According to research statistics, 80-85% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. It's not exactly an appealing idea to trot off to Marks & Spencers to get measured on a busy, sweaty Saturday afternoon or pay some of the high prices out there just for one piece of underwear. So what can you do to save money and ensure the perfect fit? Make your own of course.

Our affordable bra kit gives you enough supplies to make 2 bras with. That's just £15 for the most comfortable bra you will ever wear. Maria from How good is that? has road tested the bra for us, with fantastic results. She also collaborated with us on the idea of the kit, bringing to our attention the fact that there is a real need out there for an all in one bra kit. Take a look below.

Bra Kit Test

Here's a sweet convertible bra using powermesh, lace and bra notions from White Tree Fabrics UK. This is an idea Lisa was happy for me to work on and I've used Kwik Sew 3300 as my bra template. I say template because the pattern doesn't provide the cross back feature. This bra style is something I developed following a 'ready to wear' bra that I own.

The power mesh is soft and stretchy so I've used two layers of powermesh on the bra band. This gives the bra band more stability and I've cut one layer on grain and one layer cut off grain.

Now the flesh colour tricot fabric and underwire piping was from my stash. The bra hooks provided by White Tree Fabrics give you the convertible version (slider, o-ring and garter hook).

What I found is the best result for bras is to have the notions either the same width or wider than the bra strap.

I used the lace across the top of the bra cup only and I tried to balance the bows in the lace.

Here's where I was deciding on how long the underwire piping should be. I ended up lining the whole cup with underwire piping even though this hemline underwire is a half wire shape.

I wore this bra on a humid Summer's day and it was very comfortable and supportive.

The cups are lined and all the seams are enclosed so I think that helped me feel comfortable.  The bra you see has been wash a couple of times now so I know this bra is durable as well as lovely. Thanks White Tree Fabrics for letting me indulge in sewing a new bra using lovely lace for Summer.

Since we're talking about bras - what better time to encourage all of our lovely female readers out there to remember to regularly check their breasts? WhiteTree are proud to be working with Butterick Sewing Patterns, who in turn support the Eve Appeal, fighting against women's cancers.  You can read more about how buying a sewing pattern will benefit this worthwhile cause. Butterick are donating to the Eve Appeal for every Walk Away dress pattern sold. Now there's some lovely news!

Time for another fantastic make from our very own GBSB contestant, Amanda!

The Lawn Lottie

I had to take Annice to school at 12pm on a Saturday night for her school visit to Rome, so I knew I had to stay awake and not drop asleep…..I knew sewing was out of the question because it would have gone wrong , but cutting out!!????

Now for something completely different. Maria brings us our very first historical period piece make, and it's wonderful! The work that has gone into the corset on this amazing outfit is just fantastic - take a look below at what inspired this make.

The dress

And it's a significant part of the Outlander story, hence I didn't attempt to make this as is. Terry's work on this dress is amazing. There's lots of detailing involved. You can read about it on her blog.  So I've taken elements of this dress as I've never made a corset. My version is not a replica. It couldn't be. But this is a reminder of the awesome work the show's costumers put into the original dress. White Tree Fabrics provided the fabrics and they were excited with this dress concept. 

Here are my starting fabrics from White Tree and I used Simplicity 3809.

 

 

 

It was the white bonded fabric that spurred on my idea to make something like the wedding dress. White Tree Fabrics has the 'right' fabrics to make the dress. Sometimes it's hard to get everything you need from one place but not this time. The bonded fabric is a knit so I interfaced so it morphed into a woven fabric. The silver fabric is much finer than the original dress so I lined the skirt as well as the bodice.

 

The cream fabric was perfect for the underblouse. I used two layers on the blouse sleeves and pulled the hem edges for a similar fringed edge. This fabric doesn't fray too much so it was easy to create a similar fringe.  The silver fabric is metallic so I cut it out using paper scissors. I used fabric scissors for the other fabrics.

Then came the fun part, adjusting the bodice for the corset.

What you see here is my test version using quilting cotton and the boning. This was good practice. You can also see a close up of the corset being prepped with boning. The boning is sewn onto the lining and not in the seams. There is the inside after I finished the seams. I hand stitched the lining onto the zipper seams. And internal layer of fabric could have been included for a firmer fit. The silver fabric is very light so I used white calico for more firmness but less bulk. 

 

 

 

Below is the finished corset.

 

The back of the corset is higher than the front neckline. I've also used an open ended zipper for the back centre seam.

 

So what does this outfit look like on me.....

 

This dress weighs much less than the original wedding dress in Outlander. There was plenty of work in creating the corset and I enjoyed this process.  It's very simple and uses the elements that work for me. Thank you White Tree Fabric for these fabrics. They've kept me busy while waiting for the next part of Outlander to hit our screens in April.

What better way to launch our beautiful new Flower Guipure fabric than with the help of Amanda of Sew Deputy? You may recognise Amanda from Series 3 of The Great British Sewing Bee - she made it through to episode 4 of 6. Here, she shows us what you can create when there are no deadlines or pressures involved!

We were in the 90% view of the eclipse here in the North East of England, so it seemed appropriate to name my new guipure lace dress after a viewing!  

I got the lace from White Tree Fabrics to recreate the Lace Coat dress, however, when it arrived it was so beautiful I couldn’t cut into it without perfect pattern pieces…..just in case it went horribly wrong! 

Bet you can’t guess the pattern I reached for???

Yes, the Simple Sew Skater dress . I didn’t have enough fabric for the circle skirt and so went for a gathered skirt attached to the bodice. I was worried it was too ‘sticky out’ on my waist, but a new black patent belt seems to do the trick. I also made the back higher and used a side zip. I didn’t make the slip as I have a few from BHS (British Home Stores- a UK STORE) and as they are only £8 it seems silly to make them! 

My blog photographer felt with such a posh, lace dress we needed a contrast background…….the back alley of our Victorian terrace seemed perfect!

My shoes are just beautiful…they are black velvet with butterflies embroidered on them…tricky for cobbles though! 

Pattern: Simple Sew Skater Dress #006

Fabric: 2m of black guipure lace from White Tree Fabrics. I have a 20% off code for you to use at WT Fabrics: Enter SEWDEPUTY at the checkout.

Notions: 9inch zip in the side seam

Wonky Factor : I did think 7/10 because of the gathered waist, but am tempted to up it to a 9/10 now I have seen the photos! The lace is just beautiful! The better the fabric the better my sewing! 

Amanda 

Ps. I also spotted Kate Garraway wearing a very similar dress! 

Pps . Shoe  inspection photo by request!

Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest ones!

Over Thinking

 

But in all honesty it never seemed to fit any of those ideas. Indeed the dreamed up garment in my head didn't even fit into my wardrobe.

 

However, my mum suggested, "Why don't you hem it and just make it into a scarf?"

 

She was soooo right.

 

A genius she is.

 

Thanks for continuing to help me sew (useful) stuff mum!

Happy Mothering Sunday to all mums out there (original publication date 15th March 2015).

Jo xxx

We're so pleased to bring you another fabulous lace creation, this one is from our lovely blogger Manju and features a very adorable model - maju's daughter Kezia. We love this make, which features one of our best-selling, most affordable laces.

GBSB LACE CHALLENGE

McCalls 6829: DIY Girls Lace Peplum Top #GBSB


McCalls 6829: lace peplum top

Hello Readers,

Who’s been watching Series 3 of the Great British Sewing Bee then? Wasn’t it great? Without giving too much away, the theme for the week was “sewing with challenging fabrics”, one of them being lace. The lace featured in todays post wasn’t sewn up by any of the contestants (I don’t think), but I think I did spot it for a few seconds being handled by Debra? Anyway, this lace is a very reasonably priced corded lace fabric in lilac, from White Tree Fabrics. White Tree Fabrics asked if I would make something up in this fabric to compliment their laces being featured on the program and I was happy to do so.

The pattern I have used is McCalls 6829 which is sadly now discontinued (although some sites still appear to be selling it). This is one of the Fashion Star patterns, and although, personally I don’t think the envelope photographs do it much favour, it is lovely when made up.

I made view B, but basically decided Kezia has too many party dresses, and a top might be more practical. So I cut the skirt off at 8 inches to make a peplum top. I cut a size 7, but ended up removing a total of about 3 inches from the side seams.

McCalls 6829: lace peplum top

This top is fully underlined (except the yokes) and lined using this aubergine light weight satin (currently reduced to 50% of the original price!) The yokes were cut from this lilac shimmer mesh. I added a sparkly button from my button jar.

McCalls 6829: lace peplum top

McCalls 6829: lace peplum top

The fabrics were easy to cut and work with, although I did use a microtex needle to sew through the satin.

Pattern Review

Pattern Description:
CHILDREN’S/GIRLS’ DRESSES: Lined dresses (cut on the grosgrain) have raised waist, pleated skirt and tie ends, ruffles attached to lining, back-button, loop (elastic) and zipper. A: overlay, sleeves and narrow hem. B: underlined, yokes, purchased flowers, trim and ribbon for tie ends. Designed for lightweight woven fabrics. SUGGESTED FABRICS: Satin, Linen, Peau de Soie; A – Contrast (Overbodice): Single Edged Scalloped Lace. B – Lace. B – Contrast (Yoke): Organza. Ruffle – Netting

I made a slightly modified version of View B.

Pattern Sizing:
3 – 14.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes, except I made a peplum top rather than a dress.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Nothing to dislike. I love the finished product.

Fabric Used:
A corded polyester lace, a shimmer mesh for the yokes and a lightweight satin to underline and line.

All fabrics were supplied by White Tree Fabrics as a promotion to tie in with this lace being featured on series 3 of the Great British Sewing Bee.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I cut a size 7 for my 6 year old daughter and removed 3 inches in total from the side seams. I cut the skirt pattern off at 8 inches to create a peplum. Next time I might lengthen this slightly. She’s tall :-)

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes! I think this is such a cute top and I could definitely see me making this again in fun cottons for the summer. Yes, if you can get this pattern (it’s now discontinued), I would recommend. It is perhaps a little bit of an older look, but made in cottons I think it will be very cute.

Conclusion:
My daughter’s very pleased with this. It’s perfect to dress up jeans or leggings but still practical to let her play rough and tumble at parties.

 

I decided to use a french seam on the side seams and shoulder seams this isn't in the instructions but I don't have an overlocker and wanted a neat finish plus I do love a french seam! They look really professional but are really super easy once you know how!

Then came the binding, now I won't lie bias binding in Crepe Back Satin is a slippery sucker that does not want to do as it's told, but be patient it's worth it I promise. You'll need a lot of pins to! 

We love this fabulous vintage make from our blogger Amanda. Truly elegant and perfect for all upcoming Spring/Summer events, this make would  add timeless chic to any wardrobe.  Over to Amanda!

I found this amazing dress when looking on Google images. I knew I wanted to have a go at making it.

I love it when the decision is made and then it is all about finding the right pattern and fabric…so I had a good search through my pattern box and decided my vintage Simplicity 9084 had to be the best choice.

Is it truly embarrassing to admit that I REALLY want the turquoise outfit????

As the dress on the photo looks like it would open I decided to make a false placket. Purely because I knew I would do a poor job of hemming the scallop of the lace! Links gratefully received!

As you know by now, I am a blogger for White Tree Fabrics and if you saw their latest blog post about me you would think I had been rather greedy in the ‘free fabric for bloggers in the network’ ! I hadn’t realised I had made so much, however, they have so much beautiful fabric…….it is like letting me into a candy store!

So I had a look on their website for fabric inspiration and bought two metres of flower lace.
The dress was an easy sew as it is a simple shift pattern with bust darts, I was going to add a side zip but did not need to in the end as I could get it over my head!

 My personal 15year old stylist is being very accommodating at the moment so I even got a lovely hairstyle with a flower bobble to co ordinate!

I did not do cuffs on the dress instead I went for a wide 3/4 length sleeve. The placket is an interfaced piece of lace which I sewed on and then added buttons. I only zigzagged the edges as I really could not work out how to hem the lace in a scallop! Here are some work in progress shots:

I am very pleased with it and it is a different style for me. I would however, like to make it in a guipure lace, so this could actually be a weekend wearing muslin!

Pattern: Simplicity 9084
Fabric: flower lace from WTF

Wonky factor: 7/10. I like it but I’d like it more in a guipure lace and I am not sure the placket edge will stand the test of time!

Amanda

Amanda's latest creation is a classic black dress, made from our Ponti Roma fabric. Take a look.....

As you well know I am really enjoying making the Love Sewing magazine free patterns (The Ruby and The Skater Dresses). So when They included an Eliza M pattern for a wiggle dress called The Eva, I was very tempted.
Lisa from White Tree Fbarics asked what I would like for my next sewing post and decided on a ponte roma and she very kindly sent me some black and teal. As a blogger for White Tree Fabrics I get the fabric provided by them. The fabric feels beautiful and was great to sew. It has a heaviness about it which I always felt was lacking with stretch fabric I have used before………it comes down to cost once more!
I had planned to make one of the dresses from my Little Black Dress book.

It was a hard decision to choose but decided on the Eva wiggle! This was in the Love Sewing Magazine.

I decided not to use the facings or a zip, so I sewed the back seam up and cut myself some bias from my spare fabric, to edge the neck and the armholes. I used a flash of fuchsia bias for the hem.

I was quite brave with my fitting and just went for it as I knew it had to fit like a glove!
The stylist (aged 15yrs!) was very creative with my hair today so I got a beautiful style!

Pattern: Eliza M
Fabric : 2metres of ponte Roma from WTF. 
Notions: black thread , fuchsia bias for the hem
Wonky factor: 9/10…..I’m loving that wiggle!

We love this gorgeous Navy lace Party dress, which proves that not every party calls for a little black dress! 

This dress is my latest make for White Tree Fabrics. They provided the fabric and the pattern (of my selection). Whilst I genuinely do love the lace, I am not so sure about the pattern itself. Here’s the lowdown!

The pattern is McCalls 6989, which is a Melissa Watson pattern for Palmer and Pletsch. Here’s the line drawings:

The sleeves are, without doubt, my favourite part of the dress. They are actually a two part sleeve that is designed to sew in with no ease. I french seamed the sleeve pieces and used a recycled diamante button I had in my stash.

The rest of the pattern….I am a bit….meh about.

The bodice is designed with armhole princess seams. Obviously, I didn’t do a muslin (I hate doing muslins and will generally tissue fit where possible). I did a two stage FBA using Fit for Real People, adding 1.25 inches to the front piece, and 1 inch to the side panel (does that sound a lot?) Yep. The bodice ended up huge, and I removed 2 inches from either side seam (i.e. 4 inches in total!) I also dropped the apex point by 2 inches.

So, also, in case you’re wondering, I swapped the skirt out for a pleated skirt. The main reason for this was I didn’t have enough fabric to cut the skirt as in the pattern. I actually think that skirt would have been nicer. I ended up shortening the skirt by 2 inches and further shortening the bodice by about 0.5 – 1.5 inches. Philip pointed out to me that the skirt does seem to be dipping low in the front and I think he’s probably right. Sigh.

I also inserted an invisible zipper and cut the fabric on the cross-grain so that I could use the scalloped edge as the hem of the skirt.

The lace fabric is a cotton leaf flower lace in navy. It is a lightweight netted lace which is beautiful. The whole dress (except the sleeves) is underlined (not lined) with lightweight black satin. I am not going to lie. When I initally tried to sew the satin with a regular needle it snagged terribly, so I switched to a Schmetz microtex needle after which there was no problem. I overlocked all the seams inside. 
 

Pattern Review

Pattern Description:

Dresses have collar band, princess seams, semi-fitted bodice, raised waist, and back zipper. A: self-lined sleeves. B and C: collar, two-piece sleeves gathered into button cuffs with seam opening. C: bodice cut on crosswise grain and skirt on bias grain.

Pattern Sizing:

6 – 22

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

The bodice part, yes. Due to fabric constraints I swapped the skirt out for a pleated skirt. I think it would look better with the gored skirt in the pattern.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Yes and no. The sewing instructions are fine. The fitting instructions (this is a Palmer and Pletsch pattern) were a little strange. No instructions on how to do an FBA, although the lines are marked on the pattern. I would have thought that would have been the most common adjustment sewers would make? But there is no guidance on it. Also, note, no body measurements are included on the pattern instruction sheets (only on the envelope flap), and there is no mention of needing buttons on the notions section of the envelope.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

My favourite part of the dress is the two piece sleeves which set in with no ease and the button cuffs. I am not sure about the rest of the dress…(including the high neckline on me).

Fabric Used:

All fabrics were provided by White Tree Fabrics. I used a navy cotton lace underlined with a lightweight black satin.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I did a two stage FBA using Fit for Real People, adding 1.25 inches to the front piece, and 1 inch to the side panel (does that sound a lot?) Yep. The bodice ended up huge, and I removed 2 inches from either side seam (i.e. 4 inches in total!) I also dropped the apex point by 2 inches and did a 1 inch sway back adjustment. As  mentioned above, Due to fabric constraints I swapped the skirt out for a pleated skirt. I think it would look better with the gored skirt in the pattern. I don’t think the front is hanging straight with the back. The question is, can I be bothered to go back and adjust it? :-) I did end up shortening the skirt by 2 inches and shortening the bodice by 0.5 – 1.5 inches.

 
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

You  know, I might sew it again, with the collar perhaps? I think it has potential….for me, it needs more work. I would recommend with caution! Hey, we are all individual…it might work brilliantly for you.

Conclusion:

I wore this dress on christmas eve and I felt comfortable in it and I didn’t feel bad wearing it. Maybe with time/ an adjusment to the front to get it evened up I might love it a little more!