Noelle - Mallori Lane bra top (plus a bonus Watson!)

I have been planning on making this top since I first made Noelle and Mallori Lane bra tops.
My initial problem with Noelle was that (a) I think I was making a size too big, and (b) the back didn't work for me.
My problem with Mallori Lane was that the long line wasn't happening, and without that it was kind of a nothing.  Though I might return to that concept and make some very simple bra tops, it wasn't quite inspiring enough on its own.

I used the back from the Mallori Lane, lower half, and the front from Noelle, size XS, top only, without the long line addition.  I did add a seam allowance which I don't think I needed.  The sides lined up with no adjustment.

This is scuba fabric, also used for this here Watson bra:

The Watson, in a size 32B, fits me correctly around the chest. However unless you have boobs of steel, I think scuba fabric is a bad idea for this type of bra, because it tries to shape the cups too much.  The silk Watson is the one I've made with the best fit, so I think I'll return to that kind of fine, drapey stretch fabrics in the future.  So this bra was a loss because I didn't want weird shaped boobs.

So, back to the main story.  I didn't use any metal loops in the front, and I did a cross back with normal bra strapping and the adjusters in the back.  This was partly to avoid having metal bits on my collarbones, but that was also fixed by being the correct size.  The size small was sitting right on my collarbones.  I pulled slight tension while adding the picot elastic.

And this is perfect!  Exactly what I wanted in a halter-style cross back bra top!  Might not need a whole closet of these, but I'm really satisfied to have finally gotten all the elements to come together nicely.  I would probably add the metal loops in the front next time as it is just nicer looking than trying to sew about 6 layers all together at that spot.

Also, definitely a good option for a swimsuit top.

Fun with knickers + UFO completion potpourri

I started my sweatshop in Seattle with some knickers that I had cut out in Arizona erm just about 10 months ago.  4 pairs - Watsons and the free pattern from So Zo.  I did different bindings on them as I am still seeking the perfect binding.  So far all the picot elastic I've gotten on etsy has shredded in the wash.  And the Watson gives me terrible panty lines which I know and have accepted.

So far: the blue ones with folded tape actually are great, and the red ones with the thin FOE that I couldn't fold over are tighter than the others, and already falling apart, as this FOE from Etsy was only about 1/2" wide and so I have only zigzagged it onto the outside of the knicker - and the stitches are already coming loose due to how much my Mum's Necchi hates knits and skips stitches.  The other two, with picot elastic, are fine. I suspect the grey and the blue are the So Zo pants, and that the green and red are the Watsons, but I'm not entirely sure.

I finished a Grainline Scout which is upcycled from an old dress:

My final thought on Scouts is that the only one I have ever really liked is the double-gauze.  So I think I'm going to stick with that from now on.  The fit of a size  4--2 seems to be good with no other changes. 

I decided once and for all that this Ondee does need to be an Ondee and not an Ondee-skater.

And then I moved on to some new knicker patterns: the Acacia - 2 sizes from one tshirt! (XS and S - I was between sizes, and I think the S fits better.) Yesss upcycling!  I like the butt coverage of this pattern, and I liked the option to use 3/8" elastic.  However I also think that using picot bra elastic gives the nicest finish when you don't have a serger.  And the samples made by Megan are way cuter than using old tshirts and inspires me to actually buy fabric specifically to make knickers with - one day. 

And the Kitschy Coo Barrie bottoms, size 2, which pattern I had high hopes for as it uses normal bindings that might hold up better in the wash.  First one is the lower waisted cut from an upcycled navy rayon tshirt - very soft but a pain to sew.  This has worn well and is actually my favourite of the batch.  Second one is my mum's old blue tshirt circa 1980 and the higher waist - doesn't have much stretch, in fact, those ended up too small to even pull on.  I do like the rayon, the fit is good, they sit totally below the butt so while there are panty lines they are at least not so obvious, and the soft waistband is great.  Must make these in more nice soft stretchy fabric.

I was also very pleased by how many knickers I could get from one tshirt!  This is an upcycling win!  Although I think my Anima lounge pants are totally the winner on best upcycled use of tshirts - enough that I might do them again but focus on colourblocking them so they actually look good too. 

Not so boring grey Watson bra

This grey stuff is from a Merckwaerdigh kit, which I bought on Etsy.  It came with lace which I used on the Madalynne bralette.  I thought I should give the Watson another try since my first try was pretty good (see here) but I didn't like the long line bra at all.

This time I learnt from my recent Marlborough experience and cut out the B cup instead of C.  Still with a 32 band.

I double layered everything, therefore avoiding any elastic on the center of the cups, but I used powermesh on the band, and so I didn't figure out how to get a clean finish when attaching the cups to the band.

It was pretty easy and I didn't do anything else surprising.  It fits pretty well although the band looks like it's wrinkled, it seems to sit just fine. However, the support that the center elastic usually gives would be nice to have.  Next time I will probably go ahead and use elastic there but make sure it's a very low profile elastic - I hated all the frilly bits sticking out on my first Watson attempt.  Of course it's not the kind of bra that lifts and centers, but it's good for very low impact sports.  The band is actually a bit loose and I'll eventually get around to fixing that.

Watson bra by Cloth Habit

I made the Watson panty a whole bunch of times but the bra pattern sat for awhile before I felt ready for it.  Finally I was convinced when I had enough silk scraps left over -- this is stretch silk which I dyed last summer using the Shibori technique.  I made a Renfrew from a friend out of it, hence the scraps.  In order to stabilise the fabric, I cut two layers of everything.  I cut a 32C.  My spray glue came in handy!  I glued the fabric in half and then cut double thickness of each piece, except for the front part, where I had to cut it on the fold anyway and just cut two.

According to the size chart I should be a 34D.  I didn't believe the size chart.  I cut a 32C.  My silk is pretty stretchy and my boobs are pretty small.  I think that I will never have believable bust measures since my high bust is bigger than my normal bust size due, most likely, to my back muscles. 

I basted the front together, which is recommended by the instructions, then sewed all the double pieces as one unit.  Had some trouble figuring out what I should use to finish the front cup, but I went with lingerie elastic as that is all I had.  I don't know if I had high expectations due to other people's pictures, or if I thought making two Marlboroughs turned me into a bra genius, but I had no fun making this bra and I don't like it.  AND I know there isn't a good reason for the latter.  My Pfaff makes bra making catastrophic.  A short zig-zag stitch doesn't get caught by the IDT foot and the fabric sits still and makes lumps of thread.  Anything horizontally uneven gets pushed to the side and so, for instance, sewing on the clasp at the back was terribly frustrating.

For a next version I would try the shorter one so that it feels like a normal bra.  I would use much finer elastic on the front and top.  I really don't like the look of this wider elastic (and something can also be said for pretty findings - I'd match the elastic colour instead of mixing black and white).  I would round the cups at the bust point and take a tiny bit of fabric out of the right one.  I might also take a tiny wedge out of the lateral side of the outer cup.  I always have gaping there and I don't know if pulling the elastic tighter would be enough, or if I would be better off with slightly less fabric in that spot. The 32C was the right size though, so I wouldn't change that.  I usually wear a 32C or 32D bra so this is consistent with RTW for me.

In terms of bramaking in general, I think that this is almost comparable to the Marlborough for a first bra pattern.  I think the Marlborough has more hand holding details and it is possible to get a better result.  Here I found the intersection of the cups and also the top of the cup where it goes through the strap to be spots where the results could vary a lot.  But overall I don't think there is a huge difference. And I think some of my lack of excitement is that I am not sure what I would do with a bra like this.  I am pretty partial to underwires in my daily life. Maybe the shorter Watson would convince me more.