The Bitch-Goddess Success. ([info]nighthellcat) wrote in [info]corsetmakers,
@ 2005-05-10 05:16:00
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Current mood: artistic
Current music:Sparkling Diamonds - Moulin Rouge OST
Entry tags:materials, technique

Busks. (I didn't see anything on this in the memories, I swear.)
Ok, I am embarking on my very first corset making adventure. And I'm curious to know how to know how long of a busk to buy. The length of the area with be 13" even. Is there any more information you might need to help me? If not, would I want one that length exactly, one significantly shorter (and if so, why?) or what?

Comments? Suggestions? Anybody? Bueller?


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[info]cherryheavy
2005-05-10 11:44 am UTC (link)
When I measure for bones and busks, I measure the length of the garment, and take off 1 inch, which gives .5 inch on top and bottom for binding.

If the busk is a little bit too short, the bottom and/or the top will tend to pull apart visibly way too much when the corset is being worn.

Bones should be as close to the binding as possible, as well, because of warping and strange wrinkling and whatnot.

I suggest using spare fabric to make practise bone channels, because it's very easy to make them too small. I like to make my boning channels the width of the bone plus 1/8th inch. The more snuggly they fit, the better, because they will sometimes twist in their casing, and not lay flat.

You may also want to practise putting the busk together. And mark the top of *everything* until you get familiar with which piece if which, and which end is up.

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[info]kangas_sewing
2005-05-10 11:46 am UTC (link)
You need to make sure you have enough room top and bottom for whatever seams and/or binding involved. You'll probably need about 3-5cm in total for this, so subtract that from the full length of the front, then round down to the nearest size busk you can get. If there's a significant difference, you might want to buy bones to go underneath the busk. (Generally speaking busks I've seen come in 20-21mm (1") increments, pre-cut bones in 10-15mm (1/2") increments.

It sounds like you'll need a 12" busk, but you probably want to check with your measurements.

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[info]mrpet
2005-05-10 01:35 pm UTC (link)
I agree on the 1" less approach. If you accidentally have a busk that it a tad bit too long you can cut/grind off the excess and re-tip it with some tooldip or equiv. I had a design were I totally spaced and forgot the seam allowances on the top/bottom and ended up with a busk that was an 1" too long. It wasn't a problem to cut off the extra. It meant that the top and bottom eye was a lot closer to the edge than normal but if you weren't looking you wouldn't notice. Bolt cutters are your friend!

On the subject of boning channels...the channel needs to be way bigger for spiral bones than for straight steels. The straight steels can go into a channel that is almost the same size, the spirals need quite a bit of wiggle room. I made a corset once for flat steels and changed my mind just before binding off. I couldn't slide the spirals in by themselves. I ended up taping them to a longer flat steel to make them stiff enough to ram in and then removed the flat steel.

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[info]cherryheavy
2005-05-10 05:57 pm UTC (link)
Oooh. That is a really good idea.

I generally don't have too much of an issue with the spiral in a tight spot, but sometimes it's frustrating.

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[info]mrpet
2005-05-10 06:01 pm UTC (link)
Before I hit upon the taping the sprial to the flat approach people in orbit could hear my screams :) I wasn't about to remove all of the channels since I sew mine through the entire stackup (fully lined) They would have showed up as a huge mistake if the needle broke threads.

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[info]cherryheavy
2005-05-10 06:06 pm UTC (link)
Yeigh! I am constantly pulling stitches out, but I just sew heavy channels to a shell of flatlined fashion fabric and heavy core fabric.

I've started sliding the appropriate kind of bone inside each channel when it is done, and pulling it back out, to see if I need to do any unstitching.

God, I hate unstitching.

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[info]scoundrelle
2005-05-10 04:15 pm UTC (link)
like everyone else said... though i've found sometimes that i dont have the right length handy (mostly when im making corsets for myself) and the closest i have is exactly the length of the fabric... so i use it anyhow, and and-sew the binding at top and bottom around the busk. i kind of like the sturdy feeling it gives the busk.

*note* make sure you measure your fabric piece at the point where the busk will actually be laying, not in the seam allowance: ie, if you have seam allowance of 5/8" like on most commercial patterns, go inward on the piece by that amount and measure. the curving along the top and the bottom of the corset can alter the original measurement.

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[info]cherryheavy
2005-05-10 06:09 pm UTC (link)
Now, do you sew the part that goes over the busk by hand? That does sound like a really great way to keep your front straight (which I have problems with sometimes) at top and bottom. I do worry about having the fabric of the binding loosen up, or get pulled on too much.

Do you use a blind stitch across the busk?

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[info]scoundrelle
2005-05-10 06:14 pm UTC (link)
yeah, i just make small stitches, (tons of them) to secure the binding (in my case, bias tape) down around the busk. it gives a really clean look to the piece, and allows me to shape the corner as i see fit, which is especially nice when im making a nixia (gothic underbust with pointed edges). i haven't had a problem with any of them coming loose, since i never really pull on those edges when putting on or taking off the corset.

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[info]laracorsets
2005-05-10 05:48 pm UTC (link)
I usually use busks 1" shorter than the finisned center front length as well. I often place the busk closer to 1/4" from the top edge and the shape of the bottom center front edge of the corset will determine how close to the binding edge you can go.
The only reason I can think of (other than designer's choice) to use a busk shorter than the front length of the corset is if you are making a period correct late Edwardian or Teens corset.
Edwardian corsets were longer by about 1908ish. The bottom edge of the corset extended well past the hip line into the teens. Because of this the busks were shorter than the front of the corset. Busks would end at about the crotch line to allow the wearer to sit without snapping the busk. Below the busk the front opening had either laces or hooks to remain closed.
There is a great deal of pressure placed on the top and bottom edge of the busk. The fabric will often try to pull away from the busk creating an ugly gap. Manu of my antique corsets from the teens are torn at the bottom edge of the busk from the pressure.

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[info]electradesigns
2005-05-10 10:32 pm UTC (link)
I measure my pattern for the center front panel. First I draw in my seam allowance. then I draw in a seam allowance of .5" on the top and bottom and measure between the lines. If it's a weird number, I go with a shorter busk, never a longer one. The length really depends on how dramatic the curve is on the top and bottom edges, so you really must measure within the seam allowances (make sure you allow room for the entire width of the busk). if the center fornt of your corset is really pointed, for example, you will need a shirter busk than if it were straight or rounded, because you don't want the busk to interfere with your binding.

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