How I draft a corset pattern - in a simplified way
The other day I posted on Instagram that I had finally completed one of my longest sewing projects to date, namely a corset. I used the book Stays & Corsets - Mandy Barrington (not sponsored in any way) and drew up the pattern and sewed a corset inspired by the 1890s.
The project started at the end of February 2021 and finished last week (in my defense, I was actually pregnant for a large part of that time with several miscarriages, so when the little one chose to stay, the project also stopped). Although I'm not quite back to the measurements I had when I drew up the first pattern, it actually fit perfectly, although in a weak moment I happened to draw away the silhouette that the era is known for. But even though the end result wasn't perfect, I learned a lot along the way. For example, I discovered this method for drafting the corset pattern.
If you follow the book's instructions, there are a lot of pre-steps to the drawing process that involve a lot of math, many angles, etc. When I drew my first corset, I started according to the book's instructions but got tired of it pretty quickly because it's difficult and actually incredibly time-consuming. So instead I started to see if there was a way to make this easier. I follow most seamstresses on YouTube slavishly and one of them is Bella Mae Design who is best known for her fascination with Cinderella's dress from the live action film. In addition to being an incredibly talented seamstress, she showed how she drafted one of her corsets - although not entirely applicable in this case so I refined the method further to make it work.
This guide doesn't give you as precise a drafting as it would if you had drawn everything according to the book, but it still gives you enough to get a good draft that you can work on and make small adjustments. I usually count on creating at least one test garment with whatever pattern I make, which can be adjusted along the way.
So if you're keen to draw a corset (or maybe even another piece of clothing), this method can help you along the way.
You need
- Before you can start drawing, you need someone picture of the pattern parts to start from, you can find them online for free but also in various books. If you are lucky, your library may have a corset book at home or you can take it home.
- A larger paper surface to draw the pattern on. I used the kind of paper you use to protect the floor when painting.
- Pens (preferably in different colors/thicknesses)
- Rulers are used to advantage, including curve rulers and quilting rulers.
- Calculator
- Measuring tape
1. Measure your body
A corset is very tight and in order for it to be comfortable and fit your body, it also needs to be designed accordingly. Therefore, start by measuring the following measurements: bust, neck to waist (on the back) and waist to hip (measured on the side of the body).
2. Calculate and draw a rectangle
Your bust measurement/2+2.5 cm = width of the rectangle
2.5 cm + neck to waist measurement + waist to hip = height of rectangle
Once you have drawn this out, it is time to print the image onto the pattern. In my case, I copied a pattern on a corset inspired by the 1890s (this time, however, a sports corset). 
3. Draw guide lines
Now it's time to draw some guide lines on the pattern (both on the picture of the pattern pieces that you will enlarge) but also on the sheet of paper with what will become the actual pattern. The neckline is drawn 2.5 cm from the top edge. The waist line is drawn according to the measurement for neck to waist that you measured in step 1. And finally, you draw the bust line by taking the measurement for neck to waist/2 + 1.3 cm. I draw the lines with a lighter pencil so that they are most clearly visible.
I also mark out what is CB = Central Back and what is CF = Central Front.
On my copied pattern, these lines are already drawn, but I will clarify them.
4. Draw grid
Now that the guidelines for the neck, bust and waist are drawn, I start by drawing a grid on the printed paper of the pattern pieces. From the book, I find that a grid that is 1x1 cm is just right.
Once I have drawn it out in both directions, I calculate how many squares there are in width and height on the paper. If it is a square that is not quite full, I measure the number of millimeters it measures. In this case, my width was 16.3 squares and my height was 14 squares.
Then I take the width of the rectangle and divide it by the number of squares. In my case, it is therefore 52.5 cm / 16.3 = 3.22 cm.
I then do the same with the height. In my case, it is therefore 67.5 cm / 14 = 4.82 cm.
Next, on the pattern sheet, I mark up all 16.3 squares in width that are 3.22 cm wide and 4.82 cm high on all 14 squares.
I have a fairly long torso so my squares don't turn out perfectly square. I basically always have to extend all the patterns I sew for myself so this is nothing unusual.
This is what my grid looks like now that it's finished. Now it's time to draw out the pattern pieces.
5. Draw out the pattern pieces for the corset
This is the trickiest part of the drawing itself. Do you remember the craft books that you sometimes had as a child? There were sometimes pictures on a grid that you were supposed to imitate, the principle here is the same. When I draw the pattern parts, I check how many squares wide a part is and also how many squares high it is. I therefore mark out, for example, corners on the corset or sometimes distances where I see that the lines change with a cross/dot. I am extra careful with the line at the waist and bust. On this particular corset that I am drawing in the example, the corset goes under the bust and then that line plays quite a small role, but in most cases the pattern parts run over there too.
When I have marked out along, for example, the side line, I then use the ruler and draw between the points as best I can. If the marking is curved, I use the curved ruler to make it look nice. If it is straight, I use a regular ruler.
To make it easier for myself, I also draw lines between where I end certain pattern parts. The bottom and top edges of pattern parts 5 & 6 should sort of fit in so the height there should be the same. As well as between pattern parts 4 and 5. I apply both of these techniques to draw out the entire pattern and all pattern parts.
Once the entire pattern is drawn, I fine-tune the lines so that it is extra smooth and neat before I finish my first draft. Keep in mind that seam allowances are not included in the pattern, so they must be added afterwards before you cut out your corset. I hope this guide was helpful to you and that you might even get inspired to draw up your own corset pattern and sew.
