Bustiers: Excuse Me Aren't Those Your Underpinnings?

Though I turned under the neckline to envision the end result,
Lynda still felt it was too high when I put it on.
The new neckline is less round and lower.

Yes, as pretty as my vintage Tanna Lawn fabric is on this bustier....

It's really the lining.

This garment is inside-out.

The great thing is that I'll always see this Liberty print when I put this garment on!

And I'm really happy with the way it's fitting.

After this photo teacher Lynda Maynard decreased the round in the neckline some more and had me work on the hem, which will be much higher on the sides and in the back. To make sure it's not too long, I sat down with my back very straight. The goal is not to have spiral steel boning jabbing me in the groin. Which is a pretty durn good idea. Also the goal is to have a flattering hem.

I have two full pages of checklist I created to get to the point where I begin to work on the outside layer - the actual layer people will see. What you are seeing here is lining fabric applied to a sturdy layer of cutil. That cutil is where all the support of boning channels and bones will be happening. And that's what I'll be working on over the next two weeks.

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Resources

http://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/sewingbustiersinspiration/

http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/01/bustier-class-pattern.html
http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/01/bustiers-not-corset-plus-free-printable.html
http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/01/bustiers-made-to-measure-altering.html
http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/01/bustier-help-pattern-fairies-have-ahold.html
http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/02/bustier-classic-underpinnings-silk.html

Terminado! Lilacs and Liberty - New Shirt for a New Year

This shirt symbolizes my plans for 2014. It's one of several projects, sewing and otherwise, that  I've been wanting to complete.

Finishing Lilacs and Liberty in time to wear it out to a movie on the last day of 2013, gave me a good feeling about starting the new year out right.

The lilacs part comes from the lilac gingham. The liberty because the accents are from one of the smaller pieces of Liberty Tana Lawn I bought on a trip to London. I wrote and podcasted about that trip in June. This Liberty print is named Mauverina (the link is for another color variation).

The pattern I used for this shirt, B5526, is the one my friend Susan altered for me. I've sewn it twice since. The first time it was my No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency shirt. This time I altered it by adding tucks in the front and fish eye darts on either side in the back. I also used the pocket in the pattern but made a little kind of heart shaped tuck in the front I'm really happy with.

I interfaced the pocket, color, cuffs and hem with silk organza, that's a new thing for me to try.

I'm really happy with the way I grouped the buttons in groups of threes (except the top button stands alone, and it can also be left unbuttoned) - one every inch apart and then a space of 3 inches between each grouping.

I'm also happy that this long shirt is flattering over the jeans I made in the fall.

Knowing this is a piece I'll be reaching for again and again in my closet, keeps me....

Enchanted by Sewing

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Resources

I like to pin swatches of Liberty's Tana Lawns 
http://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/gorgeous-fabric-liberty-of-london/