KwikSew 3593

Ha, I sewed something finally.

Okay, I do have to explain why I've not been around. I've been busy working hard on dieting, and sewing and dieting just don't go well together. I still have a good 10-15 yet to go, but I got back down to my Weight Watchers Lifetime Goal, so I'm pleased. I've lost about 25 so far, and 37 since my all time high some time back.


I'm really satisfied with the new Points Plus plan and definitely recommend it to you if you're at all interested in something new.


Also, I love my new toy, the Fitbit. You can look for that online if interested and also if you end up getting one, let me know so we can be "friends." It's a type of calorie tracker, like the BodyBugg or BodyMedia. I had the BodyMedia GoWearFit in the past, and LOVED it...but I was allergic to the metallic contact.

Here's the top I made, review is completed and up on PR.


As anyone knows who's lost weight and sews....it is so darn difficult. It's starting new. I haven't had much luck sewing, but I wanted to start up again. I'm pleased with how it turned out.

Merry Christmas to you all

I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I've not been doing much sewing at all lately as I've been working and the last few weeks have been pretty much full time. I haven't quite figured out how to fit sewing in with working. Oh, and I've gone back to Weight Watchers, which mentally takes up my time too.

For the New Year I really want to learn how to prioritize what is important to me, which is sewing. I'm so very happy when I'm holed up in my sewing room with a Netflix movie playing and working on a project.

The last bra I was making has ended up in the trash. I think I need to continue to work on the pattern that fits me right now. Though it won't fit as I drop weight, but that's easy enough to deal with also.

So for now I leave you with one of my favorite family Christmas photos from 2001.

Dying to match

Another joke here. I started a bra using the tricot and matching lace from an old half slip I bought at Goodwill. I have a small piece of pink powernet that matches close enough to use in the band, but no other trims seem to match.

My goal was to try to match the color using RIT dye. The plan was good, it just didn't work. Of course if I spent the time and effort perfecting it, it would have worked, I'm just too lazy.

The RIT Dye website has lots of great information and a mixing guide to make 500 colors. I will plan on using this again, but when I want to dye all the items to match, not to match something else.

Here's what I came out with. Oh, and I'm going to go ahead and use it anyway. I need to be less particular.


Bra I'm making:


I have a great mistake to share too. I cut the length of channeling I needed, but dyed the long piece I cut it from instead. What a bother.

Sewing Panties

I decided to sew 4 pairs of the same sized panties hoping the 4 girls in this family could each try them on, see how they fit, etc. and then maybe I can sew some more....oh, just for fun.

HAH!

I really am not crazy about sewing panties. Now it could be due to the fact that I used tricot, a not-fun fabric to sew. I have problems with the slipperiness and then the stretching of the elastic. I guess it takes practice.

I'm thinking though that I will try my old sewing machine as the feeddog are set wider on my newer one, which makes it hard to grab the fabric.

I made 3 pairs with the picot elastic and I don't like the outcome. Even washed the elastic did not get smaller. Maybe the tricot is too light to handle the weight of the elastic.

I do like the single other pair I made with the light elastic lace.

We'll see what the girls have to say.

Too much lace and elastic...I'm NOT complaining

I've ordered lots of different grab bags lately to have a big assortments of lingerie elastics and laces, and even though I'm loaded....I still don't have what I need. Typical.

Today I had nothing in particular planned and just went with my gut. I ended up watching some bad movies and wrapping lace/elastic around mat board that my oldest daughter had left here. I'm really pleased with the results, though I still have more to work on.

At least I'm at the point where I will know what I have and what I might to purchase as needed.

Here are the before and after photos. Trust me, the befores are much worse than they look (as you don't see it all) and the afters aren't quite complete.

Bra done

I can't tie or make a bow for the life of me. This is obviously something I have to learn.

Here is my completed bra on the teenie tiny mannequin. It fits wonderfully in the cups, I still have too much looseness (only a tad) under the arm. I am going to redraft that part of the pattern.



Edited to add the bow I just made (rather than a new blog post.)


I have the bra on right now, the cups fit amazingly well. The band is perfect though it will need about 1/2" removed at the band edge of the cup right under the arm.

It's also somewhat itchy, at the back where the straps connect. The back of the straps fold over the ring, and I'm feeling that scratchy lace. That will be something to think about in the future. No lace (cheap scratchy kind) should be touching my body.

Also, I had to remove the channeling top-stitching along the cup edge as I was not able to get the underwire in. That was a real pain as it was tiny black stitches on that black lace. If I shorten underwires I'll probably not be able to have two lines of top-stitching, or will have to at least think about it ahead of time.

Shortening Underwires

In The Bra-makers Manual by Beverly Johnson the only information about shortening underwires that I could find is on p. 91 where she says you might need wire cutters to cut the wires and to use "Household Goop" to cover the ends. She also says that's the best product to use as it holds up in the wash and that she tried other products.

The underwires I ordered from Sew Sassy fit me perfectly under the breast except for being too long. Plus each bra you sew might be a bit higher or lower under the arm or between the breasts, so learning how to adjust an underwire can be necessary.

I typed "household goop" into Google and found what I think I was looking for, but couldn't find it a Walmart or Lowes but there was a tube at Home Depot for around $3.00.

There are no exact instructions on how to apply it so I just went for it. First I kinda sorta got a glop on each end, allowed it dry for a minute or so and then worked it a bit with my fingers (it didn't stick) into shape. A short while later I added another glop and did it again. I found a container to set the wires in to dry thoroughly (not sure how long that will be) and attempted to take photos. That was the hard part actually.

I'll let you know how well it works when I go to insert the wires. Obviously the tip has to be small enough to get through the channeling.


Glop of Goop on the ends.


The product I'm using and the way I'll let the Goop dry.


A close up of the Goop worked into a nice rounded shape, all done with my fingertip.