Black Scalloped Lace Watson Bra

The garment I've got to share with you today has been a long time coming! Years in fact. Bra sewing has been on every project list for the year/season or goal setting challenge like #makenine on Instagram for quite some time. I'm not quite sure why but other garments seemed to continually jump ahead it in the queue. I think my delay was partly due to it being a project out of my comfort zone; when sewing time is limited and I'm tired it always seems easier to sew something that feels familiar and I can complete satisfactorily without too much thought. What is also really off-putting about bra sewing is gathering all those different supplies! What with different elastics, fabric, lining, hooks and eyes, straps and sliders I never felt like I had quite all the right matching bits and pieces for a bra. However, in the end I decided my first bra was never going to be perfect anyway so just dove on in there with what I had accumulated.

My first bra is not perfect indeed but I'm actually very pleasantly surprised with what I've managed to make. I've wanted to make the Cloth Habit Watson Bra since it's release and thought it would be a good starting point as the stretch aspect makes the fit more forgiving and it doesn't involve underwires or too much structure. I've had this black stretch lace stashed away for absolutely ages and actually forget where I got it from beyond a stand at one of the Knitting & Stitching shows! It was quite narrow at 25-30cm wide and I had just enough to cut my pieces out of a metre. I fell in love with the Art Deco/early 20th century feel of the pattern in this lace and of course wanted to make use of the beautiful scalloped edge. However trying to incorporate the scallop was obviously going to make my first foray into bra making much more complicated as I was veering off piste!

But my advice to beginner sewers is always to make exactly what you feel like and to make things you are excited about rather than things you think you should make because they are marked 'beginner'. You might not get great results first time but you'll put your all into making it work and learn a huge amount along the way. So ahead I went with the scallops! There's actually a great post on the Cloth Habit blog as part of the Watson Sew Along about how to cut a scalloped lace cup which involves slightly altering your inner cup pattern piece. I wanted to use the scallop along the lower edge of the band too so had a look at Lladybird's post about how she made and finished the edges on her lace version. To finish the lower edge I basted the power mesh and the lace pieces together as instructed then simply stitched the elastic to the inside above the scallop and trimmed away any power mesh beneath the elastic to leave a beautiful delicate scalloped edge. I used the wider picot elastic despite not being able to see the decorative edge as it was all I had to hand with the soft plush back. As I didn't turn that bottom edge in as instructed this left my back edge too wide for the hook and eye pieces so I had to trim down the top edge as advised in the instructions.

I'm not loving the look of the clear elastic which I used to finish the inner edge of the cup. It needs an elastic here to stabilise it and prevent it stretching out over time but I couldn't use picot as recommended as I wanted to retain the scalloped edge. Perhaps if I'd had a narrower clear elastic I wouldn't mind as much? Lauren used a strip of selvedge from her power mesh which looks much better but as I was working with scraps I didn't have any selvedge left. Does anyone have any alternative finishes they can recommend? I'd also appreciate any advice on where you lingerie makers in the UK get your fabrics and notions from, particularly kits that contain everything you need as this would definitely encourage me to make more lingerie! Sewing Chest is great but I'd like to shop around for a bit more variety.

The only thing I'm not happy about in terms of the scallop is where the cup meets the ring at the top. Because you've straightened out the front edge of your pattern piece and lined up the scallop so low points of the curve meet at the centre front you loose the narrowing of the cup at the top point and I ended up trying to pull quite a wide piece of scallop through the ring. It doesn't look terrible but isn't ideal. Next time I'd also cut longer pieces for the straps. I cut the recommended 18" after measuring myself but think I'd like a little more room for adjustment.

For lining the cradle I used some fairly thick black power mesh I had left over from sewing activewear and as my lace is quite delicate I used it to line the rear band pieces too. The strap elastic, plush back picot elastic and hook & eye piece all came in a kit from Sewing Chest which again I've had for absolutely ages. The one missing piece of the puzzle were the sliders and rings which I got from MacCulloch and Wallis in the end because I happened to be nearby, but they do only stock black and white in two sizes. I definitely made my life easier by using black; trying to find all those elements to match in any other colour but white must be a nightmare and I'm no natural with a dye pot!

I usually love doing really accurate sewing, particularly since I got my Brother Innov-is machine as it makes it so easy, but to begin with I found working with those tiny seam allowances quite frustrating. It took some patience, practice and a bit of time with the unpicker before I was achieving results I was happy with. Again I probably didn't make my life easy with this buy choosing such a fine lace for my first attempt! The bra uses 1/4" seam allowances throughout which makes sense for such small pattern pieces but is much smaller than I'm used too. It took me a while to figure out how to keep to that distance accurately as the markings for such small seam allowances are quite hidden on the machine. There is one before the bobbin cover and one behind the foot but no groove in the standard machine foot to line up with. I could have done with a marking on the bobbin cover and in hindsight could have used masking or washi tape to create a temporary one.

I found stitching along the elastic, particularly where the strap elastic joins the back band in a curve quite difficult to keep in the right position and have had a bit of a wobble here and there. Hopefully practice witll make perfect with that one. I love that as the lace is black with a bit of texture you can't see the stitching in it at all. Very forgiving for those first time wobbles! I was nervous about inserting the cups correctly but that was actually really easy and I love the shape. I'm particularly proud of how neat and tidy the central tip of my cradle is where the two cups meet. I make full use of the needle up/down button when sewing tight little points and corners like this. Pressing this button rather than using the foot allows you to sew individual stitches so you can stop exactly at the point you want then pivot rather than accidentally going a stitch or two too far.

Carmen gave me a great tip on Instagram to make sure I held my thread ends as I started sewing. One of the biggest problems I encountered was getting a seam started without the thread knotting up or fabric getting sucked down into the throat plate. My F420 sewing machine has a thread cutting function which means the bobbin thread is hidden in the machine after cutting the last seam you sewed. I found I needed to ignore this function and lift the presser foot and snip my own threads like I used too so I could leave two nice long thread tails and get my next seam started smoothly.

I treated this as a bit of a wearable toile and sewed the whole thing on my machine for accuracy rather than risking mistakes with such fine seam allowances on the overlocker. The visible seam allowances inside are trimmed right down and topstitched so I don't really mind the finish. I also think the seam through the cup which is just lace is much less visible and bulky this way. My duck billed appliqué scissors where invaluable when it came to trimming down seam allowances in such delicate fabrics.

I cut the 34D after measuring myself and following the pattern instructions which is different to my RTW size but I trusted the pattern and it has turned out pretty great. The band is slightly roomy and the centre of the cradle doesn't lay quite flat but I think this is more to do with the way I applied the elastic than the sizing of the pattern. I think I didn't stretch the plush back elastics enough (as the armhole gapes a bit too) and stretched the clear elastic too much as it bunches up a little! Working with the elastics and figuring out how tight to apply them as I sewed was probably the hardest part of this project and is something I hope will improve with more practice; I was getting more of a feel for it towards the end.

The pattern was fantastic and I highly recommend it as a starting point for any beginner lingerie sewer. The sizing information is particularly good and I like that the PDF pages you need to print for each size are clearly listed (also that it is such a small pattern to assemble!). The instructions were thorough and well illustrated. I didn't find myself left feeling unsure at any point; which is saying something considering bra making felt so foreign to me when I started! I particularly appreciated the tips scattered throughout the instructions and also the inclusion of recommended stitch type, length and width when zig zagging. Thanks to Amy my bra turned out great!

I expected bra sewing to rapidly become an addiction but can't say it is yet. I did enjoy the process and was amazed at how quickly and neatly it all came together once I got going but I feel like I've still got a lot to learn. I've got some white stretch lace for a second Watson but think I'd actually like to try a version in a plain mesh so I can finish all the edges as the pattern intends and work on my accuracy. Then I'd love to move on to more structured non stretch bras using the Orange Lingerie patterns as I have Norma's book already and think working through that could really help. I certainly won't be leaving it years before my second bra anyway!

Forest Green Merino and Lace Sirius Top (and giveaway winner!)

Today I would like to introduce the winner of the award for most impossible top to photograph! Neither the rich forest green colour or beautiful back detail of this sweater was feeling very cooperative when it came to being captured on camera but I persisted and hopefully you will get the gist of how beautiful this garment is! If there is one thing I love making (and in turn wearing) its comfortable everyday clothing with a twist and the Sirius top from I Am Patterns totally nails that for me. I also love challenging myself and trying something new with my sewing and the pleated section in the centre back which runs into a placket at the top was certainly that.

I've had my eye on Sirius since it was released a while back and when I met Marie-Emmeline in London in January she'd brought a selection of her patterns with her to very generously give out as gifts so I pounced on that design right away! She was actually sporting one herself that day. There are many things to love about the design including the shallow stand collar and elbow darts but the real draw is the surprise of the pleated section in the back. I love that this feature has movement to it and allows you to play around with combining different textures and colours. When looking at the fabric suggestions for this pleated panel I was really taken with the idea of using lace in combination with a solid. I was just about to place another order with The Fabric Store and remembered that I always ooh and ahhh over their laces but never find a reason to buy them; I finally had an excuse to try one out!

I chose this Hunter Green Italian Floral Lace as it looked like it would be a good match with the Forest Green Merino Jersey which I've had my eye on for a while (yes my merino addiction is still going strong! I'm currently trying to resist this incredible floral merino blend!) Obviously colour matching online is nigh on impossible as fabrics are never quite the colour they look on screen but a bit of experience with the accuracy of the way TFS represent their fabrics online gave me some confidence and I was delighted with how well they work together when it arrived. The jersey is their standard weight 195gsm and as you'll see later on is actually probably a little fine for this style which meant I had to make a few changes. Jerseys of the appropriate weight for sweaters are recommended as are woven wools. I think it would be lovely made up in a lightweight boiled wool.

I chose the lace as I thought something with quite a dense design would be better to hold the pleats than a more delicate version. This once is soft but with some thickness to it and the flowers are edged with a little ridge in a darker green which makes for a bold look. The ridge gives the look of a corded lace but it is finer than that. The blend of cotton and nylon means it holds a nice crisp pleat but it still has a softness so it moves well. I think it would make an incredible fitted party dress! I've had a piece of really fine cream silk lace in my stash for years which I think would be great combined with a soft grey marl and a wonderful contemporary use for a fabric which despite being stunningly beautiful felt a little too girly to fit with the rest of my wardrobe.

Going by the measurement chart I was between the 38 and 40 so cut the larger to be on the safe side. I ended up taking a whopping 1 1/4" on the double out of each side seam and continuing that alteration all the way down the sleeve. I like slim sleeves anyway but the whole thing was a bit of a tent. This merino jersey is quite fine so in something thicker with more structure I think the extra ease would have worked and I can see that my top looks quite different to the sample. If I make it again I'll definitely go down a size as this is still a little wide on the shoulder and then repeat the alteration under the arm and side seam but to a smaller extent. It made a huge difference on this one and I'm really happy with the fit now.

Attempting to recreate the side on sample shot showing the swing of the back pleating and failing! 

As my merino was on the lightweight side I added a fine fusible knit interfacing to both the collar and collar lining piece to give it a bit more structure and also added a small piece under the plackets to give the area around the snaps an extra bit of strength. I really like the shallow depth of the collar and the way it sits out from the neck. It definitely would have collapsed in on itself without the interfacing but you wouldn't need it for a more stable or thicker knit like ponte or sweat-shirting. I used my same merino to line the collar but the pattern does recommend using something else if your fabric is thicker so it doesn't become to bulky. I also added twill tape to the shoulder seams to prevent them stretching out over time.

The pattern calls for a rolled hem on the pleated centre back piece but I thought this might get a little messy with this fairly open lace so I used a really thin and soft poly binding from my stash to neaten this edge. I did this before pleating the piece and overlocked the other raw edges too as I thought this would be quite fiddly to do afterwards. The pleating actually didn't take too long once I got into the swing of it but I think a little extra guidance in terms of whether to start your pleating right or wrong sides together would have been useful. I got into quite a pickle when inserting this piece into the back and assembling the placket and I feel like it may have been to do with my pleats starting the wrong way. I'm still not sure if I've done it right now but I got it to work and love the effect. After spending some time trying to figure it out I discovered this great photo tutorial for the pattern on the I Am Patterns site. My pleating had definitely not ended up looking like that and I ended up putting in an extra little pleat to get it to sit right! I definitely recommend following the photo tutorial if you make this. The instructions and tutorial make it sound and look quite straightforward so perhaps I made a small error somewhere along the way and when I try it again it would all come together just fine. I chose to change the line of stitching securing the top of the pleated piece at the bottom of the placket to a square so the raw top edge was fully enclosed. I think assembling the placket in woven fabrics might be a lot more straightforward with a woven or less stretchy knit.

With regards to the pleating, it occurred to me while I was sewing that washing this top might be a bit problematic as all the pleats would come out. I couldn't face pressing them back in every time but didn't want to end up with a dry clean only top! As my lace hand some texture and thickness to it already I decided to topstitching very close to the edges of my pleats to both emphasise and in a way set them. I'm really pleased with the effect and have washed the top a couple of times now. The pleats do need a press but the stitching gives you a quick and simple guideline to follow and helps everything fall into place. This obviously wouldn't look great on a finer fabric like a chiffon, georgette or silk lace so you could buy a pre-pleated fabric but then may have to alter the construction slightly to suit the width of your pleats or if you're based in the UK you could try using Ciment Pleating to heat set your pleats. I've used them a lot for work and they do all kinds of styles of pleating and turn things around really quickly. They advise dry-cleaning when natural fibres are pleated but man-mades like polyester can be washed on a low temperature as they take the pleating really well.

The pattern is designed for woven as well as knit fabrics and most of the construction techniques seem more relevant to wovens and I think it would perhaps make for a slightly easier sew. For example the hem is turned up twice which I'd do with a woven but usually just once for a knit. The elbow darts are an absolutely gorgeous touch but I think perhaps a little more effective in a woven fabric and I would have thought bust darts would be unnecessary for a knit pattern but they do actually give a nice shape to the way this hangs on the body. If your knit has a good amount of stretch like my merino jersey you could definitely get away without a functioning placket and just sew it closed right up to the top on the collar. I can pull this on and off easily without making use of the snaps. I'd like to try a woven version using perhaps a georgette or something a bit less structure and bulky than this lace in the back section as I think that would make for a totally different effect. What are your thoughts on patterns that are designed to work with both knit and woven fabrics? Do you think it works or a pattern will always be better suited to one or the other?

Despite the slightly rocky construction process I really enjoyed sewing this up and have been getting a lot of wear out of it. This is actually another of the projects on my #2018makenine; I've definitely made better choices for my wardrobe this year! It is also another adventure in my mission to try some different indie designers this year and I'll definitely be returning to I Am. I love their unique yet wearable twists on everyday classic styles. I know the Cassiopée is popular so perhaps that will be next. I'll certainly be making Sirius again as I'd love to see how differently it sews up in a woven and there is a lot of potential for playing around with different fabric combinations to make the most of that unusual back feature. But mainly I want to make it again to see if I can do a better job next time! Ever the perfectionist.

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway to win a copy of the Half Moon Atelier Anegada Top and a lovely length of bamboo jersey from Offset Warehouse to make it. You left me some really great stories and tips about ethical sewing and I've been checking out all the fabric suppliers you've recommended. Its great to hear that ethical sewing is at the forefront of so many minds and often one of the main drives behind sewing your own clothes. The giveaway has now closed and selected by random number generator the lucky winner is...Natalie! Congratulations! I hope you enjoy sewing and wearing your own Anegada Top. I'll be in touch shortly via email to arrange delivery of your prize.