Binding 18th Century Stays--An Abbreivated Tutorial

After writing my 1780s stays tutorial, I realized that there was one part that was probably more helpful than anything else--binding the stays. I don't take credit for this binding method, rather Nicole, of Diary of a Mantua Maker told me about it, and I was later lucky enough to see it done on extant 18th century stays in Lara Corset's collection.

If you've ever wondered how 18th century stays had such a narrow binding, this is how. Instead of cutting all layers to the edge and binding, a seam allowance was left on the top layer of the stays, which was then wrapped to the wrong side and hemmed, essentially binding the stays before adding the binding.


Here's the seam allowance on the top of the stays. Right now, it's all layers of the fabric. Inserting the boning is much easier this way.


Only the inner layers of the stays are cut. The top layer seam allowance is left in place.

Sew the panels of the stays together. No need to do it by hand like I did, unless you're like me and actually think it's fun to hand sew stays!


Once the panels are sewn together, fold the excess seam allowance to the wrong side and hem it to the lining.


Here it is from the right side. Now, when you bind the stays, you're not doing it to finish the edge because it's already finished, but rather binding to finish the edge more nicely and provide a little extra strength at the seams.


Bind the stays however you like. I used ultrasuede (also on Nicole's recommendation!). I'm afraid to get the truly narrow binding though, it does have to be done by hand. You want to catch the top of the hem more than anything else.


And nice, tiny binding, just like real 18th century stays!

1780s Stays

Before making these stays, I already had two hand sewn pairs of 18th century stays. It's completely logical to need a third, right? I enjoy making stays though, and a long term hand sewing project is always nice to have.

I have an in depth post on construction here. The short version is they're made of wool, linen buckram, reed, metal boning and artificial whalebone and are based on the 1798 jumps in Corsets by Jill Salen.


It's very nice to have front lacing stays! I can lace myself into back lacing stays, but don't really like doing it. I kept the back lacing so they'd be adjustable. Stays usually stretch, and a perfectly closing set of front lacing stays usually doesn't stay that way forever.


I'm quite pleased with the shape of these stays. Usually my corsets are interchangeable, but I actually had to make adjustments to my bodice muslin for these stays. As annoying as patterning is, it was a welcome change :)

1780s Stays--A Tutorial!

For my robe a la piemontaise and redingote, I decided I wanted new stays. I wanted them to be a little different than my other stays, so I decided on front lacing (though this wasn't the most common form of stays) and strapless.

I used the 1798 jumps in Corsets by Jill Salen as a starting point. I combined two pattern pieces and made them without the alterations. I wanted them half boned, but used these stays as my main inspiration for boning channels. My stays are made of a layer of purple wool from Burnley and Trowbridge, a gift from a friend (thank you!), two layers of linen buckram from William Booth, Draper, and lined with linen check from Burnley and Trowbridge. They're bound in ultrasuede, which I bought an eighth of a yard of on eBay. They're boned with reed, which I cut in half to make narrower. There are two reeds in most channels. The front and back lacing areas are reinforced with either metal or plastic artificial whalebone. All the sewing is done with linen thread, though I wish I had used silk!

I need to thank Nicole, of Diary of a Mantua Maker for not only the ultrasuede suggestion (I was looking for a non leather alternative), but for explaining just how 18th century stays managed to have such a narrow binding--the outer fabric seam allowance was basted over the edges. I was lucky enough to see this on an extant set of stays in Lara Corset's collection.

More pictures of the completed stays can be found here.


I started by tracing my pattern and boning channel placement onto the wool outer layer. 


I then basted the pieces to two layers of linen buckram, and cut them leaving a wide allowance.  The basting stitches can be seen on the left.  After sewing all the channels, I trimmed again, leaving a seam allowance on all edges.


After inserting the boning, I trimmed away the linen seam allowance on just the neckline, underarm and waistline.



Here are the trimmed pieces.  You can see the excess wool on to and bottom.  To prepare the pieces for sewing, I basted the seam allowances down to the linen. 


The pieces are sewn together using a closely spaced whipstitch. 


Here's what it looks like when it's sewn together.  Once all the pieces were sewn, I folded the excess wool over the top and basted it to the linen.  This basically binds the stays. 


Here it is from the inside.  You can't wrap the wool perfectly around the tabs because of the way they're cut, but it does help!


I lined the tabs separately in ultrasuede based on this example at 18th Century Stays. I cut the ultrasuede to the shape of the tabs, and then trimmed.

Before binding, I sewed a 1/8" piece of cotton tape to each seam.  This was common on stays.


Here they are trimmed. The lining goes all the way to the edge of each tab.


Then it was time for binding!  The ultrasuede has a firm edge, so you don't need to turn it under.  Since it's sewn through the fold of the wool, you can make it very narrow from the outside. 


Here's the binding partially sewn on.  I like the sew the tabs first since they're so annoying :)


The binding is turned in, as normal, and whipstitched to the back of the stays. 


And here it is, half done!


Since the tabs are already lined, the lining itself is quite easy.  It doesn't need to be seamed--tracing the finished stays works fine!


The edges of the lining are turned under, and it's whipstitched in.  It doesn't cover the eyelets and it covers the edge of the binding, making it easy to replace if necessary. 


Completed stays front!


And back!