Cinch & Charm
Margarita Digital Download Sewing Pattern
Margarita Digital Download Sewing Pattern
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Our 1897 Victorian steel boned underbust corset is made with shaped panels that create a dramatic hourglass shape, rounded ribcage, and plenty of hip room. The Margarita corset is reproduced from an original in the History Museum of New Mexico 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 pattern, which is a physical item shipped to your house, here is the listing.
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 New Mexico History 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 New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe. Here is a picture of the original:
Here's what we know:
This style of “waist cincher” was also referred to as “empire style”, and I’ve found fashion ads from around 1897-1091. An advertisement from Lincoln, Nebraska in 1901 says an empire style corset is “absolutely necessary” for the achievement of the latest fashion. An advertisement from Roanoke, Virginia in 1897 calls the Empire the “shortest corset on the market” and advertises the R & G brand specifically. It retailed for $1 in the same ad, which is about 1 day’s labor for a lady working minimum wage at the time. Other advertisements refer to the Empire corset as a “short” style with four buttons (loops for the busk).
It was manufactured by R & G corsets which were sold extensively throughout the United States. I have found ads online for these corsets in California, Maine, Colorado, and San Francisco.
Victorian Corset Construction
The original corset fits about an 18” waist, which after 4” standard Victorian corset waist reduction, is a 22” natural waist. It was likely purchased for a teenager. The corset is in excellent condition and looks unworn.
The original is made of one layer of a starched plainweave cotton. The boning channels are the same cotton, likely interfaced. The lace is original, intact, and in great condition. This could have been a "summer corset' which were often made of a single layer of cotton, even batiste. The lacing pattern is not original, it was probably relaced by the museum, but the lacing is likely original to the corset.
Like many victorian corsets, the stitching is imperfect. Let this inspire you to challenge your perfectionism.
Original Materials:
The original is a plainweave cotton with plainweave cotton boning channels trimmed with a white machine-made lace laced with a pink ribbon.
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