BERNINA Corporate Blog -Welcome back. This week we will actually assemble our bra for which I guess you have already gathered your supplies by now. If you want to read part one again just click here.
Assembling your Bra
Lay out all the pieces you need. This way you don’t get confused along the way…
You start by assembling your cup. I used a walking foot which keeps the fabric from slipping too much. But it will work without one as well, don’t worry.
Attach the straps to the cups and topstitch both seam allowances to the cups.
Sew in your cups… it looks difficult, but it’s actually very easy. Trust me.
Sew in your underwire casing. Only attach it to the seam allowance of the cup.
This is what it looks like. The casings should be longer than the seams. So: Do as I say and not as I do…
Topstitch the underwire casing from the right side of the bra.
Your bra should look something like this now… Repeat these steps for the underarm and neckline section. On the neckline section you could also use some trim that you like but it should be stretchy for comfort.
Before you sew on your strap elastic make sure your band fits into your hook and eyes. If not – don’t panic you can just trim it off in a slight curve.
… the other side will be sewn on to the cup strap with a regular straight stitch.
Attach the hook and eyes being careful not to sew over the metallic pieces. For this you would use a zigzag and if you have it use the satin stitch of your machine. It will make your bra look like RTW.
Aaaaand your done! Trim the ends off and add some embellishments to your taste.
And my personal recommendation: Do a small debriefing and take notes. What went wrong? What went well? Which stitches did you use? What do you want to practice, etc.? You can read more about this topic on my blog.
Adjusting the fit
For the fit of this pattern (The Classic Bra by Pinup Girls, Beverly Johnson) I needed to make the following adjustments:
- shorten the band by one inch (2.5cm)
- choose a different underwire that is shorter at the ends (at side of armpits)
- take width out of the bridge, 1/4 inch in total, so I shave of 1/8 inch (3mm) of the pattern piece. It will make a huge difference
- reducing the curve of the lower cup about 1/8 inch (3mm) for personal preference. Take out a small wedge on the upper cup pattern piece (about 1/4 inch, 6mm)
From top to bottom: back band (reduced length), lower cup (shaved of some of the top to make it look less perky), upper cup (shaved of a little from the bottom and took out a wedge at the top)
It sounds like a lot, but to be honest with the first band adjustment the fit is already better than what I get in RTW. What you need to bear in mind if you want to make adjustments, is that you should go about them by starting with the band, then the straps (e.g. if they fall off your shoulders) and then the cups. Most adjustments can be solved without even touching the cups. Mine are made purely for preference and I think because my cups (lycra) do not have lining they are still too stretchy for this design.
If I had chosen a more stable material I think I would have gotten away without having to do any adjustments. For this test bra however, I just shortened the band by folding it over and now it’s perfectly wearable. The next one will be spot on though…
This is the first fitting. Now imagine you were to pull on the back band slightly you can already get a good idea about how the soft wrinkles will disappear…
Again you guys this is just an intro to get more sewing people to sew their own bras. Let me know if you’d like any more infos on certain aspects. I am thinking about doing something similar as the very talented Emerald Erin did: Sew a bra every week for a certain amount of time. Because I feel the urge to practice and perfect this.
After all, it’s the garment closest to us women and we wear it every day… Why not put a little more effort into it?
… just a muslin but still pretty!
I have no experience sewing but i need to make my own bikini top as they dont sell my size due to being bigger than a k cup but only 32 band size. I need an underwired one, would this work to make a bikini?
Hi Raven
Yes, the techniques are the same. However, you might like to change the bra elastic for swimwear elastic. It’s more durable if you’re planning to use it in salt or chlorine water. Also, definitely use swimwear fabrics. They will dry faster and not keep you wet and freezing all afternoon. Make sure the wires are not “bare” but nylon-coated (most wires that you buy will be coated/white and are ok) otherwise they might rust. Wishing you all the best for this endeavor!
Nadine
Hi I have a fractured vertebre, my bra hurts my back I need to make my own bra, do you have a bra pattern?. thank you
Hi Margaret
First of all, I hope you get well soon. I would ask your physician what kind of bra would aleviate your pain.
Generally I recommend checking the fold line database online. They have a database for most patterns (indie and commercial). With your doctor‘s recommendation and the database you may just find the perfect pattern for you.
nadine