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Janes-Wardrobe — How to set grommets tutorial
Published: 2007-01-29 20:43:32 +0000 UTC; Views: 18768; Favourites: 234; Downloads: 0
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Description
Firstly let me say this is not the difinitive guide on how to set grommets, it's just the way I have found that works.It applies to '
rym' eyelets though the same method can be followed for other types of grommet that come with similar setting tools. The 'rym' kit comes with dies that can be fitted into the small plastic piece that come with the kit or into a specialist pliers style setting tool. Vena Cava Designs UK sells this tool.The hole punch is useful for leather and plastics though I prefer to use this method when setting eyelets into fabric. The 6.5mm knitting needle is the size I use for grommets with a 5mm hole.
Feel free to use this turorial, but please credit me, if you want a copy please send me a note. I hope it's useful.
Photo's by VOLT-reborn
Oh and sorry about the grubby fingernails - they're stained with soot from daily cleaning of the fire grate! Roll on summer...
Edit 15 Feb 2007 - size of grommet added to description.
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Comments: 33
Thank you for this! The instructions that came with my eyelet setter was just a pack of lies!
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heh... Well, now I kind of know what to do with the grommets I have...
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...This is kind of a dumb question, but will putting grommets in this way help me with the issues I've been having with them popping off of the corsets? I'm new to this >: I've just been cutting little X's into the fabric where the grommets go and... yeah.
I suck.
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It should do, if you cut the fabric to get the grommet through the fabric it will be weaker and you risk the grommets coming out. You can cut a small hole but MUCH much smaller than you think you need, the bigger the hole the greater the risk of losing the grommet.
I think I've only ever had one grommet come out in all the time I've been making corsets (only one reported to me anyway and none on my personal corsets or those of my daughters or friends) and that was before I started to use this method. Now I occasionally cut a hole but only if the fabric is VERY tightly woven and making a hole with an awl spoils the appearance of the fabric too much.
One other thing - what fabric are you using? Corset coutil is expensive but in my opinion essential as a base - you can use one layer of coutil and any lining/fashion fabric you want but the coutil will give you all the strength you need, it's best to have at least two thicknesses of coutil where the eyelets are being inserted, otherwise the grommets can be a bit loose and don't try to economise by using one part eyelets. There is too much strain on the eyelets for this type and they will pop through (Vollers use one piece grommets and have a reputation for them coming out, and for laces breaking - caused by the sharp edges on the one piece eyelet).
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Oh man, there's so much stuff I didn't know ;~; I feel like a complete idiot.
I've just been using brocades and for this last one, pleather. It makes sense that the whole would have ripped open farther around the grommet and popped out, since it's stretchy and ugh I need to use more common sense.
What does this corset coutil look like? I'm not sure I've seen it before, but I bet I could find something very similar to use. Two layers is also a very, very good idea. I need to work harder on this, I had nooooo idea that all this stuff was important.
Is Vollers a company? I've been using eyelets that you hammer together, there are two parts, one that's smaller inside and one that's bigger. I think it's just that I cut the holes too big and didn't use strong enough fabric like you've mentioned. Thanks SOO much for the advice, you're awesome!!
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Corest coutil is a fabric that is very closely woven and has very little or no stretch. It's generally quite expensive but really worth paying the extra for. Most fabric shops don't stock it as it is specialist and would not move very quickly, far better to buy on line - most suppliers will send a little as 1/2 a metre (a little over 1/2 a yard), though if you are paying for shipping it's worth ordering more and pay only for one lot of shipping.
If you can't wait or can't afford it the tightly woven drill, twill, jean or denim is suitable, but these fabrics will stretch slightly in wear.
Vollers is a company in the UK that specialise in corsets, they have a wide range of styles and some people swear by them, I have only seen two and they were not styles I would recommend, however some corset devotees will only wear Vollers corsets.
The grommets you are using are the best type for corsets as they clamp the fabric and don't usually split at the back which means they don't damage your laces. However it's far better not to punch a hole through the fabric unless absolutely necessary and even then keep the hole smaller than you would expect.
Good luck with your corset making - I hope this solves your eyelet problem
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Fgsfds, I think it will 8D I'm gonna start making my corsets better quality now, so that they don't fall apart.
I looked at the website for that company... It looks okish, but they really don't look all that great. It seems like a couple of them are maybe sewn uneven around the edges but I can't tell, they just have that wiggly look that things get when you do that I guess.
Also 250 WHAT those are very expensive.
I'll see if I can get the fabric store here to order some if I promise to keep coming back and buying it XD
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Whether it's $250, €250 or £250 you're right, they are expensive - if they were custom made then the price is fair but for the way the are made (all machine sewn, no hand finishing) and the cheat way they are put together I personally think they are a bit of a rip off. I think it's probably dollars as they advertise underbust corsets from £99.
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Aughh... What do you mean machine sewn? I sew all mine with a machine, am I supposed to be doing something else? ;~; I don't wanna be a ripoff too.
But I agree, and it's £250 I think, my keyboard just doesn't do that. But yeah, I dunno. There is a company I hate that just does like, all the same corset just in different colors (it's either overbust or underbust though, but besides that) and it makes me mad because they charge a lot and make a big deal about themselves and grrr.
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What I mean is the binding is sewn through in one and the machine stitching is visible - there's nothing wrong with that, it's just not as classy a finish as not being able to see the stitches. When I sewn on binding, I use a machine to attach it then I turn it over the edge, turn it under and sew it by hand. That doesn't make my corsets better, just different - it takes longer to do and is therefore more costly.
Big companies can invest is special sewing machines that only do one thing, or in special attachments that allow things like binding to be sewn on in one simple process. Again it doesn't make them better or worse but if they can cut the time it takes to make a corset and they pay low wages and then charge top dollar all they're doing is lining their pockets and ripping off customers.
There are ways of making corsets that makes it much quicker but does have disadvantages. The biggest cost for any corset is the labour, especially when you consider that the big companies can negotiate cheap prices for their materials because of the quantities they can order. I buy wholesale wherever possible. For me, buying eyelets by the 100 is more economical than buying packs of 40, I'm not quite in the buying by the 1000 league yet. I buy my coutil 10m at a time direct from the mill to get the best price, I could buy cheaper if I bought 40m rolls, but that's a LOT of corsets. If I only made corsets I'd consider that but I make lots of other things. At the moment I still buy my busks retail, I haven't looked into minimum quantities for wholesale, but given the number of sizes I'd lake to keep in stock that would be a big investment.
The other thing to consider for most people is storage - I am lucky I have a huge dedicated workshop (over 40m square - that's about 400sg feet) but I'm not just starting out, I've worked for years in cramped conditions before being in this position.
What you have to do to be competitive is offer something the big suppliers don't and mainly that's service and quality. I decided a long time ago not to try to compete on price, my corsets are not cheap but neither are they the most expensive on the market.
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That's a very good way to think about it. I don't think it's easy to compete for price, because the lowest price I can possibly offer isn't even low enough to compete >:
And whoaaaa... I just sew at the kitchen table, there isn't really room anywhere else ahahaha. I have shelves to keep my things on, though, so that's good. I dunno....
I wish I could afford to buy things in large quantities, because even if no one buys my corsets I still really like making them, I dunno. I wanna make more stuff someday, but right now I only feel like making corsets I guess??
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The more corsets you make, the better you;'ll get and the more people will be prepared to pay. At the start it's tough but stick with it and customers will come.
I had all my corsetry components in a tool box until I moved here, corsets are fab, the stuff you need takes up hardly any space 
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Oh god, one room? That's awful D8 Our house is tiny, but it's not THAT tiny. Fffff!!! I'd hate living in just one room.
And people are starting to come to me, but I don't think any of them are serious. They tell me they're gonna commission me and then they never talk to me about it again. >:
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It was a bit tight to begin with but worth it in the end.
People will come, it just takes time, hang in there and you will end upo with more work than you can manage
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XDD, that sounds like it'll drive me nuts, but it would also be amazing to be making money to do things I love.
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I have that pen. XD
This will be handy one day, no doubt.
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I wondered where I'd put it
Thanks, I hope it's useful for you
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This tutorial looks really useful. n_n It'll definitely come in handy. x3
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Thank you, good luck - If you fabric is very tightly woven it can be quite difficult to push a hole through. The main thing is to make sure the fabric or whatever fits very snugly round the 'top hat' part of the grommet.
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I've been making corsit like sculpture things at collage, with wire and cling film and masking tape, but managed to totally mess this bit up, so this will be a great help.
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I hope it works out for you, Thanks. :d
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Prym grommets are made in Germany (I think) so probably available in Poland.
Unfortunately I cannot translate this tutorial into Polish if that's what you want - I might be able to do French at a push.
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no, no, no - you don't have to! I understand everything 
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You can buy them on the internet. Vena Cava Design UK [link] will post to Poland. They are the best I have used so far
.
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wow, thanks for this link, probably one day I will use it (I haven't tried to make a corset yet, but I just have to do it one day!)
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Well good luck when you do. Take your time, don't rush it and you'll be fine.
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Just make sure you hand them back before you leave...
I would so love to have something more professional but until I actually start earning, the DIY method will have to do.
At least with the Prym grommets you get a full set of everything with avery pack. I now have more grommet setters than I know what to do with!
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