Fabric

Fine herringbone coutil

What do you actually make corsets from?

Not powermesh...

The real deal

Corsets need to be made from a fabric that does not stretch, not even a little bit, and it needs to be breathable, because you're wearing it tight next to your body for several hours at least.  The real stuff is called "coutil".

Coutil is material specifically designed not to stretch at all, and so is perfect for use in corsets.  It comes in a herringbone weave, brocade or satin. A corset should have at least 1 layer (or more) of coutil for the lining or interlining.

The fabric itself is stiff enough that you might almost think it was cardboard.  I've bought plain black.

Less suitable substitutes might be cotton twill or drill with a herringbone pattern, though these would be expected to stretch over time.  Cotton ticking (used for covering feather pillows and doonas) is apparently also OK, especially for lining.

Fashion layer

The fashion layer is the pretty fabric on the outside of part or all of the corset. Brocade, or silk is a popular choice, but plain or patterned cotton is just fine.  Breathable is still an important consideration here if you're not making a costume corset. Leather also makes a good outer layer, though it would be quite hot.

Getting it

This gives you an idea how
stiff coutil is

Fabric is getting expensive to buy.  I remember when I first started sewing, it wasn't out of the ordinary to get fabric for $5/m, or even deals for less. Now, even simple fabric like cotton drill is $10/m or more*.  Fasion fabrics will start at $15 and up for pretty quilting cotton, or $20 and up for fancier things like satin.

Coutil seems to be scary prices. The only online Australian supplier (yes, only the one) sells for $35/m, which is A LOT! Now, you probably only need 1 metre to make a double layer corset, but still! I've managed to get some from a Sydney supplier, Metro Fabrics, so at least I save on shipping, but they only have plain.  If I wanted a coutil brocade of some sort, I'd have to order it from overseas.  I am seeing why custom made corsets are usually $500 and up.

Preparing it

Corsets should not be washed (at least those with metal boning) because rust is not a good look.  So technically I don't have to wash the coutil to "pre-shrink" it (cotton shrinks on first washing). However, it has a chemical smell about it, so I think I will wash it first. Ironing will be a BITCH though**.

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* Sewing your own clothes has gone from a way to save money (when my mum used to make mine) to a luxury hobby. It's ridiculous.
** This actually turned out to be easier than I thought. Twill is more difficult to iron. There were gusts of steam...

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