Warning: Self-flagellation ahead, but warranted, I think you’ll agree after seeing the pix.
I’m on take 3 of the ren corset. Take 2 is crumpled somewhere in a ball in the sewing room. I’d stuff it in the fireplace and burn it for warmth, but I’m concerned about adding particulates to the atmosphere. Coutil ash could be considered pollution.
Yesterday I managed to bind the bottom edge of #3 (and before dinner, even). Although it’s hard to say if I should have bothered. I did it on the machine — I know, I know, a questionable move at best. But my hand-sewing is so poor, I figured it couldn’t be that bad. Ha hah! I should know better.
It doesn’t look so bad from a distance, just wait for it…
Ren corset, mock 3
I used a very narrow pink bias tape, thinking narrow would be easier to get around the corners. But narrow also made it harder to keep folded over all the edges. Doh! So on pretty much all of the tab ends, the binding slipped past the edge of the fabric a bit. Plus the corners were all wonky, clunky, sloppy, and ugly. But I went so slowly and carefully! *sigh*
Then you get up close and personal…
My crappy sewing #1
That’s one of my shitty tabs, showing how I tried to fix it. First, I did a couple lines of straight stitching to close off the channels. Then I realized this still didn’t solve the issue of the binding hanging off the edge of the fabric. so I used a wide zig-zag-but-not-really stitch. Over and over again. Real purty. NOT. And just for consistency’s sake, I did it on each tab.
And it wasn’t only the tab ends that sucked. The inner corners were ugly too.
My crappy sewing #2
I just couldn’t get it folded/curved/smudged around nicely. Is there some trick to that? Or is that another indication I should not be allowed to sew corsets?
Now I’m thinking I’ll go back and put the regular-width pink bias tape (I bought both) over this crap. I measured for boning using the regular-width stuff on top and bottom, just in case. Ugh.
I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck I suck.
And now you all have clinching proof of my lameness. It’s no false modesty, folks. I barely squeak my way around most of this sewing stuff. I’m a designer by nature, not a craftsperson.
Note: It was at that this point that many fine and lovely people gave much useful advice on how to bind a tabbed corset the right way, which basically amounted to “do it by hand,” you numbskull. Thank you all 🙂