1780s Front Lacing Stays

1780sGeorgian

Mar 19

{ For those that prefer video and audio I made a YouTube video about this creation as well. }

Although I love my 1770s “Augusta” Stays I really wanted a pair of stays I could get into easily myself and therefore turned to Redthreaded’s 1780s Front-Lacing Stays (1). I have had much luck with Redthreaded in the past and have two readymade corsets from them and one made from their selection of printed pattern 1860s Gorded Corset. Because I have had so much luck with Redthreaded in the past I didn’t make a mockup and jumped right into the real deal.

My fabric choices for this pair of stays was simple cotton canvas (2) and red linen (3) for the fashion layer. An addition I made to the pattern not mentioned in the material list in the addition of linen tape (4) covering the seams, a historical detail I enjoyed on my 1770s “Augusta” Stays.

**bias tape sewn onto the bottom of the stays**

The first step was to cut out the strength layer (the canvas) and mark the boning channels. The strength layer was then pinned onto the fashion layer (the linen) which was cut roughly around it, a trick I learned from watching Angela Clayton. The next step was that all boning channels were sewn in contrasting white thread.

After the boning channels were sewn, I cut the fashion layer down to their proper size. I then sewed on the straps and bound the top of the stays in a similar manner. After the stays were bound, I used a 6mm cotton twill tape and hand-stitched it over the seam lines for strength as well as aesthetic purposes. (7)

**new eyelet placement meant for spiral lacing**

The next step was to sew the eyelets. But before I sewed the eyelets, I had to change the spacing of them, because the pattern was meant to laced using a crisscross manner while I wanted to lace them using a spiral lacing pattern. (I used this blog post on how to accomplish that- 8) After I changed the eyelets spacing, I used an awl to pierce the fabric and white buttonhole twist to sew the eyelets. A cotton cord as used as lacing.

**view of the final stays, minus eyelets ;)**

Georgian1780sstaysunderwearlinenAmerican Revolution

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