le mani d'oro

Bekeley bra patten from Orange Lingerie - panties are self draft

Lingerie  - one real passion
In my life, sewing is a passion that goes beyond the hobby status. When you get to wear the fruits of your hobby, the practical dimension of it changes the perspective. I don't only sew to relax, but also to create and wear clothes that are really me. Sewing is a form of expression. May be not a form of art, as I consider my self more of an artisan.

Bra making came into my life a few years ago as I took a sewing class with my friend Carmen. She was visiting Boston and registered to the excellent class Norma Loehr (Orange Lingerie) now teaches in many locations in the US. I joined the class and my first steps into bra making were painful. I had such a bad and old machine, which was totally unsuitable for sewing lace. After sewing 2-3 bras and a major change of sewing machine, I was hooked. Seriously hooked, I even dream about it from time to time.

My professional life involves very long work hours and one of the best ways to relax at night is to plan my next bra project. I feel empowered by this activity. Collecting images for my bra making mood board, choosing the pattern, adjusting it, cutting the fabric, sew the bra and wearing at the end the fruit of my imagination just fills me with pride. This pride is even stronger than when I sew clothes. Funny, since I am the only one who sees my DIY lingerie.

The last set I have sewn is called Provence. The name came from the lavender lace I used for the project.

So far, I made bras either with the Malborough or the Boylston bra patterns both from Orange Lingerie. This time I tried the Berkeley.

Berkeley bra in lavender stretch lace

Description of the set
This pattern has the advantage of being designed for stretch lace. You may add an internal power bar for more support.Which I skipped. The lower cup piece is lined with stable fabric for more support and to keep your breast at the right place. As you see, the stretch lace is also used for the band. To stabilize the bridge, you also add a piece of nylon lining in that zone.

Finding panties that are pretty and comfortable is not always an easy task. So why not copying a pair I love ? Those are drafted using a lovely pair of Simon Pérèle. The result is not bad at all. I like the look and comfort wise, I barely feel them. Mission accomplished !

Lace panties inspired by a pair of Simone Pérèle

 For my next project, I  planned a long version of the Berkeley bra. After offering to sew a bra for Rose, my son's girlfriend, she selected this image on my Pinterest board. I drafted the pattern and I think it will work. The "muslin" version is cut. I simply have to sew it now. We shall see.
 Pattern  - Fabric- Notions

Voilà !

Boylston bra in cotton seersucker - pattern from Orange Lingerie

Boylston bra with two pairs of Montgomery briefs, both from Orange Lingerie

Inside back of the Montgomery brief.

Pattern and notions

It is with humility that I am showing the results of my lingerie sewing projects. I mentioned previously that my learning curve when it comes to elastics and tiny curves is very slow. But, I am progressing... this is good news;-) Be merciful with me

This technical drawing if from Orange Lingerie and they own the copyright for this image

This picture show the nylon tricot fused to the polyester/Lycra fabric

Detail of the power bar and my wonky top stitching - Detail de la "power bar" ou bar de soutien et des mes surpiqûres imparfaites ;-)

Lace used on the back band and strap elastic - Dentelle utilisée pour la bande arrière et élastique de la bretelle...  mignon la couleur sorbet

Detail of the cotton crotch lining - une petite pièce de tricot de coton rend la culotte comfortable en couvrant la couture de la fourche

Pattern - Fabric - Notions 
Patterns: Malborough bra from Orange Lingerie - Jalie 2568 for the lace panties

Fabric: Polyester and Lycra knit and lace are form Merckweardigh on Etsy - I bought a kit for one bra and one pair of panties - Their kits are generous enough to make 2 bras and 2 panties. The kit includes the Nylon tricot to stabilize the knit.

Notions: All elastics were part of the Merckweardigh kit. The kit had enough elastic for 1 bra and 1 pair of panties.
The fuchsia bra closure is from Bra Makers Supply. The one included in the kit was white. I did not like that.

 I love !!! Bra closures from BMS

Malborough bra samples all sewn by Norma. Des échantillons de soutiens-gorge Malborough - un patron génial

At the end of June, encouraged by Carmen (CarmencitaB), I enrolled into a bra making class in Boston.

The class is given by Norma Loehr from Orange Lingerie. Norma is a very skillful seamstress as well as an excellent teacher. She teaches the class in her quiet and lovely studio in Boston. The studio can accommodate a small group of four students. This is the perfect size to form a private group with three of your friends.

À la fin de juin, encouragée par Carmen du blog CarmencitaB, je me suis inscrite à un cours de confection de lingerie. Le cours est donnée par la charmante et douce Norma Loehr de chez Orange Lingerie. En plus d'être une couturière accomplie, Norma est une excellente pédagogue. Elle offre son cours à son studio de Boston, un havre de paix où l'on apprend à manier la dentelle, le tricot et la soie. Le studio de Norma peut accueillir jusqu'à quatre élèves à la fois, une taille de groupe parfaite pour organiser un groupe privé.

My old sewing machine transported in a Pelican Case in the isle leading to Norma's studio - Ma veille machine dans son étui Pelican dans l'allée menant au studio de Norma. Il y a aussi une boîte de cupcakes.

Enrolling into a fantastic class
After enrolling via email, Norma sends us a list of articles to read about bra making. From fabric to elastic, those readings do help preparing your self to the class. She also asks for body measurements and she has the right pattern size ready for each of us when we arrive on the first morning.

She starts by a fitting session with Malborough bras made in all possible sizes. The 34B was the perfect match for me. Then, Norma guides us step by step into bra making. We all make our first bra during the first day. The learning curve was steep for me though I have been sewing for 25 years. It seems that when it comes to bra making, I am a slow learner. I have to admit that my poor old Janome machine was not up to the beat. Not that Janome are not good machines !!  She is only old and not being nice to very thin and delicate fabric.



Une fois inscrite au cours via courriel, Norma nous envoie une liste de lectures disponible sur son blog. Des tissus aux élastiques, les informations s'y trouvant aident considérablement à la préparation pour le cours. Norma nous demande également de lui envoyer nos mensurations afin de d'imprimer la bonne taille de patron pour nous.

Une fois sur place, le cours débute par une séance d'essayage. Il y a là toutes les tailles possibles de son soutien-gorge Malborough. Ensuite, le vrai travail s'entame étape par étape. Norma nous guide brillamment à travers toutes les étapes de la confection d'un premier soutien-gorge. En ce qui me concerne, ciel, je semble avoir été lente à comprendre. J'ai fait toutes les erreurs possibles en assemblant ce premier soutien-gorge Malborough. Il était horrible et très croche, mais qu'à cela ne tienne, le suivant était portable et les prochains seront mignons à souhait. 

 Lunch brake

After a very dense morning, Norma tooks us to a local café where they serve excellent vegeterian food and certainly the best rosemary fries in the world.

Après une matinée bien remplie et dense en nouveautés, Norma nous sort luncher dans un café du quartier ou l'on sert d'excellents repas végétariens et des frites au romarin simplement renversantes.

Carmen, Norma and Leisa

   

Leisa, Carmen and I on Instagram

The afternoon flies like lightning. Each step that bra making involves is new and it requires a great deal of attention. It felt like the hours had run a marathon on the clock. I finished my first bra on time to fit it. I transposed the corrections on the paper pattern pieces so that on the second day I can sew a wearable bra that fits me to perfection.

The fitting session makes me realize that I had been wearing my bra's band too loosely. Norma indicated us that no more than 2 fingers should fit in the back when you stretch the band.

L'après-midi s'est envolée à la vitesse de l'éclair. Comme chaque étape de la confection d'un soutien-gorge est nouvelle pour moi. Elles requièrent toute mon attention et ma concentration. Malgré ma non-collaborative partenaire, Miss Janome, j'ai réussi mon soutif à temps pour l'essayage. Les corrections sont ensuite transposées sur les pièces en papier

Cette session d'ajustement m'a fait réaliser à quel point je porte les bandes de mes soutiens-gorge trop lâches. Norma nous indique que pas plus de deux doigts doivent s'insérer lorsque l'on étire la bande au centre dos. 


Day two at Orange Lingerie



On the second day, we cut our second bra, Ze sexy black one, with our perfectly fitting Malborough pattern. Have I mentioned it enough, this bra pattern is amazing !!!  The fit, the support, the look, it is pure perfection. I love it.

So the second bra is cut and we start sewing it again with the excellent instructions Norma is giving us at each step. The most challenging one for me is basting the underwire channel precisely on the cup's seam. I certainly need more practice on this one.

Nevertheless, at the end of a fully busy second day, I had a wearable bra, that looks nice (that is if you do not inspect it too close ;-). I like it, it is my first one and imperfection can be charming.



La deuxième journée commence en lion. Munie d'un patron Malborough sur mesure pour moi, je taille mon deuxième soutien-groge, la veuve noire ;-) Ce patron est dessiné à la perfection, le soutien, la ligne, le confort, tout y est. 

Avec ma petite vielle Miss Janome et ses caprices en séries, j'ai tout de même réussi à terminer mon deuxième soutien-gorge. Je le qualifierai de portable, mignon et imparfait. Je l'aime, il s'agit du premier d'une longue série.

Norma nous guide tout au long des étapes. Elle a une patience d'ange et elle demeure une source incroyable de connaissances.

TA DA !! 
 

MY first Malborough bra

Thank you Norma, you give an amazing class that is worth every penny!

Merci Norma, vous enseignez un cours qui vaut son pesant d'or!

Carmen on the left with Norma Loehr the lingerie magician and her Brompton bike <3 br="">

I forgot the cupcakes we had together.