1740s stays

I'm back from a little sewing and blogging hiatus I've been having since late March / early April. One of the last things I got finished before the break were these stays. But, for various reasons, I never tried them on until today. I still have a couple of finishing touches to make to the proper mid century shift to go under the stays, but I thought I'd post about them now anyway.

The stays are made from two layers of linen canvas, reproduction 18th century silk brocade / droguet as the top layer and linen lining. They are bound with silk grosgrain (the narrower grosgrain over seams is rayon) and hand sewn with linen thread. They are boned with reed.

They are based on the c. 1740 stays in Norah Waugh's Corsets and crinolines with only the side back seams taken in a little at the waist to fit my shape better.

Construction:

I constructed them my usual way. After outlining the pieces, I quilted the boning channels.

I inserted the boning, secured the edges and whip stitched the seam allowances down. Then I made the lacing holes.

Then I whipped the seams together, made horizontal boning cases from linen tape in the stomacher and then bound the stays.

Lastly I added the lining.