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I'm nervous about choosing positions for the boning of my 1903 corset. Can anyone post a photo of the inside boning channels of their 1903 corset? That would help me immensely! Thank you so much

[Heather]

I am not sure why so many people panic at this point. If you look at my little drawing, it does show you the placement that I find works very well for all sizes.

If you start at the center front, the first bone will go from the bottom of the first seam to the top of the gore seam. The next bone starts right next to the first, sharing the bottom of the first seam, and going up to the middle of the gore at the top. The next bones starts at the second seam at the bottom and goes to the side seam of the gore. The 4th bone starts at the hip gore point, and goes to the top of the seam between the two 'S' pieces. After that, the boning just follows the seams like a Victorian corset.


If you put boning in the casing flat and straight, you can spread out your corset flat for the section you are placing, and just lay the casing on and pin it down where it lays between the two points as described above. Take the bones out and sew them down by machine.

Does this help at all? I do have a pic of the inside somewhere, but because of the curves you can't see any thing than makes sense.

Forgive our 1903 amateur status!! This is all so new.

I panic a bit doing anything I've never done before. I picture putting in a boning channel, realizing it's wrong, and having to unpick allllll those stitches! And it's not like I'm not queen of the seam ripper already, so I have that against me! Corset making is new to me, as well. I've only made two.

I appreciate your boning clarification and hope to get it right!

[Heather]

It totally understand that it is new for everyone. When I placed the boning for the first time, I had the same thoughts as everyone else, and was worried that I would some how mess it up. I didn't mean to belittle your anxiety, so I am sorry if that it how it sounded. But it turned out to be pretty easy. It's just new, is all.

Awww, it's cool!! You are so sweet!! We want you to be proud of us. Here you go making everything we beg you for, and we don't want to make a mess of all your hard work!

OK, supplies arrived, so I did the busk and grommets. Now it's time for those pesky boning channels. Is this remotely right? I can't seem to fit 4 of them in this area as pictured. Am I doing something wrong? I can't fit in the one closest to the busk.

[Heather]

Smaller sizes can have a harder time fitting them all in. But I think you can get them. If you move the third bone (from the center) over a little bit more at the bottom, so that it is centered on the hip gore seam (or maybe even back of it), rather than in front of it, then you could maybe move the other 2 over a tad as well. Then you can add the first one (the one you can't fit in now) between the busk and the first seam. I placed the first 2 bones right next to each other at the hip, one on each side of the first seam. I am a larger size, though, so that left a little bit of room between busk and first bone, and then space between the 2-3, and 3-4 bones. The top spacing looks good.

If you just can't get them all to fit, maybe go down to a single bone, rather than the double bone channel. Or just put in the 3, and adjust the top spacing to be more even between the 3 channels.

Thanks, Heather!



I only have 3/4" channel tape, so I'm stuck with that... gotta make it work! Following your advice to move the bottoms over to the right a little, I was able to sneak that bone channel in riiiiiiight next to the busk. Is that ok?

[Heather]

Yep, that should be fine. The fourth channel, you moved the top over, too. I would keep the top where is was at the top of the S seam, so rather than mover the whole thing over, it is pivoted a little. If that makes sense. There will be a bone running up that next side seam.