The Other Side of the Underwear Drawer a.k.a. Bra Sewing and a Giveaway!!!

Fellow seamstresses, do you sew your own underwear? You know I do. And, I won a prize in that contest I entered my undies in thanks in large part to yous guys. So, THANKS! I got a gift certificate to the Ohhh Lulu Etsy Shop, and I used it to purchase more patterns for more unders! It's a big circle!

So, what patterns did I get with my gift certificate?

Ohhh Lulu's Bambi Soft Bra

Ohhh Lulu's Sophia Panties

Aren't these patterns just gorgeous? I have made underwear and bras from both commercial and indie patterns, and I have found Sarah's to be right on in the sizing. If you are a lingerie sewing novice like myself, this eliminates a lot of fitting frustration and allows you to focus on sewing techniques. Of course you might need to tweak them some, but most are designed to be easy to alter.

And, here is my first (many more to come!) Bambi Soft Bra...

Yeah, it's hard to photograph a black jersey bra. I actually made it from an old top that I no longer used but was a very soft. I am sewing from a colorful elastic stash, so I chose this blue trim, and I actually like the blue and black a lot. I also skipped the back closure and simply sewed the back seam shut after applying elastic and trying it on to fit comfortably and snugly. The straps are self fabric tubes. This version of the bra is more of a lounge wear type for summer sleeping or wearing under comfy clothes. Now that I know I have a good fit, I'll make more with a greater investment in materials. FYI, this pattern is well drafted and easy to sew. The only tough part (for me) is always sewing on the elastic, but my machine decided not to skip stitches this time. I only wish I had made sure my bobbin was full on that top stitching. Practice makes perfect, right?

I also recently sewed some new panties from the Betty Pattern that I love so well. I have been a silk magnet lately- it seems every thrift shop I visit has 6 unloved yards of silk at some ridiculously low price, so I have been hoarding it. Well, with all that silk I decided to start sewing with the best of my fabric (on a tested pattern) and made these...

 The silk center panel is cut on the bias and the side panels are stretch lace. I love them!

Now, enough about my unders, how about yours? Interested in sewing some of your own? Well, you are in luck, as I am hosting a giveaway and the generous Sarah of Ohhh Lulu will be providing the pattern of choice from her shop to one lucky reader. To enter, please be a follower of my blog. Go to Ohhh Lulu at Etsy and look around, then come back and leave a comment on this post saying which of her patterns you would chose if you win. One entry per person please. Sarah has just released 5 new patterns- 3 more in addition to the two I chose. They are all lovely and include another style soft bra, a hipster panty, and a brazilian cut panty. Also, Etsy has just begun to offer an instant download option, so if you decide you can't wait for the giveaway to end, you can just buy a lovely pattern and print it out immediately. And then chose another.

I just want to say thanks again so much to Sarah for inspiring me to sew lingerie, for making fab patterns, and offering to provide a giveaway prize for you! Show her some love by following her blog, favoriting her shop, and/or liking her on Facebook. And thanks to you for reading my ramblings and providing the support you do!

So, there it is! I'll leave the giveaway open for a week- it will end Wednesday the 1st of May (Wha? May already?) Giddy up! Visit the shop, leave a comment, and thanks for reading!