Cinch & Charm
Lizzie Digital Download Sewing Pattern
Lizzie Digital Download Sewing Pattern
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Our 1895 Victorian steel boned overbust corset is made with shaped panels that create a dramatic hourglass shape, rounded ribcage, and plenty of hip room. The Lizzie corset is reproduced from an original in the History Colorado museum collection with permission and is the only corset pattern on the market made directly from this piece. We visited the museum in person and handled the piece directly in order to recreate it.
For the paper version of this pattern, click here
Corset Features
Corset Features
- 28 flat and spiral steel bones
- straight steel busk with stud and loop closure
- waist tape for reinforced support
- open back lacing for easy tightening
Our Designer
Our Designer
Our pattern is designed by Amber Welch of Lovely Rat's Corsetry who has decades of experience in corsetmaking. She is the author of the instructions and includes many corsetry secrets to help stitchers of all skill levels improve. Our guide features waist training quality construction techniques. Achieves up to 4 inch waist reduction for a cinched Victorian hourglass silhouette.
Sewing Guide
Sewing Guide
Includes a physical paper sewing pattern of the Lizzie Overbust corset. Comes with 20+ pages of instructions, materials information, and corset history. Fabric and supplies are not included.
- Complete materials list
- Historical Research
- Alteration Instructions
- In-depth Construction Guide
- Finishing Tips
Size Guide
Size Guide
The best way to fit our corsets is by matching your bust measurement. Available in sizes 22-36, please check our size chart for help sizing yourself.
We have included both a recommended sizing guide as well as the finished measurements of the corset to allow more experienced corset buyers to choose their size preference.
If you are not sure about your size, please just ask! You can reach us through the contact form on this site, or by direct message at any of our social media accounts.
Sewing Skill Level
Sewing Skill Level
Beginner-friendly pattern. Basic sewing skills such as how to operate a machine are required. Stitch length, thread type, needle type, and materials needed are all explained in the pattern.
Our guide is comprehensive, with in-depth instructions on every part of construction. No guessing!
Historical Accuracy
Historical Accuracy
Corset is reproduced from the History Colorado museum with permission. This corset was adapted from an original Victorian corset.
Materials
Materials
See our complete materials at the bottom of this page.
1 yard coutil
1 yard fashion fabric
1 yard 1" wide twill tape
10 yards 1/4” Spiral Steel boning
4 yards 1/4” Spring Steel Boning (Flat Steel)
2.5 yards ½” Spring Steel Boning (Flat Steel)
End caps for ¼” spiral steel bones
Busk: 13” long, 1” wide steel busk
Return Policy
Return Policy
14-day returns accepted on items returned in original condition. Questions about fit before you buy? Contact us.
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Historical Research
This is based off a historical corset in the collection of the History Colorado museum in Denver, Colorado. Here is an image of the original corset:
Here's what we know:
The original has no label or identifying marks, except the size, "18" stamped onto it. The same museum has a near identical corset by the manufacturer "Kabo." Here is an ad for that corset:
The corset's owner
The "Lizzie" corset belonged to a family that lived in Denver on Logan street in the 1890's. The parents ran a boardinghouse. They had two daughters, Lizzie and Nellie. According to the 1895 census, the girls would have been ages 11 and 16 at the time the "Kabo" corset was advertised in Denver. We decided that the corset likely belonged to Lizzie since it's too small for an adult woman (her mother) and her sister was too young to wear one.
We got in touch with the donor of the antique corset and learned more about her family. In fact, Lizzie's father was on the run from the law. His brother shot and killed a man in Tennessee, and he helped break his brother out of jail. He then fled west and settled in Denver under a fake name. According to the historians at History Colorado, this kind of thing happened all the time.
Victorian Corset Construction
The original Lizzie corset was not made with durability in mind. In fact, it shows no signs of wear.
Original Materials:
The original is made of a cotton sateen that's been starched. It's sewn with a single-layer construction method and boning channels are applied to the exterior in a matching cotton sateeen. All bones are just under 1/4" wide, except the two bones on the side panel, which are about 1/2". All bones are flat steel. Silver grommets at center back have not rusted. Machine-made lace on the top and bottom.
Materials you will need:
Fabrics
1 yard corset coutil (two layers for front and back panels)
1 yard fashion fabric (pretty fabric for the outside. Can be anything, but avoid stretch fabric)
1 yard of double sided fusing (for fashion fabric that can be heat bonded)
1 yard of cotton print for floating lining (panels 2-6, optional)
1 yard canvas, coutil, or duck cloth for mockup
2 yards of 1” wide grosgrain or twill tape for waist tape
8-10 yards double sided satin ribbon for lacing, or other lacing of choice
Notions and Tools
2 yards bias binding (or fabric to make it)
1 yard 1” wide twill tape
1/2 yard coutil to make bias tape for bone casings, OR 10 yards ½” wide coutil bone casing tape, OR 10 yards ½” wide tight woven twill tape
10 yards 1/4” Spiral Steel boning
4 yards 1/4” Spring Steel Boning (Flat Steel)
2.5 yards ½” Spring Steel Boning (Flat Steel)
End caps for ¼” spiral steel bones
Busk: 13” long, 1” wide steel busk. You can opt for a wider style of busk in larger sizes. Watch out for ones that are super thin floppy steel, you want it to be able to support the front of the corset without bowing.
Size 00 grommets: (34 for overbust, 28 for underbust)
Hammer set kit and awl for grommets
Ironing: Steam Iron, Ironing Board, Tailor’s Ham
Sewing: Sewing pins, Plastic Sewing Clips (optional), Sewing Machine, Clear ruler
Sharp scissors or rotary cutter with fresh blade
Clover bar (for external bone channels)
Metal cutting shears to cut flat steel boning
Wire cutters to cut spiral steel bones
Pliers to put tips on spiral steel bones
Plumber’s tape for tips of flat steel bones
Heat erasable pens or tailor’s chalk
Fabric snips
Steel file
2 small pliers