Sewing Videos – California Dreaming Bra

Happy Black Friday everyone! I spent most of Tuesday filming this video set and finally finished editing it down this morning. This series features my lovely daughter as a contributor and as a distraction. Its appropriate since we spend the holidays with family.

The sewing tutorial can be used for many bra patterns. This specific set is my new pattern release called California Dreaming. The size range is for 32F through 44J. I might be able to add a 46 range once I receive my new wires, but currently there aren’t vertical wires for that range.

Here is your shopping list:

Cup and front band fabric – nonstretch preferred, you can use bra lining fabric or a stable fusible tricot or woven to help stablilize it.

Back band fabric – powermesh or lycra. If it doesn’t stretch much, cut your band a little longer and adjust for fit before finishing the bra. If it stretches a lot, make sure to check fit before making your finishing touches.

Seam Tape – I use “Seams Great”, but you could also use strips of soft tricot cut at 1/2″ wide.

Wire – designed for verticals. This bra design is really for more projection and the vertical wires work better for that. I’ll be posting modifications for using a regular wire or my coming soon flat wires.

Waist band strapping – about 1 yard needed. I use a 3/4″ plush strap elastic for this.

Elastic for neckline – about 1/2 yard needed. I use foldover elastic for this.

Elastic for back neck/band – about a yard needed. I use a 3/8″ plush strap elastic for this.

Hook & Eye Closure – 3 row

Straps – You need about 1 1/2 yards of strap elastic. I use 1″ and cut them at 24″ long each so I can adjust the fit as needed.

Hardware – I used matching 1″ rings and slides.

You can play around with the supplies for construction, but these are what I used. Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

Drafting Videos 5..6..7..8..

I finally was able to finish the drafting for the bra sloper. Its in 4 parts. It gets pretty mathematical, so be forewarned.

Enjoy. Coming soon will be pattern alterations.

Completing a Mid-Week Personal Design Challenge

This is a continuation to the design I started on Friday. I added pockets to my daughter’s skirt. Nothing new to report otherwise. My kid stopped officially napping at school last week and she is downright cranky-mean in the afternoon. Hopefully she will adjust to this no nap thing and be nicer.

Now she is being goofy and playing with stuff in the shop.

Personal Creative Challenges

I used to be so creative, then I had a kid. That kid shows me how creative she is, so I think its time for me to show her how creative I can be. I am making it a personal goal to do a Friday Creative Challenge each week. I actually did one a few weeks ago, but I haven’t edited it yet, so my first one is from yesterday.

I took apart an outdated skirt with embroidery on it and re-purposed it into a layered skirt for my daughter. And she loves it by they way. I’m going to add pockets to it next week with the left over embroidered pieces.

To Error is Human

I never claim to be perfect, so please never quote me as so. I actually skipped a step when drafting the back of the band, but this video shows you how to compensate for missing the step.

Drafting has Commenced

To put a smile on everyone’s face, I have finally filmed my first set of drafting videos for creating your own bra sloper. I’ll keep this short, as I know everyone wants to begin drafting yesterday, so here it goes. Happy watching!

Without a voice

I got caught up on all the little things that needed to get done around the shop, including getting my office reorganized, clearing off the tables that just collected everything and its cousin and getting my new computer mostly set up.

Well, those were my priority before I could work on any videos, then wham! I lost my voice. I wish I had scheduled differently, maybe had done some of the videos before those other things, but alas, I didn’t.

I have a squeak for a voice right now, but I need to finish some of my computer pattern drafting videos before working on my hand drafting videos. Why, you might ask? Because I had to do the work anyway, so felt it made the most sense to tape those at the time. Besides, I only plan to release one pattern right now and the videos walked through the steps of that one pattern.

Anywho, enough of my run on sentences. I will try to squeak through the last of the computer videos today so I can start on my hand drafting videos on Monday. Also, I’m not releasing the computer drafting videos quite yet. Those won’t be released until I do a full introduction on how to work with PolyPattern Software. Wish me good health and have a great weekend. Only 4 days until our fateful election day and only 5 days until the end of the world.