Mr.Seamstress: Creating the laced closure 2

Now that I klnow the final top and bottom edge of the corset, it is time to insert the eyelets.
There isn't a special rule on how many eyelets you should have. I once made a corset that only had 8 in total (4 to each side) on the whole thing. And it worked perfectly.

I usually like to put in a lot more then 8 since it crates more and tighter crossed lacing which maximises te effect. however use your own discretion with this. On this corset I'll be inserting 30 (15 to each side).

In this case I'll us a handy device called an 'expanding sewing gauge' to quicky determine where I will place the eyelets. However a ruler is all you really need.

Mark the position of the eyelets, and make sure they match up with the eyelet position on the other side.

Then use an awl and pierce a hole into the corset (horror!).
Next insert the eyelet and with an eyelet press, or hammer, press it into place.

Work one at a time, and the next thing you'll know, all thirty of them will be in.

But if you think you're finished, think again. Sure you can put on the corset, but your back will look less appealing with flaps of skin forcing it's way through the laces.

So we need to make a back protector.
It's basically a rectangular strip of fabric that covers your back. and it is assembled sepperately but attached to the final corset.

First you need to decide how big the protector should be. Always make it shorter than the length of the laced closure. this way you can loosen or tighten the corset without the back protector peeping out somewhere at the bottom or at the top.

don't make it to narrow, since we want it to cover all visible skin. and all the eyelets. (on the iside that is.)

Once you've decided on a size cut out a rectangular pattern out of a piece of paper.
Use this to cut three pieces of fabrice. an outer layer(silk) and two pieces of the lining fabric (black coutil)

Use a serger to serge the outer layer fabric to one of the pieces of lining fabric.

Then sew the outer layer to the inner layer (sideseams only) and sew it that the inside is a little less wider then the outside layer.

Press the seams flat, thin them out.

Finally you turn the whole thing inside out, and press the whole thing flat.

Next sew 2mm (1/8t inch) along the side, like the picture below.

(Optional: it is possible to bone the back protector as well, I've seen fully boned examples myself. If you'd want that now is the time to do it.)

Okay take some leftover bias tape, and finish the top and bottom of the back protector.