Foundations Revealed 5 Senses Competition - dress diary part 10

Now onto the binding. This was not going to be easy, given the curves and angles involved. I didn’t want to use bought bias as it is either poly/cotton or the cotton is too cheap, but matching the colour was going to be tricky. In the end, I had a roll of satin metallic bias I had bought from a clothing manufacturer selling off bolts of fabric and haberdashery, and the quality and colour was just what I wanted.

I machined the right side, and hand stitched on the wrong. Again, this called for a lot of pins, and this was one occasion when I couldn’t have sewn it without them!

I always start with the top edge, insert the boning, then do the bottom edge. I used steel boning on the center front and two rows on the center back to support the lacing. For the rest, I used spiral boning, and even though I have loads of pre-tipped, none fitted – boo! But I have plenty of rolls on hand, so cut it to size.

At great expense (seriously it was a huge palava, and ended up costing a bomb!) I bought a tipping tool for my press. These things are not easy to find, and once I actually had one in my hot little hand, what do you know, it just isn’t great. An article I read suggested using electrical tubing, which is generally what I turn to now, and works a treat. I alternate between using a heat gun (which gets so hot it melts more than the tubing) and my crème brulee blow torch. Today, I used the blow torch, and didn’t scorch the plastic – too much.

Foundations Revealed 5 Senses Competition - dress diary part 9

But first a bit about the pattern matching, which was one of the challenges of this corset. I knew it would be pretty good, given that I had made it in paper first. Fabric is softer to work with than paper, and it proved to be quite easy, which was nice. In fact, there were only two sections that needed to be matched, as the corset is quite small, and in order to fit all the panels, I was forced to restrict how much I could show off! Probably a good thing too, as being smug always leads to disaster! Anyway, here are section from the front:

Foundations Revealed 5 Senses Competition - dress diary part 8

Day 2:

Because I like a sweetheart shape at the front, I reinforce the busk with steel boning. This also serves to secure the waist tape neatly, and avoids bulk when I insert the busk; and if the colour doesn’t match the outer, it doesn’t matter as it doesn’t show.

 A bit about boning channels. I have experimented a lot with different materials. Bias binding is too fine, even though it will bend nicely to curves, and I have tried the ones below: a cotton tape, a twill tape, and cotton channel tape. The cotton channels are idea in many ways; strong enough to not let the boning rub, easy to sew in (has neat bonded edges), plenty of room to insert boning, and can be dyed. Except that it is quite stiff, and not easy over curves like bust shaping.

But this is what I chose anyway, and even though I have an aversion to pins, I used several to hold it in place and manipulate it around the bust shape (this corset has a C cup). I like to sew the waist tape over the channels; it could go under with this type of tape, as the tube means boning doesn’t get stuck at the middle, but I like how this looks.

When it was time for the back lacing panel, I sewed the center back and edge stitched, pressed it flat, and sewed a parallel seam for the steel boning. I then sewed it the rest of the corset, securing the waist tape. Before I stitched the last channel down, I inserted a piece of plastic (from a plastic sleeve file) to support the eyelets.

And then I was ready to bind the edges!

Foundations Revealed 5 Senses Competition - dress diary part 7

Ok, I walked away and had a nap, then couldn’t resist! I had to get the busk in, if nothing else that day :)

I felt a fission of excitement sitting at the sewing machine, I don’t know why I get so much more excited sewing corsets than other garments. There is always something to learn with each new project, and I guess I feel I am really only on the cusp of understanding the extent of construction, and have been developing my own style for only a year.

I start with the busk, partly because it is at the front, and seems a logical place to start, but also because I never tire of the process: it seems like magic once it is in. I have found some lovely black steel busks, and I used a 12” one for this corset.

As I have said, I love ‘things’, gadgets or tools that make the process that much more fun. A student gave me one of these pens, which is genius! You can draw on fabric, and it disappears with heat (ironing), and it comes in loads of colours! Joy! I still don’t quite trust it, but it works every time, and is fantastic for sewing. Not so much for homework, my student told me: a child had used one for a story, and the teacher loved it so much she laminated it… and it all disappeared… So there is a word of caution!

For this, I drew the gaps for the loops, and because I could, the straight edges well!

After I sew them, I normally just press them. This time I decided to edge stitch, using two variations to suit each side of the busk. This worked really well, and kept the edges super straight for the insertion. I am not a fan of topstitching in general, but love edge stitching.

I use an awl to make the holes for the studs, then a knitting needle to force the fabric apart. The sateen was quite strong with the interfacing, and required a bit of effort.

Now I can rest!

Foundations Revealed 5 Senses Competition - dress diary part 6

So I couldn’t hold back! I have the all clear to drive, and using a sewing machine isn’t so different – is it?! The key is to pace myself, which is hard, being a tad obsessive.

Day 1: I bonded woven interfacing to the fabric. The cotton sateen is nice and strong, but I wanted to be super safe. I did it as a whole piece because the patterns were printed really close together, and cut it out after. I am so happy with my new/old ironing press, it made the whole process much smoother.

I then cut out a layer of coutil, which is quite fine, but as this is a single layer corset, is not a problem.

In a show of great self-control, I walked away from the pieces even though they were calling to be sewn up!

Foundations Revealed 5 Senses Competition - dress diary part 5

The competition requires that the corset has a name... but what to call it?! I have struggled over this one, what word or phrase will encompass all that it means to me?

There is more to the human experience than the five senses, as individual elements; we have the ability to balance ourselves, we feel pressure, temperature, pain and motion, which involved the coordination of all the senses. We have proprioceptive sensors which are affected by gravity and stretch sensors found in muscles, skin and joints and enable us to feel our context in our surroundings.

Pondering these ideas, I contemplated what it means to wear a corset: it is not simply a garment for fashion, it is a choice, a desire, a drive or a need. It emboldens women (or men), it has a force in itself that impacts the viewer, it creates a hyper awareness for the wearer of their body, and yes, all their senses.

And then it came to me:

Synesthesia

Synesthesia is the phenomenon in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another.

Wearing this corset, I am aware of myself in a different light, and when others try it on, I see the same effect. So there it is, my corset is named: Synesthesia - a union of the senses.