Liberty Underthings

I visited my sister last weekend and we had a bra sew-a-long.  I made up my next iteration of a self drafted pattern and for her, we cut up one of her existing bras to make a pattern.

It was the first time she had sewn a bra so we set up our machines side by side; I sewed each step first and then she copied it.  I'm not sure what everybody else does for fun on a Saturday night, but we had a very pleasant evening!  Of course, I had an easier time of it, because I was using Liberty, which is a dream to sew, and she was using a slippery lingerie lycra.


My fabric is a bit more muted than the photograph shows; shame really as I like the brighter photograph.

The knickers were a bit experimental, as I was using a woven fabric for the front and a knit for the back.  I started with a Jalie pattern and added 4 cm to each side seam of the front.  This was based on a rough calculation that I did when I was nowhere near my sewing....I was guessing an 80 cm circumference, needed to add on the 10% negative ease that I was guessing Jalie used for their pattern, then added in an additional 10% ease.  Not far off, but the fabric is taut across the front, so probably 1 - 2cm more each side would be better.  I had forgotten that the Jalie pattern has a narrower front than back, and now that I have made them, I've measured a circumference closer to 95 cm when worn.  I cut the front on the straight grain, but probably a bias would be better.  Very comfy all the same, and now I know that I can combine a woven with a knit.  I just need to get a little ribbon bow for the front.

Just for comparison, here is a link for a Liberty bra and briefs on net-a-porter (not current stock), totaling 170 British pounds! 

here's one I prepared earlier...

How often do we sewers lament that we didn't finish off something properly, because we were still sewing up hems the moment before wearing the garment out of the house?  Well, I had the opposite problem here.  This dress languished in my sewing room, just waiting for ties and the binding to be completed because I had nowhere to wear it.  We had an unseasonably long winter up here, so even once it was finished, it sat in the wardrobe for a long time.  Finally, last week, it got its first outing. 

The pattern is a frankenpattern of  Vogue 8631 and Vogue 8684.  I made a muslin of Vogue 8631 last year and asked for feedback...some of you suggested that it made me look too wide...sadly, it is not the dress making me look wide, that would be my wide bottom making me look wide.  However, I do accept that the dress was not disguising my wideness, and much as I love an oversized top, they do hide the petite bits of me that trick people into thinking that I am not a wide person.  So I ditched the kimono sleeves and bodged the raglan sleeve and sideseam shaping from Vogue 8684, whilst retaining the wrap and pleating from 8631.  In truth, this has saved me from fretting over the unused pattern 8684, which I love, but has a drop waist, which is equally unflattering on me.

The black and white fabric was a silk from my stash.  I had bought it thinking I needed to up the neutrals in my wardrobe.  My sister was rifling through my stash and declared that she didn't like it, because it reminded her of corporate uniforms.  That sounded like a challenge to me, so I immediately took it from the stash and got to work.  The sleeve fabric is left-overs from this dress.  I quite like the clashing combination of fabrics, although my children are not so convinced.  My elder son, who has a bit of an eye for fashion, thinks it would have worked if the brown bits of the sleeve print were black.

So, bodgy patterns, bodgy fabric choice, all brought together to make a dress that I absolutely love.  I think it looks better in real life than the photos, and it feels gorgeous to wear, all silky and drapy.  Perfect for spring.

Modern Slip 1

I recently purchased a new pattern making book, which is currently occupying  a large portion of my insomniacal hours.

I have used this book to draft a slip.

I drafted a straight UK Size 12, rather than draft for my personal measurements.  First I drafted their bodice block, then used this to draft the slip.  This book only shows drafts for one size.  Sometimes it is easy to see how to change this for other sizes, other times, not so easy.  Luckily for me, the size they use in the book is pretty close to my size.

I had to take it in a fair whack under the arms.  I am wondering if this is a fitting, drafting or fabric choice problem.  The slip is cut on the bias.  The bodice block included 7.6 cm ease in the bust.  I'm thinking that a bias cut, in a drapy fabric, will drop until it reaches a place it fits.  So I'm thinking that I want very little ease.  Admittedly, the technical drawing in the book did show an elasticised upper back edge.(On me, the slip stops dropping before the underarms fit, because it can't slide any further down my waist or hips...but you have to work with what you've got, don't you!)

I am wondering where the slip should sit.  If I adjust the straps so that the empire line is under the bust, the bust point sits in about the right place.  However, the slip feels more comfortable if I shorten the straps, so that the empire line is a little above the base of the breast.  This does put the bust point in the wrong spot.  (Either way, I will need to make some changes to get a good fitting cup.)  I don't know if the improved comfort is due to the poisition of the empire line, or just because I am used to more coverage and higher underarms?

I'm not sure if you will be able to see the difference, but I will show photos with both strap positions.

 Firstly, positioned below the bust:

 Then, with slightly shorter straps:

 I have not cropped out the scrunched up photographer face, for your amusement.

Overall, I'm happy with it as a starting point, though I will do some more work on the cup draft.  I'm thinking of changing the dart to a curved, vertical seam.  This seam placement seems flattering in my bras, so why not try it in a slip as well?

Vintage Slip 3

This next pattern is truly a vintage pattern.  Simplicity 4218 (vintage patterns wiki dates it as 1958).  Single size, already cut, only punch holes for markings.  It is a Size 12, so I had to grade it up.  This is actually my first attempt at grading a single size pattern.  I have a book on grading, as it was something that I had always meant to learn to do, but had not got around to.  I dug it out and read enough to get me going.

The bust only needed to be graded up one size, but my hip measurement was sadly 6 inches bigger than the pattern's listed size measurements, so it had to be graded up a few sizes.

I used a lining fabric to test this.  Navy lining.  I have not sewn anything navy for at least 10 years.  I did not have enough to make proper straps.

It doesn't look as bad as I was expecting.  The neckline is a lot higher than we are used to.  I omitted the side zip and could put it on okay.  As an aside, I once went shopping with a friend of mine who is the complete opposite shape to me (long legs, big boobs, no hips) and found that we put on and take off clothing differently.  She was always stepping into garments, whilst I was always pulling them over my head. 

The bust cups are not as pointy as the previous one.

The bust point is too high though.  The neckline stretched out as I was sewing it; lucky it was only a muslin.  I wonder which would be the best method to stabilise it before sewing?

I did have one more vintage pattern to test, Kwiksew 941 , from 1979.  It has a 1920's squarish camisole sort of feel to it.  At the moment I am limiting myself to designs with separate bust cups so I will leave this one for now.

Next up:  I have several instructions for drafting a lip in my pattern books, so will give these a go.

Vintage Slip 2

Now onto testing the second pattern in my slip project. Butterick 5805.  I can't find a year on this pattern, but Wiki vintage patterns dates it as 1951.

This pattern has some unusual seam lines.

Now don't be put off by my fabric selection.  Slips take a lot of fabric because they are cut on the bias.  I dug out some scraps of lightweight cotton to make this up.

In this photo, the centre front panel is collapsing.  I think that this is partly because the red and blue fabrics are lighter than the green and yellow fabrics.  I am thinking that this centre panel could even be cut on the straight grain next time.  I shortened the pattern considerably; the original is mid-calf length.

The interesting panel seaming continues on the back.

These side views shows that the zig-zag seaming under the bust continues around the side.

The side profile shows that the pattern has quite a pointy bust.  Many fashion illustrations of the forties feature this pointy bust, but I had always thought that it was an illustration fashion and did not realise that the clothing was actually shaped this way.  The area above and below the bust point here are hollow...it only holds it shape because of the crispness of the fabric.  Perhaps a bustier woman than myself would fill it out.

So what do I think of this pattern?  I love the zig-zag seaming.  I'm pretty happy with the amount of flare in the skirt.  I would need to re-draft the bust cups.

Vintage Slip 1

The first muslin in my slip project was made using Bevknits 4004.  Okay, so maybe vintage patternistas would not put this in the vintage category, but it is definitely out of print, so I will group it with my vintage patterns.  I don't know what era it is from, maybe 70s maybe 80s?

It was designed for knit fabrics, so I tested it out using some knit lining that I had bought by mistake, thinking that it was suitable for swimwear.  The stretchy lace is from Spotlight and the elastic for the straps (which is a lovely elastic - I must get more) is from that funny little shop in Cairns.

So what do I think of the pattern?  It has potential.  The lining fabric is a little bit scratchy, but if I found a nice quality tricot I would probably make it up.  I did lower the position of the front neckline lace by 3 - 4 cm.  I would need to make some fitting changes in the upper bust region.  Zig-zagging along the wavy edges of the elastic does require a little concentration, but everything else comes together easily.  I did alter the construction a little, by cutting double of the side bust panel seams so that I could encase the bust seam.

I have no idea where I could get good quality tricot though.  Any suggestions?

The Slip Project

To me, grown-up glamour is a drawer full of silk slips.  I have carried this image with me since I was a small girl.  I think the image partly comes from the old black and white Hollywood films.  The drawer in my images is always the wide, shallow drawer of my Mother's dresser.

Whilst I do have a modest collection of slips, I would like to indulge this image of glamour a little more.  I do not live in a locale suitable to the collection of vintage slips, so of course I have to make them!    I particularly like the slips with separate bust panels.  This is a work in progress, but I have made a muslin of  a few vintage slip patterns, which I will show you over the coming days.

Before then, I want to show you a slip that my Mother gave me for my birthday last year.  It was the loveliest present!  I think it was from her wedding trousseau, so it is probably from the late sixties.

The slip is made from a very smooth, nylon knit fabric, with lace overlays.

An asymmetrical lace overlay is placed on the front hem.  The hem is at mid-knee length (so too long for most of my dresses).  There is a side split on the left side.

 The bust cups are made from lace and gathered onto the skirt panel.  A lace motif has been sewn over the centre front of the lace.

 The bust cups are lined with a sheer, non-stretchy fabric.  The upper back panel has a curved seam where it joins the skirt.  The back skirt has a centre back seam.

 This photo of the inside of the hem shows that the lace edging was applied with a zig-zag stitch.

 The inside of the bust cups show that they were darted as well as gathered.  The darts go through both the lace and the backing fabric.  The slip was assembled with an over-locker.

 The straps are made of ribbon.  The findings on the straps are very fine.

 This coat-hanger also oozes glamour.  I'm not sure where it came from, but I have had it for years and years.  I always associate it with the theatre and those dressing room mirrors surrounded by lights.  I have always meant to reproduce this gathered satin covering for a coat hanger.  Perhaps once I finish my slips.

Making bra tester cups

I have been playing around with drafting my own bra patterns from scratch.  This necessitates a lot of testing.  I was finding it hard to assess the fit of the cups without making the complete bra, which was  time consuming. I also didn't want to deplete all my bra-making supplies.  This is my new approach:

Cut out the cup pieces and the bra cradle in a woven fabric.  Stitch the cups pieces together and then stitch the completed cups into the cradle.

Outside view

Inside view

Then I stitch down the seam allowance between the cups and the cradle.  The seam allowance is only 6 mm wide.  I can stitch the seam allowances down to form a channel that is 3 - 4 mm wide.  This is wide enough to slip in the bra wires, without having to sew on a separate wire casing.

I can then use one hand to hold the wire beneath my breast and the other can hold the strap position.  The wire helps hold the cups to my body and I can get a good idea of fit.  It only takes about 10 minutes to cut out and sew up and I have used precious few materials.