Welcome fellow bra and lingerie sewing enthusiasts!
This page lists shops around the world that sell lingerie supplies with a focus on bra making.
What you can find here:
- Shops that offer international shipping.
- Shops that carry supplies (fabric, notions) for making lingerie and bras. It isn’t a resource for bra patterns and I don’t include them here.
Disclaimer: Cloth Habit is not affiliated with any of the shops on this page and there are no affiliate or sponsored links. My experience with these shops is purely as a customer or through word of mouth. I strive to keep this updated so if you have a shop you’d like me to consider, send me an email!
Shops in North America
Bra-makers Supply
Pre-packaged bra kits, patterns, bra and swim fabrics, lots of notions. Also publish The Bra-makers Manuals Vol I and II.
Sew Sassy
Bra and swimwear notions, fabrics, elastic. Elan bra patterns. (And a nice variety of narrow stretch lace trims, which are great for the Rosy Ladyshorts!)
Emerald Erin
A lovely curated selection of quality bra fabrics and supplies. Also on Etsy.
Arte Crafts
Nicely curated selection of quality bra making supplies. Also on Etsy.
Tailor Made
Beautiful bra kits, and nicely curated selection of unique supplies. Also on Etsy.
Stone Mountain & Daughter Fabrics
I love this retail shop in Berkeley–gorgeous apparel fabrics. In their online shop, they now carry a nice selection of bra supplies and notions in an assortment of colors.
Fabric Depot Co.
Bra & swim fabrics, elastics, notions and pre-packaged bra kits.
This has become my go-to for all bra-making basics. The inventory here is very nice quality. FD is the main distributor of Elan bra patterns and also sells kits including all fabrics and notions specific to each pattern.
Corsetmaking Supplies
Corset-making shop with small selection of basic bra-making notions and fabrics. Carries both Elan and Kwik Sew bra patterns.
Mary Not Martha
beautiful stretch laces
Bravo Bella
Bravo Bella patterns for larger bust sizes, along with select bra kits and materials.
Needle Nook Fabrics
Also sells Bravo Bella patterns and materials specific to those patterns.
Porcelynne
Basic bra notions, books. Also has an Etsy shop. Author of Bare Essentials: Bras, and the printed version includes a basic bra pattern in the back.
Bra Essentials
Underwires, rings/sliders, foam cups and some notions for repairing bras
Surge Fabric Shop
Curated selections bra notions with a particular great selection of embroidered tulle laces. (Perfect for the Harriet!)
Madalynne
Bra kits for Madalynne sewing patterns.
Stretch Fabric Basics
These shops in the garment centers of the U.S. carry a large variety of 4-way stretch knit fabrics for swim or lingerie.
- NY Fashion Center Fabric: spandex/lycra and stretch mesh fabrics in myriads of colors. I recommend the milliskin for bra bands and swimsuits.
- Spandex World (NYC) has similar choices as above. Lots of printed stretch meshes.
- Spandex House (NYC): same fabrics as above. Also offers a few spacer foams for bras and tricot linings in several colors.
- Spandex By Yard (L.A.): this shop is the retail wing of stretch fabric wholesaler Sportek. Also carries big variety of stretch mesh, lycra, performance fabrics and powernet.
- Mood Fabrics (NYC): Mood carries a large stock of lycra/spandex and stretch lace fabrics.
Where to Buy Laces
There are many places to find quality lingerie lace but these are a few of my personal favorites as a customer. Chances are you have seen laces from these shops in one my photos.
Tailor Made Shop
Lovely collection of high quality bra making supplies (including hard to find rose gold rings and sliders. Also includes kits appropriate for our Watson pattern.
Mary Not Martha
I have made many bras using stretch lace from this shop!
Rain Crazy
Etsy shop selling a nice variety of embroidered tulle lace (non-stretch lace good for supportive bra cups)
Lace Beauty
Etsy shop with big selection of galloon laces, both stretch and rigid
Fabric Bistro
Etsy shop with lace & lace trims, lingerie elastic
Flora’s Garden
Nicely curated collection of laces, elastics and some cool charms for bra bling
Kathy’s Lace & Elastic (U.S.)
Ebay shop with big variety of lingerie elastics
Creative Effex
Ebay shop with lingerie hardware and elastics.
Mebberson1
nice assortment of lightweight stretch lace trims.
Where to Buy Bra Foam
Molded foam cups (ready-made cups with no seams) can be found at several of the above suppliers. For a cut-and-sewn cup, you’ll want to look for sheet foam by the yard.
Sheet foam comes in different thicknesses and can either be laminate foam or spacer foam.
- Bra-makers Supply (laminate foam and stretch spacer foam)
- Make Bra
- Fabric Depot Co. (called “tricot-bonded poly filler”–aka laminate foam)
- Sewing Chest (remnant packs of foam pieces)
- Spandex World (spacer foam)
- Spandex House (spacer foam–I recommend asking specifically for a foam for bra-making, as they carry various types)
- Emerald Erin
- Sew Sassy (laminate foam)
- Sewy (spacer foam sheets)
- Sweet Cups Bra Supply (U.S. distributor for Bra-makers Supply)
- Stone Mountain & Daughter Fabrics laminate foam
The Watson
The Watson is a soft bra and the cups were drafted for a fabric with generous 4-way stretch.
You can read about the required materials for the Watson in the pattern itself or in this post from the official sew along.
- A kit with 4-way stretch lace or lycra and a stable lining for the cradle works best.
- Fabrics such as scuba, satin wovens, non-stretch lace or foam are all fabrics without four-way stretch and far more stable than what I used in testing. If you purchase a kit with these fabrics or line the cups with a stable fabric, it will change the intended fit and in some cases require some design changes on your part for better fit and sewing ease.
The Harriet
The Harriet is a highly supportive bra. The cups were designed for stable cup fabrics or lace that will be lined with a stable lining. What this means is explained in detail at the back of the pattern.
- Duoplex kits are perfect.
- Kits with stretch lace work beautifully as long as they include a stable lining fabric to stabilize the stretch.
Some shops offer scuba knit as a bra cup fabric. Scuba knit sold as apparel fabric is not a actually neoprene or foam but instead a unique double-knitted fabric that feels a bit like bra foam. Most scuba has spandex content. If you want to experiment with it, I highly recommend lining your cups to stabilize them. Keep in mind that the instructions don’t have tips for scuba as I didn’t test the Harriet with this fabric.
Last updated April 2018.