Lace

Laces are always so challenging, aren't they?  Part of the fun is trying to utilise the most attractive features of the lace.

I bought this wide, stretch lace from Emma One Sock.  When it arrived, I had to change my plans, as I could not find the notions I wanted in the right colours.  Also, the lace had a very groovy selvedge that I wanted to feature.  This was one of those projects where I started cutting without thinking all the way through at first...so the process and outcome was a little organic.

After playing around with various patterns, I decided to modify my "Elle M" pattern.  I removed the side seams; the back is cut single layer; the leg openings lie along the selvedge; and only the crotch portion of the legs is elasticised. 

Here is a close-up of the selvedge.

I was a bit stumped as to how to finish the top edge, as I did not want to lose any height, but then I found this matching elastic on a trip to Cairns.  I only bought a metre, but I wish I had bought more to use on the top.

The top was originally going to be a bra, made up using Merckwaerdigh BHS10.  The lace was not supportive enough without lining, so I added a panel to the bottom edge, making it into more of a singlet.  I have enough lace left to make a matching bra when I gather the right linings and notions.

I wasn't sure how to finish the edges on this either.  The lace was too soft for my typical elastics, and I didn't have any trips to Cairns planned.  Eventually, I decided to play around with the binders and my coverstitch machine, using the lace itself as the binding.  I wasn't really expecting it to work, which made me more patient than usual, and eventually I got some sort of binding happening.  It is not perfect, but will do.

The two worn together are reminiscent of some of those 50's bathing suits, with low cut legs and wide straps.