Blast to the Past – Slipcovers

Blast to the past Last week I experienced a blast to the past of my former life. Years ago, I was a drapery and slipcover maker, and when my friend Rochelle heard that, she asked me to "help her" make slipcovers for her hide-a-bed. These…
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Once Upon a Time and Far Far away – Sew it Was

Once Upon a Time and far far Away - Sew It Was Today was one of the days that will be held in my memory as a really, really good day. We went to Sew It Was, and in my opinion, anyone who is connected to the needle trades owes themselves a…
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Thin is In!

Thin is In! I guess some people are concerned about going ‘thin on the top”, but today’s post is about going thin on the bottom! In the case of a bra band, thin is in!  You may ask, why would you want a thin band? Does your band roll…
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Far far Away – Corset Building

The Saskatchewan Stitches Conference is drawing to an end, but our corset building class is just beginning. We have a small but enthusiastic class of corset builders. Corsets have gained some recent popularity as a garment to wear on the outside,…

Swim Week – Ready for the Beach

The ladies in Swim Week, my 5 day swimwear class were busy finishing up their suits today. That means they will soon be ready for the beach! One lady decided to add coloured piping to the princess seams. But no fabric could be found until....we…

Day 4 – before and after

Today was the final day of the beginner bra classes at SSC, here in downtown Muenster, Saskatchewan. We had 12 happy bra-makers sewing their Classic bras for two days. Today they took them home along with the pattern that had been adjusted to…

Day 2 – Nina’s Arrival

Nina's Arrival Back in the fall of 2013, I got a call from Margaret, of Bras Bold & Beautiful, asking if I still wanted a Bernina 930. Apparently she was teaching bra-making in Edmonton at Central Sewing Machines and one had just come in…

Re-purpose a Nifty Notion

Re-purpose a Nifty Notion If you own a cover stitch machine, you may be aware that it can do some amazing things. One of the things it can do is to make 3/4" (18 mm) strapping for bathing suits, sundresses etc. A smaller version in a 3/8"…

Lock Stitches, not Horns

Lock stitches, not horns In my cover stitch class, I often hear women say they have owned a machine for years, but it hasn't been out of the box! Are we intimidated by this funny looking machine? Often, we don't get lessons on the machine when…

Dyeing for Colour

Roses are redViolets are blueNo coloured elastics?Here's what you do!Yes, you can create custom colours to match your fabrics so your elastics, findings and hardware will all be colour co-ordinated. Here's a bra that started out as white fabric,…

Solutions for Sloping Shoulders

When I look at all the cute bra fashions online and in magazines or catalogues, a lot of them have what is referred to as "wide set straps". Look at the bra on the dress form below. This is a bra with wide set straps. The straps are set more…

Pirate’s Passion – the Sunburst Bra

Pirate's Passion - the Sunburst Bra Pirating or knocking-off...those are both very strong words for the act of copying someone else's lingerie designs. In fact, some would consider it stealing. Mostly, I agree with that, especially when it…
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Do-it-yourself Breast Form

Do-it-yourself Breast Form After my rant yesterday, I thought I would share with you how to make a do-it-yourself breast form for yourself or someone you  care about. These breast forms are washable as well as being as light as you want them…
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Foam Cup Pockets? – Yes, you can!

Foam Cup Pockets? - Yes, you can! In our Boob Camp this week, we have a student who has had a mastectomy. This is good thing, as all the other students in this class get to see how we put pockets in a bra ( which is useful information for any…

Rant of the week – Men Buy Better Breasts

Rant of the Week - Men Buy Better Breasts I am on a rant today. I have a student in my Boob Camp this week who has had a mastectomy, and she cannot afford to buy a prosthesis. What's a prosthesis? Commonly known as a breast form, a breast…

A Better, Wider Bra Back

I am sure everyone at some time has wished they could add a little more length to the back band of their bra. Especially if you have gained a little weight. And especially if you have gained a little weight, have vowed to get that weight back…
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Foam Cup Surgery

What can you do when the only foam cups in your size really aren't the style you want? Today we had exactly that dilemma presented by a student in Boob Camp. The only cup that fit her was the balconette style in the size 52 (which means it is…
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Happily Ever After – Sharon’s Corset

Happily Ever After - Sharon's Corset My Once Upon a Time posts are geared toward showing some incredible vintage apparel. Happily Ever After is about being inspired by a vintage photograph or garment, and re-creating it in today's fabric. Today's…

Corsetiere’s Course – Off to a Great Start

The Corsetiere's Course started today! Our students will spend the time learning as many aspects of corset building as I can fit into the schedule. Everyone has different reasons for taking a course such as this, and our class this year is no…
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Once Upon a Time – 1934 Bra Advertisement

1934 Bra Advertisement Woohoo! Look what I found - a genuine 1934 bra advertisement - a full page ad from the Montgomery Ward catalogue! (We would call it an "ad" today but our short word comes from the longer word "advertisement") You can…

Once Upon a Time – Overwire Basque

Once Upon a Time - Overwire Basque Here's a great vintage find - an OVERwire garment (as opposed to an UNDERwire garment) that one of my students brought in to a class. The length goes past the waist to the hips, so is it corset, a basque,…
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Swim Masters Digital Fashion Show

Today's the day for the Swim Masters digital fashion show. The Swim Masters class is a 5 day class for students who already know how to make swimwear, so it truly is a class in which you can master swimwear. I often hear "why does it take  5…

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini – Grand Finale

Now that the binding is finished, the bottom band can be sewn on and we will have our Yellow Polka Dot Bikini ready for the Grand Finale! Cut a strip of fabric at least 10" (25 cm) longer than the total width of the two cups. We are going to…

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini – Binding Edges

The Yellow Polka Dot Bikini is almost done! In this post, join me as I add binding edges of both sides and bottom of the foam cup (the triangle cups from Bra-makers Supply to be exact) without using any special machines, just an ordinary…

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini – Bottoms Up!

I finished sewing the Yellow Polka Dot Bikini bottoms this morning in class. All I had left to do after doing the stitch-and-flip lining ( you can see the post on that here) was to apply elastic to the waist and leg openings. As I mentioned…

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini – Elasticated Straps

The thin straps you find on most bikinis from ready-to-wear have elastic inside. In fact, it is somehow stitched inside that fabric tube that makes the straps, but without the stitching showing on the outside of the tube. Some of you might…

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini – Cup Covers

Now that the bikini bottoms are almost finished, it is time to start the cups and the cup covers. For this classic retro-styled Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, I am using the MT triangle cups from Bra-makers Supply. Even though foam cups would not…

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini – Stitch and Flip

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini - Stitch and Flip Today I started the Yellow Polka Dot Bikini. I used the Denise Swimsuit (view A - tank style) and cut the bottom off the tank suit for the bikini bottoms. The bottom of that suit is quite flattering…

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini – Polka Dot Fabric

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini - Polka Dot Fabric Do you remember the song from the 60's "Itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini"? Well I do, and one thing has puzzled me for years. Was the "yellow polka dot bikini" in question made from…
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Boy Shorts from Stretch Lace

Do you love the look of those fashionable Boy Shorts made from stretch lace? How about using the scalloped edge of the lace at the leg instead of elastic? Stretch laces with spandex in them are exactly what you need to make that happen. Here's…

Magic from your Sewing Machine

Magic from your Sewing Machine I often issue a ‘ready-to-wear” challenge to the students in my professional bra-making classes. The assignment is to duplicate the look and styling of a ready-to-wear bra. Marsha Barr of Bra-voh Custom Bras…
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Once Upon a Time – Vintage Gold Swimsuit

Once Upon a Time -  Vintage Gold Swimsuit Today we had a real treat in the Swim Masters Class. One of my students brought in a vintage gold swimsuit for us to see and examine. Little did she know, that peering into vintage apparel is a passion…

I sell ’em, but I hate ’em…Rant of the week

It's something every bra shop carries. We sell them in various sizes and in three colours (white, beige and black). Yes, I carry them, but I don't like them. In fact, I hate to see women wear them! What are they?   It's those infernal (not…