Wowzer!

I did it! I did it! I said that I would do it and, in fact, I did!

In time, Carrie Bradshaw's lingerie drawer will have nothing on mine...

Never in a million years did I ever think I would be making a bra. It was an absolute BLAST.

In my Academy Award speech, I must thank my PR sewing buddies Pauline (Pdiddly) and Sigrid. Sigrid lives in The Netherlands. Pauline is from the UK and we "met" on Pattern Review when we followed each others blogs. She travels to Houston from time to time for business and when she was here last we met at High Fashion Fabrics, in person this time, and I was happy to  introduce her to our fabulous fabric store. Pauline turned me on to Sigrid's blog and told me about the gorgeous bras she makes. I contacted Sigrid and her great info, emails, blog  and encouragement got me started in bra-making and the rest... as we say in Texas... is fixin' to be history!

Now, the bra that I made is totally basic and NO frills (and fits like a kid glove!!) but I believe the beauty of bra-making is going to be that...

FRILLS

are going to be just as easy as BASIC!!

I mean, how many things can you do to a bra besides change the color, laces and cup style?

But, oooh, la, la!!!  Those changes are the fun part!

Those of you who know me know that I tend to do things over and over and over. Ergo...lingerie drawer...get ready!! (matching lace thongs are next on the agenda...)

For more construction details see my Pattern Review post.

I can't wait to start getting creative with bra-making! Anyone up for a sewing bra-along?? I'll get you started!

Asian Inspired Spa Robe

My favorite robes are the little short ones you wear when you visit a spa. I can already hear all of you thanking me for not posing in my creation. My feelings are not hurt.

The inspiration for this robe came from a little excess quilting cotton that was used for the backing of  Kandy's Quilt.

AND THEN...

under my bed are two rolls of the most gorgeous mystery fabric I bought a few years ago at an estate sale. I have no idea of the content but it washed and dried perfectly, without a wrinkle and not one smidge of shrinkage. It has an Asian flair to it, as well:

I did not have much of the quilting cotton but it was JUST enough since I was envisioning the collar and a band for the sleeve out of my mystery fabric.

I don't know about you but for years I struggled with shawl collars and then I avoided them completely. No pattern I have ever used gives you any guidance except clipping to those stupid dots, which you already know you've place wrong, so you are scared to clip to them anyway! A while back I saw a great tutorial online, I wish I could remember who to give credit to but I cannot, so let it be known I take no credit except for passing it along...

So, first measure 5/8" down from the top of the shoulder on the collar facing. Draw the seam allowance across the top of the shoulder and then continue 1-1/2" beyond where the shoulder meets the neck edge.

Now draw the seam allowance along the neck edge side of the collar facing, down and through the shoulder line. Notice the black arrow pointing at how deep the seam allowance is where the two seams intersect? That is the point that you snip to in order for each of these seams to be 5/8". **Very Important: don't forget to do stay stitching at those corners before clipping. In fact, I double stitch right at the intersection.** I have found very few patterns that ever have that "clip to" dot placed correctly. If you make your own markings you will be happier. Me? I'm big on being happy...

Then make the same markings on the collar itself:

What you will end up with are very nicely squared off corner areas at each side of the back neck facing that your interfaced collar is going to fit right into:

Oh, yes! I should give a little credit to my TNT robe pattern...B3655. It's probably OOP by now but this technique will work on any shawl collar.

I'm signing off for the weekend and wishing everyone a very Happy Easter and Passover. These extraordinary sugar eggs were made by nuns which automatically makes them holy!