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Bambi + Grace Update!

Lingerie, New Items, Sewing Patterns September 3, 2018

The very first pattern I released was the Betty High Waist Panties Pattern. My next two were these; the Bambi and Grace. I released these as patterns in 2013 and they have been a staple in both my pattern and made to order lingerie collections ever since.

When I first started making lingerie, sourcing good knits and lingerie fabrics was much tricker than it is now. Lots has changed in the last 10 years when it comes to indie sewing! I had a very clear vision in my head of the prints and colours I wanted to use, but was limited by my fabric selection… so I developed patterns that were suitable for wovens, which were easier to find at the time.

These days, finding cute knits is easy, with websites like Spoonflower, Girl Charlee, and lots of the big textile designers releasing their prints on knit bases, but there is still a nice space for some patterns that use wovens as a base.

The Bambi Bra & Grace panties were originally developed for use with a combination of bias cut woven fabric and stretch knits to create fitted lingerie pieces with a vintage-vibe. In particular, these patterns are perfect for creating luxurious silk lingerie!

When I first developed the Grace pattern, I suggested using a bias cut woven fabric for the front and back of the Grace Panties and a stretch knit for the hips, but you can easily swap these out and use knits for the front and back and non-stretch lace on the hips, like you can see in the sets above! I used a dramatic venice lace with a stretch mesh front and back. I absolutely love the effect this created! You can even sew this pattern entirely in knits. I normally sew it in the same size as I would a woven.

The updated version of the Bambi Bra pattern comes with two cup variations. Cup Size 1 and Cup Size 2, which will roughly fit a range of A-D cups. Like the Grace, I originally developed this pattern for a combination of woven and knit fabrics, but have been sewing this also entirely in knits! When you do this, you get a much more generous fit, so if you are a little out of the approximate cup size range, give this a go in a nice jersey or stretch mesh.

The new Bambi Pattern also shows you how to sew the upper cup with a scalloped edge, or with a centre front cut out. I’ve added strap tabs over the front cups which to me had a more retro-aesthetic and cleaner finish.

I’ve had fun sewing a few Grace & Bambi sets in pretty silks. I had a few pieces of some Liberty print charmeuse, as well as a small piece of marbled silk that were perfect for these projects! I even used a silk scarf for one set! That’s one of the great things about this pattern. Because of the style lines, the pattern pieces themselves are relatively small so you can get away with using small pieces of luxurious fabrics without totally breaking the bank.

Pretty soon, I’ll be releasing an add-on to the Bambi Bra pattern that will teach you how to sew it as a strappy demi-bra. Here’s a little teaser for you!

For a limited time I have a special price on my Bambi and Grace patterns!

If you have already purchased and would like to receive the updated copy of the pattern, please feel free to send me an email with your order number and I’ll get it over to you as soon as I can!

 

It’s the Little Things

Lingerie, New Items July 24, 2018

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my new obsession with resin. I’ve been making faux-crystal pattern weights for myself, and once I have them just perfect, I’ll pop a few in my shop. I got kind of addicted to resin crafting and have made all sorts of bits and bobs. I had this idea of somehow combining jewelry and lingerie together, and came up with these little lingerie elastic chokers with faux crystal ball charms.

I’ve added three colours to my shop, pink, black and lavender.  They’re pretty cute if I do say so myself!

I filled the little resin baubles with iridescent glitter flakes and stars, so depending on how the light hits it, they pick up a spectrum of colours.

I also have added a few silk scrunchies to my shop. I’ve been wearing these 24/7 for the last few weeks. I absolutely love them. I wear my hair in a bun most nights, and these don’t tangle or cause my hair to get frizzy.  I love how it’s like my favourite parts of 90’s fashion, but made luxurious.

…and of course I’ve got a little matchy matchy!

 

Way back in the day when I worked at a textile design studio with my bff, Abbey, we had this crazy idea of starting a scrunchie company, so these are a bit of an homage to her and the fickleness of my youth.

I’ve been trying to make things that are just fun to make. After 8 years of lingerie making, sewing the same pair of undies over and over and over again can get really tedious. Don’t get me wrong, I love it… but what I really love is the thrill of making something new. Making it for the 10th time loses all excitement.

I’m going through one of those deeply creative periods right now. I love these times, but I always feel like I’m terribly non productive. The process of creating takes so much more time than just the time in front of the sewing machine. It’s time with a pencil and paper and numbers, in front of the computer, with the camera… and more time in front of the computer. I get so impatient trying to finish all of my projects!

I’m just getting back to work this week after an unexpected 5 day internet outage, as well as being home with my daughter. I’m feeling rested and renewed and excited to bring some more new things to the blog soon!

Birthday Time

New Items, Personal, Sales June 30, 2018

Has it really been another year already?

Tomorrow is the big day… Canada Day and my birthday!

This year feels like a big one. Thirty Five. 35.

Thirty Five is the year that your doctor informs you that your fertility is quickly declining and you are becoming of advanced maternal age. I joke, of course, but I have to admit I’m feeling the pressure of aging despite the fact that I also feel in the best physical health of my life. I’m active, I’m running, I’m feeling pretty good! But I’m also struggling with certain things, like a recent diagnosis of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) which is causing me to worry about my weight (needlessly, but it is a constant source of anxiety for me) and of course that constant question of whether or not I will (or can) have another baby.

This is a question I never considered. When I finally decided that we would have one child, I thought that would be it. It wasn’t until the last year or so that I really started thinking honestly about having a second. I love my life right now. Isabel is amazing and I can’t imagine life with another one of her running around. I’ve talked a lot about my thoughts on only having one child, but I’ve had some things happen in my personal life lately that have me reconsidering…

Stressing about grown up stuff is no fun… fertility worries, a new car payment, Isabel starting school, plus my usual neuroses has had me all out of sorts.  When I get in these slumps I find it so hard to focus on any specific task. I’ve been in the process of revamping my Grace & Bambi Patterns, two of my very first patterns, but I have had such a hard time just keeping my thought process running in a straight line that it’s taking me much longer than usual. My creativity runs like a fast flowing stream with millions of little tributaries running off in all directions… One thing leads to something else, which leads to another thing, which ends in nothing ever getting done.

So, I’m trying to get back to what I did two years ago, when I was in one of the deepest depths of my depression and anxiety… allowing myself time to do the things I like. Making new things when the inspiration hits. Taking pretty pictures. Eating chocolate cake. Picking wildflowers. Making the time to run or do yoga. And writing.

I’m also taking vacation for the first time since Isabel was born (she’s almost 4!). We’re going camping, just for two nights, but I’m looking forward to disconnecting and spending a few days in the woods.

And of course I’m running my annual Birthday Sale! Pretty much everything is 20% off. No coupon necessary in my Etsy Shops, but you can use coupon code Birthday20 to purchase patterns directly on my website. Sale ends July 4th!

Put your hair up

New Items June 3, 2018

I love these hair ties.

I posted a tutorial for these bad boys a few years back. You can check it out here.  They are a perfect way to use up small pieces of fold over elastic. The best part about these elastics are that they are sewn, not tied, so there are no unsightly or uncomfortable knots.

My hair is pretty long these days… I just don’t have the time to maintain the shorter bob I had been wearing for a while. Anyway, I like the long, natural look on me. But, because I spend most of my days either in front of a sewing machine (or chasing after a preschooler), my hair usually ends up in a ponytail or messy bun (though braids have been a favourite these last few weeks).

I first started making these hair elastics out of a mixture of laziness and necessity. Sitting in front of my sewing machine, I’d be without an elastic, so I’d stitch one together and voila!

Since I started making them, I began giving them away to friends, including them in gifts, as party favours for Isabel’s birthdays, or ‘just because’.  I also have amassed a large stockpile through out my house to keep mine and Isabel’s hair in check.

I wear these running, I wear these swimming… I wear these every damn place. I love them.  And the best part is, they look as pretty around your wrist as they do in your hair!

I’ve just added a selection of satin elastic 3-packs to my shop. I have adult AND kid sizes! The kid sizes are the size I make for Isabel, who for a soon-to-be-4-year-old has quite thick hair. I find they are perfect for ponytails or top knots for her, but they also work in my hair if I’m just doing a pony tail (there’s no way they fit around a bun).

I’ve posted a bunch of fun prints and pretty solids.  I’m kind of addicted to these things. They’re relaxing to make and fun to wear. Isabel loves them and it makes doing her hair in the morning much more enjoyable – she gets excited about choosing between unicorns or rainbows. Anything to make mornings a little easier, right?

Shop the new hair ties Here.

(these puppy ones were Isabel’s favourite)

One of a Kind Sale

Lingerie, New Items, Personal, Sales May 19, 2018

Can I tell you about the difficult month I’ve had? Actually, it’s been a couple of months. First, our roof leaked which led to a huge unexpected home repair. Always stressful right?

I don’t talk about this much, but I have a brother who has had some pretty serious struggles with addiction and lately things have been very stressful with him. Anyone who has loved someone with an addiction will know how hard it is. I don’t want to get into details, but all I want to say is my heart hurts and it is a constant roller coaster ride and it takes up a lot of my emotional energy worrying about him (and my parents).

I had an ultrasound a few weeks ago that found some sort of “mass” on my uterus, so that’s fun. I’m sure it’s nothing but of course my brain goes to the worst case scenario. Bodies are the worst, right?

Then, we had a huge wind storm that knocked a gigantic, and I mean GIGANTIC tree down. It actually lifted up right from the roots. Luckily it ended up falling onto another tree just before landing on our brand new, very expensive roof. Nevertheless, cutting it down wasn’t a job that we could do… So we had a tree guy come out, who spent half the day slowly removing it. But we were left with a lot of wood which we’ve spent the last few weeks chopping, stacking, and trying to desperately give away! We have enough for bon fires for ages… On the bright side, I do like roasted marshmallows and now my backyard gets a lot more sun!

In the midst of this, we bought a car. “Old Goldie” as we affectionately called our 2002 Honda CR-V, was on her last legs and we knew it was just a matter of time before she literally fell apart (oh the rust). So we found a good deal on a new car, less than a decade old which for us is like living in the future. Gosh, this car is beautiful. However, driving back from puppy class last week it stalled on the highway and refused to start. I was stuck on the side of the highway with an overtired 3 year old and a wound-up puppy. Turns out, somehow a teeny tiny piece of cigarette foil (ugh… cigarettes. Could they be any worse?) got stuck where the engine air filter should have been (oops) and caused some kind of problem that Dan explained to be very calmly. Anyway, at the end of the day my genius husband (who is a mechanic) fixed it and saved us a tow. But it was stressful after the couple of weeks I’ve had.

So… I’ve been stressed.  Ahh… It actually feels good just to let that all out.

I also have a ton of projects that are half started that I need to focus on and complete. I often have so many ideas and I get so excited about each of them that I start them, move on, then never finish them. Right now I’ve got 4 patterns on the go, a really exciting collaboration with another lingerie designer in the works, another top secret project, an art project… all of them started, none of them completed. Oh yeah, and I guess I better file my taxes (again, started that, but never finished). As much as I enjoy starting these projects (not taxes), it stresses me out having so many things half done. Why do I do this to myself?

I did manage to almost complete a couple of things. I posted about my Supply De-Stash yesterday. So many things have already sold out! Thank you every one who visited the sale, I hope you found something special and I can’t wait to see how you use them!

The other thing I’ve almost completed is a One of a Kind Lingerie (and more) Sale! I’ve been wanting to list these pieces for a while. Some of them I’m having a hard time with the idea of letting go, particularly the pastel satin set, but these one of a kind pieces deserve to be loved and worn, not just tucked away in a box.

A couple years ago, my friend Susie was trying out selling some items in her salon. I made up a few pouches and make-up bags, and I had a few left over so I’ll be posting those soon. I kept a few for myself and Isabel to use as pencil cases, but I’ve got more pouches than I can use. I really love these!

Some of my one of a kind pieces are prototypes, others are custom orders that I realized before shipping to the customer that I made them wrong. Oops. This is something my scatter brain does way too often than I’d like to admit. I just get so excited to jump in that I sometimes overlook details… the bra below was one of those oopsies. It was supposed to have black lace…

Other pieces, like this harness, are pieces that just didn’t quite make the cut into a collection. I also have a couple of slightly flawed pieces.  Every once and a while I’ll finish a bra or a sleep mask then promptly cut a hole in the lining… sigh…

Here’s to pretty new lingerie, and hopefully some better luck for me (pretty, pretty please). Although I woke up this morning to find a puddle of water under my fridge… so if you need me, I may be out fridge shopping…

Shop the One of a Kind (and More) Sale HERE!

Belle Undies & Camisole Pattern has arrived!

Baby, Design Diary, New Items May 18, 2018

It’s done! And I’m super late to post about it!

I made this pattern about two years ago when I started thinking about getting Isabel out of diapers. I’ve sewed it a lot. And since grading it in different sizes, I’ve sewn it for friends kids too!  This little pattern has gotten a lot of use around here.

The Belle Pattern is really easy. The trickiest part is sewing the fold over elastic, but if you’ve sewn with it before, these will be a breeze for you.

The instructions will walk you through how to sew the top with either a lace or FOE neckline. The undies are a super simple cut. Roomy, but perfect for under leggings and jeans.

I really hope you enjoy sewing these as much as I do. They are so quick to put together. It’s the perfect “my kid is napping and I want to make something” project. I currently have this pattern available in 2T-5T, but hope to release bigger kid sizes in the future.

You can purchase the pattern on Etsy or directly through my website!

So much new

Design Diary, Lingerie, New Items April 21, 2018

Typical me. I’ve refreshed my Lingerie Shop with so many new pieces and I totally forgot to write about them.

I really love this new collection. I love how versatile and comfortable all of the pieces are. I had a lot of fun preparing product descriptions and infusing each piece with a little bit of storytelling and history.

One of the things I’m most excited about is the fact that some of the fabrics I’ve used were designed by me specifically for this collection. I gathered vintage florals and other magical elements to create custom prints that you won’t be able to find anywhere else.  In a previous life time, I worked for a textile design studio, so this was a fun project for me and a bit of a trip down memory lane. It’s definitely something I’d like to do more of and collaborate with other artists on.

I had a lot of fun photographing this collection. I pulled out my old set of runes, pendulum and crystals.  I’m actually a skeptic and don’t believe in divination, but I do believe in the power of the mind! I also made use of a vintage shawl I seem to have acquired from my mom (hope she doesn’t want it back because it’s mine now!), and an antique fringed cardigan.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was really inspired by themes of earthy-magic and witchcraft.  I’ve incorporated traditional Victorian Florals with dark backgrounds and geometric elements.  I really love these prints. They’re a bit of a throwback to my teenage romanti-goth days.

I’ve added a few different harnesses to my shop that can be layered over these basic pieces.  I love these because it’s an easy way to dress up a simple style or add a layer of intrigue to a floral bra.

I’m really happy with how these pieces came together. They are pretty with just a bit of an edge, comfortable, and easy to wear. My perfect lingerie trifecta!

You can shop the Nightshade, Midsummer and Elemental ranges on Etsy.

 

The Hyacinth Bralette Expansion Pack

Design Diary, Lingerie, New Items, Sewing Patterns April 17, 2018

I’m happy to see lots of Hyacinth Bralettes popping up on Instagram and in the facebook group!

One of my favourite things to do with a pattern is figure out all of the different ways I can style it. The Hyacinth has such simple style lines that it really adapts well to many different variations!

Today, I’ve released an Expansion Pack for the Hyacinthe Bralette Pattern. This Pack includes lace overlay pieces, several back variations, as well as in depth instructions, including how to finish the neckline with fold over elastic instead of lace.

One of my surprise favourites is this keyhole cut out variation. I felt ho-hum about it when I was finishing up my first sample, but when I put it on, it just felt amazing to wear! It’s funny how designs can change based on how you feel in them. I paired this variation with my Justine Panties. I often forget how much I love this pattern. The minute I put this set on I felt like a million bucks.

 

I also really love the simplicity of the plain racerback variation. It’s reminiscent of my Josephine Pattern, but with the plain front. I really like how this style of back feels. For me, its super comfortable and conforms to the curves and angles of my back. I paired this version with a simple pair of Claudia’s.

The Celeste Panties make a great pairing with the Hyacinth Bralette. They are my go-to for everyday undies.

Without a doubt, though, this variation is my favourite. It’s the most forgiving and gives a great fit due to the adjustable nature of the strapping.

I decided to pair it with my Ava Panties, and sewed both pieces out of a mini-fish net. The inner goth in me loves it so much!

Get the Expansion Pack Here! Friendly reminder that you will also need to download the Free Hyacinth Bralette Pattern.

A FREE Bralette Pattern

Design Diary, Giveaway, New Items, Sewing Patterns, Tutorial April 3, 2018

Guess what?

I have a new pattern! And the best part is, it’s FREE!

The Hyacinth Bralette is a super simple pattern. It’s just two pieces and only requires a small amount of fabric, making it the perfect scrap buster. If you are new to sewing, with a bit of experience working with knits, this is the perfect project for you. If you’re a more experienced sewer, the Hyacinth will be a quick yet rewarding sew.

 

I’ve posted two videos on YouTube. One will walk you through how to alter the Hyacinth Bralette for a larger cup size (a D+), and the other walks you through the general construction. You can check those out here.

This bralette isn’t designed for support. It’s meant to be a light garment, ideal for smaller cup sizes, or as lounge wear. I think it would also make a great bikini top.

The instructions provided with the pattern will walk you through how to add lace trim to the neckline, band elastic along the lower edge, fold over elastic around the side and back upper edges, as well as how to sew adjustable straps. This pattern is developed for stretch knits. I like something with about 5% spandex for stretch and recovery.

I’ll be releasing an expansion pack for the Hyacinth Bralette very soon which will include several back variations as well as lace overlay options. I’m super excited about it and have had so much fun working on all of the samples….!

Get your free copy of the basic Hyacinth Bralette here. And stay tuned for the expansion pack!

Ohhh Lulu for Girls?

Baby, Dogs, New Items, Sewing Patterns, Videos March 23, 2018

I reluctantly decided upon parenthood. I was always more the “cool aunt” type but I’ve got to admit, I love being a parent and 3 year olds, despite their tantrums and attitude, are pretty awesome. One of the things I love most about having a kid, is sewing for kids!!!

When Izzy started potty training (glad that’s a thing of the past), I started making her her own undies (naturally). A couple years ago for Christmas, I made her up a bunch of matching cami and underwear sets. She really loved them and I did too. So recently, I decided to dive into the world of childrens pattern grading. I have ZERO experience grading for kids, so this was an endeavour for me!

The patterns aren’t quite ready yet, but they will be soon. I wanted to give a little sneak peek of what you can expect.

Izzy is kind of (ok, seriously) obsessed with YouTube videos. The other day she was quietly playing by herself, chatting away, when I caught her say “Let me know in the comments!” She was acting out her own little video. What a ham. So I asked her if she wanted to co-host one of mine, which she did. So, here it is. We talk about chickens. Izzy loves chickens. Our new puppy Leah also makes a guest appearance.


Speaking of puppy, look at her! I took a few photos a few weeks ago and she has already changed so much! Her ears are entirely pointy now and she’s getting quite the little personality. She’s a snuggler, but a bit bossy around Oliver. I’m looking forward to starting training classes with her soon.