Month: October 2021

Matchy Matchy for Viola

~ Michelle ~ 2 Comments

The weather might be turning cooler here in Canada, but I won’t even think of that when I look at these pretty matching Viola Josey bra sets.The colors are so vibrant, I really wanted to pick that up in the panties. So I didn’t go with just one color. I love the pop of turquoise in the lace trim. I think it coordinates well with the turquoise elastics in the bra.

No basic black here.

For the second pair, I decided to match the purple color in the bra.These are adorable too.

  For both pairs of panties I used the House Morrighan Clover Boybrief. I think these sets will cheer up the coldest day!

Since sewing these, I decided my lovely new Viola bra needed a bow. So I’ve added an adorable lavender bow in the center of the bridge.

Happy creating!

The Prettiest Viola

~ Michelle ~ 2 Comments

I had ordered a kit from B,Wear earlier this year. It is such a pretty kit, I had to use it now that I again have a well-fitting pattern.

Yes, this is another Josey II. I do plan so sew a few other patterns, but right now Josey is getting all the attention. 

I decided to do something different with this bra. Instead of using duoplex/microduoplex or even lingerie satin for the cradle, I made a lace cradle and backed it with sheer cup lining. Making a lace cradle allowed me to have a pretty lace edge along the bottom of the bra.I love the colors in this lace, and the coordinating elastics all in turquoise. It’s so pretty. That lace edge makes it look like a bralette to me, but it’s a wired bra.To make a lace edge, you need to have a center seam in the cradle.

Actually, there’s a great video by Liz Sews explaining just what you need to do to add a lace edge to your bra pattern here.   The band doesn’t have lace on it. I think I’d like to make one like that, but I used almost all the lace in the kit doing the cradle and cups.

This kit was called Viola, and I do hope B,Wear will carry it again. I looked to buy some more of the lace and couldn’t find any more.

They do have this lovely lace which is similar, but with a pink flower instead of a purple one.  Lastly, here’s the back. The B,Wear kit had both a black and a turquoise set of hooks and eyes included. I decided I can use the black on many other bras, but on this one the turquoise would coordinate perfectly. How could I pass that up?Isn’t that lovely? The constrast between the turquoise and the black is striking! This is another very happy make. 

I have one more kit I want to sew up right away, but I think Viola needs some matchy-matchy first.

Happy creating!

Sewing Plans

~ Michelle ~ 2 Comments

I have a few projects sitting on my cutting table this week, but nothing that will be done in time to post on Saturday. So I thought I’d share a few of my plans with you.I saw this top online and loved it at first look. What I don’t love about it is it’s not natural fibers. I prefer that, so I thought, I can make my own version of this lovely top. If you love it too, there’s a link in the photo. (no affiliation)

I was thinking the Halla Agnes Swing Top would be perfect for the shape.

Use the sleeve option, add the color blocking and seam allowances. It wouldn’t be a hard adjustment to make.

So that’s one plan.

Another is the lovely new Cambia bra pattern.I first saw this bra during the Great Bra Sewing Bee, and simply fell in love. If you haven’t seen it done up, go and have a look. It’s gorgeous! 

I bought the pattern as soon as it came out. This will be one of the next patterns I try. I may try the Lamina or Labellum from Lilypa first so I know how her sizing fits me.

I’ll be back next week with some wonderful new makes to share.

Happy creating!

Using MicroDuoplex

~ Michelle ~ 2 Comments

I have a couple of really beautiful bra kits with Microduoplex in them. I’ve heard often that it’s very hard to sew, so I ordered some plain white to practice sewing it.

I’d also read as many tips as I could about how to sew it. Those tips are things like: use tear-away paper underneath two layers, use a microtek needle, use So Fine thread, lengthen your stitch length, use a straight stitch plate.

I tried almost all of the suggestions – probably in the same order as above too. There were a lot of skipped stitches and sections where the stitches didn’t take at all the first few times. Believe it or not, this was sewn all the way across. You can see the skipped stitches, and where there are no stitches in the material at all.

I didn’t find the paper underneath did a thing. Nor was I finding any of the others tips helpful either. That is, until I decided I would buy a straight stitch plate for my machine. Once I had the straight stitch plate on, the microduoplex sewed so easily. It was amazing the difference it made.

It sewed so easily without any paper underneath, and without the longer stitch length. Let me tell you, while I was sewing, I thought that new stitch plate was completely worth the money I paid for it!Once I started sewing, I was excited to finish a bra. This one was only using  white mircoduoplex, and then a bit of lace left over.

 This is very pretty. I have to say, after trying the straight stitch plate for the cups, the bra came together quite easily.

I can see one problem with my photos though. The foam cups I’ve been using really don’t fit my size now. I’m going to cut out some new foam cups this week.

One bit of experimenting I did on this bra was to add some non-stretch lace to the strap elastic at the front. My thought was many high-end RTW bras use strap elastic only, but have a bit of embelishment on the front strap. I was thinking it’s more than just decoration – it’s to stabilize the straps.

I would have used a bit more lace, but I was down to scraps and that was all I had left. That lace was very well used.

If you haven’t tried microduoplex, I do encourage you to try it – but make sure you have a straight stitch plate! It really is a lovely material for our bra-making.

Happy creating!

Seamless Clover Boybrief

~ Michelle

If you remeber last week I was planning to try a boyshort pattern with the fusible elastic. I looked through my patterns, and chose my favorite one. The House Morrighan Clover pattern.

The reason this is my favorite ‘boybrief’ pattern is there are curves built into the shape of the pattern. A lot of boyshort patterns don’t suit a curvy shape. And if you’re wondering, by curvy I mean actual curves. I’m not using it to refer to plus size. This pattern starts at a size 6.

So I chose my favorite pattern. Then I thought how the gusset was too narrow on the last trial. So on this one, I added 1/2″ to the sides of one of the gusset pieces. The other I left as it usually is.  

This way, when I fold over the larger gusset, it will enclose the sides and make a nice neat finish – and not be too narrow.

I also added 1/2″ to the leg openings. I didn’t want a shorter boyshort. I guess if you want a cheekier look don’t add the 1/2″.

Here are my seamless Clover boybriefs.   Oh, I do like these.  

These turned our perfectly!

One fusible elastic user beware: You can’t see the front when turning it over and ironing it. Check before you iron! I got a pucker.

That little pucker? It’s fused in place. I learned my lesson to really make sure this was bonded from the first pair I made. Now I’ve learned to check before I fold over the material and fuse it again. Other than that, these really turned out perfectly. 

Happy creating!