Well, I needed a bikini.
Since I make all my clothes (but bras, socks and stockings), I had a project.
First thing was to get the fabric, and it was middle July, all my bikinis seemed to have started dying (I.E. Stretching themselves out of control), and I had to swim + get hold of by flying away bikini to keep it on. I tried to think up a way to make a bikini with natural fibers, which I always use, but even a crocheted bikini requires some elastic in the yarn, so to get the proper needed stretch, I had to go plastic. Then I was tipped about recycled fabric at Thefoldline FB group, and found Carvico's Recycled Vita fabric and Funki Fabrics, where they sold it. I bought 2x 0,5 m for a total of 32 Euros... The fabric is absolutely gorgeous... if it gets to be the durable they promise, it is a gem.
I used the free Acacia underpants pattern, with I love love love!
...and for the top part, I rubbed an old bikini off. I had to make two pieces of each to get it almost right. Bottom is perfect. I used organic thin cotton jersey for the inside gusset, but I did not line the rest, this fabric is thick enough to be discreet when is wet.
I had to repeat the bra because it was small and it squashed my boobs... and that was because the old bikini was veeery stretchy, but this new fabric was tighter. Then it was OK, but the elastic band I'd stitched along the V neck was too tight at at a -25% rate. So I had to replace it by a -10% new band.
Now it is almost OK... the only problem being that it either feels to tight at the neck tie or the elasticated V seams turn outwards (damn!), probably because I stretched a bit the fabric when attaching the elastic band with the machine.
It is perfect when I swim, though... so I can forgive it not being 100% perfect.
Next one is going to be.
I am back from my road trip around the north part of Portugal. I love Portugal!!! Food is great, people are kind and calm, landscape is gorgeous, wine is delightful, weather in the summer is great... we could relax and simply enjoy our part of the summer there. We visited different places and towns, and we went fabric shopping in Porto and Coimbra.
In Porto I visited two fabric shops:
- Feria do Tecidos: cheap, too much polyester to my taste, but they have nice patterned viscose, both woven and jersey. A few silks and linens... I bought a flowery jersey viscose and some blue linen to make a play suit.
- Avenida 7: couture fabrics, wool and silk mainly. Expensive. I did not buy even a remnant.
In Coimbra there are more interesting shops:
- Coelho: small shop with nice fabrics, there is also a refined version I could not enter... the two sellers never offered me to enter that part, my touristy informal wear might have seemed not to prone on lace and silk. They lied when showing me the "natural fibers" I always ask for and thus lost my trust. They had a nice woven viscose at 12.00 E I did not buy.
- I found then Tecidos de Coimbra. That was a shop worth a visit, yes sir! A very kind and knowing seller showed all the natural fiber they had in shop, they were grouped here and there: woven cottons, jersey cottons, corduroy, silk, linen, wool, denim... I spent 69 E in two linens (wait till you see my green one in a dress!), two corduroy pants amount of corduroy, and some thick cotton twill to make myself some rocker shorts.
I am very happy with my fabrics. I was washing them and drying them in two days, and started making a linen dress right away, I have plans for all of them. In fact, I only bought items from my Keep list, to make pieces of clothing I already have designed in my mind.
I will go to London in one month, I can't hardly wait.
