Lingerie

Matching Sigrid Panties

~ Michelle ~ 4 Comments

I gave my blog an bit of a makeover. Well, just a small one. I decided I’ve sewn a lot of things since I’d originally posted those photos, so I chose something newer. What do you think?Above is the one I’ve been using.And I chose this Watson for my new header. Do you have a preference?

Sigrid 

I wanted some matching panties for my new Jessica’s Twin bra. So I decided to make another pair of the new Sigrid panties.

For these, I only had a little bit of the burn-out mesh left over, and not even enough for the front of the panties. So, if you look closely, you’ll see a fairly well-matched seam down the front.

Here’s my new set:    Oh, this mesh!

I’m a little sad I don’t have any left. Well, one tiny little square that I can’t throw out. I’ll find something to do with it.

The sheer part looks white on my display, but I think it’ll look more like the bra when worn.    This is also the last of my lovely Café au lait beige. It’s a little darker than a lot of the beige cotton Lycras I’ve seen, and I like it too. The lace trim matches the cotton Lycra perfectly, and both are the same Café au lait as in the burn-out mesh.

Here’s the side view:

And lastly, the view from the back.

Such a pretty Angie and Sigrid set.

There are more fun things on my cutting table at the moment, and I look forward to sharing them with you as well.

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!

A Second Blushing Addition

~ Michelle

This is another short and sweet post.

I like to make a second pair of panties for every bra I make. And I didn’t have time to make a second pair to go with my Blushing Bridal submission for the June Bra-Makers Supply Challenge – at least not in time for the deadline at the end of June.

But there was nothing to stop me from making a second pair after the deadline. So, I did.Here’s my second pair.

For this pair, I’ve used lace across the front of the panty, and cotton Lycra and lace trim for the rest of the panty.

I also moved the side seam further to the front on this panty.I moved this seam only because I wanted it a little further forward. I could move it forward still, but really, I’m just playing with the seam at this point.

The side looks pretty much the same as the previous pair of panties and so does the back. The front is the only difference between the two – with the lace detail.

Here’s my full Blushing Bridal Part II set:    Happy creating!

June BMS Challenge – Blushing Bridal

~ Michelle ~ 2 Comments

June BMS Challelnge– Blushing Bridal – June is the time for brides and we share the joy of an upcoming wedding of one of our own staff members by challenging you (and us) to create garment suitable for a wedding trousseau. You can make any garment suitable for a bride’s trousseau or honeymoon. Oh, this is going to be so romantic!

This post is combining two things – the June BMS Challenge and a New Ruby pattern for me.

I knew when I took the Fitting Course at the end of April that my bra wasn’t fitting perfectly. In fact, one of the things I learned is I needed a few new adjustments to make my patterns fit.

A couple of these adjustments I knew – the ones for adjusting for an Omega shape. There were a new ones too. The new adjustments weren’t the only changes. My size had changed. I was down half a cup size, down a band size, and down a wire size. I was so glad to take the Fitting Course. On top of learning all the wonderful things I learned, I got measured again and I needed that.

So, between needing a new bra myself, and the challenge, it seemed a perfect time to make a new bra with all the changes, and make it fit the challenge.

My New Blushing Ruby

This turned out to be very pretty. Of course, there are still a few changes I want to make, but this fits so well. All the adjustments I learned are making this my best fitting bra yet.

A couple of the changes I made.

You already know I made a half a cup size smaller, and band size smaller, and a wire size smaller. I also made all my usual adjustments for being an Omega shape – small darts along all the bottom cup seams, smaller frame size than cup size. I also lowered my bridge, and raised the bottom of the bridge, and widened the bottom of the bridge too. And added the Gothic arch.

I’ve moved the strap placement over on this pattern. One of the things I love about the Ruby pattern is I don’t have to pull so very much all along the underarm with my elastic. Just a little pulling and it fits well.  Here’s the side view. Look how nicely the cup is fitting into the frame. Oh, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I’ll never get tired of seeing how nicely the cups fit in after taking that class with Jeanette.

Something you can’t see here is there are two more adjustments right there in that photo – both to help with the wire fitting more comfortably.

Lastly, here’s the back, and one more adjustment.    The final adjustment I made was to move the straps in on the back.

Panties to Match

Continuing on the Blushing pink theme, I made some cotton Lycra panties to match my new Blushing Ruby bra.Seeing as the bra has white in the lace, I thought white lace trim would be perfect for these panties.These are my self-drafted Hipster panties, and you might notice the side seam is forward a little. That’s just so all my side seams aren’t hitting all at the same place.    And the back.

Here’s my new Blushing Ruby and panty set.It’s been a long time since I was a bride, but I love my new blushing bridal set.

Happy creating!

Pin-Up Girls Newest Addition

~ Michelle

The Pin-Up Girls line of patterns has a new member. Meet the Cheryl Panty pattern.

At first glance, Cheryl may not seem so very different from the Pin-up Girls Panty Basics Pattern.

But they are different.

The new Cheryl is a combination of the two basic styles of panties; the brief and the boy shorts. It is the ideal panty for everyday wear. Cheryl has the look of the brief in the front however the back features a center back seam.

The Panty Pattern includes 4 views, with two height options (waist or hipster), and two leg options (thigh cut and high cut).

The feature I like best is part of all four style options – there are no side seams on these panties. There is one back seam and that’s it. It gives a nice smooth line to the panties.

Here’s my Cheryl from the side.The panty having no side seams is a really nice feature.

Another feature I really like is the lace back that wraps around to the front.

Seeing as I was testing the pattern, I made a basic Hipster panty with no alterations to the pattern – to see how it would fit. The measuring for these panties is a little different from other patterns, so I wasn’t sure how they would fit. This pattern is based on your hip measurement alone.

The good news is they fit and I was pleasantly surprised.

Here’s the front of my Cheryl panty.And here is the back.The seam isn’t that noticeable to look at. Using the lace option, it would become a feature too. And I’ve made panties before with a back seam and I didn’t notice the seam when wearing them either.

This is a nice change from the basic pattern. If you’ve been looking for a seamless panty pattern, here it is – at least no side seams.

The panty is available now at Bra-Makers Supply.

Happy creating!

Another Abbie Chemise – Libelle Round 4 Pre-Order

~ Michelle

Testing panels and material for the Libelle Sewing‘s Round 4 Pre-Order has been fun for me. Two pair of panties, and I still had more material.

There’s also a Warehouse Sale going on too.

The Pre-Order closes on March 24th.

 Remember the photo I shared with my pup and the material with the grey and tan pup?I had a whole meter of that mint material. This material is cotton Lycra, and has really good recovery. I decided another House Morrighan Abbie Chemise was the perfect for it.

My Abbie

My first Abbie, I made to fit loosely. I wanted it that way. But I also wanted to find out just how this pattern fit when it fit more closely, as it’s intended. So this Abbie is more snug. It’s not tight, but it’s not loose either.

Here’s my Abbie on Catherine. I had to pull Catherine out again because my white display isn’t long enough for a slip.Oh, all that puppy cuteness! They are adorable. And polka dots too.

Here’s the side view:And the view from the back.Here’s a close up of the lace trim I used to finish the hem. It matches perfectly, and it’s available at Libelle Sewing too. They have lots of colors too.I really love lace trim like this for finishing panties – both the waist and the legs. It was perfect to finish this chemise as well.

I had just enough of this material and lace trim left over to cut out a pair of  House Morrighan Clover Boybriefs for Em.

Em’s Clovers

Em had requested another pair of Clovers. She said they were so comfortable. She got her request. And they are adorable too.For Em’s last Clovers, I finished them with bands, but I had this lovely lace trim, and couldn’t resist using it on these. It’s such a delicate finish.

Here’s the side view.The Clover Boybriefs do give coverage, but are just a touch cheeky at the same time.

And here’s the back view. Oh, these are so cute!

Take a look at Libelle’s Round 4 Pre-Order, and all the other lingerie goodies they’re offering in their Warehouse Sale.

Happy creating!

Libelle Round 4 Pre-Order

~ Michelle

Do you remember me mentioning Libelle Sewing? They have a pre-order open now, and I’ve been sewing a few samples from this round.

Here are the first two makes with some gorgeous and fun fabrics. Both panels I’m using are cotton Lycra, the laces, and most of the elastics are from Libelle. The leg elastic/trim on both panties is from my stash.

1st Clover with Panel

I used my House Morrighan Clover pattern to make panties for both panels I used.

For this first one, I changed the front of the panty to have lace.This is a lovely soft lace, but not too soft. It has enough weight to it to make it fine for panties. And it goes really well with the cotton Lycra panel too.

Here they are from the side. I love polka dots. But just wait. These get more adorable.   I think these are so very cute. They might become my favorite beige panty. That little pup? I had to request this one because he looks just like my little pup. Well, he’s silver and tan like my pup anyway.That other pup material in this photo? You’ll be seeing that soon.

2nd Clover with Panel

For the second panel, I also used my Clover pattern, but this time changed it  so it had lace sides. And I used the panel as a front feature on these ones.These are fun. Classic Frank-N-Furter.

Here’s the side view to see more of that gorgeous lace.This lace is just a little firmer than the beige lace above, but it’s not stiff. Both are perfect for lingerie.

And the here is the back. I only had the one panel for this, so was doing my best to get the whole panty cut out of it. As a result, I had to give the back of the panty a seam. I used a pretty three-step zigzag to tack that seam down, so it’s still nice and flat.

The Libelle Sewing Pre-Order is on now. There are a lot of goodies other than the pre-order items too. Libelle carries bra findings, laces, power net, and lots more. And almost everything is on sale.Happy creating!

B,Wear Mystery Box

~ Michelle ~ 2 Comments

I pretty much love all things bra-making. I love patterns, laces and materials, and even elastics. So, when I first read about B,Wear’s Mystery Box subscription, I knew I wanted to try it. However, finances don’t always let me do what I want, when I want. Sometimes I have to wait. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen.

Fortunately for me, Christmas came and I got a subscription as a gift.

The Mystery Box

I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in getting excited when bra-making supplies arrive in the mail. Whether it’s that one item I need to complete a project, or a brand new kit. I get excited.

Well, this box really just adds to that excitement! Look at that label. I bet it’s even intriguing for the mail carriers who are delivering it. Just what is in that Mystery Box?   What fun! I couldn’t wait to open it.

The inside was just as fun as the outside.Once the outer box is opened, it’s still a mystery as it’s wrapped up in tissue paper and sealed with a foil heart. I loved this. It’s a lovely presentation. And it only got better for me.

What’s Inside?

What was inside was a treat for me. The January Mystery Box was all about making panties.Doesn’t that all look pretty? Let’s unpack and take a closer look at just what was in the box.And if you’re not sure what one of the items is exactly, there’s a note outlining everything.This is perfect for me. I love cotton panties! I can’t wait to sew this up. But do you see the bottom of the note? There’s one more item included in the Mystery Box – a new pattern.

Tippi Classic Window Brief

  The Tippi pattern is designed by Laurie Van Jonsson – the same person who released How to Grade a Bra and Brief this past year.I haven’t tried any of her patterns yet, so this will be a fun new experience for me. The Tippi is described on her website as:

‘This brief sits low and has all the detail in the back.’

That does sound interesting. However, before I sew this pattern, and have fun with this Mystery Box, I’ll be back to sewing my Fitting Bras. I’m on my fourth bras for the month, so far.

Happy creating!

A Few Leftovers

~ Michelle

I still have a few projects left over from 2018 I want to get done. I decided these would be the first sewing projects I finished in 2019. As well, I have a free House Morrighan pattern hack for you this week. See the bottom of this post.

Clover Briefs

There was a pair of House Morrighan Clover Briefs that were mostly sewn sitting on my cutting table. They were waiting for the bands to be put on the legs. That was it. But Christmas came, and visiting, and New Year’s, and we went to the mountains. There were a lot of reasons I wasn’t sewing. Those Clover Briefs waited for me though.These are adorable too. I made them in the reverse of the color block I made my first ones.Although the bands for the waist and legs are easy, and do look nice, I still  prefer lace trim for finishing my panties.

Here they are from the side. And from the back. Well, I can say, I definitely don’t like how the bands are flipping up in the photos. Good thing they don’t do that when they’re on me. I’ve got more to fill them out than my display.

Another Clover Boybrief for Em

   Em loved this pattern too. So much so, she requested another pair. Instead of the Clover briefs, which I prefer, she asked for the boy-leg opening.

She also requested a color combo, and for them to be finished with bands. Em prefers bands to lace trim.

Here are Em’s Clovers in pink and ivory.

Oh, these are darling! When I was sewing them together, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the two colors, but seeing them on the display, they look great!

Here’s the side view.  And the back view.  Oh, they are sweet. And it’s nice to see panties that fit my display perfectly.

Just so you can see all the ways I’ve made the Clover boy briefs, here’s a collage of what I’ve done with the pattern.

Free Pattern Hack

House Morrighan has released a free pattern hack only for members of their House Morrighan Makers Facebook group. This pattern is for a nursing hack for the Poppy, Dahlia, or Abbie patterns. You will need one of those patterns first to use this hack. Just go to Facebook and join the group for the free pattern. It’s in the files.

Happy creating!

Plans for a New Year

~ Michelle

Happy New Year!

I know. I’m a few days late to use that greeting, but this is my first blog post of 2019. I thought I’d share with you some of my plans for this new year. It’s always fun for me to look back and see just how many of my plans I carry out.

BMS Challenge

One of the things I enjoyed this past year was participating in the Bra-Makers Challenge. I didn’t manage to participate each month, but when I did, it was fun. I enjoyed trying new fabrics, and learning a few new things.

Here’s a collage of my Challenge makes from 2018:

Nine out of twelve isn’t bad. Maybe I’ll do better in 2019. My highlight had to be my red satin bra and panty set from February.Yes. This was my favorite Challenge make.

So, I’m thinking of doing the Challenge again in 2019. You can read all about the 2019 Challenge here. The details for January are posted already as well. You can find them here.

Drafting and More

Some of my plans for 2019 are a result of my taking the Drafting course. That was something I’ve wanted to take for at least three years now. And it was as wonderful as I thought. I’m so glad I took the course.

The next course has been scheduled too – Bra Fitting 101. It’s another week-long course, and I’m sure it will be as great as the Drafting course was. You can find out more about it here.

That course is in the Spring, so to keep busy between now and then, I’ll be making some Fitting Bras. I’ll be making 22 Fitting Bras to cover the most used sizes. So, my posts might be a bit monochromatic while I’m sewing them all up. Or I may not post weekly. I’ll have to see how things are working themselves out.

You might wonder why I need to make fitting bras. Well, I’m going to continue taking these professional courses and hopefully begin a new bra-making adventure using the skills I’m learning.

House Morrighan

I’ve also had a great time in 2018 being a tester for House Morrighan. The patterns are lovely. It’s great to have a bralette pattern, or chemise pattern that’s been designed with curves in mind.

One mis-perception is the patterns are only plus sized. They’re not. House Morrighan covers smaller sizes too. I’ve been making either a 6 or 8 for Em, and a 12 for me. That’s definitely not only plus sized.

 In 2019 I plan to continue testing HM patterns. The next release will be a free nursing adaptation for the Poppy, Dahlia, and Abbie. I’ve had a sneak peek at a couple more patterns that are coming too. They’re lovely! Stay tuned.

Libelle Sewing

As if all that wasn’t enough to keep me busy for the year. I’m also going to be sewing some samples for Libelle Sewing.

Look at these samples, and my pup.How could I not want to sew something with a little silver and tan pup like mine? There are so many panels coming, but not until Spring. We all will have to wait for a little bit for this adorableness.

It’s looking like a busy but fun year ahead!

Happy creating!