Fina Makes

Did you know that there is traditionally supposed to be a 2" gap in the centre back of corsets?

It's for a couple of reasons- it reduces pressure (andis more comfortable) on the spine- as the centre back bones sit either side, it allows for fluctuations in size (I hear ya, yo-yo siblings) and is also aesthetic- it looks great and shows off the lacing.

Some folk like to wear their corsets fully closed- but be warned that this means you'll not have much wiggle room in the size and may need to get a smaller one sooner if you are tightlacing it.

Whatever the gap size, the ideal fit is a parallel one- the top, waist and hip levels all have the same amount of distance between the back bones.

If your corset makes an 'A' shape, it's probably too small on the hips, and if the gap makes a 'V' shape, it's too tight on the back/upper edge.

If your gap makes a ( ) shape, with the top and bottom edges even, then all is not lost- you likely need to train your waist a little more to pull it in tighter.

Did you know this? What kind of gap are you rocking?

Let's sew-lebrate!
If you have a tendency to finish something then move on to the next, without stopping to celebrate the awesome thing you just made, then this post is for you! (I'm guilty of this one!)
What have you made this week/today/in the recent past that would once have seemed super hard and yet present day you has smashed it?

I'll start- Last week I sewed a zip into pvc. In fact, I have almost finished making an entire giant thing in white pvc! Fina-from-the-past would have been terrified, but present day me has done a marvellous job.
Now you!

Having been fitting garments professionally for 22 years now and teaching it for 8, I've definitely picked up some nuggets of wisdom along the way.
It can be a total headfook to know what to do and when, so I've compiled a handy lil guide of tips and tricks to help you out in your quest.
Ya welcome!
Save this post in your 'cheatsheets' folder for next time you're in a fit-flavoured pickle.

Ooh this is so exciting!
If you love corsets , want to know how to make them so that they actually FIT and are not sure where to begin, this is for you :)

Learn how to design and draft an underbust corset pattern from scratch, carry out fitting and alterations and then make the final corset. Jammity jam packed!

5 weeks, online, starts 1st November and you'll have access to the content for a whole year afterwards.
The trainings are live and weekly, and I'll be there to support you every step of the way.
For best results, you need to be confident in sewing, and have (at least) used patterns before, if not drafted them.
NO SHAPE OR SIZE LEFT BEHIND! This is very important to me. The world doesn't stop at size 6-14, cis-gendered able bodied folk.
If you're keen to know more, drop me a DM or head to the link in bio to sign up for more info.
The intro price for this course is £360. It'll run again next year and will be a fair bit more than that, as the value contained within is huge. This is your official heads up :)
Spaces are limited and once they're filled, they're gone.

I've been very quiet this month, for a few reasons- I burnt myself out in December & January doing aaaall the things, I finally got struck by The Vid and it has knocked my energy for six, and on top of all that me & Ricky have been dealing with sh*tty landlords, a mouldy flat, furniture & possessions aaaand subsequent flat-hunting during a housing crisis. Not fun!
But!! We have found a lovely new flat by the river & are moving imminently, and I'm back in my beautiful studio, taking it easy and making myself a rainbow dress while there is a moment of calm...
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Hands up who hates sewing zip flys? (Flies??!! Lol) I just did 10. Then realised I'd fu**ed them all up and had to unpick them and do them again. 😩😩😩
Shall I make a tutorial for how to do this?

Would you wear this detail?
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Continuing the bust-shaping theme, this fun lil shape emerged when I was messing around last week.
This pleat looks super technical, but is actually really easy.
Read on for how-to ✨✨✨
After swinging your darts into the waistline, pin your bodice onto a stand. Then simply push the fullness towards the centre front, with your fingers running along the waist of the mannequin. The excess fabric will cause a flap which will eventually be shaped like a point. Huzzah!
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There will be some length missing on the bodice (see the picture) so pin some fabric behind the edge of the bodice here and trim it to the waistline. The resulting shape is your pattern.
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How about an angled double pleat each side of the CF line? Angling them like this is suuuuper flattering and much more interesting to look at than regular vertical lines. (Sorry vertical lines!).
To get this look, swing all front darts to the waist line, directly under the bust, cut the front bodice in calico, pin the centre front waist and then make 2 angled pleats either side.
*Top tip*
Cut the bodice longer so that your pleats are long enough, then after you've pinned them, redraw the waist line. Cut along this line, through the pleats and you've got your new bodice shape :)

Disguising the bust dart ctd...
How about a cheeky pleat? This pattern looks exactly the same as the darted version, but instead of sewing the dart, it's just left as a fold.
Do you like this look?
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How to get rid of bust darts?
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On clothes with bust shaping, it's advisable to have some room/shaping/allowance for your b***s, otherwise the item won't fit well- it'll be tight, or ride up, or be unevenly baggy elsewhere on the body.... BUT you don't need to keep the bust darts- you can disguise them, or use techniques to eliminate them entirely.
Last week I showed you how to hide the shaping in a creatively shaped seam and this week I'll show you a few different ways to hide the shaping in the hem or waist seam.
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This picture shows the most basic elimination of ALL of the front bodice darts- they're swung out (pivoted or slash & spread..ed) into the hem.
If you have a top longer than the waist (and into a longer, dress length) the result will be a lush Babydoll shape.
But if the bodice ends at the waist (either with the hem or with a seam) it looks a bit weird to have so much fullness just under the bust, so over the next few days I'll show you a few ways to creatively shape the extra fabric.
Have you tried an A-shape dartless silhouette? Lemme know! 🤩

It's time for you to spread your wings and create the me-mades in your mind!
No more hacking & fudging, learn how to cut patterns like a pro in this supportive, fun and informal course. Weirdos welcome. ❤️
Go to courses.finamakes.co.uk (no www!) And sign up. The course starts on the 14th Feb and I would love to see you there 🤗

Guess who's been down a stripe-matching rabbithole?
Tutorial on how to pattern-match bodice stripes (including the sleeves to the bodice) coming soon to a Fina Makes Instagram feed near you!
you'll recognise this lil beauty, you absolute creation-saver you! 😻