MaryC

I love racer backs, all my favorite tops and dresses have them. I find that if I situate my straps appropriately they barely show, but I wouldn’t care if they did. I do have a little clip thingy that hooks on the straps between the shoulder blades for fancier affairs at which visible straps might be a faux pas.

Not for me I’m afraid. I really haven’t (deliberately) shown my bra straps since my early 20s, and I don’t intend to! Yes for evening and sports wear but I have no need for evening wear.

Around this neck of the woods..teen girls show straps and most moms don’t, so I guess it depends on the target for this pattern? I prefer shirts that I don’t have to find/wear a “special bra” with. But if it had a built in that would make the difference. 🙂

I like spaghetti strap tops, but only if I can get away with being braless in them (I’m small-breasted, so that usually means layering with a snug tank). Racerback tops always look like activewear to me, and I definitely wouldn’t wear one that showed the bra band itself. I am not a fan of visible bra straps – I think it looks sloppy (and that’s…[Read more]

I love when women wear spaghetti straps! If anyone is concerned with visible bra straps for us less perky creatures, I’m a great fan of the clear bra strap. As for racer back tops, I personally can’t stand them. I feel like they belong with active wear and in a workout setting alone. That said, I don’t like the fit of racerback anything on myself,…[Read more]

Back when I was younger/perter/leaner I would have foregone the underwear and worn these styles. Nowadays I’d limit it to gym wear or swimmers (racer back) or lingerie or black tie (spaghetti straps). I can’t deal with visible bra straps, and can’t be bothered with strapless bras for everyday wear 😣

Liesl, would it be pretty simple to change the width of the spaghetti strap? Feels like an easy modification.

Racer backs are great for working out. Easy to wear with a sports bra.

My girls and I love racer back tops. We work out and have nice shoulders and want to show them.

I don’t find visible bra straps a problem and younger women don’t mind at all.

Spaghetti straps are very pretty too. I wouldn’t wear them to sit in the sun all day but otherwise, very cool and comfortable.

Agreed! I have to go back and search for that sailboat top… But yes you certainly are correct, who knew that pockets would be perfect to smock on? Gathering gives the clue.

And of course there are more than just the counterchange and geometric/ English smocking.

I haven’t yet tried using ribbon but want to one day.

Agreed! I have to go back and search for that sailboat top… But yes you certainly are correct, who knew that pockets would be perfect to smock on? Gathering gives the clue.

I have added smocking to the bubble shorts, the garden party dress,tje fairy tale dress, and the sailboat top. I am working on a smocked popover dress as well. I think anything really could have a bit of smocking added to it.

@sewgirl23 if you look at the line of the style of garment, it will give you an indication of where the smocking can go. I have used smocking on the carousel dress, the school photo dress and the school days jacket, not to mention the croquet dress.

For a motif the carousel dress would be perfect. You could also do a picture smocked panel and…[Read more]

@sewgirl23
I think the 2+2 would be gorgeous. Just under the tie, instead of the tab.
ASM Blue did a gorgeous Ice Cream blouse. I would use gingham, so I could stitch the squares, rather then pleat.

I still love French knots.

I think simple smocking looks cleaner and more modern.

@sewgirl23
I think the 2+2 would be gorgeous. Just under the tie, instead of the tab.
ASM Blue did a gorgeous Ice Cream blouse. I would use gingham, so I could stitch the squares, rather then pleat.

I still love French knots.

@motherof5 I’ve always wanted to get into smocking, and am just trying to figure out which patterns I could adapt to have a bit of a smocked motif! I did so much embroidery in the 80’s and 90’s, I’m the same way when I see fine needlework.

Thanks Tamara, I think will go with the kit!