Best Historical Corset Patterns for Beginners

I'm using my years of experience not only sewing historical corsets and stays but also designing, drafting, and writing sewing patterns to share my picks for the best corset and stays patterns for new sewists who are just starting out with corset making. This video will span the 18th century through the 1910s and cover Regency-era stays, Victorian, Edwardian and more. Just because these patterns are good for beginner corset makers, that doesn't mean corsets are a good first sewing project in general. You'll still need to work up your sewing skills before you tackle a corset project.

Below are all my recommended patterns. I haven't made all of these but if I haven't made a pattern mentioned specifically, I have made other patterns by that same company and would trust them. I've also made corset patterns not mentioned in this video but didn't included them because I would not recommend them for beginners (or sometimes, at all!).

*** RECOMMENDED PATTERNS ***

EARLY to MID-18TH-CENTURY

LATE-18TH-CENTURY

REGENCY

VICTORIAN

EDWARDIAN S-BEND

1910s

*** MY CORSET-MAKING VIDEOS ***

*** IMAGE CREDITS ***
Image credits are included in the first pinned comment in the comment section.

*** CONNECT ***

I may not always have time to respond to all comments but know that I do read and appreciate them!

[DixieDIY]

Continued from the description:

If you're looking for pattern links, check the description above!

*** IMAGE CREDITS ***
1680s Stays drawing: Corsets and Crinolines by Norah Waugh


Buff-colored Late 18th-century stays: Victoria and Albert Museum, United Kingdom - CC BY.

[believeinfaeries]

Great video! I've used some of Aranea Black's patterns and they are amazing resources. I'm always amazed that she offers the multi-size patterns for free because they are so well done.

[VeganDoris]

2:01 “max out at a 44-inch bust, which I feel is unacceptable”

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Why do they do this?! I can’t believe it is financially advantageous to have only smaller sizes?!

[xiluvOreox]

I'm always excited for your videos to come out Dixie! You are very clear and straightforward with very honest criticisms and realistic ways to make things work. Thanks so much for making costuming seem like less of an elite endeavour that only the most ✨aesthetic✨ people can do.

[New_Wave_Nancy]

Thank you for this overview. As a newbie, I made the Scroop Rilla Corset after watching your video on it and it IS exceptional for those of us still pretty new to sewing. I've become a big Scroop fan since then. I'll have to check out some of these other patterns as I get more confident.

[bethsvist]

The Rilla is now available in paper through Virgil's Fine Goods (in the US at least?) - a recent development with a couple of their patterns. :-)

ETA: Also, I need to check out Aranea Black. No seam allowances is actually a plus for me - I'm used to that style of patterns, being in Continental Europe, and especially with something as precise as corsetry, I like knowing where the seamline is! And it's so much easier to make adjustments to patterns without the seam allowances getting in your way. I am perpetually between sizes and have a couple other "deviations" from the standard and actually always subtract seam allowances from patterns that have them...

[acexkeikai]

Aranea Black Corset is no longer availlable... well I found it through Scribe but it's no longer free.

[dee-annegordon]

Love these resource type videos. Always helpful to refer back to.
I used the Laughing Moon pattern myself.

[raraavis]

Very helpful review. Can't believe, YouTube never recommended your channel to me, even though you seem to have been around for a while.

[taceyrosolowski]

So helpful. Thanks. Areana has closed her site down, which you probably already know. A great loss.

[bonniehyden]

Why have I never found you and this video in the past few years I've been tippy toeing around Historical Sewing??!! Fantastic video that helps tons! Many thanks to you, M'am!

[MiffoKarin]

My first and so far only corset is a free Aranea Black pattern and I highly recommend it. It's not super complicated and has easy to understand markings. 👍

[elainebye]

Thank you, saved this for future reference!

[jenniferstone]

I would like to add the Victorian Dressmaker books, by Prior Attire have some great corset patterns. You have to grade them to your own size but you get full instructions and photos of the construction.

[HistoricalBelle]

This is really helpful! I've always found corsets and stays really intimidating to make.

[creativelycunningstunts]

Edited to ad this question :-) WHere could I find a pattern for a brasierre, I'm a bit more "busty" so I would need some kind of support and I do like the underbust corset in stead of the mid bust corset for the nineteen teens. I also do not mind making an extra garment :-) Laughing moon's pdf pattern are a joy to work with btw. I have been using their paper patterns for so long and I always loved them. I was a bit anxious to switch to the pdf patterns but I eventually did and they are just great! :-) Love your channel!

[TheSerialHobbyistGirl]

Cough - Reconstructing History - cough

[wendynordstrom]

You are such an EXCELLENT resource! Thank you, Dixie!!

[ColleenMarble]

Great video! I have only made one pair of stays and it was the American Duchess Simplicity pattern. I learned a lot and I like the finished project but BOY OH BOY is the sizing WAY off. I mean off. I posted two videos - one is the lessons I learned during the mockup and one is the final video on that project. But now that I've had a chance to wear them, I think there are still things that I'd change, so I'd like to try again with the August stays pattern you mention. I have heard so many good things about it.

[historical.isolde]

My big avoid is any by Recreating History patterns. Aside from instructions that are confusing, there are also inaccuracies (a back brace styled as a set of Regency stays) and are known for some dodgy dealings within historical address academic circles (most recently making a pattern for the Lengberg Bra, without consulting the original team, who were developing their own pattern at the time).