Sheer Black Set With Attitude

I’ve been doing so much testing I decided it was time to give myself a new challenge and keep myself occupied until our next trip in the motorhome. Some interesting rtw designs popped up on my feed that I really liked the look of so I decided to have a go at replicating the look and feel of one particular set.

So here is my finished set. Read on if you want to see how I achieved this.

I started with the bra and it was quite a long process to come up with the pattern pieces so I’ve put this initial part in the following short video.

Bra design from sketch to pattern pieces including test make.

Using the drafted pattern pieces together with the adjusted pieces from the Orange Lingerie Boylston I made up all the separate elements. As with the test I used two layers of sheer cup lining for the cup and frame and a single layer for the straps. To achieve the desired sleek look I used a matt fold over elastic from Bratastic Fabrics. I was then ready to put together the cups.

The quarter foam cup was perfect but the middle section just didn’t sit right. The problem was that the black foam had far more stretch than the beige I had used in the test. The middle picture shows the piece cut with the stretch horizontally on the bottom. The straighter piece is cut with the stretch in the opposite direction but applying the fold over elastic in the same direction top and bottom, so as not to distort, but I didn’t keep enough tension. To correct this I had to undo the bottom fold over elastic and apply as I normally would.

With the middle piece now correct I could attach the long strap piece, to which I had already applied the fold over elastic, to the inside edge. I then inserted the cups into the frame and attached the back bands. Unlike my test make I straightened off the bridge but once I was in a position to try on the strap elastic I had used for bottom did not have enough stretch to be comfortable so I separated the elastic from the bridge and raised as far as I could to its original shape.

Having used soft fabrics rather than strap elastic for the front strapping detail I managed to achieve the desired look and the result was incredibly comfortable. So onto the rest of the set. The rtw design was a harness suspender with some very strappy underwear which I thought looked cluttered with all the straps on the bra so my idea was to attach the suspender to the bra with a g hook at the centre front and to the back fastener. For the underwear I thought of The Lingerie Formula Forget-Me-Not Cheeky Cut Panty which I had made before and had fabric straps like the bra. The challenge was how to make this!

I hadn’t made suspenders before and the pattern I already had but not used sat higher up on the waist than I wanted. I thought of the Evle la Luve Jamie Bodysuit which had exactly the shape I wanted for the suspenders, although I needed to add the centre front bodice shape taken from the waist to the bridge to the bottom piece. Next I needed to shape from the hip at the sides and arch to sit above the upper edge of the underwear and then remove the straps from the side and make the back come around to the front straps.

I decided to make the underwear first so I could finalise the shape for the suspender. I made two adjustments to the pattern pieces as I thought the enclosed gusset seam would not look good on the plain black fabric from BWear I was using. I joined the two pieces together eliminating the front seam but leaving the gusset enclosed at the back. Next I had to decide how much to add to the back piece to bring it around to the front with the width being determined by the two strap pieces that would be attached.

With the front and back made up I had to decide how to attach the back to the front enclosing the straps . I used some wide fold over elastic and enclosed the back seam leaving tails either end. I then placed the straps behind and folded over the ends to join at the back. This worked beautifully and was a perfect match for the bra so on to the final element. This was going to be more of a challenge as for me at least it was more of an experiment.

I tried on the bodysuit over the bra and underwear and measured from the waist elastic to the bottom of the bridge. Using an erasable marker I drew roughly where I wanted the shaping for the suspenders and then I transferred the markings to the original pattern and traced off the sections I wanted. After making up the waist elastic using the original instructions I made a quick test version using some scraps of lace fabric. The top piece was fine but I need to scoop more out of the arch to sit above the underwear.

Once I had the front pattern piece finalised I played around with the placement of the panel pieces and when I was happy with the placement I traced off adding seam allowances. To give some support I used two layers of mesh basted together. Rather than have lots of unsightly seams I added the fabric pieces on top of the mesh, marked the seam allowances, folded under and basted. I placed the pattern piece underneath so I could see where to place the pieces and basted in place and used my edge foot so I could sew right to the edge of the fold.

As the fabric is very fine I decided to use strap elastic for the final panels as this would cover the horizontal pieces better. Then I attached fold over elastic all over. To attach to the bra I used twill tape to create a tab under the bridge that would not be seen or affect the use as a bra on its own. I attached a g hook to the top and narrowed the very top down so it lay flat over the g hook. At this point I could try it on and decide how long to make the straps.

All the hard work paid off and it looks stunning on. I’m still busy testing for some great designers as well as working on my classes for the Bra Bee. So I have a lot to fit in between trips out in the motorhome but I do want to spend some time making clothes as I’m hoping to start wearing dresses and skirts again.

BRAugust and a Monowire Bra Design Challenge

BRAugust is a month long photo a-day Instagram challenge hosted by Ying of Tailormade and is a great place for sharing makes and ideas. My favourite posts were the monowire bras of @EvielaLuve and @Miniguinea so I challenged myself to design a bra using a monowire. I am just so pleased with the result.

I had made the Madalynne Simplicity 8711 which uses a monowire in a floating bridge and luckily I had ordered an extra monowire and I thought the floating bridge pattern piece would be a great place to start. I loved the idea of the plunge neckline but thought I would need more support at the centre front. Then I remembered the Hari Ito Rafale bra I had made. This is a partial band double layered cup pattern which uses extra long wires for an open centre front. How to combine the two?

The outer cup of the Rafale is mesh but I found that this stretched out too much on the one I had made previously. The alternative was powernet but I didn’t think this would give the soft round shape I was after so I thought of using the flocked powernet from Sewme which had been in my stash for a while waiting for the right project. I wanted the inner cup, frame and band to be the same colour and the Dusty Mauve tulle and powernet from Tailormade looked perfect. Time to sketch a design.

I wanted a sheer look with clean lines. First, I started with the cups and then drew the shape of the monowire so that the outer cup would attach to the frame where the monowire started to go horizontal to cross the front. To accommodate the design I planned to put the channeling on the outside The top edges and neckline would be fold over elastic and the bottom band would be matt strap elastic.

To combine the patterns I started with the 34D pattern pieces for both. For the frame I added the seam allowance to the wire line as the channeling is applied on to this in the original pattern. I took off the seam allowance at the underarm as I was using fold over elastic and I added the width of the strap elastic I was using to the bottom so I would have some of the tulle showing. The Rafale does not have seam allowances so I added these to the dart and cross cup seam. For the wire line I adjusted from a partial band to a full band.

It’s a great feeling when you lay out your pattern pieces and think, yes, this is going to be beautiful. I used two layers of tulle to provide enough stability for the bridge and to enclose the cup seams. At this point I decided to use the matt side of the fold over elastic as the shiny side just looked wrong with the clean lines of the rest of the design. Luckily I had some matt strap elastic which would match perfectly. Now I had to put it altogether to see if it worked.

First I made up the darted cup and finished the front edge with elastic. I then made up the tulle cup and I suddenly had a brainwave to enclose some slimline plastic boning from Madalynne in the fold over elastic from the outer cup to the top of the bridge. I attached the two cups together and then sewed in to the frame wrong sides together so I could attach the channeling to the outside along the same stitch line.

I’m not a big fan of channeling on the outside and originally thought i would cover with fabric as EvielaLuve had done but I didn’t have any fabric fine enough so as not to make this area too bulky. I have quite a stash of black channeling and did find some smooth enough to use on the outside. Having sewn this seam wrong sides together it also made the inside neater and more comfortable.

To finish I applied the fold over elastic to the armhole and the strap elastic to the bottom. When attaching the straps to this sort of back I like to attach from the bottom band and bar tack both here and on the top band as I find this gives more stability. I also like to add stabiliser to the elastic where it is folded over the ring so it doesn’t stretch out. With the bra finished I now had to design matching underwear.

My thoughts were to match the lines of the bra especially the cut out. I immediately thought of the EvielaLuve Binky as I love the fit and the front is deep enough to accommodate the same size cut out. I sketched out my idea and thought of adding sections to the back to break up the mesh.

To help determine the proportions of the design I made up the front pattern piece by flipping the original pattern piece and tracing to give a complete front. I decided on the placement of the side pieces, then lay the bra over the centre front and drew in the the cut out and then drew a line from the side to the cut out continuing to the centre front. On to the construction.

I started with the back. The closest colour mesh I had was a blush also from Tailormade. I used two layers to balance the powernet panel and it enhanced the colour. Rather than create bulky seams I just overlaid the elastic on the complete back piece. The elastic was one I’ve had in my stash forever but is matt ready folded almost to the point I didn’t realise it was folded. I thought it would be perfect as it isn’t as bulky as regular fold over elastic.

In the design I had a one piece front panel but when I thought through the construction I needed to have a centre front seam to create the V. I applied the fold over elastic to the top edge before I sewed the centre front seam. I pressed open and topstitched to keep flat and trimmed back to the stitching. For the centre mesh panels I added a seam allowance which would be placed under the elastic of the panel once I had added the elastic to the front of the panels. Then I attached the side panels and covered the seam allowance with the elastic.

With the front and back pieces completed I finished as normal. The pattern has an enclosed gusset which is done next. To finish I attached the waist and leg elastic in the round. For the leg I had the join at the elastic strip on the back as it is almost undetectable at this point. For the waist I placed at the centre back. My set was now complete.

This has been what I call a labour of love but thankfully it all worked out and I finally might get some sleep.

Knowing all the patterns I used fit is a very good starting point so I did expect the bra to fit. The unknown was how the boning at the centre front of the inner cup would work and I am thrilled to say it worked well. The original design had a ring at the centre front and the fold over elastic would be wrapped around. As I got to that point I decided to go straight across the neckline from one cup to the next. I am so glad I did as think it would create too much bulk and not sit flat against my chest.

I just had to add these pictures which show just how beautiful it all looks.

Pattern Drafting, Sketches and New Year's Resolutions

It’s been a while since I last posted but I’ve had a manic few weeks of doing so many new things so I thought it was time to take a break and journal all the makes. My New Year’s Resolutions were to take time to practice sketching designs, further develop skills to take designs to patterns and explore different approaches to drafting. So here is what I have achieved so far.

The year got off to a good start as Porcelynne had a week long Draft Along which was live drafting using the method in Jennifer’s book Bare Essentials. This was drafting from measurements to create a fitting pattern that could then be turned into a sloper to create any design. Alternatively you can use your fitted Eve cup, or any other well fitting pattern, to create the sloper, which I had already done, but was interested to see how the two would compare.

What I took away from the week was a better understanding of how to manipulate patterns I already had and this set is my first attempt to take an idea through to a finished make.

Although this method is a mathematical approach to determining measurements for bra drafting, for most of us, the first draft is a starting point. My initial draft had a similar shape to my Eve but needed some work to get a good fit. I had my Tailormade TMCollaBRAtory January kit to use and an idea for the design so I thought I could make a sloper from my perfect fitting Emerald Erin Black Beauty. The first step was to integrate the strap part of the power bar into the upper cup.

I wanted to create a diagonal seam through the apex which would create a super powerbar side with a curved lace upper cup. To help decide where to place the seam I used a technique I had seen in Beverly Johnson’s Bra-makers Manual where you make up a cup in foam and draw the style lines and cut up. Using the Bare Essentials method I then had to put the curves back on. I made up a test cup to check the fit both in terms of cup size and that it fit into the frame. So I was ready to use the beautiful lingerie satin kit.

Before I decided where to use the lace on the bra I cut out the lace back for the Ohhhlulu Claudia which is a great pattern where you can use the non stretch fabric of your bra on the small front panel. I often size up with the Claudia depending on the stretch of my lace and whether the front panel has any stretch at all.

The next set came about because I had run out of regular wires and thought why not try drafting for the short/demi/plunge wires I did have and use the kit for my February TMCollaBRAtory. I sketched a few ideas for front closing, partial bands with strappy backs but then realised I needed to get the basics right first.

The band draft was straight forward but I was struggling with the cups so I decided to look through the many patterns I have and see if I could use them. The idea was a lace cup with a separate foam lower cup with a push up effect.

I first came up with using the Madalynne X Simplicity 8436 which is a partial band for stretch lace which I had made a while ago. So I adjusted the cups to fit my full band draft. Then I needed a foam lower cup piece. The answer was the Porcelynne Ariel cup which is a three piece cup for a lovely round shape. So I made up the full cup in foam and inserted into the band with the lace over and as before drew on the style I wanted. This took off most of the upper cup so I adjusted the middle piece to incorporate the bits of the upper cup I needed.

I made up the other cup from my new pattern pieces, lined the lace cup, attached elastic to the neckline and finished the rest of the bra. From this I narrowed the bridge, created a gothic arch and narrowed the band as far as I could so it would appear to be a partial band. For that push up look I also tried making some cookies from Beverly Johnson’s class but the fit was so good I don’t think they are needed.

With all the pattern pieces adjusted I moved onto the beautiful lace kit for my February TMCollaBRAtory project. As I used the lace for the back band as well as the full lace cups I only had a small piece left to make a set. I instantly thought of the EvielaLuve Chloe thong which I had adapted for a comfier fit! I checked how much of the pattern piece I could cover before I cut out the front piece in mesh. I placed the lace over the mesh so that the scallop would sit below the fold over elastic and cut around. This left a tiny piece to partial cover the back. The fit and look of this set is sensational and I have plans to make it again very soon.

Moving on to my latest make which could be a blog post on its own but I think I will include it here. It wasn’t what I planned to make next but this mustard and black kit from Diane’s Bratastic Fabrics had such great Art Deco vibes that I decided to run with it.

I had already bought some Sashiko inspired embroidery designs from Designs by Juju that I wanted to try out on lingerie satin so the idea was to try a find a design that would work with the lace. A posting on FB reminded me of the Orange Lingerie Lansdowne which I intended to revisit to get a good fit but more importantly the large lower cup would be perfect.

I started by altering the pattern to fit which meant taking a wedge out of the underarm and altering the back band. Then I stitched out a few of the designs to see which worked best with the lace. With the design chosen I had to decide how to place the pattern piece to look best with the lace and check it would fit in the 8” x 8” hoop. I was struggling to decide so I printed out the design and cut out the pattern piece. I used a low loft fusible fleece for stabiliser as this would compact well for sewing and would be like a padded cup for what is described as a “cleavage enhancing, plunging underwire bra”. I was able to get a cup and side from each square. To ensure none of the stitches unravelled I traced off the pattern pieces and then stitched inside before I cut out.

To cover the stabiliser I lined with the fabric which enabled me to enclose all the seams and still be comfortable. I did have to switch to a bigger needle and use a walking foot but I did get through all the layers and it looks good on the inside as well. For the set I made another Ohhhlulu Claudia but I didn’t have much lace so I opted for a lace overlay on the front panel and used mesh on the fold for the back. This encloses the back seam and gives a smooth profile under clothing.

Now I have the fit right this is another stunning bra and immensely pleased with how it turned out. Through out the makes I have also been working on underwear drafting but I will share this in a separate blog.

Bra-A-Week Challenge - Emerald Erin Black Beauty and Orange Lingerie Devonshire

Confined to the house with a lot of time on my hands and inspired by Emerald Erin I am trying to up my game and play around with patterns for some different looks. So I am proud to present an Emerald Erin Black Beauty with neon stretch lace and Orange Lingerie Devonshire with half cups.

The neon lace from Tailor Made for this week is a stark contrast to the pale lilac of the previous week but the sun was out when I started and just said “please use me”. I had wanted to make a bra with a sheer edge cup and thought the Black Beauty (although it requires stable fabric) would be a good place to start as I could use a mixture of the two versions and tweak for the stretch lace. The first decision was to choose the tulle. I came across the pistachio I had left from a previous Black Beauty and I thought it would look perfect as it picked up the small amount of green in the neon.

I used two layers of folded tulle for each cup. To make sure the tulle folded flat I folded the smooth side over the less smooth side and then they stuck together. I placed the lace over the upper cup piece and cut in place that way up. Using a layer of lace and tulle I encased the upper cup.

I decided to use the lace edge on the power bar so, again, I placed over the pattern piece to get the low point of the scallop in the right place. Then I cut the tulle from this piece. This then influenced which colour elastic to use as the yellow looked better underneath than the pink. With the cups done I moved on to deciding how to make the cradle and bands.

Deciding on the mint fastener I first had to adjust the back band to accommodate the extra height. I decided to use the lace for the back bands together with a layer of soft powernet. Rather than use the lace all over I decided to bring in some more tulle and used this on the bridge. For stability I used two layers as one with sheer cup lining for stability. Again the yellow elastic looked better under the tulle. The beige channeling was chosen as this was the least obtrusive. To keep the front edge clean I closed off, sewing through the channeling and seam allowance only and then hand stitched to the front .

I thought the perfect partner would be the Studio Costura Vera Panties utilising the mint strapping. As the lace does not mirror I redrafted the back piece so I could use elastic and have the scallop edge on the waist. I took off the back seam and added the width of the elastic to the leg on the back pattern piece. I only had four gold sliders and no rings so I also had to adjust how I fit the straps. I used sliders for the front and tucked them in on the second pass of the elastic giving a really clean finish.

For the back I attached wrong side to wrong side and then folded back to stitch in place for another clean finish. Another fabulous combination but still hoping enough for another panty.

Not much left but I managed to squeeze out an Evie la Luve Chloe thong. I must admit to not being a big thong fan but with enough depth to the sides this makes for a pretty comfortable fit. I cut out the mesh first and then fitted what I had left over the front with just enough for the back as well. The mint fold over elastic was perfect.

I just love this set and very different to the set of the previous week.

I had been waiting for the right design to come along for this very beautiful lilac tulle from Tailor Made and as with most of my makes someone releases a new pattern or hack that ticks all the boxes. Orange Lingerie posted a tutorial on how to turn the 3/4 Devonshire into a half cup and my mind was set. The adjustments are quite simple, however, I did make up a paper cup to check there was adequate coverage. Then on to choosing what colours to use with it. So out came white and various shades of pink and lilac.

I made choices as I went along as one affected another. First I decided on a very soft pink tulle which gave a pink hue and I preferred the more pink/lilac elastic over the pure lilac. Then I had some very pale lilac shimmery powernet which looks amazing but it is not showing up well in the pictures. I tried to break up the all over look of the lace by positioning the flower on the side of the frames only. The placing of the cup pieces on the lace is problematic as the lace cannot be mirrored but I think I achieved a good balance. Although I do have a pattern to make a fastener I did a quick makeover of a white fastener. I covered the front of the eye side only so the plush back was still against my skin and covered both sides of the hook side.

Then on to the very glamorous straps which was my attempt to achieve a RTW look I had seen. I used a strip of the lace tulle with one of the lining tulle for colour consistency. The front strap is fabric for this pattern so I ensured the strips were cut with no stretch in the length and used 1/4 seams on both long edges and turned right side out. I still wanted the comfort of plush elastic so I place over a piece of strap elastic and sewed down the middle. Then I marked a line every two inches and stitched across so I could gather to the width of the elastic. Well impressed with the look and still comfortable!

The obvious choice for underwear was another Orange Lingerie pattern, the Montgomery Brief as you can use non stretch fabric for the front panel. I’ve made this numerous times but I think this has to be the prettiest and so comfortable with the super soft mesh I found in my stash. With just a small amount of lace tulle left I managed to use this for an overlay on the Evie la Luve Binky, another favourite of mine using the direction of the stretch across the body. I used the white fold over elastic as I didn’t want it to overwhelm the single layer mesh. Amazingly pretty and feminine as well as comfortable. What more can you ask for when we are all spending so much time in t-shirts and joggers!