DIY: Poofs!
You might have seen on our Facebook or Twitter that we were really excited about Catherine's awesome poufs that she made for our models (and we might have even been modeling them ourselves...). Since we think they are so cute and deserve even more attention, and since you probably want to make about a dozen of them yourself, here is a DIY, make your own pouf post. (Note: Catherine was not very precise in her crafting, as crafting should never be a precise science since it's supposed to be FUN, so don't take any quantities or measurements all too seriously).
Materials and Tools:
A bunch of tulle (preferably in fun colors...we chose pink because well, come on)
Something round (about 5 inches in diameter) for tracing
Scissors
Pencil
Needle
Thread (hopefully something that matches the tulle color that you picked out)
Step 1: Cut out a "thick stack" of tulle circles that you traced using the pencil and circular object
Step 2: Fold the circular pieces in quarters. You can see Catherine demonstrating in the picture below.
Step 3: Use the needle and thread to sew the quartered pieces of tulle together so that they overlap properly.
Step 4: Admire your finished pouf! Also if you want to add a hair clip or bobby pin, just sew it on!
How fun are poufs?
DIY: Fancy Cushion Covers
We found these awesome chairs at an antique store, but they were looking a little shabby, which we cannot have, so we decided to spruce them up a bit. Since we are all about giving some good advice and blogging our every move, why not combine upholstery with blogging and give our Sexy Period fans some DIY advice? Basically I'm going to give you a little step by step tutorial on how to do a quick and dirty cushion upholstery session with just a few tools.
What you need:
1 yard of a really cute fabric for your chair cushion (or more if you have a really big chair)
2 packages of thumb tacks
1 antique chair that has a seat in need of slip covering
Scissors
Hammer
Enthusiam and Craftiness
Step 1: Go Antique-ing and find yourself an adorable chair with a cushion that might look kind of like this:
Step 2: Pick out an awesome fabric that you can use to slip cover the cushion.
Step 3: Take the cushion out of the chair and if it has a thick fabric on it cut it off, making sure not to cut through the cushion layer (or you'll have a kind of uncomfortable chair) so that you have something like this:
Step 4: If you have a lighter fabric that you are using for upholstering, then it might be a good idea to have a white base fabric (like we did). For this next step you need to measure your cushion and then cut fabric with a few inches of room, for instance our cushion was about a 15" square, so we cut a 20" square of fabric.
Step 5: lay your cushion upside down on the fabric and one side at a time fold the fabric over and nail down a thumb tack to secure, making sure to fold the corners as shown to prevent wrinkling
Step 6: Once you have the bottom layer secured you now have a plain white covered cushion, so now you need to cut out your fabric of choice and repeat the steps!
Step 7: YAY! now you have a beautifully covered cushion!
Now all you need to do is put that cushion on a chair!
They're back! And they're even better than last time.
I went to our sewing facility a couple weeks ago to check out our latest production round, and trust me, you're in for a treat. We got tons of feedback from our wonderful customers who purchased during the Preview Sale (and donated $2 for every response to SHE, an organization that makes affordable, biodegradable sanitary pads in Rwanda). Ladies, we took your advice to heart and this next round of undies is BETTER THAN EVER! Here is a summary of the sizing & construction improvements:
All hipsters have 3/4" extra fabric at the bottom of the butt to fully cover your cheeks.
Simply Stunning bikinis and Blossoming Beauty bikinis are 1/2" higher rise in the front and have an extra 2" in waistband circumference so they're super comfy and lie flat against your sides.
All styles have wider crotch width to give pads plenty of room to hang out and provide maximum coverage.
Our L and XL sizes are 1" smaller in circumference (many of you told us they were too big the first time). Take a look at our revised size chart here: http://sexyperiod.com/store/size-chart/
All leg elastic stitching is reinforced so it's on there for good.
The lace waistband on Friday Night Fabulous styles is attached to bottom fabric using a zig zag stitch which blends in better with the lace and provides an even stronger hold.
Thanks to everyone who gave feedback already! Keep it coming at: www.sexyperiod.com/store/feedback
Sexy Period underwear come to life
It's actually happening! After 2 1/2 years of product development, I am witnessing the construction of Sexy Period underwear this week. It's a bit surreal, as if I'm in a dream. And then I pinch myself and get back to work when production manager Carol asks if I am ready to apply more transfers to finished garments. I've been in Pennsylvania all week to watch and help out as the 500 Preview Sale pairs come to life in our sewing facility. Instead of using tags in our garments (because they are itchy and I tend to cut mine out), we're using heat transfers. I'm getting pretty good at operating the transfer machine and it gives me a chance to inspect each and every one of our beautiful undies before they get a hangtag and are packed for shipping. Here are some shots below of the action:
This is Bev (above) working on Simply Stunning hipsters. The crew in PA has been WONDERFUL to work with and they even made me hot chocolate every day during the morning break. What more could a girl ask for?
This is Peggy (above) measuring lace for Friday Night Fabulous waistbands.
Maria (above) is attaching elastic to the leg holes on a Simply Stunning bikini.
Although disorder makes some people uneasy, I love the rich fabric, lace and trims stashed in every corner of the production facility. Doesn't this bookcase bursting with trim inspire you to create something artistic?
Meet Our Watercolor Artist: Pamela Baron
If your favorite style of Sexy Period panties is Blossoming Beauty, you’ve got one main woman to thank: Pamela Baron. She’s the RISD grad behind those wonderful watercolor flowers that adorn the Blossoming Beauty waistband. Not only is she a talented artist, but she’s also got a rocking sense of humor. Check out more of Pamela's work at her site, and read on to hear what she has to say about tape art, cross-country dads, and learning from each other.
What’s the snack food you’re addicted to?
Hands down, Comanzo & Co.’s Whole Wheat Pumpkin Biscotti. Locally made in Smithfield, RI and amazingly delicious! Seriously, these things make me have a better day.
What motivated you to become an artist?
I always thought I wanted to be a comic book artist until the late Al DeCredico taught me about abstract art. It was from there that I really began pushing the limits of what I could do and exploring myself as an artist.
What’s the last book you read?
“A Supposedly Funny Thing I’ll Never Do Again” by David Foster Wallace. So. Funny.
When you’re not busy being a fabulous artist, what do you like to do with your time?
I love doing Tape Art at the Providence Community Acupuncture Clinic, running outside when the weather is nice and baking for my friends and family.
Got any hobbies?
Glass blowing. I learned how in high school and worked throughout college at a local hot shop. It’s a strangely addictive hobby.
Tell us something embarrassing about yourself!
Well, when I was a rebellious teen, I attempted to sneak off with a boy. My plot failed miserably since my Dad caught me and he chased me around the neighborhood for hours. We both laugh about it now, but I sure put his high school cross-country days to test!
If you had to trade lives with someone for a year, who would you pick?
A competitive athlete. Dancers, marathon runners, gymnasts -- I have so much respect for the level of commitment those people have.
What’s the best advice you ever got?
People come together to teach each other lessons. It’s up to you to have the clarity to find out what those things are and learn.
What’s your favorite style of Sexy Period underwear?
I love the Blossoming Beauty in cheeky!
Meet Our Patternmaker: Holly Bronhard
You can thank this lovely woman for the fabulous fit of your Sexy Period panties. We already knew about her passion for patterns, but who knew about her adoration for dance, bling, and Mom? Read on to learn more about our very own patternmaker, Holly Bronhard.
What motivated you to become a pattern maker?
I always loved to sew and do my own thing. I would borrow a sleeve from one style and put it on another, redo necklines, etc., so it was always in the cards.
What’s the last book you read?
The girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
When you’re not busy being a fabulous pattern maker, what do you like to do with your time?
I work out every day at 6am. In the evening after work, I love to socialize with friends and I even dance two nights a week.
Who’s been the most inspirational person in your life?
Hands down my Mother.
How would you describe your style?
I never blend and I love bling and fur.
What’s your favorite thing about being involved with Sexy Period?
Watching the development from initial conceptual drawings to seeing actual sexy lace panties with a function!
If someone wants to make you laugh, they’ve just got to…
Imitate someone. It’s especially funny when my son does it to me…it brings me to my knees when he recites a line from a movie with someone else’s voice.
What’s the best advice you ever got?
Mean what you say, say what you mean, just don’t say it mean.
We're getting ready...
The Sexy Period team is brimming with excitement about our Style Week presentations coming up! Of course we’ve been hard at work to make sure that our accessory display is just as glamorous as you are (we know, we’re shooting for the stars). Just a few things you’ve got to look forward to: pretty pink model pedestals, picture-adorned Preview Sale cards, and our smiling faces (what more could you want?)!
Also, a BIG thank you goes to Johnson & Wales student Christine for all of her help on everything from printing to designing Preview Sale cards (pick them up at our table this week!) to building boxes.
Remember! Come to Style Week Providence at the Biltmore 3:30-6:30 Wednesday-Friday to stop by our Accessory Showcase, and be sure to be there Friday at 5 for our special live presentation!!
Cue Style Week sneak peek…
The hammers and hot glue guns came out as the Sexy Period team tapped into their inner architects!
The boxes before their morning coffee...not looking too good!
The boxes are glammed up and ready to go!
Julie made bandeau tops for our models...adorned with over-the-top bows in back!
Thanks to Project Runway and Style Week designer Jonathon Joseph Peters for giving Julie tips on how to sew darts!
Second Time Around
We’re at it again, mailing tons of test panties this month out to our lucky volunteers to see which fabric is working best! We’ve got it narrowed down to three combos, and now it’s time to find out for sure which one is the winner.
Homemade by Eulie for the honeymoon
Jaz and Joe practically waltzed down the aisle on March 13 as they tied the knot in Kemah, Texas. Jaz was my freshmen roomie and we lived in the J^3 house together senior year, so we’re practically family. While I spent four years looking for Mr. Perfect at Brown (and failed), Jaz logged impressive phone time as she and Joe did the long-distance thing. All that dedication paid off as they exchanged vows and are now on their way to a happily ever after.
The bachelorette party included lingerie gifts for the bride, so I decided to be creative. Although this pair isn’t made with functional fabrics, it has a sequin waistband and a sultry, sheer back. Nothing like one-of-a-kind underpinnings to spice up the honeymoon…
Congrats Jaz! Hope you enjoy your custom undies and best wishes as a Mrs!
Up, up and away!
It was one of those days. The kind where there’s endless possibility but you don’t know what’s in store quite yet. This particular day was made special because it was our first business trip on a plane. But even more noteworthy, it was the birthday of an amazing, opinionated, pink-high-heel-wearing chica (if you couldn’t tell by now, that would be Eunice). We left Providence at 5:30am and spent the entire day visiting a cut and sew facility. Seeing so many different sewing machines in motion at once is almost magical. It’s as if you can make any garment if you can dream it. Think lace, chiffon, silk, sequins, satin, …..and spandex! Don’t worry, we’re not going to put sequins on our underwear (although we welcome crazy ideas, so send us your dream underwear requests!). Here’s a photo of us below before the first plane ride.
A Day in the Life of a Seamstress
We finished sewing all 160 pairs of test prototypes and they will be in the mail on their way to testers on Friday! Here’s how things played out today:
7am Wake up, shower, finish cutting fabric pieces (luckily I had cut out most of them the night before).
8:30am Head over to Eunice’s house to get ready for a phone call. Afterwards we map out our plan for the rest of the day and return emails. We usually cc: each other on every email to make sure we’re both in the loop on everything.
12:30pm Leave for our meeting with April at North Start Marketing. In the car on the way, Eunice and I realize that we are both wearing purple cardigans on top of hot pink shirts, black skirts and black tights. Great minds think alike, but maybe we should call each other in the morning to “uncoordinate” our outfits so we don’t look like identical twins. At North Star we discuss the tasks we need to accomplish before presenting our initial line to buyers.
2pm After meeting with April, we stop at the office of one of our R&D partners to work on elastics.
3:30pm Back at home, I can finally work on sewing our Eulie Test Panties (Eunice and I each took half of the sewing responsibility for this round). While sewing, this time is perfect for catching up on Gossip Girl episodes. Hulu is my new best friend, and I can now say that I’m a fan of Glee, Lipstick Jungle, and Gilmore Girls. As I get ready to sew, I realize that we had returned the thread stand to Elizabeth Breer (A special thanks Betty for helping us sew prototypes!). We are using industrial thread, and when they sent us a “small sample,” it came on a very BIG spool (as you can see below it is about a foot high).
So what’s a girl to do with this massive spool of thread? Here’s the homemade stand that I created to feed it into my machine. It consists of a lamp shade perched on top of two tissue boxes. The hole in the metal frame at the top of the shade allows the spool to unwind from the very center, and in case the machine pulls it closer, the strategically placed heart shaped candle prevents the shade from shifting over.
10:15pm I finally finish sewing my batch of underwear and drive it over to Eunice so she can start washing. We are washing this group 24 times before mailing them to testers so we’ll know that the fabric is durable through laundering.
11pm Return more emails (they never stop!), a quick phone call to a friend, and then off to bed where I write this post. Now time for beauty rest before we start a busy day tomorrow (thankfully no sewing tomorrow since it will mostly be done by our cut and sew facility in the future)…
98 Pairs of Test Panties are on their way!
Last week we pulled long hours measuring, cutting, and sewing 98 pairs of Eulie Test Panties. They are made by sewing our fabrics into regular Hanes underwear to determine the best out of 16 different fabric combinations. Thanks to over 105 women who’ve volunteered to help test! We’re planning to make a total of 160 pairs in this prototype testing round by the end of January. Below you can see a batch of underwear ready to be sewn.
We took a quick break from sewing to decorate sugar cookies that my housemate Sharon baked.
Our first sewing attempt
We decided to sew a few prototypes ourselves…I mean, how hard could it be to make underwear, right? After 8 hours of drawing, pinning, and sewing, we realized it’s actually quite difficult. Eunice and I created patterns, sewed an initial fit prototype, tried it on, realized we underestimated the amount of fabric needed (are our butts really that big?), revised the pattern a couple more times, and finally made a wearable panty. The entire process made us appreciate our pattern maker’s expertise….SO glad that we have her to make the actual patterns! I thought my experience in high school designing and sewing my prom dress would help, but underwear is a whole different ballgame…
God should have created Sexy Period when he created women - Kim C.