3 Sundays: March 22, 29 & April 5, 2020 : 10am-3pm 

This class can be taken independently or as a part of the Victorian Corset Making series beginning with the first class - Patterning & Fitting. Saturday, March 14 & Sunday, March 15, 10am-3pm

 

Objectives

By the end of the class, students will finish the course with a completed, custom, two-layer, late 1880s corset 

 

Course Summary 

The art of corsetry arguably attained its apex during the late nineteenth century. Late Victorian corsets were remarkably light and flexible, while still providing ample shaping and support. In this three-session course, you will create your very own two-layer 1880s corset using period-correct materials and construction techniques. The course will cover every element of late Victorian corset building, from cutting to finishing and will include extensive information on sourcing materials, as well as opportunities for students to examine and handle extant corsets from the period in the classroom. This class is ideal for costumers who have taken the “Late Victorian Corset Making: Patterning and Fitting” workshop and are looking to convert their custom pattern into an exquisite period-accurate final corset, but it will also offer many new insights and techniques to any costumer who wants to take their historical corsetry skills to the next level. 

 

No prior experience making corsets is required to take this course, but intermediate machine sewing experience and garment construction knowledge are necessary. Continuing students from the Makery’s “Late Victorian Corset Making: Patterning and Fitting” workshop should bring their custom pattern from that workshop to use as the basis for their corset. Students who wish to take this course without completing the “Patterning and Fitting” workshop, should contact the instructor (chesebroalexander@gmail.com) so that he can assist in the selection of an appropriate corset pattern for the class.

 

   This course includes 3-4 hours of machine sewing work at home (outside of class) each week between the three workshop sessions. Students can also meet with the instructor at the Makery during the week between classes to get additional assistance on their corsets. This course will be held in three workshop sessions of five hours each. 

 

Add-ons

Students can choose either cotton sateen, or silk satin as the fashion fabric layer for their final corset. (The silk satin option is an additional $45 dollar fee). 

 

What we will do

· Learn period construction techniques backed by extensive research and examine extant corsets from the 1880s and 1890s from the instructor’s collection.

· Discover beautiful finishing techniques that combine function and aesthetics, including precise period-accurate binding and flossing.

· Learn roll pinning and cutting techniques to create a smooth, wrinkle-free, two-layer corset.

· Learn tricks to tackle corset-specific construction elements like grommetting and busk insertion with ease.

· Build a resource list of the best materials and suppliers for Victorian corsetry. 

 

About the Instructor : Alexander Chesebro

Alexander Chesebro is a historical costumer and living history interpreter with a specialization in foundation garments. Alexander has created corsets and stays for living history events and private clients across the U.S., including for performers at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco. His design process relies on extensive research examining extant garments in both his personal collection and museum archives in order to produce comfortable foundation garments with period correct silhouettes. Alexander also collects and documents historical textiles, specializing in silk brocades and woolens from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. He is thrilled to offer new classes on making foundation garments here in the Boston area. 

@chesebrounderpinnings