I really don’t know how to make bras
I don’t know why (if I did I’m sure I wouldn’t feel so entirely defeated, lol) but I do not get bra making. I find this particularly frustrating bc I’ve made swim tops well enough and aren’t they kind of bras?
I would really like to get a handle on bras. I’ve not got significant boobs, but what I do have I prefer to have supported. Bra stores haven’t been a pleasant experience since weaning the children and relearning the fit and styled I need (more supportive than pre-children, thank you) with store keepers who seem shocked someone 32B ish measurements would… want a bra. hilariously, so far the best non-soft-unstructured bralette fit I’ve gotten is a wireless Dita Von Teese Madame X that’s extremely cute but boy!! Doesn’t feel like the practical everyday option!
On the make it myself front, my first experiment was technically a nursing/ballet bra that I have no real complains about (the band has now loosedned a bit much), but it barely feels like it counts. My first “real” attempt was with a non stretch bandeau style from the 40s, which was really compressing and has lost bottom band support way too much over time. Then a very cute but very un-fun experience with the madalynne Barrett bralette (instructions were wordy and unclear without helpful drawings, etc). Then a break, and recently I tried a test sew for bratobe which might work with some tweaks, but was overly compressive for me and maybe too narrow set. And now the Euler bralette, which I also had a not great time with. I don’t feel like I can ever try wired bras if the experience is always off in the simpler format!
Annnnyway with that preamble. The fabric i chose for this wasn’t great- the stretch lace of thrift provenance has been springing bits of elastic since the third wash. Not that I thought it would be great, as, beaten down by my bra failures, I decided to keep this on the cheap-not-special-fabrics side of things. The top is that mystery lace and the lining is a fun black with raised gold stripes thing (I put the raised gold on interior, so my skin is only experiencing softness).
The notions are from a bramakerssupply kit purchsed locally. All good stuff - but the first place I felt out of my depth was in choosing a bottom band elastic. I used the one from the kit that was neither picot(ish) nor bra strap, but it’s very narrow and firm… a wider band would be significantly more comfortable for me, I suspect for the back closure, I had to cut one of the closures in half to be small enough (single hook and eye) and do a little satin stitch zig zag at the end to close it up. Surprisingly this finish is not at all a place I’m dissatisfied with!
Then I got into the instructions, and on step two…. choosing your size, I found myself a bit mystified. There’s discussion of cup sizes, this bra being designed for b-cups but accommodating d-cups, and going up or down a size but… my interpretation of cup sizes (ignoring dressmaker’s here for a minute) is that a 6” differential between full bust and underbust (as shown as the standard in the size chart for the medium) is that that is a DDD/F. So where does that leave me, a person with a ~3” differential? I made a small cup and medium back - not sure how I feel about the cup size, so I guess it’s fine, but the band was way too big and I removed quite a chunk. Better than too short!
Instructions were more or less fine. Helpful diagrams! But: I truuuuly dislike being told to “stay calm” or other such emotional judgments in the middle of instructions, Reads as quite patronizing and honestly, if your instructions are clear then the maker shouldn’t need to stay calm. They can just follow the instructions. This only happened once, but ugh anyway.
Now that it’s made it’s in rotation but I don’t want to wear it much. The shoulder straps feel awfully long for me, which is something I need to fix next time. The band is firm, but it’s so narrow (i dunno why i thought it would be ok) that it’s distinctly uncomfortable. The cups are OK but i think they might be a bit big. And that shitty mystery lace? Springing elastics all over the place. Hairy lil broken elastics. It sucks!
So lots of mistakes made, still not sold but persisting with bramaking, probably. I would really like to get this figured out then make the modified version with the halter neck view at some point.
Measurements: 34 full bust, 31 underbust
Size made: M band, S cups
Pattern: Euler Bralette by Sophie Hines
Fabric/notions: horrible mystery stretch lace (thrifted), black and gold mesh (thrifted), pink elastic kit - bra makers supply, rando all purpose orange-redish thread
Next time: shorter straps. try XS cups, S band? wider band elastics.
