Sewing in Solitude

Crazy month. Wow. Just gonna leave that there.

My most recent endeavours have been focused on the sewing side of things and have started making bras.

I first learned to sew as a child, mom taught me in grade school. Late in high-school and through university I got more into it, particularly on the costuming side. My body wasn’t really shaped right for “real” clothes (and I didn’t know anything about how to adjust patterns and am still pretty limited there), but costumes were more flexible and suited my historical and fantastical interests. As a result I’ve worn regency ballgowns to Midnight Mass, flowing sleeves and laced corset to class, and own 18th century stays.

Why sewing bras? Well, I am a busty lass and have for many years had to purchase very expensive foundation garments. Most of the time they still didn’t fit quite right and the aesthetics were limited vs what is more generally available to the less well endowed. It had been suggested to me before to just make my own, but that seemed overly complicated even for me (and also I was standing on principal that the foundation garment industry should be making foundation garments for women who needed the support, dammit). Earlier this year I was shopping around for new bras and couldn’t find anything that worked for me and naturally the internet – in its ineffable way – started giving me ads for bra making classes. Then I popped an underwire at work and decided I’d had enough. I gave in and went about learning to make bras.

Armed with a couple Craftsy classes on bra making and some kits and pattern from Bra Makers Supply I got started.

My first two projects were wireless Ingrid bras.

Ingrid 1.0

Pattern: The Ingrid Pattern
Fabric: Duoplex and Powernet in Fushia
Findings: The Ingrid Large Findings Kit in Black
Thread: random pulls from Aunt Shirley’s stash
Needles: 75/11 Stretch
Size: 6.0/44″

Notes:
The cup size is great, the band is a bit loose – still supportive but a little too roomy. The patter is great, well written and the pieces went together easily. I did also have her Bra-Making classto refer to; though it wasn’t the same pattern I did find it useful so can’t speak to what it would have been like to not have the additional notes and instruction on bra-making in general. I liked the colour and contrast. The kits were great and had ample supplies for everything. As a larger band size I wasn’t able to get 4 as is suggested for adding support in the pattern, but in my second one I was able to do that by using the leftover pink for the center fronts. There was enough yardage, but the grain/dogs line required an odd arrangement so I had left over from this one.
Verdict: The bra is supportive, better looking that I thought I would make, and the most comfortable bra I had ever worn. As an underwireless bra I was worried about mounding, smooshing, and it looking weird after a period time, but while not separated like underwires, I didn’t get any strange uni-boobing and it looked really good good under both work and casual shirts.
Mods for future: go down a strap size and make the center front seamless.

Ingrid 2.0

Pattern: The Ingrid Pattern
Fabric: Duoplex and Powernet in Teal and with some Fushia left overs
Findings: The Ingrid Large Findings Kit in Fushia
Thread: random pulls from Aunt Shirley’s stash
Needles: 75/11 Stretch
Size: 6.0/42″

Notes: I used left over Fushia powernet for the centre front and Fushia duoplex for the powerbar, rest was in Teal and I did use 2 layers of powernet for the back band. The pink and blue are nice contrast and I like how this one looked. Feels a bit more polished. I was worried it would be too sports-bra-eques but it isn’t. I attached the hook and eye pieces using zig-zag rather than straight stitch.
Verdict: fit and support are still amazing, but where the other one wasn’t exactly loose this one isn’t exactly tight. I will make more of this pattern in lots of colours.
Mods for next time: I might try to split the difference between 42″-44″.

I have now started my third bra and first underwire based one. This will be a Shelley – View 1 with teal and pink lace lined with sheer cup lining, teal findings, with stunning chocolate duoplex and powernet.

Have courage and be kind.

PS. Also, wash your hands and social distancing.