Measurements

OK, there are books and workshops about how to fit a pattern design onto an individual. I've only started studying some techniques of pattern sizing this year, but like anybody knows -- nothing off the rack ever fits!! Let's all put aside the nonsense of, "My [body part] is too [fill in deficiency.]" Your body is your body, period. End of story. The garment should fit your body. If the garment doesn't fit, there's something wrong with the garment and it needs to be picked apart at the seams, re-cut, and reassembled.

First rule of thumb for the Laughing Moon #100 pattern:  the body measurements on the back of the envelope are not a guideline for what you are but for how you want the garment to fit. A corset is not a loose and comfy blouse. It is supposed to fit very snug to the torso and allow for a 3 or 4 inch gap at the waist for the lacing strings up the back. Any smaller and you have a BBQ apron with strings across the back. Any larger and you have a Ren Faire bodice.

The corset I intend to make is for someone with an actual 32 inch waist. (32 - 4 = 28) On the chart, that's a size 14. Using that as a baseline, I pull out the TRACING PAPER, a very sharp pencil, and a CLEAR PLASTIC RULER with a clean edge. Using a well-lit table is also very important.

Accuracy of a steady hand is critical. The corset is made of 10+ vertical panels, so if you're off by 1/4 inch on each piece, that adds up to 2-1/2 inches. And did I mention sharp pencil? Don't laugh, but I use my daughter's Hello Kitty mechanical pencil.

The LM pattern has a zillion lines for the various sizes, so you can veer off and accommodate the dimensions you're trying to fit. Do your math!! They also have different pieces for a B cup, a C cup, and a D cup figure. There's a clear line across the middle for lengthening or shortening vertically. You'll want to measure the body from the waist up to the bra line and down to the hip. (Tie a string around the waist when taking measurements so you don't lose your place.) I saw a YouTube video about measuring a client who had scoliosis (curving of the spine) and so divided the body measurements into 4 quadrants, adjusting each half of the corset as needed. Brilliant.