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

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.

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

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

Bra-A-Week Challenge #1: Bluebird Blue Beauty

I'm back and I've got lots to share.  I've been busy learning a new skill, bra-making.  I took two Craftsy classes over the summer and boy do I have the bra-making bug.  I've made so many bras that I've lost count.  I've joined the already in progress 2015 Bra-A-Week Challenge. So you'll be seeing a new bra each week until I either run out of fabric or ideas.

Today I'm showing off my first entry in the 2015 Bra-A-Week Challenge.  

It's a Pin-up Girls Shelley pattern from Bra-makers Supply in Bluebird Blue Duoplex
with white powernet, white findings, and a fun white floral stretch lace.

Pin-up Girls Bluebird Blue Shelley Bra

This bra is a real beauty.  The blue and white combination works.

JensWare Bluebird Blue Beauty

I just love this stretch lace, with its white hearts and flowers outlined in blue.  

I decorate the back band with lace when I have enough to spare.

Right Back Band

TIP:  Sew two rows of stay-stitching along the frame bottom.

 Clip to, but not through, the top row of stitching every 1/4" along the curve.  

This makes sewing the curve more like sewing a straight line.

Bottom Band Stay-Stitching