How To Insert Hip Vents Into A Corset Tutorial
How to insert a hip vent into a corset, discover the secret of how to make a stunning standout detail on your corsets quickly and easily.
Step 1.
The vent is essentially a sandwich of the front vent piece and the back piece that goes inside. These reinforce the corset at its cut point and open to allow expansion over hips or full skirts.
Note you will be sewing through several thicknesses of the fabric and I advise a no 16 or 18 machine needle.
If using smaller needle go slow to prevent breaking!
Step 2.
This tutorial shows me sewing onto a faux leather fabric corset. For lined fabric corsets, I will take extra steps. First, position the front vent template where it is going to go. Mark the position of the top of the vent – there is a right and wrong way. The curve along the bottom should match the slope upwards of the corset piece. The template should sit level with your lower bias binding edge.
Pin through corset layers to the back and position the back part of the vent onto the pin. The pinhole at the top is just to keep the top and inside parts of the vent aligned.
Step 3.
Showing the back vent piece from the inside of the corset. Turn back to outside and sew from the right side making sure the back vent does not move out of place.
Step 4.
Sew the channel. I have inserted a drawing pin from the back to keep the back vent from moving.
Step 5.
This picture shows how I have sewn from the front to secure the back vent into place. I feel the edge as I sew but you can also mark the shape with a disappearing pen.
Now if your corset is the fabric you want to seal the centre channel to prevent fraying when you eventually cut it. Use PVA white glue or latex glue and apply it to the centre narrow channel all the way down to the bias binding edge.
Then leave to dry.
Step 6.
Using the pin as a guide align the top vent onto the corset and repeat the sewing around.
You start at the bottom, sew up and back down then around the edges.
Step 7.
This picture shows how you sew around the vent.
Remove the pin BEFORE you get to the top point as you sew outside (I am bad and have obviously forgotten here).
Step 8.
Showing the approach to the top point, now, having correctly removed the pin!
Step 9.
This picture shows the top side of the vent after sewing around.
Step 10.
This is where you want to cut through the narrow centre channel through all layers.
I always do it from the pointed end down to the corset edge while the corset is laid on the table on a cutting mat and with a sharp craft knife.
Use a metal ruler along the centre of the channel. You are cutting inside the sewn channel only!
Trim any frayed edges and reseal fabric edges if needed.
Step 11.
Mark the hole positions and use a leather hole punch to make the holes all the way through.
You will need to set the eyelets with a washer at the back to secure them.
I put a rivet into the top hole I used for the pin. It is not needed but it finishes the top nicely.
Step 12.
I don’t have pictures of putting the holes in for the rivets.
Fold the tabs up over the d ring and put 2 x 3mm holes in each side. You may punch through all layers at once but if this is too difficult do tabs first then use the holes to mark the main part so they align.
Insert rivets and hammer down.
Finished.
