I made a new bra today, and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I'll start off by saying my dress form doesn't really fill it out properly; it fits me perfectly! This is the diagonal seam cup I tested out on my bra fitting band. The lace sling is the same pattern piece that I used in my black lace balconette, but in this case is purely decorative and not functional as a powerbar. I used 40 denier nylon tricot for the cups and frame. One of the prolific bra-makers in the bra-making group on Facebook frequently makes bras with nylon tricot fused with lightweight interfacing, and I was inspired to try it out. I am not an interfacing expert, so I wasn't sure exactly which type to use. I have a lightweight woven interfacing by Fashion Sewing Supply, and decided to try out a test piece. After fusing, the resulting fabric still has a tiny bit of stretch, which is perfect for bra cups. I usually line my cups with 15 denier tricot, but I wondered if that was really necessary for this project. Lined cups are probably more comfortable, since there is no seam allowance to irritate my skin, but I decided to just make an unlined bra this time. I tried to topstitch the seam allowances close to the edge. I probably should have stitched closer to the seamline and just trimmed away the excess fabric. Or covered the seam with seam tape, which I do have in my big pile of bra trims. I was planning to use picot elastic in the underarm area, but I really liked the piping elastic I used on the neckline and decided to continue it around the top edge. Now, about the straps. I am experimenting with different methods of strap attachment. Folding the top of the cup down through an O-ring always turns into a very bulky seam for me, and I don't care much for it. I had a roughly rectangular piece of fused tricot leftover, and decided to make partial straps from the fabric. I could have just make a single wider strap, but I like the look of bra straps made from multiple strands of spaghetti. Instead of fussing with multiple edges of folded back and sewn straps, I used a lark's head knot through the O-ring. Is it weird? I don't know. Just an experiment. At a craft store I bought a mixed bag of bows with pearls, and the pink color just happened to match my bra perfectly! Of course, I have to show you the back even though it's not terribly interesting. I didn't have pink powernet, so I figured beige was my next best option.
I'm already dreaming up my next bra project. I'm thinking about altering my pattern yet again, and trying out a partial band bra.
4 Comments
Deb
11/28/2020 08:28:00 pm
So I’m curious- what is the difference between 40denier and duoplex that you often find in Bra Makers Supply bra kits (the one Beverley uses in the Craftsy course for the Pin Up Girls Classic bra)? Do you know?
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Cassie
11/28/2020 10:07:50 pm
40D tricot still has some stretch to it, whereas duoplex is very stable. I haven't been able to find a lot of technical details for duoplex as far as fabric structure; in fact I heard another bra maker say that term was created by Beverly Johnson. The closest fabric I have found similar to duoplex is dazzle tricot. Some dazzle still has some stretch, but for bramaking Porcelynne has excellent quality that is stable. The owner is currently on vacation and doesn't have yardage available on her website, but should be back in December I believe.
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Timothy Steggles
12/25/2022 11:17:54 am
Hello dear bra maker ,
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Cassie
12/25/2022 02:17:49 pm
Hello, I'm so sorry I only sell the patterns and don't make bras on commission. You might want to try: Leave a Reply. |
CassieI design lingerie sewing patterns for everyday comfort and feminine style in an inclusive size range. Fill up your underwear drawer with beautiful custom-made bras and panties in your favorite fabrics and trims, designed to fit your body. Categories
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