Walking, Sewing, Painting

I often have a lot of things on the go, it's quite normal and it's how I work. The last couple of weeks have been strange as I haven't really finished much, but there is a lot in the pipeline. The end of term came and went in a strange socially distanced way and the school holidays began. I find it quite a stange time anyway and often spend the first week or so redrafting my schemes of work ready for September. However I know there will be some updates H&S advice coming out in August and I don't want to have to do the planning twice, so I'm leaving it until I know what the recommendations are for teaching Art & Design in our new normal. I'll probably spend a big chunk of the last week of the holiday in school sorting out my classroom and getting prepared.

I have started a few projects and have been busy printing and taping PDF patterns ready to cut and sew. I have prepped fabric for my next Minerva makes and the first item is almost complete - just a fastening to go.

On my sewing table right now...

Almost finished are Burdastyle Culottes 03/2015 #126. They have quite a nice overlapped pleat at the front more details to come soon once I've finished the fastening.

Also almost finished and just needing a button and buttonhole are these basic shorts. I downloaded this pattern from a spanish website a few months ago, but it seems to have disappeared from the the internet. The drafting is great but it only has a spec sheet rather than full instructions, but that's ok with me - it's a basic design - fits well too.

I also have this stunning cotton Sateen from Minerva to make up. It's washed and ready to go and I think I have my patterns identified - but I keep changing my mind!!!

Recent makes have been lingerie related and I'm on a bit of a roll. I have now made 3 Watson bras and I'm starting to plan pattern hacks!!! I made this fun bra and knickers from this Rico jersey, which was left over from a t shirt I made a while back. I made the knickers in a size small and used bands rather than elastic -just to try it out - I quite like it.

I also made another pair of the knickers to match the simplicity 8436 bra I made a few weeks ago. I increased the rise by a couple of cm as they sit a little too low without. This version uses some beige lingerie lace with some stretch. I cut both the bands and elastic at 85% of the openings and it seems to be ok.

I also have some navy stretch lace and nude stretch mesh to make a Noelle Bralette and Panties set, but I need to get some elastics and findings.

Apart from sewing I have been painting. Creating a painting is usually quite a long process and i need to sit and live with them before I decided if they are finished. Often I'll work on serveral pieces at once, working on one, while another one dries. I've currently got 4 on the go and they are all inspired by walks along or close to the coast where I live. I try to get out for at least a 4 mile walk each day and prefer something a bit longer. I have found that this activity has been incredibly important to help keep good mental health during the lockdown.

Here are some of the in progress shots of my paintings - Non are quite finished yet.

I've even managed to repaint the garden furniture - it was looking rather tired and now its bright blue!

On Sunday we went to visit family. It was great to see people in the flesh instead of over a screen. We did a long day and got home very late but at least we were able to sleep in our own bed!

Wednesday was my birthday and John, Bethan and I (and the dog) drove up to Seahouses and then walked over the fields, along the Northumberland Coastal Path to Bamburgh. It was a pleasant walk, we had lunch at a local pub before walking back to Seahouses along the beach.

It's almost an hour's drive and it was nearly 4 by the time we arrived home. I had been in just a few minutes when my lovely friend Allison dropped by with my birthday gift of a large piece of waxed cotton. Now I just need to decide what to make with it.

I've had a new fitbit and the Vivienne Westwood designed war child T shirt from the family. I've also had a bit of money towards a new sewing machine. I'm looking to upgrade and thinking about a couple of different machines at the moment. The trouble is that my local store are not doing demonstrations due to Covid and I really want to try before I buy - so I might have to wait a while. I primarily use my machine for garment sewing including outerwear and lingerie, so it needs to be able to handle all kings of fabrics. I do a bit of quilting every now and again.

I'm considering the Bernette 38. It has all the functions I need in a machine, but I need something that can handle thick fabrics - for things like jeans making. I don't know what it's capability is for this type of sewing.

The other machine(s) I'm considering are the Juki HZL G210/220 They have the industrial box feed system and are marketed as begin able to handle lots of fabric - they also have lots of decorative stitches - I'm not sure I'd use them all, but am drawn to the power of these machines.

If you have either the Bernette 38 or the Juki HZL G210/220, do let me know what you think of them. It might help me make a decision.

There we go - You're all caught up with what I've been up to. so how are your days panning out?

Stuff and Nonsense

It's been a bit of a manic week in the Coopsvillle household. The last week of the school year always is. I'd plans to be super creative, but have just ened up being annoyed at myself as I've made some stupid mistakes.

I was in school 4 days this week and spent the other day trying to mark all the work and make sure everything was finished off and I'm sorted with plans for September. I  haven't been teaching in my room this term, but other people have and it's going to need some sorting out before the children arrive, so that will be a couple of days just tidying and getting set up for the new term.

I have also suffered with a couple of bad Hayfever days in the last week. This is unusual as It's normally past it's worst by the end of term. My eyes are itch and sore today too - lurking in the house when I really want to be outside. The first one was last Sunday - Bethan and I took the dog on a long walk up to Cresswell (ice cream stop before returning).

It's over the dunes and along the headland. I'm normally free of hayfever by this point in the year, but after our walk on Sunday I was fit for nothing and thoroughly miserable.

I have a few sewing projects on the go, but nothing finished. I'm making some stripey culottes, inspired by a Boden skirt. The pattern is a burdastyle magazine one that I haven't made before, so it was back to the tracing from the rather confusing looking pattern sheets (actually they're not that bad when you know how they work). 

I also have some lovely cotton sateen - can't quite decide what to make with it - I keep changing my mind - yes, I know it will make lovely capri trousers or a wrap dress. I'm just not sure that's what I want to make with it - I'd like something a bit more unusual - so If you have any ideas I'd love to hear them.

I also tried to make another bra - complete fail this time. Sewn well, but for some reason It's just too small. I'd even made a test version, which was ok. However once I used the Duoplex Tricot the cups were too small - I'm not sure what Ive done wrong here, but I'll take it apart and reuse the elastics and powernet as that is the right size. It's frustrating!!!!

I'm planning to do some painting this week, I haven't painted since half term and need to get the brushes out. I might even do some printmaking too. I'm going to have another go at Simplicity 8436 and I'd like to make the Noelle Bralette and knickers by Madalynne. I need some elastics and fabrics for this - I already have some navy stretch lace.

We've planted a few veggies earlier in the year and I'm hoping we will actually get something edible from them. The lettuces are doing well and the tomatoes seem to be going string in the greenhouse. The courgettes are starting to flower, so I'm hoping the bugs and beasties will stay away we'll end up with some lovely homegrown food to eat soon.

A blue Watson Bra - Pattern Review

You will see from my last blog post that I’ve been delving into the world of underwear making. I never thought I would actually make underwear successfully, after years of struggling to find bras to fit I have become disheartened by RTW and was prompted by the desire to find a bra that fits without a boatload of padding and is super comfy. So far I’ve tried the Watson Bra and Simplicity 8436. I’ll review the Simplicity pattern at a later date, but today I wanted to focus on the Watson.

The Watson Bra and knickers is a pattern by Cloth Habit. It’s a soft cup bra with no underwires, can be made in lace/ jersey/ scuba - in fact, lots of fabrics with a bit of stretch are ideal for this pattern. I have now made 4 versions of this pattern and it’s fast becoming my favourite bra to wear.

The pattern comes in a range of sizes and is easy to adapt. It has a vertically seamed cup, which makes alterations super easy

The instructions that come with the pattern are great for beginners as they take you step by step through the whole process - even which type of stitch to use and how wide/ long your zigzag stitches should be. If you need even more hand-holding with this pattern there are multiple sew-a-longs on the web, including a video tutorial by Liz Sews.

As with any sewing pattern, getting the fit right is what makes a project work or not. The first Watson I made was too big in the band and too small in the cup. I did a bit of research on Bra sizing and decided to make a completely different size to the recommended size on the charts provided. If you are making this Bra for the first time I would definitely start with the chart, but be aware that you might need to make some changes to the pattern.

For my second version, I made a 30E. Initially, I thought it wasn’t going to fit, but I can honestly say it’s the best fitting bra I have ever worn. It feels slightly snug when I first put it on, but it is super comfy. For this version, I had used elastics and fabric from another unworn me made bra as it was to be a wearable toile.

Once I was happy with the fit I decided to make another version. This time I used some scraps of Rico jersey with a super cool print. I decided to use two layers which was a mistake. This fabric is quite thick and the extra bulk on the vertical seam caused some puckering - I should have trimmed the seams really close to get a smooth finish. This fabric also has a tendency to stretch out and doesn’t really have a great recovery, so while it’s a great print it’s a fail as a bra. One thing that did work on this one was the one alteration that I made. The vertical seam line was just a smidge too wide set and I altered it to bring it nearer to the centre of my chest.

Watson take 4 - powder blue jersey. This fabric was sent to me by a friend who had made a t-shirt and had some leftovers. It’s a beautiful quality cotton jersey with some widthwise stretch and very little lengthwise stretch. I decided to line this one with stretch mesh to reduce bulk and stable cotton for the band. The Powernet and elastics are all white.

I've seen several ways to construct the cups to achieve a neat finish and as I was lining these with mesh I sandwiched the cup seam, so that it was enclosed once turned the right way around and then top-stitched it in place.

I also managed to enclose the side seams so that they have a neat finish

However, where the cups meet the cradle I left raw. If I had some seam tape in my stash I would apply it here, but It's been trimmed and top stitched and I'm happy with it.

I’m really pleased with the finish on this one. The only thing I don’t like is where the straps join - I find it really bulky to thread through a ring and it looks wrong - so I added a small elastic loop. If you have a great solution to this please let me know. Failing that I’ll attach the elastics straight to the cup and put the rings and sliders on the back next time. I did notice while taking the photos That I'd twisted one of the straps. I sorted that - it only took 5 minutes.

I made a matching pair of undies - these are made with a pattern taken from an old pair of shorts style knickers that I had years ago. The band at the top is covered regular elastic - it took me ages to remember how I attached this and it's still a bit of a mess. My zigzag stitches are great in some places, but as soon as I miss the elastic or get to a thicker area they skip and are irregular. Not helped by the fact that I used white thread as I'd run out of the matching blue, so now my skipped stitches are super obvious. Oh well you live and learn.

The legs are just turned and hemmed. One thing I really need to do is get out my Janome sewing machine and use the triple zigzag stitch. I have been using my vintage Bernina, but even with the correct needles it still skips some stitches and doesn’t have the triple zigzag option.

Overall, I love the look of this set, and that it is pretty much made of scrap fabric. I am certain this will get plenty of wear and I’m sure as I become more confident in lingerie making there will be many more. I might even try some pattern hacks. I would like to try some other knicker patterns, let me know which are your favourites?

First Steps in Bra making

I'm still not convinced that bra making is worth it. There I said it! I struggle with Bra fitting at the best of times and don't want to spend lots on materials that just don't fit.

I would love to have a bra that fits really well and looks good and that I have made. But there are so many factors that affect fit that it is a minefield.

I wanted to document my first faltering steps and hopefully as time goes on I'll be able to have some successes. - Please be aware that the bras don't fit well on my dressform.

So a couple of years ago I bought the Cloth Habit Watson Bra set. Super simple and no pesky underwires to deal with. I made the size suggested and had a bit of wrinkling in the upper cups, which I pinched out of the seam and it seemed to fit ok. I also shortened the band quite a bit as it was very loose. The instructions were easy to follow and the bra is wearable and I do wear it sometimes. But just look at that shoddy sewing of elastics at the back - that's not going to last much longer!

Fastforward to lockdown and inspired by the many beautiful makes by Small Bobbins I decided to have another go, but wanted to tackle an underwired plunge style - as that's what I wear the most in RTW. I settled on Simplicity 8436 as I liked the design.

I bought a kit from Timeless Fabrics which came with the materials and the pattern

Stretch mesh was supplied to line the bra, but it was super lightweight and there was not enough elastics included to finish the bra. I have contacted them and and they are going to send me some more elastic - yay (they arrived in just a couple of days - excellent customer service!!!!).

My measurements for this pattern put me between a 34B and 36A. After measuring the pattern pieces and testing the stretch of the fabric there was no way I was going to make this size. So I cut the 32C to start. and made a quick test with some fabric scraps and it looked about right. I then sewed up my bra in the kit fabric. I used the sewalong by Liz Sews to help me construct it, and it came together well. I did swap out the mesh for a slightly firmer Powernet on the band.

Once made, I tried on - way too loose. The bridge was too wide, under the arms gaped a little and the band was loose. The cups were ok on the whole. I carefully took it apart. Tightened the underarm elastic (but still not enough), reduced the width of the bridge and cut an inch from the end of the band. Much better and certainly wearable, but the wires are not long enough and there is quite a lot of loose fabric under the arm, which looks odd.

Take two - This time I used the firmest powernet I had and shortened it (mistake - I should have left it at the 32 length first!!!!).

I used a woven with a slight stretch for the cups and bridge - which I stablised. I used Picot elastic from my supplies for the neck and underarm edges.

I managed to twist one of the straps during construction. I also reduced the height of the under arms by a cm to fit the wires. This did work with the wires, but the Bra is sooooooo tight I could barely fasten it. the darts were also pointy and made me realise that they might be a bit too long. There is no way I can wear this bra. I'll be taking it to bits to reclaim the hardwear and elastics. And look at the skipped stitches - that didn't happen on my other Bras!

To try next - 32 band + my narrowed bridge and the 34B cup (I know what you are thinking - that should be the same volume - That's what I thought, but when I measured it the 34C cups were the same volume). This should reduce the dart length, I hope it will also reduce the sides so I can fit my underwires - yes they are the right type and size as specified by the pattern - and I'll be using some fabric with stretch next time - I'm determined to make this work!!!!.

I have also butchered another failed project to try a second Watson bra. I made the Madalynne Sierra wrap bra a while ago, but it squashed what little I had flat and needs serious adapting to make it work. However It contained loads of stretch lace and plenty of elastic, so I reclaimed it and made another Watson. I like the finish and style of this one.

I decided to try a different size as my first version is ok, but I feel the band didn't lie flat  under my bust and doesn't look flattering. I had been recommended Boob or Bust as an online caculator and Facebook bra fitting group. I have always struggled with sizing and once I inputted my measurements - checked 3 times it gave me a starting size of 30DD - WHATTTTTTT. There is no way I'm going to buy a load of Bras to try on and send back if they don't fit, and of course there are no changing rooms open in the stores at the moment so I decided to try the Watson in that size - as it's an American pattern it's a Size 30E. I really didn't think this would work for me, but I gave it a go anyway.

The band is very snug, but not uncomfortable and I think I can increase it by about 0.5cm and it will be perfect. The width of the base of the cups is much better and fits flat against my chest wall. The cups have a tiny bit of excess fabric in the upper cup, which I need to pinch out and transer to the pattern, just the same as the smaller size did, but otherwise it's a good fit. My strap elastic is very smooth and slips through the sliders a bit too easily, so I'm going to just make it the right length and not adjustable. I will be making another one of these in the next couple of weeks from some jersey offcuts. I even think I have enough for a matching pair of Knickers. Watch this space and lets see what I can get to fit - wish me luck!