It’s been months since I made a bra just for me, so I decided to revisit one of my favorites. Ever since making my first couple of bras, I’ve rarely made the same pattern twice for myself. I count my experiments as a journey to becoming a better lingerie patternmaker–I’ve tried different underwires, cup styles, band styles, fabrics, and pattern drafting methods, and sometimes at the expense of whatever might be my dream fit.
Just like my new pair of jeans that I can’t seem to take off, I do have a couple of favorites and and one of them was the fourth one I ever made. It was messy in that I was still figuring a lot of stuff out, like how to properly get the strap elastic stitched to the cup without tearing the lace. And the band was way too big. Still, any time I wanted an “invisible bra” that felt like nothing next to my skin, this was the one I reached for, and I kept wearing it way past its expiration date. It took me two weeks to get up the nerve to cut out the underwire! It was pretty bent out of shape, but I knew it had been part of the magic fit and I wanted to trace off what I could of its shape and length so I could cut others like it.
Then I went about trying to remake my original. Luckily I had just enough lace, lycra and tricot lining from my original Merckwaerdigh kit to cut the cups and add a little lace panel to the bikini.
This time I removed the side seam from my original pattern, and added a seam under the cup. This let me cut the entire band from lycra and use lace and lining in the center.
That also meant I needed to shorten the band to remove some stretch because I no longer had a lined (and stabilized) cradle going around the entre cup. Other than that, I had to do a some tweaking to the pattern for fit. I’ve gone up in cup size… or maybe I haven’t and just noticed some things that were off in my original fit.
I normally prefer my strap adjusters in front, and have been playing around with different methods of making a loop at the top of the cup for the strap ring. One method involves making extending the underarm elastic past the top of the cup, and looping it over the ring, securing the elastic back on itself. With narrow or lightweight elastics, however, it’s easy for that loop to get stressed, or to stress the top of the cup. Norma Loehr’s book has a good tip on using some kind of tape to stabilize the loop. I always have a little bit of silk ribbon left over from my trims, so lately I have been using it as a “loop stabilizer”! I take a little strip of the ribbon, lay it underneath the elastic and loop the two together as one. I’m going to trim this down so the ribbon is hidden, but I left a bit hanging out so you can see what I mean:
If you don’t have ribbon lying around, I’m sure other things would work–twill tape, tricot tape or any stable tape narrow enough to get hidden behind the elastic.
My favorite bra, back in action!
Details:
Bra pattern: Pin-up Girls Classic
Bikini: self drafted
Fabrics: Lace, tricot lining and lycra leftover from bra kit
Elastic & notions: stash and dyed to match
Dyes: Dharma Acid Dyes Silver Grey and Peach Blush
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This bra is truly beautiful! The colors & the lace at the center make it look very delicate!
These pictures & the fact that I can’t seem to find bras with bands small enough in rtw really really make me want to sew some more lingerie. I guess I’ll go hunt for pale pink lace and grey elastic 🙂
I loved it the first time, I’m loving it now! Especially noting that strap attaching method. I always hate the way it looks when I just tack the elastic to the cup.
My bras are all getting a little busted too. Because I wear them ALL THE TIME. Kind of wanting to go on a bra making dye weekend binge and crank out a bunch of new sets…. Maybe try out one of those new Ohh Lulu panty designs.
BTW, the market is sorely missing a good bralette design. Something modern and cool. Looking at you dude.
What a pretty set. Once again you inspire us to take our bra making skills to a new level. I love the color combination and use of lace. Thanks for another great lingerie post. Wishing I had time to sew today!
Amy, this is truly lovely. Thank you for sharing it. It’s so delicate and really beautiful. An inspiration for all of us!
Great job. I love it. You truly inspire me. I will have to check out that book you reference. Thanks so much for showing the work and for sharing it. Jnetti.
So lovely and feminine! And the peachy / grey color combo is simply exquisite. Amy, I think of you every time I sew a bra (I am so grateful for all I learned from your bra sewalong last year, thank you so much!) — and since I’ve been on a bra sewing binge lately, I think of you nearly every day 😀
That’s really sweet. We learned so much together, didn’t we!
Amy, I love it! I remember reading Norma’s tip but completely forgot about it.
I spent all of last year immersed in bra making and I decided to take the first half of 2014 off. Not because I’m not interested in it anymore. Hell no! I just felt like I needed a break. One of my readers said that when you take this kind of extended break, you come back only remembering the important things, not the bits of detail that don’t matter and get you thinking too much.
I certainly understand that. It’s easy to get tunnel vision and lose sight of the forest through the trees. I can definitely be accused of way too much detail-orientation, but I think that’s why I like making bras so much. It’s all about those teeny details! I hope you come back to it with fresh eyes.
Your work, as always, is utterly beautiful. What a talent you have. Please be so happy that you have the skill to do this – and that you’ve mastered the fit! That’s a boon. xo
Eeeeeek! It’s so pretty!!
Wow this is beautiful! So impressive! What a lovely set.
This is a really lovely set, and you photograph it so well. I have been meaning to get back into bra making again, especially as I need a few racer-back styles…I have been wearing the same home-made one for years and it is too small.
The tip about stabilising the loop is a great one. My very first (Kwiksew) bra had this problem, and I avoided having the loop at the front where I could…but I like to have one or two bras where the strap position can be changed from normal, to cross-over, to halter…which requires a hook and loop at the front as well as the back.
All my first bras are too small, too–but I keep wearing them. I haven’t tried a racer back style yet but I could really use one in the summer, and one on which the straps can switch back and forth would be very cool. I find that when my adjusters are in back, I am too lazy to tighten them as the elastic wears out and they start flopping around. Having them in front reminds me ;).
Super pretty! I would love to learn how to make my own bra and pantie sets. You make them look so professional.
http://www.agirlnamedkatie.com
Love it! I also make my own lingerie and in process of replacing my RTW with Own Sewn. I too have found a pattern that fits, but where you’ve adventured out with different ones, I’ve stayed to just the one. I’ve purchased other bra patterns and after reading your post, I’m inspired to try them out!
You truly make the prettiest, most romantic lingerie. It never fails to make me either a) green with envy or b) feel that faint siren song to get back on the lingerie sewing horse and finally perfect my fit! Very inspiring.
Would it be too wierd for me to admit I’d like to raid your underwear drawer? hehe. Love this bra – it’s a stunner!
This is so pretty ! I haven’t made another bra since the sew-along you organized last year, but seeing your lingerie makes me want to try again !
You are such an inspiration with all your gorgeous bra making! I have a number of patterns in the stash but just haven’t been able to bring myself to take the plunge (haha). Totally love your colours and lace combinations and have noted the tip about stabilising the strap attachment – genius!
So beautiful! The colors are fantastic and so girly.