Lace

Laces are always so challenging, aren't they?  Part of the fun is trying to utilise the most attractive features of the lace.

I bought this wide, stretch lace from Emma One Sock.  When it arrived, I had to change my plans, as I could not find the notions I wanted in the right colours.  Also, the lace had a very groovy selvedge that I wanted to feature.  This was one of those projects where I started cutting without thinking all the way through at first...so the process and outcome was a little organic.

After playing around with various patterns, I decided to modify my "Elle M" pattern.  I removed the side seams; the back is cut single layer; the leg openings lie along the selvedge; and only the crotch portion of the legs is elasticised. 

Here is a close-up of the selvedge.

I was a bit stumped as to how to finish the top edge, as I did not want to lose any height, but then I found this matching elastic on a trip to Cairns.  I only bought a metre, but I wish I had bought more to use on the top.

The top was originally going to be a bra, made up using Merckwaerdigh BHS10.  The lace was not supportive enough without lining, so I added a panel to the bottom edge, making it into more of a singlet.  I have enough lace left to make a matching bra when I gather the right linings and notions.

I wasn't sure how to finish the edges on this either.  The lace was too soft for my typical elastics, and I didn't have any trips to Cairns planned.  Eventually, I decided to play around with the binders and my coverstitch machine, using the lace itself as the binding.  I wasn't really expecting it to work, which made me more patient than usual, and eventually I got some sort of binding happening.  It is not perfect, but will do.

The two worn together are reminiscent of some of those 50's bathing suits, with low cut legs and wide straps.

Easy Overlocker Project

My overlocker arrived this week, so I made up a couple of easy items to get used to it's capabilities.  Here we have a tube top (Jalie 2565) and a pair of shorts with frilly bottom edges, to be worn as a sleep set.

The overlocker is the Bernina 1150 MDA.  I have had trouble with the automatic needle threader on the LHS...it takes about 20 attempts to work...faster to thread it the ol' fashioned way.  I broke the LH needle at one point...I didn't realise, and kept stitching.  The broken needle kept piecing my fabric, so I was left with tears in the fabric...I have not had this happen before...perhaps that shows the power of this beast?

Apart from that, all going well...I'll stitch up a few more unimportant things to get the hang of it.

Off-centre

I still have a back log of projects from my summer to record.

I have spent the last few years working on various bikini patterns, and now that they are all working for me, it is time to move onto one-piece designs.

The fabric for this swimsuit was a Christmas present.  Even though I loved it, it sat in my stash for a few years, because I could not figure out how to use it so that I didn't end up with either a pineapple flowering from my fanny or flames on my breasts.  Eventually, I got my light-bulb moment when it occurred to me that I don't have to centre prints down my middle.  This is a concept that I have always struggled with.  I remember being amazed the first time I saw someone slice the top off a passion-fruit...I always cut them in the middle and have the seeds and juice spill out.  Off-centre is okay.

I like how this swimsuit looks on my, and I like the racer back, but the low V at the front did not work well for body surfing (the days I forgot my rashie).  Perhaps less of the ocean would have rushed down my front if I had more negative ease?  

My sewing machine did not want to attach the straps, so you can see a bit of a bird's nest there.

I did sort out a few fitting issues with this suit though.  My previous one-pieces have all felt too short in the body.  I lengthened this one, and narrowed the crotch, so I think I am good to go for fancier styles now.