Bustiers: Not a Corset! (Plus Free Printable Ephemera)

This imaginary bustier is the inspiration for my bustier class project. I plan to create my first bustier in dark blue denim, with an exposed zipper.  The pink roses on this illustration, are simply a princess touch for this bookmark/luggage tag*!

Since I started Lynda Maynard's bustier sewing class at Cañada, I've been pinning a lot of bustiers, imagining what I hope to sew myself.

There's some confusion out on the web about the difference between a bustier and a corset (I think some images that I've pinned may really be corsets, but the fabric and embellishments are so pretty I can't resist!). Here's what Lynda taught us about the difference between these two garments.

A Bustier 

... derives it's shape from the figure

A Corset

 ... imposes a shape on the figure. A corset compresses and reforms the  figure, usually diminishing it by at least three inches. (And yes those three inches have to go somewhere!)

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Resources

Laurel's Bustiers Board on Pinterest : http://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/sewingbustiersinspiration/

And stop by and check out some of my other sewing boards! http://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/

Cañada College Fashion Program, Redwood City, CA
http://canadacollegefashion.com

Lynda Maynard
http://canadacollegefashion.com/blog/2013/11/instructor-lynda-maynard/

Bustiers: Class Pattern

http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/01/bustier-class-pattern.html

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Printable Ephemera

Feel free to drag the bustier graphic off to your desktop, and print it to use as a bookmark or luggage tag. I insert mine into a Word file , duplicating several of the images on one page and sometimes resizing it to fit the document boundaries. Then I print those images on card stock paper. I hole punch the marker at the top, and loop a piece of decorative ribbon through that. A few beads or pearls on the end of the ribbon would add a lovely touch!

Smaller Size for Printing

Larger Size for Printing

Bustier: Class Pattern

Simplicity 5006 is the pattern most people use in our Bustier Sewing class in the Fashion Program at Cañada College, Redwood City (San Francisco Bay Area CA). This one unit class is typically taught once a year by Lynda Maynard

Technicos: Show it Off and Be Proud!

Sometimes I'm really tempted to note in this journal all the stuff I'm not happy with in my sewing projects like.....
- The quality or composition of the photo (or both)
- How I stood or where I was, when wearing it for the photo!
- The fit of the garment - It's never perfect!
- My sewing technique
- The color just isn't me
- The fabric is cheesy, or not right for the style
- The style is not flattering for me, or maybe for anyone
- the list could go on and on

But I don't! The art of presentation is just one more technique I've picked up from sewing class.

In class we always have a presentation day at the end and/or middle of the semester. On that great day, we stand up in front of everybody and show off our creations. And of course, quite often, half or more of the class tells you everything that's wrong with their work ...
This makes me look fat! I should have increased the seam allowance by 1/4 inch.
Usually these $30 Vogue pattern ensembles are perfect for me, but I wish I'd chosen another pattern. 
This expensive, silk charmeuse fabric was really hard to sew with, and so I made a lot of mistakes. I mean look at this hem! Look at these seams! 
I spent so long on the pattern and it fit fine in the muslin, but when I cut it out in my fabric, it looks awful. And I didn't have time to do anything else but make this thing I'm never going to wear.

Then it's my turn to stand up. I think to myself .. Gee their fabric is much more luxurious than the budget stuff I used. They finished every seam on the inside and pick-stitched their zipper. Their figure is model-perfect and they can wear styles that fits like a glove! If they think that about their garment, they're just going to laugh at mine.

Then I remember what I practiced saying to myself, stand up straight and tall. No matter what I think of the garment at this point - and I'm often pretty sick of it (!) - I say something like this...

I bet we've all sewn the
Bee-Bop dress at one
time or another!

Wow, I just love this Bee-Bop dress. I thought the pattern looked great when I saw it on the freebie counter, and  knew it would be perfect for this yellow and virulent green polyester caterpillar print I've had in my fabric inventory since somebody gave it to me back in 1972! It's got such a vintage look and I'm really looking forward to wearing it to my next college reunion. 

And the funny thing is, that suddenly the Bee-Bop dress starts to look kind of cute and people are complimenting me on it.

Sometimes, it's putting on the right attitude that keeps me....

Enchanted by Sewing 

Draping Holly: In Progress - Valentines Day Already!

Not too long ago, I posted about Holly, the tee shirt I quickly draped for the Holly-days.

For those who haven't yet been bitten by the draping bug, here's the way it feels for me, when I'm creating a work of fabric art. 

I had a lot of fun seeing how fast Holly went together, especially compared to Lucy. Lucy is a linen dress, my final project for draping class. I like her a lot, but she was quite a lot more involved than Holly.

In Lucy's case, I created a pattern I can reuse. Holly is a one-off. No other tee shirt will ever be quite like her! I draped the fabric directly on the form - just like the really fancy, schmansy couture customers get. Nobody else will ever have a tee just like Holly! :-)

With a change of necklace,
I'm already in a Valentines mood

So far I've worn Lucy once and Holly four times.  And, as you can see,  I've already swapped necklaces and turned her into the perfect Valentines tee. No, it's not too early!

Hummmmmmm. Yeah, both were worth the effort I put into them.

I can see that draping is another newly developing skill that's going to really keep me.....

Enchanted by Sewing!

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Resources

Draping: But What is It?
http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2013/11/draping-but-what-is-it-pattern-altering.html

Terminado! Draping Holly - http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2013/12/draping-holly-squeezing-in-holiday-shirt.html

Terminado! Draping Lucy - http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2013/12/draping-lucy-terminado-new-dress-and.html

Technicos: Strip Strap Sewing With Ease (Spaghetti Straps - No Tube Turner Tool)

I have made spaghetti straps or fabric tubes using a standard tube turner tool. But I much prefer this technique. I may have learned about it originally, in a reader letter in Threads magazine, but I'm not sure. I just know I've made a lot of fabric tubes this way with very little fuss. However I don't hear about other sewists making them this way. 

Maybe you'll like doing them this way like I do. And you will never have to figure out where you last put your tube turner again:-)

Resources

Fabric - A strip somewhat longer than you actually need. It should be more than twice as wide as the tube/spaghetti strap you want. In fact, if X is the width of the desired strap and S is the amount of seam allowance you are going to use it should be 2X+S wide. 

For example - If I want a tube 1/2 and inch wide and I plan to sew a 5/8 inch seam allowance, then my fabric strip should be 1 and 5/8 inches wide, because (2 x 1/2) + 5/8 = 1 5/8

If I need a total of oh say, 72 inches of tubing, I would probably add another 5 inches just to be on the safe side. (That's very conservative). Because I will be cutting away some of the end of my tube. 

String or an old piece of bias tape, or cord or other stringy thing that won't break apart easily . I keep a roll of packaging string around, but even jute string works. Just make sure the string/cord doesn't get sewn over as you sew along the long edge.

Cut your string/cord longer than your fabric piece. Add five inches total to be really safe.

1) With RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER- Press the length of fabric  you are making into a tube or spaghetti strap, in half down the middle, going the long way.

2) Lay the string/cord down the middle, right up
against the fold and away from the raw edge.
Leave a tail of string/cord sticking out
on both ends
of your fabric.

3) Sew back and forth over one end of the folded piece
securing the string/cord really well. You are going to be
cutting away this end later on, so you don't care
what it looks like. Just make sure the cord can't come out down here.
Also, make sure you leave a little tail end of the cord
hanging out beyond this stitching line to be
absolutely sure the string/cord doesn't pull away.

4) Now, keeping the string/cord on the fold side,
 sew along the long end of your tube.
Don't catch the cord in your stitches!

Leave the second short end open when you finish this long line of stitching.

Make sure you have another tail end sticking out of the open end of your tube! That's the second short end, the one opposite the one you secured so well back in step 3.

5) Trim along in the seam allowance, close to your stitching line.
You don't want fabric in the way of next step.

6) Start pulling on the end of the string/cord tail that's sticking out of your open end.
As you pull the fabric will ruffle up.
That's good!

Push those ruffles back toward the secured end as you keep pulling. Just work them along. They'll be a little hesitant, but you be the boss!

At a certain point you will be able to push the first bit of ruffled up fabric
up and over the original
short end you secured.

7) Oh look what's coming through!
There is the nice little fabric tube you've been looking for.
The seam allowance is on the inside!!!!
Keep pulling until it's all out.

When you're done you'll have a long piece of string
hanging off the secured end. Cut that secured end off now.
You might be able to reuse the string/cord for another tube,
if that tube is a little shorter than this one :-)

Terminado! Lilacs and Liberty - New Shirt for a New Year

This shirt symbolizes my plans for 2014. It's one of several projects, sewing and otherwise, that  I've been wanting to complete.

Finishing Lilacs and Liberty in time to wear it out to a movie on the last day of 2013, gave me a good feeling about starting the new year out right.

The lilacs part comes from the lilac gingham. The liberty because the accents are from one of the smaller pieces of Liberty Tana Lawn I bought on a trip to London. I wrote and podcasted about that trip in June. This Liberty print is named Mauverina (the link is for another color variation).

The pattern I used for this shirt, B5526, is the one my friend Susan altered for me. I've sewn it twice since. The first time it was my No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency shirt. This time I altered it by adding tucks in the front and fish eye darts on either side in the back. I also used the pocket in the pattern but made a little kind of heart shaped tuck in the front I'm really happy with.

I interfaced the pocket, color, cuffs and hem with silk organza, that's a new thing for me to try.

I'm really happy with the way I grouped the buttons in groups of threes (except the top button stands alone, and it can also be left unbuttoned) - one every inch apart and then a space of 3 inches between each grouping.

I'm also happy that this long shirt is flattering over the jeans I made in the fall.

Knowing this is a piece I'll be reaching for again and again in my closet, keeps me....

Enchanted by Sewing

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Resources

I like to pin swatches of Liberty's Tana Lawns 
http://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/gorgeous-fabric-liberty-of-london/

Ench By Sew-15 Festive Time Fabric Quiz - Made for California (Winter Holiday)

Our Best Holiday Edition Ever!

The Enchanted by Sewing

Made For California

Festive Time

Fabric  Quiz

In California Toyon Berries are Natures Gift for the Winter Holidays

Hey! 
The latest Enchanted by Sewing Podcast has been published!

Two Ways to Listen
Option I)You can listen to the show right on the web by clicking on the this link
~ OR ~
Option ii)  Click on this link to iTunes  to download this and other Enchanted by Sewing shows to your mobile device (iPhone, Android, etc.) free from iTunes
Did I miss any links mentioned in the show? If so, please post here and let me know, or else email me EnchantedBySewing AT gmail DOT com
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This month I’m taking a leaf out of the book of some of the podcasts and columnists I enjoy, who run a themed quiz during the winter holidays. I’ve always enjoyed taking these kinds of mini tests,  and feeling like a smarty pants when I’m  able to answer their questions. I also get a kick out of trying to wow my family with my knowledge of trivia on various subjects. They are rarely impressed.

My own, Enchanted by Sewing holiday quiz is focused around four fabrics that work well for sewing, wearing and enjoying here in California’s temperate San Francisco Bay Area. So pull up a few bolts of your favorite stuff, plop down on top, and let’s get started .And don’t forget to keep score!

During the audio quiz... you will be ranking four fabrics in terms of their strength. At that time, I sing you a little fabric themed tune. Since cotton is one of the fabrics in the quiz, I thought you might enjoy my updated version of the old "Boll Weevil" song, Here are my adapted lyrics.

The Boll Weevil is a little black bug
Come from down south they say
Come all the way to California
Just a lookin' for a place to stay.

Chorus
Just a lookin for a home.
Gonna get herself a home.

The Farmer said to the Boll Weevil
I see you on the Square.
Yes, 'mam, said the Boll Weevil
My whole gol durn family's there.

Boll Weevil said to the Doctor,
Better put away your pills,
When I git through with the Farmer,
She Cain't pay no Doctor bills!

Boll Weevil said to the Business 'Mam,
Sister, drink your lemonade.
When I git through with you, Gal,
Gonna drag you outta that shade!

Boll Weevil in yo field, gal,
It's just like shooting dice,
Work the whole gol  durn year around,
But the cotton won't bring no price

The Boll Weevil knocked on my front door,
She said I've come to eat,
I'm gonna starve you plum to death
And get the shoes right off your feet.

Ranking your fabric savy

There are 12 points possible on this important examination.

If you get:

0 - Fabri-Wanna-Be Hey, you tried hard! Go back and try again. (And that rayon date is pretty easy, so I say do that one first)
1-4 – Junior Fabric Fairy- I’m proud of you! You have definite potential. Next time through, you’ll be flying high onto the top of the fabric inventory pile.
5-8 – Fabraholic - Hey, good job! You are on the path to material excellence.
9-11 Fabric Wizard – You really know your stuff when it comes to the goods!
12 – Fabric Royalty – You are a genuine know-it-all, the queen (or king) bee of the fabric pile.

 * * *
When it comes to garment creation, Clare Shaeffer (in her Fabric Sewing Guide)  says of linen “Select patterns with tucks, gathers, pleats and gores” No kidding.

When it came to draping Lucy, those basic tucks that had created simple bodice lines in the muslin test garment, turned into lovely graceful swirls when I cut out the pattern in the natural linen fabric, and hung it on my dress form. Suddenly folds that hadn’t been there before sprang to life and Lucy was born!

Learning more about, and sharing knowledge of, the fabrics I love to sew, are the kind of thing that keep me…

Enchanted by Sewing.

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Resources

* Me Encanta Coser/Enchanted by Sewing is My Regular Sewing Blog.  Recent Postings Included: Draping Holly, Draping Lucy, Christmas Tutu 1 (I did a few Christmas themed ballerina ideas in December). 

* Thai Silks/Exotic Silks Buy in store or online

*Fabric Sewing Guide by Clare Shaeffer 

* I have a number of sewing related boards on pinterest. I pinned links to several sites I referred to when preparing this 'cast to my Gorgeous Fabrics pinterest board.