I've decided to make a different corset, because the pattern I had wasn't suitable for steel boning.

So I now have a new pattern:

simplicity 9769corsetcorset

I'm still going for 'easy' though, because this one is unlined - that's for later on. I have everything I need now to get started:

Everything needed to make the corset

- 6 hooks and eyes
- 40 eyelets
- corset lace with metal tips
- 1 busk
- 22 steel bones (how many?)
- boning tape in 2 sizes
- Duchesse bias binding
- coutil fabric in black (like a heavy-weight brocade)

Cotton coutil is a fabric created specially for corsetry, and is heavy and very densely woven - so as to withstand the strain put on it by the steel bones. It's no more expensive than brocade - but as an average corset uses less than 1 metre - it's not too costly.

This is available easily on the net, although on Ebay I've only found one listing - for a whole roll of white coutil.

So my next step is to trace and cut out the pattern pieces.