Aranea Black "Amber" Corset Bodysuit Review
AB Bunny Review
Categories:
Parameters/Controls:
Using the same materials for all but noting which materials they suggest
Following the included instructions (if there are any)
Using my preferred methods if no instructions
Only minor pattern alterations (grading between sizes or very lightly altering for fit, such as length)
Categories:
- Overall
- How I overall feel about the suit once it has been produced
- Overall, Aranea Black’s Amber bunnysuit pattern is a good corset-styled suit with moderate waist reduction for an experienced sewist. The pattern consists of ten total pieces, including seven panels, an optional modesty panel (I would recommend this to protect your skin from the lacing), the crotch extension, and the butt extension. If you already know the basics of corset construction and are willing to use your favorite technique on a bare-bones pattern rather than be guided through construction, I would recommend this pattern, especially if you want waist reduction and want a free pattern.
- How I overall feel about the suit once it has been produced
- Price
- How much it costs at full price
- Free
- How much it costs at full price
- Availability
- How easy the pattern is to get your hands on/whether it is still in production
- No longer available on Aranea Black’s website, but easily found on mirrors uploaded by fans
- How easy the pattern is to get your hands on/whether it is still in production
- Size Range
- What is the size range? Since I’m not producing every size, how do the different sizes look on the pattern? Does the grading seem to make sense?
- What is the size range? Since I’m not producing every size, how do the different sizes look on the pattern? Does the grading seem to make sense?
- Alterability
- How easy is it to alter for size or fit? Does it have multiple fit options? Does it have markings for length or other alterations? Does it include instructions on altering for fit?
- Overall pretty easy to alter, and instructions on how to grade between sizes, alter length, and then walk your seams so everything lines up after altering are included. The full archive of her site has even more instructions for altering corsets generally, if not this one specifically.
Pattern includes length alteration markers at the underbust and the high hip, so you can add or remove length on the part of the body it is needed. The pattern also has lines for bust, waist, high hip, and mid hip, which offers even more flexibility, and has the grainline marked on each piece.
No seam allowance is included, which makes it easier to alter the pattern or grade between sizes.
- How easy is it to alter for size or fit? Does it have multiple fit options? Does it have markings for length or other alterations? Does it include instructions on altering for fit?
- Styling
- How close is it to a Playboy suit? Does it have hip lacing? Accessories? Does it have lacing, a zipper, options for both? What are the seamlines?
- Corset styling with back lacing and seven panels per side. Moderate sweetheart neck and moderate legline. No hip lacing option and no accessories. Cups cut in line with the suit (as opposed to separate cups).
- How close is it to a Playboy suit? Does it have hip lacing? Accessories? Does it have lacing, a zipper, options for both? What are the seamlines?
- Ease of Use
- How easy or difficult is it to sew (for a bunnysuit)? Would I recommend this for a first bunnysuit?
- This is not a suit I would recommend for your first bunnysuit, or your first corset, for that matter. Aranea herself rated this the most difficult of all her patterns for a reason. I wouldn’t say the pattern itself is inherently difficult to assemble, but the pattern has no instructions and does not hold your hand. Difficulty is added by the number of seams, the grommets, and the mix of stretch for the crotch panel and non stretch for the rest of the suit. This is not meant to be a beginner-friendly pattern, however, and is meant as a blank canvas for an experienced corseter who wants a corset-style suit and can bring their own expertise to the pattern.
- How easy or difficult is it to sew (for a bunnysuit)? Would I recommend this for a first bunnysuit?
- Fit
- How well does it fit the measurements given for the garment? Note that I’m fairly small and making them to my size, so it may not fit every size the same. Is there anything to note about the fit, such as the length, the general curviness, the bust shape and support, and the butt coverage? Is there an appropriate amount of ease?
- Includes hook and eye closure at the crotch for ease of access when you need to use the restroom (I usually add this to my own patterns!).
While I understand the use of a stretch panel for the crotch, it is not the choice I would personally have made. That said, it allows for the crotch to conform to the body smoothly with fewer needed alterations and allows for a little bit more movement. It also has less bulk than a traditional bunnysuit crotch, as it is only one layer of a thinner knit fabric. If you aren’t confident fitting a bunnysuit crotch or have issues with the crotch gapping, or if you are planning on doing a lot of physical movements, I would recommend a stretch crotch extension. You will have to be careful about the length of the suit, however, so that the stretch panel doesn’t show in the front and only stays on the underside (so you may need to shorten the length of the crotch extension as needed).
- How well does it fit the measurements given for the garment? Note that I’m fairly small and making them to my size, so it may not fit every size the same. Is there anything to note about the fit, such as the length, the general curviness, the bust shape and support, and the butt coverage? Is there an appropriate amount of ease?
- Instructions
- Does it include instructions? Do the instructions make sense? Would they produce a quality bunnysuit? What materials are suggested? What construction and finishing techniques are used?
- No assembly instructions included, but some size alteration instructions are included. Aranea had even more alteration information on her website. I ended up choosing the welt seam method because that’s what I remember she did in her (now lost so I can’t double check) youtube video on making the suit, what appears to be the method drawn on the flats of the suit, and what she seemed to recommend most often, though if I were to make it again, I would likely either fuse or roll pin the layers instead for a smoother look.
Does not include seam allowance. Does include boning length markers if you are boning on each seam.
Recommended materials:
Strength layer: Coutil, bull denim, twill, upholstery canvas, tarp, ticking, anything tightly woven
Boning: flat steel, spiral steel, synthetic (German plastic) whalebone, reinforced plastic boning, wide zip ties
Crotch insert: power mesh, cotton or rayon jersey
These recommended materials largely make sense and would be what I would recommend, but I can tell that Aranea doesn’t have much experience with stretch based on her suggestions. My suggestions would be milliskin (matte or shiny), satin finish spandex, or power mesh only if you are making a sheer suit or lining the crotch in an opaque material or if you are using it to reinforce a stretch PVC material. Jersey doesn’t tend to have enough recovery for something under this much tension, and since most bunnysuits have a satin outer layer, you want the crotch piece to blend in as well as possible, even if it doesn’t show from the front.
I will say it again: due to the lack of instructions, this is NOT a beginner-friendly pattern! If you are the type who can easily figure things out, already know how you want to do the assembly, or want a pattern that is very customizable, I would recommend it, but if you need pattern instructions to not feel lost, please choose a different pattern.
- Does it include instructions? Do the instructions make sense? Would they produce a quality bunnysuit? What materials are suggested? What construction and finishing techniques are used?
Parameters/Controls:
Using the same materials for all but noting which materials they suggest
Following the included instructions (if there are any)
Using my preferred methods if no instructions
Only minor pattern alterations (grading between sizes or very lightly altering for fit, such as length)