Posted in Sewing

This Shouldn’t Be This Difficult

Posted on by debthumanblog

All I want is a bra that’s pretty, fits, doesn’t poke me, and the straps stay up. I had no idea how hard it would be to achieve that.

I stopped counting the number of bras I made so I could tweak the fit at 7 bras. It’s too depressing to count higher than that. Cups too big. Cups too small. Bridge too narrow. I have a copy of The Bra Makers Manual and kept checking to see what I was doing wrong. I came across instructions on how to turn a back closure bra into a front closure bra. And so I followed the directions, increased the width of the bridge, and tried again to have a bra that fits. Being discouraged from all the attempts that didn’t fit, I was in no hurry to finish this bra. I’m pretty sure another failure would be the last attempt.  

I wanted to line the bra so I wouldn’t have raw seams. A friend was downsizing and sent me all of her sheer fabric. I thought one of the sheers would be perfect for lining the bra. It wasn’t. I had a horrible time sewing the parts together in sheer fabric. The threads pulled and gathered the seams. I switched to hand basting. When it came time to attach the channel for the under wire, I attempted to tack the lining to the bra cups. Except the sheers had gathered enough that I couldn’t. I had already sewn the lining to the edges of the bra and attached the elastic to the bottom of the band. The only option was to cut the lining out. And so I did.

I attached the under wire channel and inserted the under wire and discovered I had cut the channel too short.  I had to add about an inch of channel to one end on each cup.

I bought hooks and eyes for the front closure and wondered why anyone would buy hook and eye tape. When I was sewing the hooks and eyes to the bra, I discovered why. Sewing individual hooks and eyes is a PITA.

I attached the straps to the back of the bra and pinned the other end of the straps to the front of the bra. I attempted to put the bra on. It was too small and wouldn’t stretch. I wondered what I did wrong. I didn’t do anything wrong. In order to sew the elastic to the power net without stretching the power net, I put a strip of water-soluble stabilizer behind the power net. I hadn’t washed out the stabilizer, and the stabilizer was keeping the power net from stretching. At the moment, the bra is on the line drying.

My online store, Deb Thuman Art is here: http://www.DebThumanArt.com

I’m linking with Nina Marie here: https://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

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Author:

I retired from the Public Defender Dept. November 12, 2015 after 16 health destroying years. Now, I'm a full time multi-media artist and writer on a new adventure. As an artist, I create with beads, fabric, fiber, and ceramic clay. Sometimes separately; sometimes in assorted combinations. You can find my on-line store at: www.debthumanart.com.

2 thoughts on “This Shouldn’t Be This Difficult”

  1. You are so brave, I have been sewing for years and never got the guts to tackle undergarments. Bravo, you made it beautiful and very professional looking. I used to go to an intimates shop where you would pick out a bra and they would check fit and tailor it to your shape. I bet there is a youtube video for just this!

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  2. I share your frustration read every blog just about. Watched countless videos. I’m busy with a test bra using Porceynnes pattern from her book. Sewing is easy fit is difficult. My poor husband keeps getting ask to check photograph so I can see it. Don’t have a sewing buddy. Changed wires I one I’m wearing pug classic. Better than my RTW ones which are falling apart. Have a gap between lower cup and wire. Now I have to figure what to change.

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