Browsing Tag

free pattern

Free Pattern Alert!

Lingerie, New Items, Sewing Patterns September 29, 2023

I shared my ultimate cottagecore lingerie set on my YouTube channel back in August and really enjoyed getting back to sewing lingerie with woven fabric. That’s kind of where I got my start!

I love historical clothing. I used to make all kinds of Victorian costumes and corsets in fashion school. All of the details and the drama are just so fun… and I’ve always been particularly drawn to what people used to wear under their clothes. I’m not sure it’s something most people think about!

When we think of underwear and lingerie we usually think of light, stretchy fabrics. But elastic is a pretty new technology! At one time, not that long ago, most lingerie and even a lot of swimwear was made out of woven fabrics. If you’re a collector of vintage or antique clothes or sewing patterns, you’ll be well aware of this!

A lovely lady in 1940s beach wear courtesy of Vintage Everyday

One of the sewing patterns in my personal collection is for an original 1940’s bra top. I believe it was originally meant for beachwear, but I thought it lent itself well to lingerie. I used the basic style line as my inspiration for the August Bra, but added elasticized edges, ruffles, and tie on straps.

I decided to release this pattern in two formats. You can get the pattern for FREE. Yep, free! The free version doesn’t have a full set of written instructions, but I do have an indepth video on YouTube walking you through the steps. If you prefer a more traditional format, you can purchase an ad-free version that includes the pattern and written instructions with full colour photos in my traditional PDF format.

Fabric selection is important for this bra. Look for fabrics that are lightweight and with a good drape. If you are online shopping, search for fabrics that include rayon, viscose or bamboo, as they are all really drapable fibres. Weaves like challis, charmeuse, and gauze all have a looser weave that are perfectly suited for this pattern! Really tightly woven fabric like poplin could result in a slightly smaller fit. So, if you have a really tightly woven fabric, I’d suggest sizing up.

I’m excited to see what you come up with using my pattern. Tag me on the socials, @ohhhlulu everywhere. I’ll also be releasing a bottom to go with it in the next few days!

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!

A free sleep mask project with Spoonflower!

Sewing Patterns, Tutorial August 15, 2017

Spoonflower graciously sent me fabric in exchange for this tutorial.

Combining prints and colours is one of my favourite design decisions to make. I love mixing prints and combining unexpected colours – that’s why I love the Clara Sleep Mask Pattern. Not only does it let you use up all the small scraps you’ve been holding onto all of these years (yes, I’m talking to you!), but it also lets you experiment with different colour and pattern mixes!

I was so excited when Spoonflower approached me about working on a “Very DIY Wedding” tutorial. I love Spoonflower because their choice of prints is endless. And you know me, I love a good print. I wanted to create something that a bride could gift to her bridal party, and customize to each persons specific personality. I thought back to my wedding and how each of my bridesmaids were so different and unique – I loved the idea of creating a “set” of something that is also personalized to each bridal party member. I’m not sure about you, but prints speak to me, and in each of these I thought, “Oh, this one is definitely an Abbey (or Amanda, or Pam).”

You can head on over to the Spoonflower blog to view my step-by-step tutorial on how to make a Clara Sleep Mask. The template is available for download on Spoonflower, or Here on my site.

Just a quick note about printing, and this goes for all printable sewing patterns. Make sure you’ve selected “No Scaling” and “Auto Portrait/Landscape” To ensure your pattern prints right the first time.

For my project, I used Spoonflower’s Fill a Yard 2-yard cheater quilt in Cotton Sateen. Sateen is one of my favourite fabrics for sleep masks as it is easy to work with and has just a slight sheen. I paired each of the prints with scraps of silk charmeuse (backed with interfacing) from my own stash.

I wanted to select floral prints that incorporated some modern elements, and contained shades of blush, and grey-blue/green. I went through some of my favourite prints and created a collection, and from there filled up my cheater quilt with 8 different prints. You can see the prints I used here!

Even after making these with self lining (they are reversible!) I had a plenty of each print left over to make a little gift bag, and the rest is now at home in my quilt box.

Thanks again to Spoonflower for this fun project!

 

Free Kitty Sleep Mask Pattern & Last Minute Holiday DIYS

Sewing Patterns December 22, 2016

I have been doing a lot of holiday gift sewing over the last month. I think nearly everyone on my list is getting at least one handmade item!  I’ve really enjoyed doing my gift sewing this year. It gave me an opportunity to branch out a bit from sewing underwear.

This is the first year in a long while I’ve really felt in the holiday spirit. I’m not sure if it’s seeing Isabel’s excitement, or just that I am in a healthier mindset, but I’m really excited for Christmas.

So, I thought I’d share some of the holiday cheer and offer up a FREE Kitty Sleep Mask Sewing Pattern. You can download it from my new pattern shop here: https://www.ohhhlululingerie.com/product/free-kitty-sleep-mask-pdf-sewing-pattern/ . You will be prompted to sign up for an account… don’t worry, it just takes a few seconds, and this way, you will be able to log in and access your pattern, along with any purchases you make from the website at any time.

 

The pattern will walk you through each step of the process, with some tips on using lightweight fabrics like satin and lace overlays. It’s a really quick and easy sew and is perfect for a last minute DIY gift.

Aside from sleep masks, I’ve been making a few other things this holiday season… I’ve become a little addicted to making my FOE sewn NOT tied hair ties, displayed on simple cardstock backings, as well as make-up bags.  I really liked this tutorial from Craftster for making make-up bags. I’ve sewn dozens of these, some for myself, some for sale at Changing of the Garnet, and lots more for gifts!

I’ve made so many things and have a few more gifts left on my to-make list before Sunday. It’s crunch time now!

I hope you enjoy my new FREE pattern and hopefully it will help you with any last minute DIY gifts this Christmas.

Free Pattern for July!

Uncategorized July 1, 2015

I’ve got thick thighs. They’re muscular from carrying around lazy pugs, hauling babies up stairs, and… a they’re little chubby due to my love of ice cream and chocolate and poutine.  When I was younger, I used to be very thin, but age has but a few extra pounds on me. I don’t really mind, but one thing that is a little annoying is when you’re wearing a skirt or dress on a hot summer day and your sweaty thighs rub against one another as you’re walking… The dreaded thigh chafe.

I tried making lace bands, but they just rolled up or fell down. I tried powders and creams, but those didn’t last. So, I made some 1990’s style bike shorts… and finally found something that works!

Get the Pattern Here
These are your basic fitted bike short. They have no side seam, and the pattern consists of only two pieces: The Shorts Piece and a Gusset. I added a gusset so you can wear these a la carte if you wish. 
It hasn’t been terribly hot here this summer (not complaining), but I’ve still been getting a lot of wear out of these. They’re great for under too-short skirts and dresses, or for wearing to bed with a tank top! I’ll be honest… I sometimes just wear them all day because, let’s face it, they’re kind of cute.
I’ve added a size to this pattern: XXL. I personally find the sizing to be generous, especially if you sew these out of a good, 4-way stretch fabric.
These shorts don’t require much… just some stretchy knit fabric (cotton/lycra is ideal), some wide stretch lace, a little fold over elastic for the waist (though I’m sure you could also make a casing and use regular elastic), and some thread. I’ve already made myself 3 pairs of these!

This pattern will be available for FREE for the month of July on Craftsy. After July it will no longer be free, so download it while you can!

PS. Today is my birthday!

PPS. I named these after Hilda the curvy pin-up.