Well hello again. I’m writing this post from a somewhat sunny California, on a much-needed rest at the tip of summer’s end. Sometimes space is good, nobody knowing where you are is good.
That I’m wearing a windbreaker should give you an idea of how happy I am! When I last saw Texas, the heat was still pretty killer. I experience a certain late-summer languishing akin to those late-winter blues in climates that actually have a sense of winter. Too hot to think, too hot to get inspired about clothes! I’ve been traveling quite a bit and have hardly been home in the last month but I’m hoping some of this time away from heat and le blog and interweb activity will bring some fresh perspective and direction, both in my sewing and my writing.
Not that I haven’t been sewing or at least thinking about it! My free time has been filled with visions of pretty underthings and a few experiments in my own designs. Friends, I am utterly taken with lingerie design. Making my first bra a year ago tapped into something deeper for me–more than just another thing I’d like to learn how to make. Gardeners often talk about “signature plants” and my flowers became sweet peas. I even tried breeding my own varieties. Their history, fragrance, short-lived ephemerality, small but radiant blossoms and attraction to bees essentialized everything I loved about flowers. You can probably see the connection. I might have to stop myself from turning this into a lingerie blog! But seriously, I might start a regular feature on lingerie design, sewing and sourcing.
But first things first. Thank you for your sweet comments about my silk bra. It’s already become one of my favorite bras and definitely one of better-fitting ones I’ve made. I can’t wait to get back home and experiment some more with the pattern. Several comments gave me some good ideas for later later posts. Katherine asked me about how I adjusted my patterns for stretch and this is a little something I’ve been researching and working on, with a help of a few books about lingerie design. I’ve even come up with a geeky cool calculator that is helping me adjust pieces for different stretch percents. In an upcoming post/s I will share more ideas on how to adapting and fitting bra patterns.
Now to catch up on all your lovely blogs… Or just keep enjoying the bits of cool sunshine on my face.
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Welcome back lady. I’ve been on a bit of a sewing sabbatical lately too, but not because of traveling. Because I’ve been lazy. Really jazzed for your lingerie obsession to bear fruit for us to eat.
Thanks girl. Look forward to diving back in!
Ahh! You have absolutely no idea how much I enjoyed reading this post. FINALLY, another seamstress who is just head over heels in LOVE with LINGERIE! I sewed a pair of Ohhh Lulu undies with a few alterations and I fell head over heels for it! I’m in the process of creating some of my own designs and creating a “how-to” or a “guide” for all things undie and bra making – maybe we could develop this together? I have to admit that I’ve been researching undies more than bras but I’ll be sewing one very soon.
About stretch fabrics – one of the books I read has a very understandable way to alter patterns based on stretch. I wouldn’t mind photocopying them for you and emailing them to you.
That would be awesome Maddie! Let’s exchange. I’ve been working on coding a javascript calculator that would be great to use with stretch charts. Seriously, I’m such a code geek. I drafted a couple of undies but have definitely been working more on bras, and how to adjust cups and bands based on different stretch fabrics.