I'm very happy with this latest set, I just feel like I am getting happier with each one!
The bra is made using KwikSew 3300 (my review of this pattern here), the undies with lace across the top are my old faithful McCalls 2772, and the other pair with the two diagonal strips of lace are a pattern very kindly sent to me by katherine h, lingerie creator extraordinaire. Thanks so much Katherine :)
This is a very cute undies pattern. It's fits somewhere between a bikini and a boy-leg style, a hybrid of the two. The construction is a bit more involved than the McCalls bikini but it's nice to have something different. I really like how the back leg edge is on the fold. A really interesting feature.The set is made from a blue marle cotton-mix jersey (leftovers from this hoodie) and a lovely creamy lace, with creamy yellow lingerie elastic throughout and cream satin ribbon bows for decoration. The lower bra cup is lined with a thick-ish, stable, non-stretchy knit (leftovers from this skirt), and the bra centre piece and underwire casings were made with lightweight beige cotton voile (leftovers from this top)
The bra sewalong organised by Amy has been absolutely brilliant! If you are new to sewing lingerie I highly recommend checking out her detailed posts on construction. Her passion for lingerie is sincere and very inspiring! I've been keeping up with everyone's fitting stories on the Flickr group, and the advice and tips given have been invaluable.
The nitty gritty about my bra; this will be of interest to my fellow lingerie nerds only....
This is the sixth time I have made up the KwikSew pattern, and the first time as a 32A and without a moulded cup insert.
I lined the lower cups with a thick-ish, stable, non-stretchy knit; overlapped with and then sewn to the seam allowances.. This gives a bit more needed oomph to that flimsy blue jersey fabric..
The straps: usually I go with a plain, non-adjustable bra strap relying on the stretch inherent in the fabric to provide the ease factor.... (did someone just say "slacker!"?) this time I followed the instructions and interfaced the straps, then satin-stitched a piece of elastic to the lower back ends to allow for the stretch. Here's where things get creative.... my elastic options (and well, everything else too) are kind of limited here in Perth but I do still want to stubbornly but loyally support my local shops. My lace is a lovely ivory creamy colour so I chose the "skin tone" lingerie elastic to go with it. But the lingerie elastic is not very heavy duty on its own and I worried it would not stand up to strains of bra strap duty. So I zig-zagged a strip of more heavy-duty, braided 8mm white elastic to the back. This provides hidden strength, and the colour from the right side still matches everything else in the set.
For the same reason (limited colour choices) I had to choose a one-hooked, hook and eye closure; this being the only size available in cream. I'm actually fine with that, not being of a figure type that needs heavy-duty support in the chestal region, ahem. At least the colour matches! I just trimmed the back pieces to fit.
I cut the centre piece backing and the underwire casings from small scraps of beige voile, and yes, I did obsessively switch between blue, beige and white thread so that the stitching matches the fabric.
