I had a fabulous one, that was very easy to make, but my mother burned it with a bunch of my other sewing stuff in a religious fit. long story, glad I don't live at home anymore.

Actually, it came out of this great little book (3'x5") with a bunch of corset patterns printed really small, but to scale, so all you had to do was blow up the pages on a copy machine... does anyone else know of that book?

Laughing moon Dore corset is fairly easy- for a corset.

simplicity has some easy patterns and some difficult ones. but the easy one is very straightforward. the only thing is that the sizes are for a "next to the body" fit rather than a tight fit.

Try this:

costume.dm.net/corsets/pattern.html

I also say try Laughing Moon. The directions are very clear, it is period correct, easy to make, and the cost isnt astronimical.

I've used the Simplicity Civil War corset pattern, can't remember the number, but it was the one without the bust insets. I don't know what you mean by overly tedious, since the nature of the beast calls for a lot of pieces and details, unless you mean a really simple princess-seamed bandeau with some hooks down the front and minimal boning, more of a fashion corset than a "real" one, in which case I don't know any to suggest.

But the Simplicity pattern makes up beautifully in Chinese silk brocade and pleather in addition to the traditional courtils, and can be customized with stylistic add-ons, without looking overly period. Fits great, and the directions, while complicated, were written and illustrated clearly. (Be aware, you have all the steel bones, and need a busk as well as grommets and setter; I think all the notions came to almost $40 for my second- after I already had the grommet kit & pattern from the first time and some leftover bones, so it's an involved project, but well worth it.)

What corset pattern to recomend depends on which century you intend to use it for...

I have to second or third the recommendation for the Laughing Moon corset pattern. It is one of the best one's I've ever used in all respects: accuracy, clear instructions, etc. And I used to have a corset biz. The Simplicity civil war patterns are much more complicated and I've run into problems fitting them in the bust. I don't think they were designed to come up over the bust as much as just prop 'em up.

This pattern is also very good: costume.dm.net/corsets/pattern.html, but it is a completely different silhouette. If you are going for the Victorian hour-glass look, this is not going to do it for you. This pattern is more cylindrical or conical and will flatten the bust and push it up--can make nice cleavage, but does not define the waist. This one is better for Medieval or Baroque period stuff.

I would recommend plasticwrap,and duct tape first. mark your centerlines,and tweak points.cut up the center back, figure your allowances, and cut the pattern to lay flat. there will be a lot of marks on the duct tape pattern,careful not to lose them,once it's laid flat,you can mark your stay lines and cut it into as many panels as you wish. they do fit best.