I’m in a stage in my bra making where I’m sewing as many styles before finding my own. I started with Bra Makers Pin Up Girls, Orange Lingerie’s Malborough as well as my own, self-drafted bra. All were underwired and being the “traditional” silhouette, gave me a great set of foundation skills. I recently moved to soft bras such as Cloth Habit’s Watson and Merckwaerdigh BSH10. Between the two – soft and underwire – I wear soft most often and I see myself going in this direction. Since I’m small chested, I don’t need the support of underwires. I also like how brands such as Negative Underwear, Fortnight Lingerie and Elma Shop are proving that underwear doesn’t have to be va-va voom. Simple and natural is beautiful.
Soft bras also celebrate who I am, rather than “pushing” me into something I’m not. I’ve got small boobs. So did Audrey Hepburn.
Because making lingerie involves a lot of little bits and bobs, I broke it down to make it easier to follow. Let me know if you like this format!
Fabric:
Center front and side front: stretch, scalloped lace (gifted from Katy & Laney), matte jersey (Jack B. Fabrics) underlined with power net (Fleishman Fabrics). Used temporary spray adhesive to spray baste fabrics together.
Back band: stretch scalloped lace (gifted from Katy & Laney) underlined with a power net (Fleishman Fabrics) Used temporary spray adhesive to spray baste fabrics together.
Matte jersey is a smooth fabric that is wrinkle resistant and fast-drying. It is very versatile and I’ve mostly seen it in evening wear and high end t-shirts. Normally, I wouldn’t think to use this fabric for a bra. It’s very stretchy and would not be supportive enough. I was a hypnotized by its smooth-as-buttah hand while fabric shopping. We’ve all been there. Also, the store didn’t have the spandex I intended to buy. I made it work by underlining it with a layer of power net. Without the power net, the bra wouldn’t have worked.
Trims: All trims were sourced from Bra Makers Supply:
1/4″ picot elastic at neck
½” plush/picot elastic at the underarm
¾” strap elastic
¾” rings and sliders
Cutting: Lining up the lace pattern at the princess seams was the most difficult part. First, I placed the most dominant pattern at the center front and made sure that the top of the scallop was higher than my bust point. It’s more flattering. I spray basted the lace to the matte jersey/power net and then repeated the process for the side fronts, lining up the patterns at the princess seam.
Construction: Construction was simple. I used a 3-thread overlock to sew all seams. Next time, I’ll attach the bottom band with a small zigzag instead. The overlock was bulky, which made it very difficult to attach the elastic. I ended up not using elastic and pressed the seam allowance up and top stitched with a zigzag. On my next version, I’ll definitely need elastic for it to feel snug at the ribcage.
Pattern: Evolution of the Kitri Bra. Changed the back band to be racerback and smoothed the underarm curve. Before, the underarm intersected the center front piece at a sharp angle.
Resources: Some of my favorite Etsy shops that sell handmade soft bras are Elma Shop, Upside Down Kisses, Tatianas Threads, Egretta Garzetta and Luva Huva.
Overview: High-waisted undies with angled, lace side panels
Fabric:
Center front: matte jersey (Jack B. Fabrics) underlined with power net (Fleishman Fabrics). Used temporary spray adhesive to spary baste fabrics together.
Side panels: stretch scalloped lace (gifted from Katy & Laney)
Although I wouldnt normally use matte jersey for a bra, its a great option for undies. It has a super smooth and soft hand.
Trims: All trims were sourced from Bra Makers Supply:
1/4″ picot elastic at waist, which is the same trim at the neck opening of the bra
1/4″ plush/picot elastic at leg opening
Construction: Because the width of the lace was not wide enough for the side panels to be cut in one piece, I added a side seam. I used a temporary adhesive to spray baste the lace over the front and back pieces, which made sewing much easier.
Pattern: Based on my undie pattern block. Altered into this pattern by adding angled seams on front and back.
I’m still working on my bra wardrobe and I’ve updated it to be simpler. Simple has become my middle name! Nina Warner will go in the soft bra category, which is in light blue below. Still on the to-do list is a sports bra and a thong, which is in orange below. Not many sewing bloggers have made/talked about thongs (correct me if I’m wrong), but I wear them as much as full coverage undies. I hate VPLs, so if I’m going to create an entirely handmade lingerie wardrobe, I’ve got to get cracking on them stat. I’m working on perfecting a pattern – Merckweardigh SS1 – as well as another soft bra to go with it – Merckwaerdigh BSH10 and. After, I’ll move onto a sports bra and a bodysuit. Melissa was so kind and suggested a pattern and construction tips. Thanks lady!
To end, this bra is a go-to, casual bra that I LOVE. How many women can say that about a standard, white bra? There needs to be more of that available (and sewn) today.