Category Archives: Romantic Era

1830-40´s Corset

IMG_5243All tunnels stiched? Now it is time to add the cording. The technique is called Trapunto, that means you add the cords after stitching the tunnels. This is a time-consuming and exhausting work, nobody told it would be easy. You can avoid this step with adding each piece of cord after you stitched one side of the tunnel, then make the second seam beside the cord. The result will be smoother with the Trapunto technique.
For adding the cord, I threaded a blunt point needle with a strong buttonhole thread, make a couple of stitches through the end of the cord. To harden the cord´s end I used glue and let it dry for some hours.
Widen the holes with an awl. If you have problems pulling through the cord you can widen the tunnel with the awl first.
Pull the cord through the tunnel, the end should just slip into. Cut off the cord close to the fabric and shove the end back into the tunnel with your awl.

 

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1830-40´s Corset

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When I decided to make a new 1830´s corset, I thought a lot about the lacing first. My old one had a back and front lacing; nevertheless, I had trouble to pull it over my hips or my head, struggling with all that mess of lacing cord. I asked my husband for help, but every closure more complex than a zipper causes him shaking and sweating hands. This year I´m going to join our summer ball alone, with no helping hand available. Searching the internet, I found this interesting self-lacing corset:

 

https://collections.lacma.org/node/233817

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1840s Tailcoat Part 4

Collar and Sleeves 

I basted together all layers along neckline; that means the basic layer is the top itself, then along the front neckline the interlining and along the back neckline the cotton lining. The seam allowances of the facings are already turned in and the edge basted to the stitching line. I prepared the collar with canvas pad stitched to the fashion fabric. With the hot iron, I stretched the top and bottom edges and pressed in the roll line.

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1840s Tailcoat Part 3 / 1840er Tailcoat Teil 3

The Tails / Die Schößchen

Let´s continue with this picture: this are the back parts already sewn together. You can see the seam allowance of the vent turned in and catch stitched to fix it. You will see small stitches on the right fabric side, but that doesn´t matter, it was usual on men´s clothing during the Regency and Romantic period.

 

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