In preparation for making your Simplicity 8162 18th c. stays, you may wish to re-draw the boning pattern. The pattern comes with an accurate layout for half-boned stays. If you would like to deviate from this, perhaps to add more support or change to a fully

The #1 question we receive about Simplicity 8162 (and will with Simplicity 8579 as well) is how to lengthen or shorten the stays. Particularly with Simplicity 8162, the body block used came up a little short and most seamstresses are needing to lengthen the body

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17th and 18th century corset construction employed the use of patterns. As the wasp waist become more prevalent during the 19th century corsets were cut specifically to the female figure and were …

My first pair of properly fitting stays, front- and back-laced with an additional stomacher. The pattern is similar to the picture but taken from Norah Waugh’s Corsets and Crinolines. It’s my second try to that particular pattern, but the first one was very sloppily done and more of a mock-up than finished stays. This pair is made of two layers of linen and boned with stripes of the kind of plastic that windshields of MC helmets are made off. In the back some of the boning is replaced with hemp cord, which made these fully boned stays to breathe a little. The stays are boned with linen tape, which may be period correct, but a complete hassle to sew. The fit was pretty good, but the back was too wide and they were a bit difficult to lace as the stomacher was so wide on top. Ice cream-cone, anyone?

My favorite surviving 18th century stays can be found in the Victoria & Albert museums collections. As my previous stays were starting to s...