Author: Michelle

Cornelia Josey Bra

~ Michelle ~ 2 Comments

Have you ever seen a bra kit and it was love at first sight? That was how I felt when I saw the Cornelia bra kit at B,Wear. It was so pretty, and so delicate. I bought it right away.I know most people think beige is boring, but I love the golden tones it has. I think it’s really pretty, and these golden tones paired with pink were beautiful.

I made this kit up into another Josey II bra. I do plan to try a couple of different patterns in the new year though.Here is my lovely Cornelia Josey bra. I love the lace on the upper cup. I loved it so much, I used it on the power bar, and on the side of the bra too.Oh, that is pretty.

The last couple of bras I made I didn’t use a bow. It wasn’t that they weren’t bow-worthy, but a bow just didn’t seem to fit them.This time it was the opposite. I cut out a pretty little green leaf, and it faded into the background. I didn’t like the look of it at all. This shimmery pink bow coordinates so well. It was perfect.This is my last post for 2021. I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season, and I think we’re all hoping for a better 2022.

Happy creating!

Stocking the Panty Drawer II

~ Michelle

This is just a short and sweet post.

I have been happily making more makes. Soon I will have a very full panty drawer and a full bra drawer too.

I really love this lace trim from Libelle. It works wonderfully with black, but there’s also brown and ivory in the pattern too. I decided to try it with a couple of pair of KS2286 panties in ivory.I think they’re equally as adorable as this lace trim on black.   What do you think? Do you have a preference?

Here’s the side and back view.

Then I decided to try the lace trim along the waistband without cutting it in half. Yes, I do like this trim on ivory as well.

I have four more pairs cut out on my cutting table and my panty drawer will be full to overflowing.

Happy creating!

Winter Dream

~ Michelle ~ 2 Comments

I cannot even begin to say how happy I am to have not one or two bras that fit so well, but I’m building a whole drawer full! It’s really a great feeling.

So as I’m happily sewing away, I’m catching up on some lovely kits I bought, and finally using them.

This latest bra is the Josey II (again). This time in a gorgeous kit from B,Wear. This kit was called Winter Dream.I’m also really pressing into sewing right now because we’re going to be moving! I need to sew now before I pack, and unpack.

Here’s my lovely new Winter Dream Josey.As well as having an applique leaf on the top of the bridge, I also added an appliqued flower to the lower bridge.

   Those little scrap lace appliques made their way onto the sides of the bra as well.

To match my Winter Dream Josey, I plan to use a few panties I’ve already made. These basic ivory ones will go nicely.

I’m also thinking for more of a pop of color, to try them with these.For that second option, here’s my bra and panties together. I guess which pair I choose will depend on my mood that day.

I have two more bras I plan to cut out and sew up before I start packing. My next couple of posts will be short and sweet.

Happy creating! 

Stocking the Panty Drawer

~ Michelle ~ 2 Comments

I decided it was time to restock my panty drawer with some new makes. All my pretty new bras deserved to have pretty new matchy matchy rather than old and much worn.

I have a few favorite patterns, so decided I’d make a few of each of those.

First up, one of my all time favorite panty patterns is Kwik Sew 2286. It’s an out-of-print pattern now, but it does turn up on ebay and etsy from time to time.

  I love this pattern for a hipster panty. In fact, one of the first panties I ever made were a clone of some La Vie En Rose panties. These are pretty much the same pattern.How adorable are these 2286s? I love the leopard lace trim on these too. That trim was cut in half lenthwise to make it narrow enough to use. It’s actually 3″ lace trim. I’ve done this before and it didn’t fray at all!

Another favorite pattern is the House Morrighan Clover Boybrief.   

It’s a great modern take on a boyshort. It also has some curve built into the pattern. So rather than the sides being a straight side, they have a slight curve to them. I love that.

This pattern is called a boybrief, and unlike other boyshort patterns, it doesn’t have that center front and back seam.Lastly, to fill out my panty drawer, I made another pattern I’ve used before and one new one.I made the Sigrid panty by B,Wear, and one of their newer patterns – the Agnes.

Here are my new Sigrid panties.The Sigrid panty has some curves built into the pattern too. Lastly, here are my new Agnes panties.You might have noticed, the Sigred and the Agnes look pretty much the same from the front.But they don’t look the same from the back.The Agnes doesn’t come up as high, and is a bit cheekier. Agnes has an option for what style of back you want too. You can have the Brazilian (Agnes), or a thong style (Astrid).

I have one more pattern I want to make. The Studio Costura Eva panties. I love the leg detail on these panties. However, I really love my hipster height for a panty. Hmm. I might try to hack them. That just might be a plan for 2022.

Happy creating!

An International Beauty

~ Michelle

I’ve made another Josey II. I have so many other bra plans, but this bra pattern fits me so well, I’m just sewing Josey all the time right now.

 Look how pretty this Josey is. I’m calling her my International Beauty bra because parts of her come from all over the world.

The oh-so-pretty Mirrored Embroidered Tulle Lace is from Emerald Erin’s Bra shop. Aren’t these gorgeous?   I have a confession here. I bought one of each of these. They were too pretty for me to resist. I still have enough of the black to make another bra! 

So my bra is one part Canadian. It’s also one part American. The frame is microduoplex from Bra Builders.And lastly, the finding kit I used was from B,Wear in Sweden. Truly, this Josey bra is an International Beauty.

Let’s go back to the tulle for a moment. I loved the bright floral design so much, I used a bit that would normally be scrap for the inner lower cup. It’s a pretty way to add a few more flowers in the cup.The rest of the cup is sheer cup lining. You can see the difference in the above photo.  

Lastly, I couldn’t resist using a single floral leaf that was in some scraps for the center front. A bow just didn’t seem right.Isn’t that adorable? I love it!

I have 3 more bra kits sitting on my cutting table, and I may just sew them all up using the Josey II. The new year might be the perfect time to try those other patterns I want to try.

Happy creating!

Smoke and Mirror Matches

~ Michelle

I really love my new Plum Pudding bra from the Bra Builders kit I received. It’s so lovely, I wanted to make something to match it right away. But this is a custom dyed kit. I wondered just what I would have that would match it.

I think you all know I love my cotton panties by now.

 Then I remembered some scraps I had from an order from Smoogie Fabrics (which sadly has closed).

This material coordinates perfectly with my new  bra.These are the House Morrighan Clover BoyBrief. I made this pair using the boyshort style leg.

The second pair I made were the same fabric, but a different section of that fabric. They look totally different. For this pair I used the brief leg opening.

I think they both look great with my new Plum Pudding Josey Bra.

I’m excited to work on a few more projects I’ve had planned.

Happy creating!

Smoke and Mirrors

~ Michelle

Bra Builders recently released their new seasonal colors, and I fell in love with more than one color. Just look at that first color – Burnished Copper. Oh! Gorgeous! However, my favorite would have to be the Plum Pudding. They describe it as a beautiful eggplant purple – rich and smoky. It’s so pretty!

Well, not only did I fall in love with a few of these colors, but I was accepted as one of Bra Builders’ Featured Artists, and had the priviledge of working with this beautiful Smoke and Mirrors tulle lace and some Plum Pudding micorduoplex!It was love at first sight.

When I saw this lace, I knew it would be perfect for an all-lace cup. The design throughout the lace, and the darker border on the lace make it perfect for this. I used the Josey II pattern for this bra.I am so happy with this bra. I love this bra kit. I adore these colors!I couldn’t resist using a little bit of the upper edge of the lace along the side of the bra.These rings and sliders are the Rainbow ones from Bodil’s Wear. They match the eggplant color in this so well.I have a few more matchy matchy to share with you in my next blog post.

Happy creating!

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.  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!