Getting a grip with bra making

    Since I was hooked with bra making, and went on making my first handmade bra, my whole world has changed. My lingerie drawers are filled with all beautiful bras and panties that fit me so perfectly, and I'm now a happy girl who enjoy wearing bra all day long.

The success hasn't come in one bra, of course, it took me quite sometimes to get a grip with making them perfect, with all the sewing, adjusting patterns, and the fitting.

      And now I love all my handmade sets, from the fact that they fit me perfectly, no more throwing- them-off-as-soon-as-getting-home as before, and with the ability to get to choose the fabrics, laces and all notions myself, that's the icing on the cake for me.

  

 

  

Ho-So Oversized Tunic

This wool tunic is now my favorite piece wearing around the house for this winter. It's cozy, warmth and oh-so easy to make, so, I made two - one with the soft light wool fabric another with the cotton linen for the breezy weather to come, and thinking of making more in the future



This time I followed the instructions form one of the Japanese pattern book in have, of course, I can't read a word from this book. This book doesn't come with the working actual patterns like they normally do, you have to make your own patterns by following the instructions provided inside the book.

The how-to-make-patterns instructions is easy to follow due to the style of the tunic, which is based on the square patterns that can be adapted, and make into all different pants, blouses, skirts and dresses.





When I first saw the book, I fell in love with the minimal and quirky style of the all the clothes presented in the book. They all look effortless with clean lines, and yet fun to put together.

I chose this pattern to make first since I've been looking for the house clothes that is easy and comfortable to wear around the house during the winter, and this oversize tunic is definitely a keeper.





The next project to come would be the drop crotch pants, square blouses and skirts. Because the love of the boxy, baggy, loosely style, this book's worth my money.

StudioWonjun Summer Shorts

My husband lives in shorts when it comes to summer outfits - wearing to work as well as to play. Since I made him the first sassy mustard linen with print, he refuses to buy shorts from any stores since then, I know!... I've created monster myself, so it's become my job to make more shorts for him.

This summer, I made him five more pair of shorts...in almost every colors he likes

Little joy with my first time lingerie making

I'm so excited, I've finally done it after a year of gathering enough nerve to do so. This magical area had struck me the first time, a year ago, I accidentally stumped on Novita's blog featuring her oh-so-stunning lingerie sets she made them herself....my jaw just dropped - you can make beautiful lingerie sets yourself???....I'm in, but, don't know where and how to start.





I spent days and days reading her blog, and thanks to her works and her kind heart sharing all the info using in lingerie making, and it inspires me so much.

I did some searching for material supplies, and found Bra-makers Supply where I bought the Bra and Panty patterns, and because of I was a newbie, and didn't know where to start, I opted for a kit, making sure I got every thing on my table....and it's been sitting on my shelf for a year.


   

The fabrics that came in the kit are such beautiful print and lace lingerie fabrics, and they make me nervous cutting them for the first time of trying my hand on making them, so I decided to buy a cheep plain stretch fabric to try on...

I have no knowledge  of  working with stretch fabric at all...just get in the store and feel the fabric, and I came home with this lovely light orangey, thin, stretch fabric for $5 a yard, 2 yard of lingerie elastic, enough for me to make many mistakes, and they also don't cut the fabric less than a yard.





To calm my nerve, I started with making the panty - less complicated - only tree pieces of tiny fabric, lingerie elastic and zigzag stitches, a good start for me to get to know and feel comfortable with the fabric and testing the pattern.

I chose the view B pattern in small size, and it turned out the crotch was a bit too wide, so I made  little alterations on the crotch and the leg opening area to make it more of a perfect fit.


 


Though the stitches are still not that perfect, I am totally pleased with the fit. It fits comfortably after alterations, and I'll stick with it for the next one with prettier fabrics.

After getting comfortable with making two panty, and enough courage, the next day I was up for the bra, working with the same testing fabric, and the pretty light corn-flower blue lingerie elastic I have in my stash because I ran out of those 2 yards black lingerie elastic, following up the directions come with the patterns, and I ended up with this already cute and comfortable bra I ever wear.





There is no need for alteration on the bra pattern, everything fits my 34B size perfectly, event the strap length - no need for strap adjusters at all. For the band hook set and the underwires, I used the old materials taken form my old bras, which I've been collecting and saving them for a while, and they work perfectly.


  



Still, I can't believe I can make pretty lingerie set myself, not only that they are pretty, they are comfortable even though with the underwires on, which what has been torturing me since day one of getting to know to wear them, and they are the first thing I take off when I get home.

With this set, I have been wearing them the whole day, today, and still haven't felt any uncomfortable that need to be taken them off like I used to be, so something must be right.   


 


I still need a little work on the stitches attaching the wire channelling, and I believe the rest will be wild from here.

Long Skirt For Long Spring Chill

It seems that the cold weather will never go away, we were tricked into a summer-like kind of day a few times and then it all fell back into cold days again and again.To me this season is the most confusing season to get dress, the heavy clothes feel too warm, the light clothes feel too cold.

I'm not kind of a layer-girl, my mind does not work well with putting too many pieces on my body - too complicated! Finding a single piece that does a good work to cover my body is always challenging to me.

And this one skirt is my luck recently, last time I went to the garment district, I found this soft chambray cotton for $5 a yard, I bought it for two yards knowing it's gonna make a beautiful long full skirt, and yes, it was. I used up the whole two yards with 57" in width. The fabric itself makes perfect full skirt, the length is also perfect just to cover the feet, and not sweeping the floor, which I love.

My first attention was to make it as as a summer skirt judging from the fabric, which is kind of light, it ended up made such a perfect skirt for the spring chill as well.

It is light for summer breeze, and warm enough for spring chill, now that's my happy skirt.

I can wear only this skirt with long sleeves in the house and go out running errands in chilly days without extra layers in a flash...Love that! Just like they say, when buying store clothes, "Once it fits, grab every colors they have." I'll look for more fabric and make more of this.

Carrot Pants with Traditional Thai Pattern Fabric

Here comes, my new carrot pants. I've finally got it done - right before Holiday orders strike my studio, and that 'd be no times for me to play.

I got this gorgeous Thai sarong cotton fabric from Noom's auntie a year ago, and really love it. The pattern is beautiful, the color combination is rich. I just knew that it could be made into one beautiful pants, but didn't know then what kind of pants it was going to be.

Until I saw a pants in Vivienne Westwood 's Red label, 2011 collection. It was a loose knee length pants in stripe with the color combinations similar to my fabric, and that made the picture of my pants even clearer.

But, I know for sure, I won't look as cute in those knee length pants as it is on those skinny models, so I decided to go with carrot pants.

I got on the floor making my own patterns, and fitting tested with old cotton bed linen, which is no longer used for bedding before jumping on the real fabric, and I love how the whole thing's turned out - the print, the colors and the pants style, all come together so well.

The important thing that satisfies me most is that it fits my body nicely, I can move freely - don't feel any pull there, or the tuck here....love it so much that I'm now working on the second pair with a really lovely floral print in rayon fabric.

Getting Cozy in Knitted Circle Scarf

After have been procrastinating of  making it  for a year....yes! a year....I've put my loop scarf to finish, just right in time for the brisk cold air hit my skin.

I love the way of wearing this loop scarf, it is easy and giving a very comfortable warmth with no fuzzy tails dangling around my neck.

I always wanted to have one, but most of loop scarfs out there are too long for me. I don't like wearing the scarf as a necklace, but rather something that really covers up my neck. So I made this one 23"  long, and it wraps my neck perfectly.

Love it already, and working now on another colors.

Blue & White, From Porcelain to My Dress

I felt in love with this blue & white floral pattern on cotton voile at first sight. It reminds me of fine, beautiful, old china.

I kept it locked in a cabinet for a while waiting for summer to come, so I can bring it alive.


I waned to have a simple, but versatile summer dress - very easy and super comfortable to wear, just put on and go for a lazy day, and be able to jazz it up in a flash for some special events.

I decided to make my own patterns making sure they suit my proportion with the V neck both in the front and the back, the skirt part is lined with off-white light lining.



When I started making the dress, I already saw, in my mind, what colors of all accessories I think would make the dress completed, leather brown belts or red, yellow belts - thick and skinny. All kind of solid colors of bangles, even my brand new gold watch will do the magic too.

I am so pleased with the results.

Handmade Shoes

Every time I went back to Thailand, I always make sure to spare some times for visiting Chatuchak market, the huge weekend market in Bangkok.

This market is the mega for all kinds shopping. It's also one of the huge handmade market in Thailand, and a place to go and check for the trend going on in Thailand. This time I only had a half day to walk around the hugemongous market, so I just dashed to find things I knew I got to have it. And one thing is these pair of handmade leather shoe.



I remember having the first pair was 22 years ago. I believe it was Indian people who brings these kind of shoe to Thailand, and, at that time, they can only be found in Indian stores along with all kinds of things from East Asia country.

I love that they can go with almost every kind of outfits I have. The look of the shoe is timeless, to me. How about if I put the Bottega Veneta label on them to match their signature bags....



They need the sole slip resistant pads though, these plain lather is quite slippery. Other than that they are comfy enough to walk in and make me live my life in them through out Summer long. Fun!