18TH CENTURY STAYS

Want to build a pair of historically accurate stays? Here is a collection of patterns, fabrics,  tapes, boning, etc. that you can choose from.

Also feel free to check out our YouTube Channel for our LIVE chat:

SUGGESTED SUPPLIES LIST (please consult the pattern or book you are working from for necessary amounts):
  • Exterior fabric - 1 piece of light to medium weight worsted wool or linen.
  • Fabric for Canvases- 2 pieces of sturdy medium to heavy weight linen 
  • Fabric for buckrams- small pieces of linen canvas, linen made into buckram, or sturdy linen tickings.
  • Fabric for Linings- 1 piece of light to medium weight linen in a plain woven checked, bleached, or unbleached.
  • Threads (Linen) - We recommend buying a large spool for your channel thread and using it for your basting thread, also. 
    • For seaming: 18/3 or 30/3 Tailor's Thread
    • For channels: 50/3 or 35/2
      This thread can be in natural or might also match the outer fabric. (Stays of the last quarter of the 18th century which might be made of cotton could be stitched in finer threads.)
    • For basting shapes: 50/3 or 80/3, White or Natural
  • Sewing Tools - Needles (sharps/betweens in sizes 5-8), pins, scissors, beeswax, awl, thimble, pliers (optional), pattern weights (optional), chisel (optional).
  • Boning- artificial baleen 
  • Binding- Linen, Cotton or Wool Tape
  • "Stay tape"-  1/4 inch wide linen twill or other tape/ribbon for covering seams. 
  • Lacing Cord- linen or cotton cord
Willoughby & Rose: 18th Century Children's "Elizabeth" Stays Pattern - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Willoughby & Rose: 18th Century Children's "Elizabeth" Stays Pattern
$15.00
Scroop & Virgil's Fine Goods: The Augusta Stays Pattern - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Scroop & Virgil's Fine Goods: The Augusta Stays Pattern
$24.00
JP Ryan 18th Century Half Boned Stays With Straps - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
JP Ryan 18th Century Half Boned Stays With Straps
$19.00
JP Ryan Strapless Stays Pattern - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
JP Ryan Strapless Stays Pattern
$17.50
Mill Farm 18th Century Jumps or Leather Stays Pattern - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Mill Farm 18th Century Jumps or Leather Stays Pattern
$10.00
White Medium Weight Linen - $21.00 yd.
from $5.25
Off White Coarse Medium Weight Linen - $14.00 yd. - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Off White Coarse Medium Weight Linen - $14.00 yd.
from $3.50
Natural Medium Weight Linen - $21.00 yd. - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Natural Medium Weight Linen - $21.00 yd.
from $5.25
Natural Glazed Linen - $28.00 yd. - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Natural Glazed Linen - $28.00 yd.
from $6.50
Natural Paste Buckram - $16.00 yd. - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Natural Paste Buckram - $16.00 yd.
from $4.00
Bohin Big Eye Sharps Sewing Needles, Sizes 3-9 - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Bohin Big Eye Sharps Sewing Needles, Sizes 3-9
$3.25
18/3 "Tailor's" Linen Thread -Heavy - Large Spool - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
18/3 "Tailor's" Linen Thread -Heavy - Large Spool
$12.75
30/3 "Tailor's" Thread - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
30/3 "Tailor's" Thread
$3.00
Natural
White
30/3 "Tailor's" Linen Thread - Large Spool - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
30/3 "Tailor's" Linen Thread - Large Spool
$12.75
White
Natural
50/3 & 80/3 Linen Thread - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
50/3 & 80/3 Linen Thread
from $3.25
white
ivory
black
light natural
natural
claret
madder red
red
brown
light cinnamon
gold
forest green
dark olive
pea green
royal blue
medium blue
lt blue
lilac
35/2 Linen Thread - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
35/2 Linen Thread
$12.50
Natural
White
60/2 Linen Thread - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
60/2 Linen Thread
$14.00
White
Natural
Beeswax Cake - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Beeswax Cake
$2.35
Synthetic "Whalebone" - 4 mm X 1 mm - sold by the yard - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Synthetic "Whalebone" - 4 mm X 1 mm - sold by the yard
$1.60
Synthetic "Whalebone" - 4 mm X 1 mm - 50 Meter Roll - SAVE 15% - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Synthetic "Whalebone" - 4 mm X 1 mm - 50 Meter Roll - SAVE 15%
$74.00
Synthetic "Whalebone" - 6 mm X 1.5 mm - sold by the yard - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Synthetic "Whalebone" - 6 mm X 1.5 mm - sold by the yard
$2.40
Synthetic "Whalebone" - 6 mm X 1.5 mm - 50 meter roll - SAVE 15% - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Synthetic "Whalebone" - 6 mm X 1.5 mm - 50 meter roll - SAVE 15%
$111.50
1/4 Inch Steel Boning - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
1/4 Inch Steel Boning
$0.60
spools of Dutch Linen Tape
Dutch Linen Tape - Natural - Sold by the yard - $1.35 yd. - $2.15 yd.
from $1.35
Plain Weave White Cotton Tape - Sold by the yard - $.30 yd.- $.50 yd. - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Plain Weave White Cotton Tape - Sold by the yard - $.35 yd.- $.55 yd.
from $0.35
Off-White Worsted Wool Twill Tape - $3.75 yd. - $7.00 yd. - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Off-White Worsted Wool Twill Tape - $3.75 yd. - $7.00 yd.
from $3.75
Off-White Worsted Wool Simple Twill Tape
Off-White Worsted Wool Simple Twill Tape
$4.75
1/8 inch Linen Stay Cord - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
1/8 inch Linen Stay Cord
$2.00
1/8 inch Cotton Stay & Corset Cording - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
1/8 inch Cotton Stay & Corset Cording
$0.40
White
18th Century Aglet - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
18th Century Aglet
$1.00
White Mechanical Chalk Pencil - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
White Mechanical Chalk Pencil
$14.00
Refills for The Mechanical Chalk Pencil - Burnley & Trowbridge Co.
Refills for The Mechanical Chalk Pencil
$9.00
White
Gray
Green
Linen Twill Tape in 1/4 and 3/8 inch widths
Linen Twill Tape--Sold By The Yard
from $2.00
Natural
Linen Simple Twill Tape in 3/16 and 1/8 inch
Linen Simple Twill Tape-Sold By The Yard
from $1.00