I’ve been braiding fabric, trying to figure out a way to incorporate braids into my clothing… I tried cutting long strips of fabric, braiding them, and applying the braid with a long straight stitch, but I always found the braid to be too bulky for any thing other than a neckline.
So, I took my standard bikini panties pattern, added about 6″ down the centre front, and made it into a two-piece pattern, as opposed to a “cut on fold.” I staggered slices horizontally down the pattern, following the curve of the leg opening. I then started folding and weaving and pinning on to my dressform until I would up with a large “braid” down the front. I trimmed off the excess, and basted the loose ends. I am in love with how it turned out. When on, it is a very low cut panties that follows the curves of the body. The lose weaving adds additional stretch to the bias cut woven cotton. I am obsessed with this now and am going excited to be trying different slashing techniques.
I used a plain elastic along the waist and legs, because I didnt’ want to detract from the weaving detail in the front. I have plans on using this technique along the back of a thong style panty…
Before the wedding I bought a few yards of black and white printed lace that I was going to use to make clutches… that was a passing fancy and now I have tons of the fabric. I started this cropped cami and long-line panties set yesterday. They were so plain and…. “modern” so I added a million bows. I have yet to find anything that a million bows can’t make better.
Tonight we are off to my cousins house for nearly a week of house & child sitting. We will be looking after two of the funniest little boys until Thursday, and enjoying my cousins beautiful house. I am very excited to make use of their bath tub, as I only have a coffin-sized stand up shower in my apartment.
In response to my last, frustrated post. I broke the bank and bought a new camera and tripod. The tripod is amazing, and I have no idea how I functioned without it. Hurray!
