The Great Pattern Review
Mantua Maker
#1500-4 - Quilted Pair of Bodies 1550-1630
Paula Larkin Hutton - Recommended
This is the third corset I've made and by far the easiest. It's well within the reach of someone with intermediate sewing skills, and probably even a competent beginner. I made the front opening variation with heavily boned with bamboo. If you use bamboo other round boning, the pattern directions suggest you make it a size larger and you do indeed need to do this. I did, and this made my muslin a guess rather than a fit. Despite this, the corset fits well, with only a slight gap in the upper back between the shoulder blades. I'm very pleased with the corset. The bamboo was easy to work with. I sewed the channels and cut bamboo skewers to fit with my heavy duty rose pruning shears. If you do this, be sure to use eye protection, because the tips fly all over the place.
#1700-1 - Georgian Stays 1720-1790
Lorraine Carson - Recommended
This was a very straightforward pattern that came out very pretty when finished. The pattern pieces, themselves, are quite simple. The challenge is the extent of boning, so be prepared to break needles and be patient. However, I think that an average sewer could make it up quite nicely. Note that, as with all corsets, the close fit requires a lot of "on the body" adjustment. Lorraine's Stays are shown in the photo to the right.
Lisa Carmody - Not Recommended
I had a lot trouble with this pattern. I could not get it to work and finally gave up.
Wendy Moyer - Not Recommended
This pattern was very difficult from the get go. I made the mock up in the correct size and had to add anywhere from 5 to 12" to make the 3" gap in the back and this was using the pattern's size chart. The lining and tab padding was difficult but thankfully I had read the reviews on this page about it so I had expected a difficult task. I opted to do a one piece lining using the rest of the stays as the draft; then I did the sewing of the edges with the cover and then slipped it in (as was another's idea on this page). When I was finished the item was nice but to much trouble to do again.
Sabrina Udell - Not Recommended for anyone who values their sanity.
I had quite the ordeal with this pattern. The interlining was not much of a problem and the directions for sewing it were very clear and detailed. However, when I got to the point where I had to attach the cover fabric, everything started to go wrong. I ended up making THREE muslin mock-ups of the cover fabric and lining layers before I latched onto something that would work.
1st Try, Following the Pattern: When I went to attach the tab lining pieces to the cover fabric, they simply did not fit together properly, and when I went to turn them, what I was left with was awful looking! Besides, the 1/8 (!) seam allowances would never work on the tapestry fabric that I had chosen for the cover fabric. What's more, the interlining didn't fit into the little pockets and left the top edge way too short.
2nd Try, Modified Pattern: I went back and re-cut the cover fabric pattern pieces, re-sizing them along the top edges and along the . I also modified the length and shape of the tab lining pieces and sewed them onto the individual cover fabric pieces, turned them and then sewed the cover fabric together. That turned out a little better than the original directions, but not by much. At least the interlining fit into the pockets this time; however, I found that the finished construction was still quite rough and would require substantial reinforcement on the lower edges of the seams. In addition, when I looked at the top edge, even with my lengthening, it would still be WAY too short with my chosen fabric (which was quite prone to fraying, in spite of fray-check). I would have to bind it with bias tape; which would be fine, were it not for the way the straps figured into the construction! At this point, I was so glad I'd made this up in cheap muslin instead of the $150 per yard fabric! To add insult to injury, when I tried to see how the lining would fit the pattern, none of the seams lined up right, and I would have ended up having to seal the edges between the lining and the tab lining pieces with ribbon or bias tape.
3rd Try, Creative Problem Solving: I ended up making the pattern pieces slightly bigger along the edges and cutting one set for the cover fabric and one set for the lining. Once each set was together, I sewed the bottom and side edges together, turned and pressed and then popped the interlining in between. Worked like a dream! When I made it up in the actual fabric, I had plenty of length at the top to turn under and allow for the pattern's strap construction. The pattern recommends using an awl to make grommet holes. Don't do it. My awl broke on the first attempt to wiggle through five layers of fabric. I used my normal grommet hole cutter; that worked just fine. I did, however, cover the metal grommets with thread for a more period look. In the end, the stays looked alright, but not how I expected them to look.
#1810-3 - Regency Corset 1800-1820
Katherine Caron-Greig - Recommended
The corset was very simple to make. I had read that the pattern ran small, so I added about 2" to each center back piece. This worked fine since the front piece fit nicely. It's amazing how much better a Regency dress looks with the corset (and the smooth line it gives) underneath. I would recommend using a slightly flexible busk though, mine is very stiff and I can't lace the corset tightly enough when it's in, which causes the corset to ride up which is rather uncomfortable. The corset still works without the busk though, and is extremely comfortable. Pictured on the left.
Monique Motyl - Recommended
It is a good corset pattern but, it is tricky. You must make a muslin first because you'll probably need to make adjustments in the gussets. The Regency corset is very long; if you have large hips, you'll want to add hip gussets at each side. Regency corsets were quilted but, there are no instructions for quilting. This is a significant omission. A friend did the research for me in books and on the Internet to find examples. She found a few and we used those to created the quilted panels. It is an extremely comfortable corset. If you're a large size and have felt the Regency line is not flattering to you, this corset will change your mind. In creating the proper silhouette and shaping the body, it is extremely flattering. Pictured on the right.
Alessandra Kelley - Recommended with a caveat.
This is a useful pattern. The instructions are clear, well-illustrated, and good-humored. The pattern pieces fit together perfectly. Unfortunately, the pattern seems to run small. Size 10, which is supposed to fit a 37" bust with 1" to 4" of spring (i.e. the lacing gap) at the back, produces a garment only 29" wide at the bust line. It works, but one a tad larger might have been an improvement. Apart from that this is a very user-friendly pattern.
#1880-4 - Bustle 1880s
Frances Grimble
I made the long version. This is really a demi-crinoline and, in my opinion, should be about ankle length to support a heavy 1880's skirt. The unaltered pattern length is just right for me (I'm 4'9"), meaning most people will have to lengthen it. The finished bustle gives the perfect look for original 1880's dresses from the height (or should I say width) of the bustle era.
#1880-8 - Combinations 1880-1890s
Janet Canning - Recommended
A good pattern. Be sure to select a thin fabric. It will be more comfortable to wear and not add bulk. Janet is wearing her combinations in the photo on the left.
Lorraine Carson - Recommended
Adorable. Not exactly easy, but straightforward and fun to wear. Pictured on the right.
#1880-11 - Foundation Skirt 1870-1891
Kendra Van Cleave - Recommended
This was a straightforward pattern with clear instructions. The pattern pieces were printed on heavy paper and were clearly marked. The construction was simple. I put in the yoke for the 1880s aggressive bustle and had some trouble making that fit the waistline. I eventually had to cut off some of the yoke at the waistline to make it fit. The rest of the pattern pieces matched each other and went together easily. I didn't have any problems with the low waistline shifting on me.
#1880-20 - Apron Overskirt/Waterfall 1870-1890
Trystan L. Bass
This pattern is best described by a Victorian quote included in the instructions: "draping is a fine art." One you can't necessarily learn from a pattern. The instructions were confusing to me, and the large, unwieldy pattern pieces weren't clearly marked. Mostly, I put it together by trial and error; cutting apart of pieces, and random pinning and poufing till it looked how I wanted. This pattern is more of a suggestion about how one might make a poufed bustle overskirt; for much of it, I was on my own. But it all worked out in the end (pun intended).