Hey there! You found Albany ASG members sewn items. Sometimes you want to see what others are making for inspiration or motivation to get sewing! This is where you can see our failures and achievements! Come on! Get in on the fun of sharing! See contact info above.
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I split this Show and Tell page into a new year, as I have found the pages to take too long to load-so many pictures!! Let's see how this will work for us. If you want to see the older posts, click on the Show and Tell before 2018, and Show and Tell 2018 pages.
2020
Bonny's summer of lingerie sewing
I split this Show and Tell page into a new year, as I have found the pages to take too long to load-so many pictures!! Let's see how this will work for us. If you want to see the older posts, click on the Show and Tell before 2018, and Show and Tell 2018 pages.
2020
Bonny's summer of lingerie sewing
This post is so long, prepare to read in 2 or more sittings!
In truth, this set was started last year or maybe the year before! I already had the bottoms prepared, but was struggling with the top finish. The top was made from a five dollar Walmart bra, overlaid with bathing suit material-this means I winged it! I think it came out very nice, although the back connection is not as tidy as I'd like. I love the print on this fabric and hope I have enough for a one piece, if not, perhaps I will color block or make the back from black fabric. This is one of two suits I had finished this season but started in another! The other one not pictured, is one I made using tricks I learned from Beverly Johnson Craftsy classes on swimsuits. I made a 'bra' for the swimsuit using cut and sew foam. I am please with the result, but still not my cleanest sewing.
I was quite excited about bra making again when I heard about the Great Bra Sewing Bee. It was a four day virtual event in July composed of live classes and recordings of classes, all related to bra making and some bottoms. Some of you may know, that my bra making start happened in 2009(?) when Lucy from Canada came to Albany to give a class over 2 days. This is when I first learned there was an Albany Chapter American Sewing Guild, because there were several members there. I joined shortly after that, or did I? Now, my memory is playing tricks, was I already a member at that time? hmm. Anywho, this next picture is pattern pieces of the Black Beauty Bra Pattern from Emerald Erin, also a Canadian. I purchased the pattern, even though I had enough patterns to keep me busy and I was never really satisfied with the fit and wanted to keep trying at those. I bought it because I got roped in with all the beautiful renditions of the pattern, and it looked like it was made for all sorts of sizes. Per the pattern, with my measurements, I would use a 28FF, yet, since I know that my body usually needs more room because of the shape I have, I like to go 2 sizes up from the pattern, so I choose 28GG size. Since the pattern range didn't extend to that size, I used sister sizing and cut out the size 30G. I also used a different back band piece, copying from my Bra by Lucy (as I call it) back band piece so that I have a scoop strap attachment and a little more back coverage. This is an easy adjustment to make. I made the bra using the mint green fold over elastic I had in my stash and pink tricot that has some one way stretch, cutting each cup piece 4 times so that I had a lining with opposite stretch for support. The straps are a bit wonky, maybe because the bra doesn't fit like it should, or because I erred when I shoved the 1/4 twill tape in there, or something else. If I was to make this again, I would make sure the twill tape enclosed in the elastic gets tacked down to the top cup piece for support. I usually grade my sewing, and I give this A for style, I really love that pink and mint, B- for construction, and F for fit. The bridge is a good 2 inches from my chest wall, and my tissue is all up for display, if that is what I was going for it would be an A+. I can wear it, but the bra definitely needs to fit better. I tried again with size 34G, because I obviously needed more cup volume for my tissue. I used tricot again, but a different kind, the result was even less stellar. The weave gave weird pulls, like a woven would. I made still another and cut this one while I was wearing it, and snuck more fabric on it and pinned to see where I needed the room. This was kind of a fail too, however, I think it gave me an idea of needing still another size. I might go to the 36G next, when compared to my Bra by Lucy, the bottom cup piece is similar and gives me hope it might work. The trouble with bra making is that you really don't know if it will work until it is all made up. Side note: if you are looking for a good beginner pattern, this Black Beauty has excellent construction diagrams and instruction to help the most novice of bra makers. I highly recommend it.
In truth, this set was started last year or maybe the year before! I already had the bottoms prepared, but was struggling with the top finish. The top was made from a five dollar Walmart bra, overlaid with bathing suit material-this means I winged it! I think it came out very nice, although the back connection is not as tidy as I'd like. I love the print on this fabric and hope I have enough for a one piece, if not, perhaps I will color block or make the back from black fabric. This is one of two suits I had finished this season but started in another! The other one not pictured, is one I made using tricks I learned from Beverly Johnson Craftsy classes on swimsuits. I made a 'bra' for the swimsuit using cut and sew foam. I am please with the result, but still not my cleanest sewing.
I was quite excited about bra making again when I heard about the Great Bra Sewing Bee. It was a four day virtual event in July composed of live classes and recordings of classes, all related to bra making and some bottoms. Some of you may know, that my bra making start happened in 2009(?) when Lucy from Canada came to Albany to give a class over 2 days. This is when I first learned there was an Albany Chapter American Sewing Guild, because there were several members there. I joined shortly after that, or did I? Now, my memory is playing tricks, was I already a member at that time? hmm. Anywho, this next picture is pattern pieces of the Black Beauty Bra Pattern from Emerald Erin, also a Canadian. I purchased the pattern, even though I had enough patterns to keep me busy and I was never really satisfied with the fit and wanted to keep trying at those. I bought it because I got roped in with all the beautiful renditions of the pattern, and it looked like it was made for all sorts of sizes. Per the pattern, with my measurements, I would use a 28FF, yet, since I know that my body usually needs more room because of the shape I have, I like to go 2 sizes up from the pattern, so I choose 28GG size. Since the pattern range didn't extend to that size, I used sister sizing and cut out the size 30G. I also used a different back band piece, copying from my Bra by Lucy (as I call it) back band piece so that I have a scoop strap attachment and a little more back coverage. This is an easy adjustment to make. I made the bra using the mint green fold over elastic I had in my stash and pink tricot that has some one way stretch, cutting each cup piece 4 times so that I had a lining with opposite stretch for support. The straps are a bit wonky, maybe because the bra doesn't fit like it should, or because I erred when I shoved the 1/4 twill tape in there, or something else. If I was to make this again, I would make sure the twill tape enclosed in the elastic gets tacked down to the top cup piece for support. I usually grade my sewing, and I give this A for style, I really love that pink and mint, B- for construction, and F for fit. The bridge is a good 2 inches from my chest wall, and my tissue is all up for display, if that is what I was going for it would be an A+. I can wear it, but the bra definitely needs to fit better. I tried again with size 34G, because I obviously needed more cup volume for my tissue. I used tricot again, but a different kind, the result was even less stellar. The weave gave weird pulls, like a woven would. I made still another and cut this one while I was wearing it, and snuck more fabric on it and pinned to see where I needed the room. This was kind of a fail too, however, I think it gave me an idea of needing still another size. I might go to the 36G next, when compared to my Bra by Lucy, the bottom cup piece is similar and gives me hope it might work. The trouble with bra making is that you really don't know if it will work until it is all made up. Side note: if you are looking for a good beginner pattern, this Black Beauty has excellent construction diagrams and instruction to help the most novice of bra makers. I highly recommend it.
To help with sizing for best guess, for anyone wishing to start their own bra making journey is to cut the pattern pieces without seam allowances, and tape the pieces together and 'try it on' over the best fitting bra you have or over skin. Don't let me let you skip a step though, the very first thing you need is the right wire size if you are using a wire. Several shops allow you to download the wire charts for free to print and check your best fitting wire from a ready to wear (RTW) that you have. I had a lightbulb moment during one of the Bee classes when Monica from Bravo Bella patterns was talking about when the bridge doesn't go against the chest. The reasons for this need to be considered, such as is the bra cup too shallow for volume? Is the wire too small? Is the wire too big? There could be others, but I didn't need to go further because it was the cup is too small and the wire too big. You see, because of the shape, I need more volume for my measurements, this is why I go two sizes bigger, however, that is not enough, because those larger sizes are then drafted for a wire that is too big! HA! What to do about that? More to come, see below. This designer has some information on how to choose the type of bra pattern for your shape: https://www.lilypadesigns.com/blog/2018/2/27/consider-making-your-own-bra-part-3.
This is a blurry picture of how I gathered in at the wireline to accommodate the extra fabric where I didn't need it in order to fit the larger cup in the smaller wire I need. This bra is wearable, and although it is a bit bouncy because of the lack of support caused by the gathers, I still find it quite comfortable. I made a couple bottoms for a matched set. I graded this one as Style C+, Construction B, and fit B+.
This picture is showing you how I modified the cup pieces of Beverly Johnson's Shelly Bra Pattern to accommodate a smaller size wire than the pattern was drafted for. Per the wisdom I gained in the Bee, I took tiny darts out of the bottom/wire side only of the seams of the bottom cup pieces. Do you see the transparent paper under the white heavier paper? What you don't see here too clearly, is that in one of my previous versions of the Shelly I cut the side piece quite significantly to fit my shape, thus making it shorter if you will. Then as I see in the yellow lace above, the side upper top cup piece was a bit too long, so I cut that too for the next version.
In the background of the picture below, you see my 'spec' sheet. For every bra I make, I use this form that is from the How to Make Custom-Fit Bras course from Donald H. McCunn. When I am done, I add which pattern I used, wire size, fabric, and notes about it or suggestions for the next version. I also keep a piece of the fabrics I used stapled on it. As I pulled out all my old bras and information, this was quite handy. I put all of this in a clear sheet protector and add the pattern pieces. Here below, is what I call my Shelly v5, this is with the dart reduced wire line, and has the best fit so far. I graded this one as Style B+, Construction B, and Fit A-. Both this version and the green above have very good tacking of the bridge to my body, so much it took a little getting used to! The gold one below is made from an old kit I bought from an Etsy shop that no longer appears to be active. I used lace from my stash, it was a bit off white and looks nice against the shiny stretch satin. As you can see I added a bit of lace to the side of the bra for a little interest. The bottoms are from a free online pattern from Evie La Luve called a high waisted Maxine. I made them straight from the pattern, then chopped off a good portion of the top to use for my body. I like it high too, just not for me every day, I'd like to make another high waisted and use powernet for some support under a dress or something. Anyway, I have been trying to draft my own bottoms but couldn't seem to get it right and wanted just to have someone else draft it! I even tried using my old patterns that I had copied from RTW that I like, and then copied another but still unsatisfied. And, since I didn't seem to like any pattern I already had, I downloaded this one. For these bottoms, I chopped off even more to accommodate the wide stretch lace I wanted to use. I love this pair. And I need more just like this. The stretch satin is one way, and has just enough of a thickness to it to be that sweet spot. The green tricot above is a bit too thin and gives a flimsy result to use for bottoms.
Shall we keep going? The summer of lingerie sewing wasn't done. I had this fabric for forever and really wanted to bring it life. It is woven and a bit of a loose weave. It stinks as bra fabric, but I had to try. I used the burgundy one way stretch satin for the band over the powernet and over non stretch lining for the cradle. I used the Shelly v5 pattern, and fits ok, but the weave of the fabric did not play nice even though I lined all the cup pieces with non stretch sheer cup lining. While it is a beauty, I may not wear it as much as I'd hope. I graded this one as Style A, Construction B+, Fit C-.
Here are all the bras I made in the last two months. Black Beauty on top, and all Shellys under.
Feeling my creativity flowing in a great river, I decided to try dyeing some of the fleece I had spun (from last years trip to the wool festival in Rhinebeck) plus some bra elastics and findings and lace.
This is the result, I used two different dye baths one green, one a silver grey. You can see in the daylight on the left, the colors are much brighter compared to indoors. I am really thrilled with how my experiment turned out, and I look forward to dyeing more wool.
This looks a bit green, but really it is a silvery grey-blue.
This is not lingerie! This is a start of my next project. I had *again* been inspired by Jordan Fabrics and their Tea Time quilt. I have several jelly rolls, but decided to try out the pattern on some very old jelly. Unfortunately, these jelly rolls were made in I#@%@ and are of extreme poor quality. While the print is nice, the pieces are quite frayed and not even! I am not sure how my blocks will turn out...Meanwhile I am having fun, playing with my new Strip Tube Ruler that I bought on Amazon using our link!
Bonus picture, all my old self made bras.
