Surely you all must be amazed! It has been entirely too long since I've SEWN a bra, let alone posted about sewing them. So, what the heck happened?! Well, I got kinda burnt out and also miffed at the above bra. Um, remember this bra that I was making for a Pattern Review contest? Yeah, that was back in freakin' February! I just finished***read: slapped together*** it yesterday and when I put the damn thing on it was too BIG!!! Damn! Well, no worries. It has been stripped of every part that I was able salvage. The outer fabric (the sparkly stuff) is soooo stretchy that it just looked like crap anyway and that's what got me pissed in the first place. There were poofy bits every where and wrinkles. Oh, and it gave me NO support so "OFF WITH HER HEAD!!" or in this case straps, elastic and hooks and eyes....
This little cutie is a bra I started for my daughter several days ago. I finished it up yesterday, too. Miz M has been asking for a nude bra to wear under a white tank top. The pattern I used is Kwik Sew 3300 and as with most KS patterns, it was a breeze to sew up. I used plain ol' nylon tricot for the cups and powernet for the back. We had some fitting issues that had to be worked out but all-in-all I think it turned out really cute. Well, really the only problem we had was the band being way to short. I added about 1 inch to either side behind the hooks and eyes as you can see below. I tried a couple of different methods. Neither of which I like. Ahh well, it looks pretty craptastic but does the trick.
The cups fit her perfectly! Rejoyce! My lovely model is not a very good representation of what it looks like on my daughter. M has a wider ribcage. Everything else was good but I think if I make this again I'll widen the back band quite a bit. It's just too narrow for her build. Now we'll just see if she actually wears it. When we first tried it on it was a little tight (to her) and she got all whine-y and meltdown-y, like only teenagers can do.
Here's a funny/interesting little tidbit for you: A lady on one of the sewing groups I belong to mentioned her husband had been on a business trip to China, I believe, to a bra making factory (he worked for Bali). Well, I guess the lady laid her fabric out on a cutting table and took a sharpie and marked out all the pattern pieces, freehand. FREEHAND?! Isn't that amazing? It also explains why one bra might fit and another does not even though it's the same size, brand, style. That's another reason why women should NOT go by their perceived "size" and just go by fit. I believe bra sizing charts to be written by the devil, himself.
I'm going to cut this post off here. We'll have to talk some more about bra fitting sometime! I hope you all have a great weekend! I'll be packing since my kids are going to be spending next week with my Mom and Dad. It'll be quiet yet oh-so-nice....
Take it easy!
11 comments:
That's the same KwikSew pattern I used for my daughter's first bra and it fit her quite well. I'm ready to start another, and now my step-daughter is eager for one too. What fun!!!
I've got to get going on trying my hand at making a bra.
Strikes me that a too-big bra probably means a bit of slim-down. I'll always take that alternative! And I feel your pain - and the stitch ripping of a thousand bras :-)
What a darling bra for your daughter. Next one you make will be much easier cuz you'll have the back size all figured out.
love 'm!
I am so impressed with you and your bra-sewing. I only recently found some decent ones that fit and that didn't break the bank. One day in the future I may try sewing my own but for now I'm just happy to find some decent-looking DDDs that are in my price range.
Hm, I have a question. My daughter is interested in wearing something camisole-like. She's only 8 so does not need a bra of course. But... I'd love to find something to make that has some structure and an undershirt quality, but from a woven not a knit. Do you have any ideas?
Looking good! I have that pattern but have not tried it so it is good to see it made up. Did you think about just using a bra-extender on the too-small back? Or if you have old bras lying around you could cut off the hooks and sew them to the existing hooks so that you have more hooks, a bit like some maternity bras.
Thanks everybody!
Annette: I've been watching your progress! You're doing an amazing job! Your girls will be the envy of their friends!
KMQ: You really should! It's funner that you might think!
K.Line: You are correct! The scale has been stuck for awhile but I'm still shrinking!
Jos: Thank you! You're always an inspiration to me!
Kelly: Thanks! I emailed you about you!
Katherine: Great idea! I really should have done that!
That is one amazing looking bra! I'd never have guessed it was "homemade". Nice work!!
Also, I am having a hard time imagining drawing a pattern for anything freehand, much less a bra! Wow!!
Thanks so much Katie! I know, I couldn't believe it either! She's probably traced/cut out thousands of bra pieces. I imagine she could do it her sleep!
Sewing amongst what appears to be numerous guitars and amplifiers? ! I think we've just become friends!
I can't even get my head around a FBA, you are amazing for sewing functional bras.
Haha! Thanks so much! Yes, those are my husband's, we share our "hobby room".
I probably know more about guitars and amps than anyone who doesn't actually *play* the guitar! ;-) When he plays in a band I'm already his roadie. He says I need to really learn to play so I can be his all around guitar tech...sheesh.
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