Stays notes

[totchipanda]

I was Very Bad at taking stay-making notes from my many attempts earlier this year. Here's an attempt at catching up.

Stay pattern: Augusta by Scroop

First attempt: size 38? Curvy. Shortened by 1" all over. TOO SHORT! Very sad about this as I put a lot of hand work into it. Will likely finish them off and sell them.

Second attempt: same pattern/size, but let the shortened inch out and took a bit of width out of the front (rather awkwardly)

Third: Removed side front panel from the 2nd version and replaced it with a boned panel, likely a size 42?

Fourth: straight up 42, lengthened by 1", unboned shell. FAR too large in the bust. Back placed on fold, so gap allowed is 3". Waist snug.

Fifth? traced new front panels, lengthened 1", size 40 at bust and grading out to 46 at waist. Unboned shell.Put the new fronts on the 4th backs. Waist is OK, bust too big

Sixth? Sewed 1/8" in on all seams. Bust better. Large fold across lower back.

7th? Retraced backs, at pattern length. Added 1" on SF side of side back piece ONLY. Marked all pieces for 36 bust and graded out to 46 waist. Recut and attached to new fronts. Back had to be cut apart, so stitched 1/2" seam. 2" gap. Bust too tight, waist snug. Wrinkle across right side only (this is my high hip, thanks to a first spraining of my right ankle at age 7).

Tried third mock up on again. Back closes at top, and it feels too short maybe? The underarm and front horns are good. The back is too wide. The compression point hits at the top of my belly, which is above my belly button (where most patterns put the waist at), and cause the flappies of the side front pieces to fold back up on themselves. I probably need a more triangle shaped piece, smaller at the top and wider at the bottom, to make it work.

I've also come to realize that most patterns are built for B-cup bodies that are evenly distributed. I have small ribs and a narrow (ish) back, plus all my squishy bits are um forward projecting. If I chose a size for my bust based on my underbust sizing, and then grade for an "even" waist (if my belly was flatter) and THEN make adjustments for a full bust and belly... sometimes I get close. I've only JUST started doing this so it's highly experimental and it's a pain in my ass. No wonder people are often put off by modern sewing.

Staymaking resources welcome... I'm going to get POF5 soon, but for now I'm muddling through on my own.

Comments

[mala_14]

Fitting stays is very finicky! I find that people tend to not give themselves enough space in the boobs and, especially if one is short-waisted, enough of a swooping curve out at the back waist-to-hip. Those were things that helped me get a good fit on my stays. Good luck with your epic stays quest!

[totchipanda]

Thank you! I agree that there's not usually enough room in patterns and we all seem to collectively think that imperfect fit is fine. It's not fine! I refuse!

I went on to make a different set, which I will document separately, and they're way better than this set, except for not enough room at the lower back LOL

[penwiper]

Ooof - stays involve SO many little tiny tweaks. And you'll think you've got it perfect everywhere except the waist and so you tweak the waist a little and now the bust doesn't fit anymore and ARGH.

I don't have any recommendations for a pattern - I pretty much winged mine based on the diagram from Costume Close-Up - but I found "cardboard" mockups to be really useful. It wouldn't work for curvy-type corsets, but it works really well for straight-panel-type stays. I actually never made a fabric mockup, and the final stays are a really great fit. There's notes somewhere in my CCU stays tag.

[totchipanda]

Thanks for the commiseration! This is one of those things that is SO important to get right, and yet...

I'll check your tags out!