The Imaginative Seamstress

First off I have to tell you, I am very picky about quality in swimwear fabric. How it feels, stretches, even what color it is on the back. (imagine that) I'll explain that a little later...  Now I can't always remember which technical names I'm looking for when I'm searching swimwear fabric on the internet, but I've got to be sure I'm looking at the right thing. Its not like I can touch it and immediately know that I've got the right stuff. I know words like nylon, spandex, lycra, and polyester, and even cotton are thrown around. I know enough to stay away from anything that says cotton-lycra on the label. When I was growing up swimwear fabric was simply called LYCRA.  But these days so much clothing is made from stretch fabrics and the word LYCRA is in everything stretchy. Knits have LYCRA in them, but they're not for swimming, they're for stretchy t-shirts, leggings, etc. I found these helpful little notes on ehow, while I was searching for a li...

For my friend Hannah's shower, I had an idea hit me when I read on the invitation that she did not want anyone to buy her disposable diapers because she was going to do cloth diapering. Just as I read that, it hit me. (me, the person who didn't do cloth diapers) I had a few empty diaper boxes that I'd kept. I thought it would be a good prank to wrap her gift in one of the diaper boxes. Ahahahaha! So mean >_<  I made several goodies, and of course, I took pictures. I also took photos while I packed the box :-)  This was my first no-sew blanket. With just one tip about the corners from my friend Brittney at the fabric store, I was off and running. It was a refreshing project since I didn't have to sit at the sewing machine..where I already spend so much time.   Here's the box!! I put some scraps in the bottom to weight it down..hoping that it would give it enough weight to make it seem believable as a box of diaper...

 So, I was asked a few weeks ago to put a lining in a swimsuit. The customer did not want to wear a bra with the suit, and thought it would be just fine without only the lining. However, I knew better than that. It wouldn't work, not ever..simple as that. Come on ladies..who hasn't gone swimming and afterward been cold? What happens when you're cold??? Well, obviously you show through...  A couple years ago I bought a 'Stop the Show' bra from 'Lily of France'. That bra is awesome! No way you're gonna show through, even if you were an icicle! I don't understand how most swimwear takes care of this issue, in my opinion it doesn't really...even ones with thin cups don't do a good job.    I'd considered once before putting a bra in a suit when someone had asked for it, but I shrugged it off when my mom said "Don't do that, its not worth the hassle" :-) But... this time I was sorta feeling like I wanted to try it out. So ...

One of my recent customers, a lady who lives in Isreal, asked me to try a new waistband. She was a repeat customer from last year. She's been pregnant last Summer and ordered one of my maternity suits. This was her feedback for that suit: "Hi there, Thanks for following up. I received the suit last week and wore it to the pool on Friday. It fits well with plenty of room to grow. So far I am very satisfied with the product and would recommend it to my friends. Thanks again, Tamar"  (July 1st 2012) So this year, after baby, she was thinking she didn't want the elastic band at the waist. I get that, the elastic band, especially if you have a 'fluffy' middle will cut into the waist and might be uncomfortable. She asked me for a band of fabric, sort of like I did for the maternity, but not :-) At first I told her I'd not done that before and that I'd probably just do the 3/4" elastic band. But afterwards I got to thinking and gave it a whirl...