r/weaving • u/BaptisedByFire319 • 3d ago

Discussion Woven Corset

https://redthreaded.com/blogs/redthreaded/visiting-the-corset-museum-in-heubach-germany

Pipe dream here... I recently learned of a mid-19th C technique of corsets being woven on jacquard looms- boning channels and boning included. This is considered a lost art, but was once the economical option before industrial machine sewing.

I know this is way over my head as a beginner in both historic costuming and weaving/sewing, but what can I say, I like big dreams. In my vicinity I have access to jacquard looms as well as some of the software for drafting and such.

Is this in the realm of possibilities as a "someday" project as a hobbyist? Or am I full of hubris and early on the Dunning-Krueger curve? I estimate it'll be some time before I even have enough of a grasp to figure out what I'm doing with both pattern drafting and weaving to understand equipment and materials necessary, but if anybody has any insight as to what might be necessary I would love to bend your ear!

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u/msnide14 3d ago edited 3d ago

You can absolutely learn how to weave channels in cloth, and you don’t need a jacquard loom. Look into double weaving.

Edit: I just looked into jacquard loom corsets, and it looks like they somehow made the entire seamless piece on a jacquard loom. OP, I don’t want to say anything is impossible, but even obtaining a jacquard loom, let alone learning to weave on it is out of reach for 99% of people on this sub. 

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u/BaptisedByFire319 3d ago

I'm curious if the bowed shape of the panels would necessitate the jacquard loom? But I do have an 8 shaft floor loom...!

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u/msnide14 3d ago

It look like they have a way of weaving diagonal channels, which I have never seen before, and would absolutely require a loom with independently controlled heddles. 

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u/Mx_Torquill 2d ago

Or some agile work with a pick-up stick. I might try diagonal channels on the leftover warp for my 4-shaft doubleweave sampler.

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u/msnide14 2d ago

That’s true, you could do some master level pickup weaving. 

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u/BaptisedByFire319 3d ago

That's what I'm thinking as well, hence the complexity of the technology really. I am considering attempting it with the straight tubes... it wont be contouring, but the fact that I can do it with double weave will maybe give me a taste of it.

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u/meowmeowbuttz 3d ago

Not quite what you're looking for, but Barbara Burns wove a pulled warp tapestry corset that is very cool! https://www.burns-studio.com/the-little-devil-corset/

She was going to weave channels for boning but opted not to; she decided to have the bones in the coutil lining.

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u/BaptisedByFire319 3d ago

Oh this is absolutely pertinent! It answers how to do the curved pieces, and I'm really curious on how she started the boning channels. It seems extremely possible with a straight forward coloring rather than a printing as she did.... so much great inspo for this!

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u/Initial_Office7339 3d ago

There have been weavers that experimented with double weave to create seamless shirts  https://luciaschwalenberg.de/en/the-seamless-shirt/

Obtaining a good foundation in weaving, double weave as well as garment construction would probably be your best bet to start off. 

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u/BaptisedByFire319 3d ago

This is super cool! I appreciate the direction!

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u/Ok_Part6564 3d ago

I'm wondering if it was more like braiding than weaving looking at them, though I wish I could get a closer look than the photos through glass. People often use braiding and weaving interchangeably.