MOB Camisole Straps - How I sew them (Using String - Not Bodkin)

Find an Audio Description in the February podcast 'A Camisole for the Mother of the Bride'.

When it comes to creating a shoulder strap - bodkins work for many folks - but not for me. Plus, I always misplace them!

I use an encased-string method. I think I may have read about this in an old edition of Threads magazine.

1) Fold tube in half  (right sides together)- I use a 3" wide strip for a somewhat wide strap
2) Slip String into the fold STRING NEEDS TO HANG OUT ON EITHER END - SO CUT IT LONGER than the fashion fabric strip
3) Pin fold down
4-6) When sewing down long side of strap, make sure to catch the string at just one end of the tube. Sew several times back and forth so it can't pull through when you tug.

7 - 9) Work the fabric over the string, by pulling on the end of the string you did NOT sew down

10) Eventually you've turned the strap all the way inside out - the inside being the side you want to see

11 -12) cut off the end of the tube where you throughly sewed the string across

Then pull the other end of the string out, turn your seam so it runs up the middle in the back of the strap and press the strap flat.

EnchBySew-52: Audio/PODCAST - A Camisole for the Mother of the Bride (MOB)

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Click on this link in iTunes   to download the 52'nd, and other, episodes of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast

Or listen directly on the web by clicking on http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/castfFINALCamisoleMOB_LAURELSHIMERENCHANTEDBYSEWING.mp3

This podcast is an extension of my regular sewing blog - http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com

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The camisole I talk about in this show, is Part one of my 3-piece Mother-Of-The-Bride outfit. I'm also working on a lace over-blouse and a skirt.

In this show I'm begining to share with you, some of my experiences working on this ensemble.
All 3 garment pieces have involved  pattern creation or alteration.

Snapshot of This Month’s Show 

- Pensamientos Primeros/First Thoughts - short sewing history to date of my MOBride ensemble
Fabric is from fabric.com  

- Technicos/Techniques

I used the Jan Bones Lingerie Secrets book, to create the camisole pattern, based on my own measurements.

Original pattern was designed for knits. I made this garment from a woven golden dupioni fabric from fabric.com, so I cut the pattern on the bias.

I added 1 inch seam allowances to be on the safe side, since I was converting from a knit to a bias fabric.

Adding Darts....Darts and Natural Dart Placement

-Shoulder straps
         - sewing
        - placement

- Pensamientos Finales/Final Thoughts  - is it worth the trouble?

MOB: A Camisole for the Mother of the Bride

This Camisole Slip is the innermost layer of my Mother of the Bride (MOB) outfit. I talk about how I created this garment in this month's Enchanted by Sewing Audio/Podcast

http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2017/02/enchbysew-52-audiopodcast-camisole-for.html

MOB: Lessons in Lace - Lining up the Scallops

There's a lot to think about as I'm working with this scalloped lace. 

I triple checked to make sure that my sleeve pattern edges/underarm seam were exactly the right length. 

Also I was really careful that the armscye on the sleeve edge matched up just right, so the right length  came out the same on both ends.

 Also the lace slips and moves around a lot, and almost acts like a stretchy fabric. So more pins is always better.

MOB: Lessons in Lace - Right Over Left - (Mother of the Bride, Technicos/Techniques)

Lace Fabric Source - fabric.com - Pattern B6095

The right side of the lace is showing here. I quadruple check each piece to make sure that the right  and left sides are  laid out with the right side of the lace on top

 1) Traced another tissue version of the pattern I've been altering - Made two copies (I kept original copy for future patterns of course)

2) There is a scallop edge on only one side - Women's patterns are usually right-over-left. So I first laid out one of my tissues underneath (on the wrong side) with the scallop edge going down the middle

3) Then I carefully placed the left tissue underneath the lace and quintuple check that the right side of the lace will come out right for the entire bodice!

Why Two Tissues? - I will baste right through the tissue pieces to get the darts positioned right. Then rip the paper off. I don't see a better way to mark them properly. You can also thread or tape baste, but you'll still have to position the pattern very cautiously . Lace moves around a lot too.

Constantly checking which is right and wrong side when I work with two different front pieces. 
 I want the right side of the lace to show for both bodice pieces. When I don't cut them at the same time, it's easy to mess up and put the pattern the wrong way.