Hello all. I know I've been MIA. It's been a busy time but I'm back like Backstreet Boys. And this week I decided to do another thrift flip. I knew I wanted to make a t-shirt corset so I combed the local Goodwill till I found a Graphic Tee that I thought would work.
I saw this Dodgers Tee and thought it would be perfect. I think it was a medium so I was concerned if I was going to have enough fabric but we made it work. I also got an extra blue tee from Jo Anns---just the basic tees they sell for dyeing and decorating to use for the lining. Then it was time to get to work.
First. I created a masking tape pattern by covering my mannequin in masking tape and drawing the basic shape of my corset. I didn't have time to make a test pattern and the fabric is knit so there is a bit of stretch so I was concerned but we pushed forward.
Next I cut those pieces off the mannequin and placed the pieces on paper and added 5/8 seam allowance to all sides. Then I cut those pieces out and prepared the fabric.
I took the Graphic T apart by removing the sleeves first. Then I folded it in half with the graphic being evenly placed on each side of the fold. I cut the main bodice piece first and because I didn't want to chop up the graphic too much I did have to add some length. So if you have to do that don't forget to adjust the width of back bodice pattern so that you don't have overlap. Then I cut additional corresponding pieces from the tee from JoAnns for the lining. You also want to cut corresponding pieces of interfacing.
The next step is to interface the lining and trim any excess. If you find that your T-shirt was short and some of your bodice pieces still have the original hem threading, feel free to pick those out with a seam ripper. I left them in for a mismatched rougher look, but the choice is yours.
The next step will be to put the bodice together.
A. You're going to sew the middle bodice to the side right and side left bodice.
B. Then sew the side back to the center back bodice.
C. You'll then sew the back bodice to font bodice pieces.
D. Do the same to the lining.
Once the lining is put together you'll add boning to each of the seams of lining only. Then you will place the lining and the main fabric bodice pieces together right sides facing and sew together across the top and side seams leaving a gap open at the top of each strap. What about the bottom you say? Hold tight we will finish that with bias tape.
Before we get there we will close the strap by turning the bodice inside out and feeding the back strap through the wrong side of the front so that they are laying on top of each other. Make sure that your strap is not twisted and is laying in the same direction. Then sew raw edges of strap. Once you turn it inside out you should have a clean finished strap.
Once everything is turned right side out and all edges except the bottom are clean finished, you can add boning to the center back edge for more structure by sandwiching it between the main fabric and lining by top stitching. This is optional but I like to add it for more structure since I'll be adding grommets.
Now to finish the bottom edge you can use pre made bias tape or cut strips from the leftover made fabric and create bias tape. You'll use the bias tape to enclose the raw edges of your corset.
Then we'll take a button hole ruler and create the markings for your grommets 1/4 in from the edge on the center back. I then used a wood burner to create slight holes where the markings were and opened up the holes with a seam ripper. Then I used my grommet kit to create the grommets and finally use shoe laces to lace up the back of the corset and you're done.
Overall a pretty easy project. The hardest thing to do is probably making the inital pattern, but even that is mostly just the time it takes. I am considering selling these as well, so if sewing is not for you or you'd rather have one premade let me know!!
Hope everyone has a brilliant week.
