The very first pattern I released was the Betty High Waist Panties Pattern. My next two were these; the Bambi and Grace. I released these as patterns in 2013 and they have been a staple in both my pattern and made to order lingerie collections ever since.
When I first started making lingerie, sourcing good knits and lingerie fabrics was much tricker than it is now. Lots has changed in the last 10 years when it comes to indie sewing! I had a very clear vision in my head of the prints and colours I wanted to use, but was limited by my fabric selection… so I developed patterns that were suitable for wovens, which were easier to find at the time.
These days, finding cute knits is easy, with websites like Spoonflower, Girl Charlee, and lots of the big textile designers releasing their prints on knit bases, but there is still a nice space for some patterns that use wovens as a base.
The Bambi Bra & Grace panties were originally developed for use with a combination of bias cut woven fabric and stretch knits to create fitted lingerie pieces with a vintage-vibe. In particular, these patterns are perfect for creating luxurious silk lingerie!
When I first developed the Grace pattern, I suggested using a bias cut woven fabric for the front and back of the Grace Panties and a stretch knit for the hips, but you can easily swap these out and use knits for the front and back and non-stretch lace on the hips, like you can see in the sets above! I used a dramatic venice lace with a stretch mesh front and back. I absolutely love the effect this created! You can even sew this pattern entirely in knits. I normally sew it in the same size as I would a woven.
The updated version of the Bambi Bra pattern comes with two cup variations. Cup Size 1 and Cup Size 2, which will roughly fit a range of A-D cups. Like the Grace, I originally developed this pattern for a combination of woven and knit fabrics, but have been sewing this also entirely in knits! When you do this, you get a much more generous fit, so if you are a little out of the approximate cup size range, give this a go in a nice jersey or stretch mesh.
The new Bambi Pattern also shows you how to sew the upper cup with a scalloped edge, or with a centre front cut out. I’ve added strap tabs over the front cups which to me had a more retro-aesthetic and cleaner finish.
I’ve had fun sewing a few Grace & Bambi sets in pretty silks. I had a few pieces of some Liberty print charmeuse, as well as a small piece of marbled silk that were perfect for these projects! I even used a silk scarf for one set! That’s one of the great things about this pattern. Because of the style lines, the pattern pieces themselves are relatively small so you can get away with using small pieces of luxurious fabrics without totally breaking the bank.
Pretty soon, I’ll be releasing an add-on to the Bambi Bra pattern that will teach you how to sew it as a strappy demi-bra. Here’s a little teaser for you!
For a limited time I have a special price on my Bambi and Grace patterns!
If you have already purchased and would like to receive the updated copy of the pattern, please feel free to send me an email with your order number and I’ll get it over to you as soon as I can!