one size in my hip area. I decided on the mid bust and longest hip length. If you have a tummy a longer hip length will be your friend.

Materials:

This is a single layer corset. I used beige coutil for mine. I decided on synthetic whalebone for most of my boning except for the back lacing bones, they are flat steel. She does not recommend spiral steels for this corset, only flat steel. I did cheat and used coutil lacing tape. The real good quality lacing tape isn't cheap. This is the only corset I have ever used it for and it was awesome! The tape has a boning channel on each side of the grommets. I bought mine from Farthingales and they have a tutorial on how to use it.

Directions:

Her directions are very clear. I didn't have any issues at all. There are no clearly marked boning channels on the front pieces. Look at the diagram and you will see where to place them.

Things I did differently and final notes:

I did add a couple extra boning channels on the back/side backs. This is just a personal preference. I also put in a double busk. A double busk is a wide piece of flat steel that you encase in fabric and sew on to the corset near the main busk. It makes it so much easier to do up a busk when dressing and add additional support. I don't do this when wearing a spoon busk. I have found that a lot of regular busks are flimsy and the extra bone behind them helps with that. Here is a link on the double busk process.


https://corsetmakers.livejournal.com/1692950.html

Also here is the type of under busk/double busk boning I bought.

https://corsetmaking.com/extra-wide-under-busk.html

TVE01 is a great pattern. I am totally pleased with the results and I am looking forward to costuming a whole new era!

Trying to be tasteful here....

 Here is my double busk. The bone does not need to be as long as your busk.

 Wrong side of double busk.

 Close up front.

I made some garters using 1 inch overall clasps, satin ribbon, no roll elastic and 5/8 inch sew on metal buttons. The overall clasps come with nail on buttons and they weren't cooperating with me.