Plaid Undies

In my student days I did not have money to spend on clothes and mostly got around in over-sized t-shirts and elastic waist shorts.  Several years in, I decided to splurge a little of the earnings from my summer job on a navy tartan Elle McPherson bra and knicker set.  Sadly, I only got to wear it once before somebody stole it from my clothes-line.  It was such a splurge in the first place that I did not feel able to buy a replacement set.  Several decades on I thought about replicating the stolen set using my left-over plaid and some navy lingerie lycra.  At the last moment I changed my mind and went with this super soft pink wicking polyamide elaste blend from Funki-fabrics instead (which is actually brighter than my photos suggest).  

For the knickers, I used the Evie La Luve Frankie Panties.  I wrote a review over at PR, but the short version is that there are lots of great options for using lace and trim in this pattern, but the fit was a bit long in the crotch for me so they are a little on the saggy bum side.

For the bra, I started with the cups from the Harriet bra.  I had a set of pink straps already made, but they were short straps, so I extended the strap portion of the upper cup.  Instead of just turning under the edge of this extension, I inserted elastic piping, which continued between the lower cup and the lace, which is a lovely detail.  I swapped out the frame from the Harriett pattern for one of my own drafted patterns, so that the straps joined straight onto the back and so that I didn't have to do any pattern matching on the frame.  I knew that the cups from the Harriet would fit onto my frame because I fit the Harriett to use my usual wires.

I still have trouble getting the hooks and eyes sewn on neatly.  I always measure the height of the back band, but somehow it always ends up too high.

I have enough plaid left-over that I could still make replace that navy set from so long ago.