1940's Bra Sew-Along: Where to get your supplies...

Alright then, my dears, it's time to collect our bra-making materials!
Since this is a vintage-inspired bra pattern, the materials won't be quite too hard to find. No need to hunt down underwires or anything like that.

So, here is a list of what you'll need:

1. The pattern. 
2. 1/2 yard of 35" or wider muslin fabric for testing the fit.
3. 1/2 yard of 35" or wider light to medium weight woven (non-stretch) fabric for the outer. I recommend soft cotton or lawn, satin, silk or rayon crepe, or even charmeuse.
4. 1/2 yard of lining fabric (if you choose to line, that is.) I recommend lightweight woven (non-stretch) cotton lawn but the general rule of thumb is, if you don't want it touching your girls, don't line a bra with it.
5. Purchased bra straps. You can use medium to heavy weight ribbon, but adjustable straps are so easy to just sew in.
6. 1/4 yard of plush-backed hook and eye tape, preferably adjustable with at least 2 sets of eyes.
7. Matching thread.

The kit includes enough fabric to test, sew and line your bra, straps, closures, thread, and the pattern.

But if you're not up for white satin, here are a few places I recommend:
Bra Maker's Supply (great for straps and closures).
Sew Sassy Fabrics (great for fabrics and notions).
Etsy.com (great for fabrics and notions).


Once you've got your materials, just leave a comment on this post to let me know you're ready to get started. Keep in mind that sew-alongs don't need to have deadlines, and if you're busy now, or if you need at 2 week break in the middle, the posts will ALWAYS be here on A Few Threads Loose and you can follow along to sew your bra any time that works for your schedule!
Don't forget that you can always leave comments if you have a question about anything - materials, tips, tricks, posts etc. - I'm here to help and there is no such thing as a stupid question here!

This Sew Along is now complete. Click below for each post.

1940's Bra Sew-Along - Sewing Your Muslin

1940's Bra Sew-Along - Adjusting Bra Cups

1940's Bra Sew-Along - How to face pattern pieces and lining options.

1940's Bra Sew-Along - Sewing the real thing.

1940's Bra Sew-Along - Finishing edges and adding straps.

1940' Bra Sew-Along - Finishing with a closure.

Happy sewing,

Simplicity S-Series - I have dated them at last!

Hello my dear readers! It is a bright, sunny Saturday here in California and I am a happy girl today. Many of you are quite familiar with my obsession with the Simplicity S-Series Patterns. I have been collecting and researching them for a few years now and while I was relatively confident that they were from the late(ish) 1930's, I had no proof. None of them have ever had any copyright dating on them.  I have scoured the internet and antique shops for old Simplicity pattern flyers - buying every one I could find, and finding no trace inside them of S-Series patterns! (You can see a fraction of my collection of Simplicity pattern flyers here.)
I was at a dead end.
Until recently, that is...

I found this Simplicity counter catalog from March, 1938 on Ebay last week, and while I was browsing the auction pictures, I saw it - a small glimpse of what I knew to be Simplicity S-602! I didn't care that the booklet was in sad condition, and that it had been used as both a recipe book and diary (strange, and fascinating) for 40 some years... I had to have it! Boy, was it worth it! I found EVERY SINGLE S-Series pattern they ever released, both in the index, and in illustrations.

Without further ado, for your viewing pleasure...

Simplicity S601 and S602, both in my collection.

Simplicity S607 and S603, both of which I NEED!

I was delighted to find illustrations of Simplicity S603 and S608, both of which I knew existed, but had never seen before!

Simplicity S604 (in my collection) and S602, which I need!

Simplicity S612 and S605, both in my collection. Reproductions of S612 and S605 are now available! Just click on the links.

Simplicity S606 and S609, both in my collection.

Simplicity S611 and S610, both in my collection.

Simplicity S614 in my collection.

As you can see, the lady who owned the catalog pasted recipes from newspaper all over the 300+ page book!

Simplicity S615, in my collection.

Simplicity S616, in my collection.

Simplicity S618, and S617, both in my collection. A reproductions of S617 is now available! Just click on the link.

Simplicity S619, in my collection.

Simplicity S620, in my collection.

Simplicity S621, and S613, both in my collection.

Simplicity S622, in my collection. (Also, check out the hooker eye shadow on the lower right corner. Lovin' it, girl!)

Simplicity S623 and S624, both in my collection.

I now have gratuitous amounts of boxer patterns for no reason.
So what's next? I need to find only three: S603, S607 and S608, and then I will have them all... Then I will sew them all. I'll be swimming in silk nightgowns and my poor husband will have more vintage boxers (which he wouldn't wear) than he'll know what to do with.

How about you? Do you have something vintage and charming that you obsessively collect?

Sewing #610... Sewing the bust darts.

Aaaaand we're back with more bra sewing! At this point, we've drafted our pattern and cut out our test muslin for the bra. Don't you just love how the whole bra is just one piece of fabric? It definitely makes life easier!

I have cut out and sewn the darts in my silk version - the fabric I'm using? It's from an old set of silk charmeuse pajama pants that didn't survive my tossing and turning for long. The fabric has a bit of wear to it, but it's still pretty and feels heavenly on the skin. Waste not, want not - n'est pas?

For both your test muslin and the actual bra, you'll be sewing quite a few darts. Between my muslin, my adjusted muslin, and the bra in silk, that's 12 darts - 16 if you're lining the darn thing. So it helps to know a few things about sewing bust darts, and darts in general.

It's smart to start at the bottom and sew your way towards the tip, but here are a few more tips:

• For bust darts, adding a very slight curve at the tip of the dart will help the garment contour better to the roundness of your bust. See more about that here.

• At the tip of the dart, don't back-stitch, instead, pull the garment out from your sewing machine and leave a trail of threads long enough to tie a loose knot. Make sure that there are a few millimeters of ease between the knot and the dart.

My pin stealthily rusted onto my fabric, the horror!

•  Press your darts flat before pressing them open. This will help set the stitches in the fabric.

• And by far, my favorite tip for pressing my bust darts is to use an old bra! Fold the bra (the ones that are thickly padded are best) in half so that it supports itself and then cover it with a towel or press cloth.

The lovely little mound that it creates is vastly superior to my own pressing ham and perfect for pressing bra darts.

An old bra makes the perfect shape for pressing bra darts on.

So I've sewn my bust darts in the bra and now I'm going to take a short week-long break from sewing.

Pardon the wrinkles, I pressed the darts ok but the rest of the bra will just wrinkle again during handling, lining or binding so I don't even bother with the rest of it.

This coming weekend, I'm flying back to Nebraska to help my family manage the auction we're having to liquidate the family antique business. It was run primarily by my mother and with her now gone, none of us has the heart to continue with it. It's a very sad, but necessary part of adulthood, I suppose, letting go of the things you loved as a child. In this case, my sister and I grew up in our Mom's antique shop (home schooled and everything) and it will be awfully hard to say goodby to that chapter of our lives.
My wounds are still very raw from losing Mom only four months ago so this coming week will not be an easy thing to survive sober (though I'll be trying).

Wish me luck!

Adding Cut-Work to your Next Lingerie Project

Recently I was the happy recipient of a handful of lingerie patterns from the 1970's - 1980's. I was so delighted to find that folded up inside one of the slip patterns were a couple of pages from a magazine, I'm guessing late 70's or early 80's, and the bit featured was how to add cut-work to a slip. And it included a pattern!
I have no information on which magazine these were from, but the motif/ pattern given is meant to be resized much larger - but I think it would look amazing in just the size it is, for a more delicate look.

So without further ado, here is this great cut-work tutorial and pattern!

And here are a few slip patterns you might try adding it to! The pattern called for in the original tutorial is Kwik Sew 941, and there are plenty of affordable copies online.

It's ok as far as lingerie patterns go but my copy of this article was actually found tucked inside Sew Lovely S701... and though I didn't see it executed, I like where the idea was going...

The following pattern, available here, would also look amazing with bits and pieces of this motif scattered about the skirt or hem.

Or the motif sized down a bit would look endlessly sexy on the bust of this slip pattern, available here.

How about you? Have you ever used cut-work in any of your sewing?

In other news - I have just discovered an ant crawling along the edge of my desk here and now I must re-home him. Here's a tip: Don't eat Reese's peanut butter cups in your office.

Weekend Eye Candy: Pictorial Review from March of 1927.

Hello lovely readers! I have a busy Sunday ahead of me which includes cleaning my house like a mad woman in anticipation of company, and cheering on my favorite football team during the Super Bowl.
But before I do any of those things, I thought I'd share some awfully pretty things with you.

For your weekend viewing pleasure, I have pictures of Pictorial Review's Printed Patterns booklet, advertising all of the yummy patterns one could acquire in March of 1927.

So without further ado (since I have to go paint my nails blue and orange to show some team spirit) here they are!

I would wear all four of the dresses above in a heartbeat, wouldn't you?

I love the monogrammed blouse up in the right corner above. What a great idea!

And swoon, you know I'm all about the lingerie... but especially, THAT ROBE!

Sigh... a girl just can't have too many 1920's patterns, can she?

Happy weekend,

P.S. If you get a moment, check out our new sponsor Floradora Presents!