Once Upon a Time – The White Vintage Bra

The White Vintage Bra Recently a student brought in a white vintage bra, so we'll take a bit of a breask from the blog posts on Behind the Seams of the Craftsy bras. It is very enlightening to see how far we've come in bra-making, so I appreciate…

Navy Multiple Strap Bra

Navy Multiple Strap Bra Time for another peek Behind the Seams! This time, a close-up look at what I call the Navy Multiple Strap bra. This bra was featured in the Craftsy class Sewing Bras: Designer Techniques (I can't believe there are 30…
,

The Ivory and Green Demi Bra

The Ivory and Green Demi Bra Do you remember the bra from the title card of my second Craftsy class, Sewing Bras: Designer Techniques? It's a lovely ivory and green demi bra with a big bow at the front. Here's a reminder. I love that bra! The…

And now for something completely different…

And now for something completely different... I remember I used to watch Monty Python (what a hoot!) They had this series of skits called...and now for something completely different! So to steal a line from British comedy, this latest post…

Pink and Black Lace Foam Cup Bra

Pink and Black Lace Foam Cup Bra Whew! What a lengthy title for this lovely bra - the Pink and Black lace Foam Cup Bra! What's prettier than pink? Only pink teamed with a multi-colour pink and black lace! Featured on my third Craftsy bra-making…
,

The Giraffe Print Bra

The Giraffe Print Bra I've received several emails about the "Craftsy bras", or more specifically, the bras that were made for and featured on my Craftsy classes. I guess people want to see them close up and in more detail than was shown in…
,

Shamrock and Black Lace

Shamrock and Black Lace It is St. Patrick's Day and what better way to say Top o' the mornin' to ya than with a beautiful Shamrock and Black lace bra! This is an unusual and vibrant colour but what the heck...after a long winter, we all…
,

Sewing Swimwear!

Today, on Leap Day 2016, my newest Craftsy class Sewing Swimwear: the Supportive One-piece has launched! You can watch the trailer here... What will you find in this Sewing Swimwear class?   how to choose a swimsuit pattern and  appropriate…

Continuous Bias Strips

Continuous Bias Strips This is not a technique that is strictly bra-related however every now and then you might have a use for making miles of continuous bias strips (think decorative bias trim on corsets, perhaps or in home dec such as upholstery,…
,

Make your Bra a Longline Bra

Make your Bra a Longline Bra I get asked all the time about when a longline pattern is going to come out in the Pin-up Girls line. It isn't likely to be anytime soon as I have lots of "other" bra patterns in my brain struggling to spring forth!…

Sewing Bras: Foam, Lace & Beyond

Sewing Bras: Foam, Lace & Beyond Banish boring bras from your wardrobe! Elevate your skills as you learn techniques for adding style and support with lovely lace, flattering foam cups and more in Sewing Bras: Foam, Lace & Beyond, the…

Horizontal Hocus Pocus

Horizontal Hocus Pocus As promised in this last post, I am sharing with you how to convert your Classic Bra to a horizontal seamed cup. If you want to do that, stay with me for background theory.  It's not magic or horizontal Hocus Pocus,…
,

Heather in Red and Black

Heather in Red and Black With the launch of the most recent online class through Craftsy, I decided to do a regular blog post on the bras created for the lessons. But you may not recognize some of them...as I will be featuring them in a different…

Dissecting Ulla

After my last post about Cloning Ulla, I wondered how the pattern of the cloned bra compared to my Pin-up Girls Classic Bra pattern. As you know, the Ulla bra company is known for their large cup sizes so it would be interesting to see what…
,

Cloning Ulla

Recently a student brought me an interesting challenge. She purchased a ready-to-wear bra and wanted one just like it, but not necessarily the same fabrics. I call this... wanting something the same, only different! Her bra was a European sized…

Free Floating Bras

Two days of making swimwear started today at the Saskatchewan Stitches Conference. The students were told that there were several ways of supporting the bust in a swimsuit; shelf bras, pre-formed cups and  free-floating bras. let's look at…

How to remove a serged seam

How to remove a serged seam I've been sewing for over 50 years (gasp!) and I have ripped out more, I dare say, than my fair share of sewn seams. Particularly vexing to sewists of all ages is the thought of ripping out a seam made with a serger.…
,

For Men Only

As bra-makers, we put a high value on our skills to make supportive, yet comfortable undergarments. Isn't it time you use those same skills to make supportive, comfortable underwear for the man in your life? Wait, what's that? Supportive Underwear…
,

Bikini Time!

Bikini Time Just in time for sewing for the upcoming resort season - announcing the newest pattern in the Pin-up Girls line - the Triangles and Tangas Bikini pattern! Yes, it's Bikini Time! Pin-up Girls is proud to present this collection…
,

Press and Peel a new Bra

Here at the Saskatchewan Stitches Conference, we were lucky to have a student in our class who found a new way of cloning garments. When we combined that method with some bra-making ingenuity, the results were nothing less than spectacular!…
,

Swim Week and Master Swim – Digital Fashion Show

We just finished up Swim Week and Master Swim class here in Hamilton. That means it's time for the Digital fashion Show! What a great bunch of swimsuit makers we had this time! In Swim Week, they started with the basics, a tank or princess…
,

Corset Week Digital Fashion Show

It's our Corset Week Digital Fashion Show once again. Corset Week ended yesterday and  you know what that means - you get to see what the students achieved in their exciting week of sewing. We had an unusually small group, but such enthusiasm…

Sewing Bras: Designer Techniques

Hello Everyone! Great news! My second class in the Sewing Bras series on Craftsy has launched! Sewing Bras: Designer techniques is the one to watch if you have wanted to know all the tricks to make your bra a designer original! You'll be…
,

A little Sunshine through the Snow

We here in the North are knee-deep in our "favourite" winter pastime, which is of course shoveling snow. This winter, Mother nature seems to be particularly vexing, as she is dumping snow every second or third day. Enough, already! Are you…

Garment Label Must-haves

Let's say you buy a bra and when you wear it, you get a rash. Taking the bra back to the store may not be possible or even successful. You want to complain directly to the manufacturer. How do you find out who they are? By reading the garment…

Fabric Printing Magic

Fabric Magic - Trick 1 Have I got a neat trick to share with you! It's like fabric printing MAGIC! PROBLEM: Duoplex, our go-to main bra-making fabric is plain-Jane  fabric, even though the colours are gorgeous when made up. I wanted pattern,…
,

The Trouble with Elastics

I am sure there are few things worse than sewing up a pattern you love, in a size you know fits you - only to have it NOT FIT at the end! Grrr...very frustrating! But when that sewing project is your very own perfectly fitting bra pattern -…
,

Boob Camp December 2014

Another Boob Camp finished yesterday! This was the last Boob Camp in December 2014 and was a full house. You know what that means - it's time for our Digital Fashion Show! Usually on the first two days we start off with the basic bra, then…
,

Once Upon a Time – Waist Management

Once Upon a Time - Waist Management Today Judy, Rochelle and I went on a road trip to see an exhibit called Waist Management - a history of unmentionables showing at the Peel Region Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA) in Brampton.  We…
three sisters bikini pattern PB-3009 from Bra-Makers Supply line drawing shown
,

My Three Sisters Bikini Pattern

My Three Sisters It's been a hectic 2 months here at the Enchanted Castle, with the recent launch of my Craftsy Swimwear class, plus I have had a special request to make a bikini pattern. We've have been working very hard to test these…
,

Nifty Notions – the Sewing Edge

Nifty Notions - the Sewing Edge I like to borrow nifty notions from our quilting sisters - today, it's a great little gadget called the Sewing Edge. It is used by quilters to keep that 1/4" seam allowance. Well, guess what? Bra-makers can…

A New Pin-up Girl

A new Pin-up Girl in the line of sewing patterns! The #2509 Ova-Bra Slimmer that you can wear over (ova) your own great fitting bra to smooth away those lumps and bumps and make your clothes fit and look fabulous. Check out the options! Two…
,

Digital Fashion Show – Boob Camp August 2014

Boob Camp August 2014 is over! Once again, we present our Digital Fashion Show. This Boob Camp was unusual not because we had "only" two students, and not because they were from opposite ends of the country but because of the sheer VOLUME of…