Strawberry Love

I'm digging online fabric shopping.  It's the only place around here I can get quality bra-making and swimwear fabrics.  Tampa doesn't have a fabric store that sells printed nylon spandex for swimwear. The nearest store that sells swim fabrics is 36 miles from my house and it can take more than an hour to get there.  They have a pretty good selection of basics but only a few prints.  I love to go there for the adventure of it, I like to touch the fabrics, but it's disappointing to go home empty handed. Conversely, it's exciting to receive packages in the mail.

Nylon Spandex Swimwear Fabric

Nylon Spandex Swimwear Fabric

I made the cutest swimsuit for my daughter using the fabrics that I purchased online.  The modified Y-back was inspired by her favorite RTW bra.  I layered the print, powernet, and lining fabrics then sewed them together along the edges before I cut the keyhole.

Modified Y-back before Keyhole Cut

I need to remove 1/4" from the armhole because I decided to use binding for the edges instead of elastic.  Sew a zig-zag stitch next to the original line of stitching to be removed and save yourself from a headache later.

Zig-Zag before cutting off the seam allowance.

Remember to remove seam allowances from the edges that will be bound.

Remove Seam Allowance for Binding Applications

I call this bikini Strawberry Love.  The high-waisted bottoms with heart buttons and rear seam are made from the Pin-up Girls, 3 Sisters Bikini, Violet pattern in a printed denim nylon spandex. The bikini top is a PUG Classic in foam covered with the cutest heart and strawberry printed nylon spandex.  This is the first time I used foam and it got a little squished.  The bikini back was self-drafted and features a modified Y-back with a keyhole opening inspired by my daughter's favorite ready-to-wear bra.

Strawberry Love Bikini

Modified Y-back with Keyhole

Peachy Floral

Today's bra is a peachy floral Shelley from Pin-up Girls.   I made this one for a friend.

Peach Floral Shelley

Peachy Floral Shelley

Peachy Floral Shelley

Peachy Floral Shelley

Still Playing with Shelley

Yes, I'm still playing with my Shelley pattern from Pin-up Girls.  Frankly, it's the only pattern that has a great fit for me.  Let's have a look at the beautiful lace from Bra-makers Supply.  I've already got it cut and mounted on ivory powernet.

Back of Upper Cups and Back Band

Front of Upper Cups and Back Band

I've been tweaking the bra frame and band to get that narrow no band look because a super narrow frame and band means no band rollover.  

Bottom Band Sewn Approx. 3/8" from Wire Line

An Inside Look at the Bottom Band before Thinning

Thinned Bra Frame and Band

It looks like I could shave another 1/8" from the frame and get a partial band look.

  Look.  No band rollover.  Beautifully mirrored pink and ivory floral stretch lace.

Thin Band and Mirrored Stretch Lace

If you're thinking something looks wonky, well, you're right.  Something is wonky, it's me.  The left side of my body is different than the right and it is shifted upward at least 1/2".  Because of this asymmetry, I make two different sized upper cups. In my case, mirrored lace will never be perfectly mirrored.  To make the best of the situation, I choose to focus on the neckline edge and making sure it is mirrored as closely as possible.

Bra Hook Replacement

Forget repairing that broken bra hook, you can't twist it back into shape, it just doesn't work.
Replacing broken twisted bra hooks is easy.  First, you'll need to purchase a new hook set from a bra-makers supply or re-purpose one from another bra.

Twisted Broken Bra Hook

How to replace broken bra hooks.

1.  Remove the broken hook set with a seam ripper.

Bra Hook Sets

 2.  First pass.  Open up the new hook set and sew to the bra back.

Basted Bra Hook Set

 3.  Second pass.  Close the hook set, enclosing the bra back and top stitch.

Finished Bra Hook Set

Tweaking my Shelley

I haven't been as unproductive as my lack of January posts would suggest.  Holy cow, I've been busy mending, tweaking, sewing, and quilting.  Let's talk tweaking.  First, I added a pink glissenette mesh lining to the upper cup to reinforce and protect the stretch lace from finger poke through.  Then instead of using a 3/8" strip of duoplex as an upper cup stabilizer, I used a piece of 3/8" plush back elastic.

3/8" Plush Back Elastic and Pink Glissenette Lining

Next, I thinned both the right and left bands to the narrowest possible width allowable.

Thinning the Right Front Band

Thinning the Left Front Band

Here is the finished thinned front band.

Finished Thinned Front Band

Here are the tweaked glistening upper cups. 

Pink Glissenette Lined Upper Cups
Now you can't poke a finger through or see through the stretch lace.

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2016

2016 Bra-A-Week Challenge

Erin over at The Emerald Studio is once again doing a Bra-A-Week Challenge and I'm committing to a bra and/or swimsuit a month.  I entered late in the game last year and submitted 7 bras.  This year it is my intent to sew something for the challenge every month. Hopefully, posting my idea calendar will help me to stay on track.

JensWare 2016 Sewing Calendar

1. January-Winter, Circus, Gasparilla
2. February-Florida State Fair, Valentine's Day
3. March-Florida Strawberry Festival, Spring Break, Easter, St. Patrick's Day
4. April-Blueberry Festival
5. May-Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Beachy Floral
6. June-Father's Day, Summer Fun
7. July-Independence Day, Patriotic Pin-up
8. August-Dog Days Relief
9. September-Birthday Treat, Labor Day
10. October-Halloween, Corset or Costume
11. November-Thanksgiving, Elections
12. December-Christmas, Angel

Bra-A-Week Challenge #7: Christmas Angel

Bra-A-Week Challenge #7:  Christmas Angel

Merry Christmas from the sweetest little angel.  Today's entry is a Pin-up Girls Shelley in white duoplex, white powernet, white findings, and the prettiest pink and purple stretch lace. 

Merry Christmas from JensWare

It's the pink thread and the sweet lace that make this angel special. I mirrored the cup lace, covered the bridge, and decorated the back band with the pink and purple lace.

Christmas Angel Mirrored Lace

Christmas Angel Covered Bridge

 Christmas Angel Decorated Back Band

100% Polyester Wickable Fabrics

ProCool-Wickable VS Bra-makers Supply-Wickable and Anti-bacterial

ProCool (Green) VS Bra-makers Supply (Beige)

ProCool Jersey is described as a stay-dry, lining and wicking fabric.  It's made in the USA of 100% wicking polyester. The fabric has minimal stretch lengthwise and 30% stretch in the width, it's 60"-62" wide, and weighs 4.5 oz per sq yrd.  Information from Wazoodle.

ProCool 100% Polyester Wicking Fabric

The wickable and anti-bacterial fabric from Bra-makers Supply is a 100% polyester knit that is treated with colloidal silver during the manufacturing process. The polyester fabric wicks moisture away from the skin surface and the silver particles repel bacteria making the wearer cooler, drier, and not so stinky.  A photo next to the product description suggests the fabric is treated with Scotchgard.  There are no specifics as to the fabric stretchiness, width, or weight.

Bra-makers Supply 100% Polyester Wicking Anti-bacterial Fabric

However, the fabric from Bra-makers Supply has minimal stretch lengthwise and about 25% stretch from selvage to selvage when you give it a pull and measure. Only one layer of this fabric is necessary because it has less stretch than the ProCool.  I think the firmer hand is due to the fabric treatment and the fabric may soften up when washed.

In my opinion, the ProCool Jersey is lighter in weight, stretchier, and has a softer hand than the Bra-makers Supply fabric.  It also snags easier when ripping out seams, so be very careful because it's easy to accidentally make a hole. This fabric may work better if it is doubled up with the dogs running in opposite directions to cancel out some its stretch. Although the specs say it has 30% stretch, I measured about 50% stretch when I gave it a pull.  In the end, both fabrics were nice to work with and made soft comfortable bras.  Fortunately, both fabrics come in a variety of colors.

100% Polyester Wickable Fabrics

Bra-A-Week Challenge #6: Wickable Work Bra

Mia's favorite, the Wickable Work Bra.  The bra fabric is made from 100% polyester that is treated with colloidal silver during the manufacturing process.  While the fabric wicks moisture away from the skin's surface, the silver particles repel bacteria, making the bra wearer cooler, drier, and less stinky, according to my interpretation of the product description at Bra-makers Supply where I purchased the material.  I haven't actually smelled Mia's bra to know how well the fabric performs.

Presenting entry #6 in the 2015 Bra-A-Week Challenge:   Wickable Work Bra 01

The work bra is a Pin-up Girls Classic with wickable antibacterial beige cups,

beige loop-a-licious neckline trim, peach Duoplex frame and straps,

peach powernet, and both peach and beige findings.

Wickable Antibacterial Work Bra

 Wickable Antibacterial Classic Cups with Loop-A-Licious Trim

JensWare Work Bra 01

Here's an up close look at that polyester fabric and neckline trim. 

Wickable Antibacterial Fabric and Loop-A-Licious Trim

Here's an interior view of the bra cups showing the wickable antibacterial fabric,

folded channeling, and a seam that needs to be trimmed back.

Wickable Antibacterial Fabric, Folded Channeling, Bra Interior

Bra-A-Week Challenge #5: Lovely Lilac

Oh so lovely and soft the lilac bra fits like a dream.

2015 Bra-A-Week Challenge #5 bra is a Pin-up Girls Shelley

in lilac with lilac powernet, lilac findings, and light lilac stretch lace.

JensWare Lovely Lilac

This lilac stretch lace is so soft to the touch.

It's a pearly light lilac that it presents as white on screen.

Light Lilac Mirrored Stretch Lace

I made a pair of Grapefruit sized Falsies to hold bras for my photos.

The Falsies can easily adjust from Grapefruit to Melon or from Melon to Tangerine.

Simply untie the knee high pantyhose and add or remove poly pellets.

I used two bags of rice and two pair of knee highs to make the Falsies.

The rice is temporary because rice can get buggy and harbor moths. 

TIP:  Use a pair of knee high pantyhose and poly pellets to make a pair of Falsies.

Pair of Falsies

Bra-A-Week Challenge #4: Fuchsia Surprise

Fuchsia, Fuchsia, Fuchsia 

Entry #4 in the 2015 Bra-A-Week Challenge is a Pin-up Girls Shelley

 in fuchsia with fuchsia powernet, and fuchsia findings.

Stunning and Bright

JensWare Fuchsia Surprise

 I got a great surprise from Bra-makers Supply when I let them choose the lace.  

It's a black stretch lace with gold outlined fuchsia flowers and I want more. more. more.  

Fuchsia Surprise Stretch Lace

Fuchsia and black are another great color combination.

The lace looks amazing and mirrors nicely.

Black and Fuchsia Mirrored Stretch Lace

Here we have mirrored stretch lace on the back band, folded 

wire channeling at center front, and Duoplex as stabilizer.

TIP:  Use 3/8"w strips of Duoplex as stabilizer in the neckline and underarm. 

Mirrored Lace, Folded Channeling, Duoplex Stabilizer

Bra-A-Week Challenge #3: Classic White

Entry #3 in the 2015 Bra-A-Week Challenge is a no frills plain and simple Pin-up Girls Classic white bra with white findings.

Classic White Bra

JensWare Classic White

 TIP:  Remember to Stay-Stitch and Clip the Curve

Stay-Stitching Clipped

TIP:  Leave an inch of wire channeling folded over for comfort.  

Wire Channeling Folded Over for Comfort

Bra-A-Week Challenge #2: Pink-N-Pearly Butterfly

Entry #2 in the 2015 Bra-A-Week Challenge is a Pin-up Girls Classic pattern in pink Duoplex with pink findings.  The bra features a pearly swirly lace butterfly on the bridge and cups, matching lace on the band, and an internal powerbar.

The loop-a-licious neckline trim goes nicely with the pearly swirly butterfly.

JensWare Pink-N-Pearly Butterfly Bra

 The internal powerbar gives the girls a little boost.

Internal Powerbar