Month: November 2019

November BMS Challenge – Movember

~ Michelle

November – Movember – Once again, we welcome Movember by making some menswear. in 2018, we released a free pattern for a men’s tank top. So many women wrote to say they used that pattern for themselves! This month is about creating menswear…OR using a menswear pattern to create something for a woman. Should we release a new menswear pattern? Maybe, just maybe…

Ooh, a new pattern. I love new patterns! I haven’t heard anything more though.

For Movember,  I’m going to make my son another pair of the Michael Men’s Underwear. My son loved the last few pairs I made him. He’s also told me he wears the ones I make as often as he wears his SAXX.

I have to tell you, a couple of years ago, I bought a few yards of the thick plush elastic for the waistbands thinking I’d make him more briefs. Then my son told me he really didn’t like the elastic I used. So, scrap that idea. I put the elastic in a give-away bag.

Fast forward a bit. The Angie comes out and you can use that same lovely plush elastic on the bottom of that bra. And my son comes and tells me he really likes the elastic on the new briefs I made him. I pause and tell him he told me he didn’t like it (thinking all the while how I got rid of a few yards of it!). He says no, he didn’t like the elastic on the first couple of pairs I made him, but loves the most recent ones. Sigh.

If you look at these photos, the elastic all looks the same, but it’s not. The black & white print pair have elastic I bought at the fabric store. It’s not the same as the plush elastic I bought at BMS – so says my son.

The good news is I don’t need to buy elastic again. I bought a men’s underwear kit from BMS and it comes with this nice plush elastic. I’m all set to make him a pair for Christmas.

I’ll make him the same style as I made him last time – with the flap and the opening.Believe it or not, I couldn’t figure out how I did this. I had to sit down an re-read my old blog post. I just wasn’t getting it when I first started to sew. But once I saw what I’d done, I got it again.

Here are my son’s Michael Men’s Underwear.  They don’t fit my dress form as well as my panties, but this works better than pinning them on my dress form.

I decided to use fold-over-elastic on the opening. On the last ones I made, I simply serged the edges. I like how finished this looks.On the side view, you can see just how ill-fitting they are. There’s not as much of a difference between the waist and hips on these. And that will fit my son much better than something more curvy.And the back view.

Lastly, here’s the inside with the sling.   So these are fully equipped. They’ve got the front opening and the sling.

I recently saw a pair of his favorite brand that were sleep pants. Hmm, I think I need to take a look at a pair of those to change up my Michael pattern to make sleep pants.

Happy creating!

Christmas Gifts

~ Michelle

Often, when we sew, we’re asked to sew for others. And this year I was asked to sew for my own dear Em, and her sister. How could I refuse that?

Would I sew up a couple of sleep shirts? Well, of course I will. Hmm, now what pattern will I use for these sleep shirts.

I just happened to be buying some fabric, and went to see the Kwik Sew patterns the store had. I found a perfect sleep shirt pattern.I think this will be perfect.

Em requested a curved hem like Style B. Her sister will get the straight hem.

Sewing on the sleep shirts hasn’t started yet though. I will start them this month so they’re ready for Christmas.

What I have been doing is making little felt poinsettias brooches to give away for Christmas. These were the first two I made. Then I went on to make a whole bunch more. 15 more to be exact.

If you’re wondering where I found these great little felt poinsettia shapes, I’ll share that, and how I put mine together too.

I ordered the little felt cut-outs on Etsy.   Here’s a screen shot from their shop. Look at all these lovely colors. I bought the red, and the white ones. And I’ve been really happy with them.

What I’ve done with mine to make brooches is, first I put a little Elmer’s glue in the center of each one, just to hold them all in place. Then I add a stitch. Next I have fun with my Hot Fix tool and add crystals.And you can tell, I like my crystals. They fun, they add pop, and when the light hits them they’re even more fun.

I have some red and white felt that I’ve been using to make backs for the brooches. The backs have a secure pin too. I think I bought a pack of those at Michaels.Then I hand-sew the backs onto each brooch.I think these will make lovely little Christmas gifts for family and friends. I know I’m keeping a couple of them for me too.

Happy creating!

October BMS Challenge – Fall into Fashion

~ Michelle

October – Fall into Fashion – Have you “fallen” for a gorgeous look from ready to wear, but want it to fit your body? This challenge is about “falling” for fashion and re-creating the look for yourself by cloning or copying a ready-to-wear look. Be ready to be inspired!

It took me a little while to decide what I wanted to copy from RTW for my challenge entry this month.

One of the things I thought about was a lovely bra. This is the Dream Catcher by Freya. Look at that little peep hole on the bridge! Isn’t that adorable?This is lovely, and I may copy that little peep hole feature at some point.

I also love the Prima Donna Milady. Oh, this was a nice bra.

A foam cup for some amazing lift, and a vertical lace cup over top.

As much as I love both of those ideas, time was not on my side. When I realized October was half over, and I looked at my schedule, I knew it was time to pick a project that I could fit into my schedule.

I thought back to some other RTW lovelies I have wanted to copy, and then I remembered a really adorable panty. This is the Panache Quinn High Waist brief. On, this is pretty. Yes, this is my inspiration this month.

Here are my own pretty lace-hipped panties. I chose not to do a high cut brief. I used to love high cut briefs when I was in my 20s… before I had kids. I’m much happier with hipsters these days.

The don’t look so different from the front or the back.There is a peek of that lace in both views.

But the side view. That’s where we see the design of these panties pop.Ooh, that is so pretty. This lace is so soft too, so these cotton-Lycra panties will still be so comfortable, as well as very pretty.

To finish these lovely panties, I used the same lace I used for the sides for the trip at the waist. I simply trimmed it below the embroidered part, and attached it the same way I attach elastic lace trim.I just may have to make more of this design.

Happy creating!