Minette Stays (1785-1810)

This a digital PDF download. See 'About Your PDF' below for more details. US$16 Sizes 30-56 in 3 size packs: Size Pack A: 30-40 Size Pack B: 38-48 Size Pack C: 46-56 Difficulty: Intermediate The Minette Stays are lightly boned front-lacing short stays or ‘jumps’. Inspired by extant garments and period images, they are designed to be worn under the rising waistlines and softer silhouettes that dominated women’s fashions in Europe and the Eastern Americas in the late 18th and early 19th century. The instructions include directions for making them fully handsewn in the period style, or for using modern methods with machine sewing and metal eyelets. Both views feature three main pattern pieces, front lacing, bound edges, and a tabbed bottom edge that finishes above the natural waist. Woven tape or ribbon shoulder straps slipped through eyelets at front and back keep the outline of the stays as discreet as possible under lightweight dresses. View A has a deeply scooped front neckline designed to sit below the nipples, and minimal boning. Stitching along the empty boning channels acts as quilting to add strength to the stays. View A fastens with spiral lacing. View B has a higher neckline which ends just above the nipples, additional boning at the back and sides, and laces with cross lacing. Mix and match the amount of boning, the style of front lacing, and the front or back strap ties between views. Recommended Fabrics: Tightly woven midweight lines & cottons in plain and twill weaves (historically accurate). Coutil, tightly woven upholstery fabrics, denim or any other midweight, firm and stable natural fiber fabrics. The lining and outer may be of the same fabric, or different fabrics, but both fabrics should be strong, firm, and stable. The fabric requirements include allowance for directional fabrics. Additional fabric is required for pattern matching. Size 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 Fabric requirements in Yards – Views A & B. EACH layer will require this amount 45'' Wide ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ⅝ ⅝ ⅝ ⅝ ⅝ ¾ ¾ ¾ 54'' Wide ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ⅝ ⅝ ⅝ ⅝ 60'' Wide ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ Fabric requirements in Meters – Views A & B. EACH layer will require this amount 115cm Wide .4 .4 .4 .4 .5 .5 .5 .6 .6 .6 .6 .6 .6 .7 136cm Wide .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .6 .6 152cm Wide .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .5 .5 Thread: 60/2 or 70/2 linen thread, or quilter's cotton thread, or standard sewing machine thread. Straps: 2½y/2.2m x ½''/1.2cm wide linen or cotton tape (View A) or satin ribbon (View B). Lacing cord or ribbon: 2y/1.8m (View A) or 3y/2.8m (View B). Boning: synthetic whalebone (German Plastic boning). View A: 3/8yard/30cm 4mmx1mm boning & ½yard/50cm 6.5/7 x 1.5/1mm boning View B: 2¼yards/2m 4mmx1mm boning & 3 5/8yard/3.3m 6.5/7 x 1.5/1mm boning Or the combined length of each width of boning in 6.5/7 x 1.5/1mm boning Tape Binding (historically accurate): 4½y/4m x ½''/1.2cm wide linen or cotton tape – twill is best. OR: Fabric Binding: Straight-Cut (historically accurate) or Bias-Cut (not historically accurate) 4½y/4m cut at 1''/2.5cm wide and folded to be ¼''/6mm wide Grommets (machine sewn method): 20x Size 00 two-part corset grommets. Optional Buckram: ⅜y/30cm for all sizes Sizing Chart: ...Alethea is wearing View A in Size 38 in two layers of tightly woven white cotton fabric bound with cotton twill tape, with ties and lacing of the same tape. Alethea is wearing View B in Size 36 (for a larger lacing gap) in gold floral viscose-blend upholstery fabric with tightly woven cotton lining, bound in silk-cotton bias tape with polyester satin straps and front lacing. About your PDF: This pattern is a digital download. Once you complete your purchase you’ll be sent an email with a link to download a zip file containing your printable files. You’ll need to open it on a computer: the zip file will not open on phones and tablets. The Minette Stays are designed to print using the 'Layers' function of Adobe Reader. The Minette Stays zip file contains the following files: Instructions: 20 pages Print-At-Home Pattern: 8 pages (Size Pack A), 10 pages (Size Pack B), 12 pages (Size Pack C Copyshop Pattern: 1 A1 page Printing Instructions: 4 pages Fitting Guide: 5 page Paper Patterns: A paper version of the Minette Stays pattern is available through Virgil's Fine Goods in the USA. Tutorials & Pattern Hacks Making Linen Buckram: Gum Tragacanth vs Xanthan Gum (blog) Social Media: