How to Sew Perfectly Straight Boning Channels into your Corset

One of the more challenging aspects of corsetry is sewing straight boning channels with boning tape on the reverse of the corset without being able to see the front.  Unfortunately, the best things in life take time.  Fortunately, there are ways to make difficult things, easier!

You will need (see notes below for further info):

• Boning tape
• Hand sewing needle
• Thread for basting
• Dressmakers chalk
• Pins
• Measuring guage

Mark where you want your boning channels to be on your cut fabric.  

Iron your boning tape then center it over the marked line on your pattern, or over the seam it will be sewn over.  

Pin perpendicular to the edges of the tape as shown.

Baste your tape as close to the edge as possible on both sides of the tape and as straght as you possibly can.  You could sew through the middle but this may not give such accurate results.

You want to be able to sew with your machine just inside the basting lines.  This should give you ample space for your bone.  The boning channel must be 2mm wider than your bone.  So if your bone is 7mm, then your channel must be 9mm wide.

Now for the tricky bit.  Stitch from the right side of the corset, close your basting stitches as you will get a smoother and neater finish if you top stitch from the right side.

Remove the basting stitches after machining and you will be left with a perfect bone channel.

Further useful links on what to buy:

• Boning tape - At Sew Curvy we have plain herringbone twill tape, or tubular boning tape.  Either can be used.
• Hand sewing needle - The sharper the better - coutil has a habit of blunting needles very quickly.  You cant go wrong with John James needles which is why they are the only needles I stock and recommend.
• Thread for basting - Silk thread if you are sewing fine fabrics and dont want to mark them.  Otherwise regular basting thread will do the job.
• Dressmakers chalk - to mark boning channel guide lines on the reverse of your corset.  Magic chalk is good for this because it completely disappears as soon as you iron it! 
• Pins - I use glass head pins as they dont hurt my fingers and are very sharp
• Measuring guage - I use the Prym guage for all the things!