Cashmerette Montrose Woven Top II

This is take two of my woven top assignment. Again, I made the Montrose Top by Cashmerette.

I’m already looking for some lovely guipure lace to make a similar top as shown on the Cashmerette website.  Montrose Top 12-32 PDF pattern

Oh, I really do love this lace top!

I didn’t have any lace fabric that I could use for a top. Lots of lace for bras, but no lace fabric to use for a top like this.

This past summer Fabricville had some lovely smocked fabric I couldn’t resist. I still have enough for a dress, but used half of it for this blouse.

Here’s my second Montrose top.

For this one, I made a narrow shoulder adjustment and it did fit better through the shoulder. However, there was still too much fabric around the neck and upper chest.Right there, where I’ve put the pin.

It seems I need more than just a narrow shoulder adjustment. I also need a gaping neckline adjustment. The two of them took care of most of this. I could adjust the neckline a tad more.

However, one of the big components of this class it to NOT overfit. Get a good fit is more important. I think I’ve come to the same conclusion with bras – there really isn’t that perfect fit. Even a great fitting bra could probably be adjusted somewhere.Here’s the back. I skipped the keyhole this time as I’m busy sewing two garments per week with this class.

This is wearable. Once the course is finished, I’ll go back and sew up another woven top with the the neckline adjustment.

Happy creating!

Etsy Sale

Hello all! Just a short sweet post to let you know Etsy is having a sale.

Today and tomorrow only. $10 off a purchase of $40.

I know I have a few things I’ve been looking at. Time to save a couple of pennies! 

Happy shopping. 

Another Lovely Freja in Platinum

I have a lace addiction. There doesn’t seem to be any support groups to help with this – just a wonderful bra-making community that all shares this same addiction.

Well, I saw this lace and had to have it.Stretch mesh lace in Off-white with purple flowers & black embroideryI love it.

I thought it would wonderful with lilac, but I just made that gorgeous Vibrant bra with lilac. So I wanted something else. I dug in my stash and found some platinum duoplex and it works perfectly with this lace! I love it! I’m much happier with it than I even thought I’d be.

That little pop of purple in the lace. The black embroidered flowers. It’s so pretty. This bra doesn’t have the flash and pop of color the Vibrant bra did from the side or back, but they can’t all be vibrant. I’m really going to have to get busy sewing some panties to match all these bras I’ve made.It’s just a lovely platinum back.

After years of RTW bras in either beige or black, I love having all these colors.

One last photo collage of this pretty platinum Freja bra.    Hmm. Even my display needs matching panties!

B,Wear had this lace as one of their August Kit of the Month options.Sophie - Bra kit for August

Happy creating!

Beautiful Vibrant Bra

I saw this kit on B,Wear’s site and it’s simply called Vibrant bra kit. And it is vibrant! It’s gorgeous!Vibrant bra kit - fits most bras patterns like Lusamine, Margareta, Ruby etc. - 3I saw it and loved it immediately. I knew I wanted to have a beautiful bra using this vibrant kit.

Again, I’m making the Pin-Up Girls Freja pattern. It’s my current love.Oh! (you’ve heard this before) I love this! I was thinking as I was finishing this bra that it doesn’t seem to matter how many bras I’ve made, I still fall in love over and over with the lace, and the pattern, or how it looks when it’s finished.

Here’s the side view:That peek of fuchsia elastic is just gorgeous! I love that.

It’s even lovely and vibrant from the back.I’m not done making a new bra wardrobe using the Freja pattern. I have two more kits sitting on my cutting table ready to be made up into more pretty bras.

I need to make some matching panties to go with all these lovely new bras. I’m a bit behind on those. You’ll see those soon.I recently purchased the Josey bra pattern for my niece. I don’t know if you’re aware, but according to an email I received from La Bella Coppia, the Josey pattern will no longer be available after the end of this year. Her website will be closing sometime in September.

The Josey is still one of my favorite patterns. If you don’t have it, there’s still time to get it for yourself.

Happy creating!

Porcelynne’s Complete Bra Making Course

Porcelynne has released their Complete Bra Making Course today. This is the course I’ve been reviewing for the past few months, and using to sew up the newly redesigned Eve pattern.

The Eve pattern is included with the course as well. Complete Bra Making Course with Porcelynne - image 1

Here’s what’s included.

Learn all about bra making fabrics, wires, findings, how to measure, fit and sew a full custom fit bra. This course contains 30 video lessons with 13 hours of content. Jennifer walks you from the process of understanding materials and to sewing a lace foam cup bra. Follow her through the fitting process on a very difficult person to fit – herself.

The course is available in a few options: the full course or as 6 different parts. The course is also 25% off until the end of the month! This is the first course that we have integrated into our new website (the rest are on their way) and it has a few new features. All videos are closed captioned and can be downloaded individually to view off-line.

I really have to say I’m impressed with this course, and the Eve pattern. While it’s on sale, now is the time to try it!

I mentioned recently that I’m having trouble with my hand. That hasn’t improved. In fact, it’s worse. So for now, I won’t be doing very much sewing – I can’t even sew up the last alteration I have on my Eve pattern. We were so close to fitting it perfectly – really. One alteration to go and I just can’t physically sew right now.

I’m hoping with rest my had will recover and I’ll be back to sewing soon.

Happy creating!

Still Here

Hello! I know it’s been over a month since I posted. I’ve been sick twice in that time, and at present am still getting over the second cold of the season.

I don’t have anything to show you just now, but I promise I will be sewing and  working on things when I’m feeling well enough.

Happy creating!  

 

A Late Valentine’s Josey Milady

I’m really loving my Josey Milady (named after my best-fitting bra pattern and Prima Donna’s lovely Milady bra). In fact, I find myself reaching for these ones that I’ve made more than any others in the bra drawer. I think I need more of them.

This one is inspired by the most gorgeous lace, and my recent Brenda Brief panties.  I really like these panties. So really wanted to make something to coordinate.

My newest Josey Milady.This gorgeous lace comes from B,Wear.

I love the red and black together.   Oh, I love this combination.

  A lot of my inspiration comes from RTW bras, and this one is no exception. I love the Fantasie Leona bra. Here’s the inspiration.

And here’s my take on it.I hope you all have wonderful inspirations that you bring to life.

Happy creating!

A Modified Josey

For anyone who’s followed my blog for a while, you know my favorite RTW bra of all time. If you’re new to my blog, well, it’s the Prima Donna Milady.

Isn’t this pretty? It’s a lovely lace cup with a 3/4 inner foam cup. It’s comfortable, and gives great support and lift. But it never did fit me because the wires were too big.

It’s long been a desire of mine to clone it, but I just didn’t want to do all the work. By that I mean, clone a bra that doesn’t fit me, then do all the adjustments to modify it to fit me. It sounded like a lot of work I didn’t feel like doing.

Then I had an idea. Why not use my very well-fitting Josey bra pattern to make my own Milady. It turned out perfectly!I used this is from a lovely kit I found on BMS.I used the lace for the whole cup so it would look more similar style-wise to the PD Milady.I love how the lace details lined up on the cup pieces. Trust me, that was a happy accident. I didn’t have that much material for cutting them, so didn’t follow the Dogs on the pattern for cutting those cup pieces. What a happy occurrence.  Yes, I’m very very happy with how this turned out. I’m sure there will be more Josey Miladys soon.

One last photo since the foam really doesn’t show in the photos. Here’s one I took a photo of the inside of the bra.Oops, I see the channeling popped out from under the upper band elastic. I guess I’m not quite done this bra yet.

Happy creating!

A Vintage Kit and Pattern

Over the years, I purchased a few vintage patterns, and even if I don’t make them up, I enjoy seeing how they’re made, and what things have changed over the years.

One day a few months ago, I saw a neat vintage lingerie kit on eBay. I couldn’t resist!I would have loved this if it had been the bra kit! However, this was the long leg girdle. It’s not anything I will make to wear myself, but still. As I said, I couldn’t resist it.Doesn’t this look amazing?

Even though I wasn’t planning on making this up, I was still excited to open it and look at everything. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed. It’s old. It’s discolored. It’s very stiff and rigid.

Here’s everything that was in the kit. The pattern and instructions are in great shape. But the fabrics leave a lot to be desired.The power net was the oddest part of the kit. It was so stiff and had no drape to it. It was also discolored from age.

  Can you see the discoloration at the bottom of this piece of power net? The whole folded side was this yellowish color.

The tricot that was included in the kit was still lovely. No age showing on it at all.

The lace  and elastics were stiff and aged as well. Other than the pattern and instructions, these girdle clips were the only good part of this vintage kit.

It was  a fun trip down the vintage lingerie lane, but for the most part I’ll stick to newer patterns and materials.

Happy creating!

Freja Take One

I’m back! It feels so good to be sewing pretties and blogging again.

I have one of the new patterns BMS recently released. The Freja pattern.  It is a really nice pattern. It came together easily, and fits well for a first attempt. I’ve been wearing it, so it’s fitting well enough.This is made from a copper bra kit I had. Oh, I love this color, and I’m rather loving this bra too.

I made my usual alterations for Omega. I’m using a 4.25 cradle, with a 5.25 cup. I removed some of the excess along the wire line at each seam. Overall, I’m really happy with this.

I love the shape of the lace, and the look of the whole bra. This copper color is such a gorgeous color.

Not too much to see here at the back. It’s a tad too long. I’m wearing it on the middle hook and eye, and could probably wear it on the tighest one.

It’s also a tad small in the inner cup. I can adjust both of these easily.

It really showed that I haven’t been sewing for a while when I sat down and started to sew. I broke three needles right off the bat. It didn’t take too much longer for me to get my sewjo back though, and not break any more needles.

   Happy creating!