Miss Celie

Again With the Rebecca Bra

Argh. As I suspected in my last bra post, I did in fact trace and sew the wrong size bra. I made a 70F when I should have started with a 70G. Boooo! In fairness, different websites put me in different European size bras.

I was suspicious because I didn’t have the coverage I wanted. When I went to compare pattern pieces, I saw I wrote ’70F’ on the pattern. Doh!

I also added an uneeded seam allowance to the bridge. This made the bridge way wide. So, my hot pink muslin really was just a muslin. In addition, I didn’t have enough coverage in this version because it was an F cup.

For my second go- round I sewed the bra in Summerset’s Twilight Blue. I’m putting peer pressure on her for a deep chocolate brown. It’s the only color I can wear under light colored tops.

The color is beautiful. I was hoping to use a lesser loved color of the 5+ kits I own, but there isn’t one. I really quite like them all!

If you can belive it, I made this bra from trace  to finish on Friday night while watching My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and Say  Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss. I started around 7 or 8 p.m. and even stopped to mix up a mojito and have my Friday night phone date with Trena. We talk most nights, but we have a standing Friday Night Phone Date. I looked at the clock when I was done and it was just after midnight. So, yes. It’s possible to sew a bra in four hours.

My techniques were better on this version. And I’m quite proud of my finishing.

But, it’s still not sewn totally correct. I have a few mistakes and several tweaks I still need to make.

The back is riding up. And, I think it’s because the band is still too big on me. This is not a new problem!

When I in college I wore a 36 band. I went down to a 34 two years ago and was sized into a 32 recently. All this despite weighing 15 lbs more than I did when I was wearing a 36!

My cup runneth over in the hot pink F cup. But, it’s not quite snug enough in the G. I accidentally stretched out the lace during pressing and fitting. But, I have made a slight adjustment to the upper bust pattern (taking out 1/8 – 1/4 inch). Hopefully that will work.

I’m also reducing the width of the bridge by 1/4 inch. Not quite sure how to address the band. But, I’m going to post on the lingerie sew along blog with photos on my persons. Hopefully I can get some feedback. Oh, I also need to reposition the bands. I kind of have narrow shoulders and forget that this is why I don’t like spaghetti straps!

There’s a bra making class in Baltimore this October. If I can’t get the hang of this in my next two, I’ll sign up for it. But, I’m really pretty happy with this!

32 comments

  1. Every time I see on of Sigrid’s incredible bras I want to succumb to the challenge sewing my own bras. It is not one of those things you can fit as you sew, so lots of work before you get one that fits perfectly. I hope that you are transferring these changes to your pattern so you can get to a tnt version. As for the band being loose, I regularly have taken in my dd’s bra bands. She is really a 30 D and even a 32 is hard to find, so I remove the hooks on both sides and take in an even amount and resew the hook and bar pieces. Is it wearable? because it is certainly pretty.

    • Thanks for the tip Nancy. Yes. It’s absolutely wearable! I’m going to wear it today and see how it holds up. I’m really excited. I seriously don’t have *any* pretty bras.

  2. Looks great! They’re beautiful and nice to see how these kits look when someone besides myself makes them up!

  3. Your bras are beautiful! I might have to try the tip on taking in the band for my daughter too – she is a 32 C/D which are very difficult to find especially on a college student budget. Good luck on perfecting the fit.

  4. “When I in college I wore a 36 band. I went down to a 34 two years ago and was sized into a 32 recently. All this despite weighing 15 lbs more than I did when I was wearing a 36!”

    It may be normal body weight redistribution. *Sigh.*

    Thanks very much for these posts. Making a bra is something I want to explore some day.

  5. The bra is lovely and quite impressive!. Bra making seems like a scary, scary task so I haven’t tried it yet, but I am a non-standard size and shopping for bras is a nightmare. GL with bras #3.

  6. The color is beautiful. Only 4 hrs to make it? I spend that much time driving to the mall and trying on dozens to find one that kinda fits well enough to buy. I may need to try making one.

  7. Wow, people across the globe are getting me interested in sewing bras. I can buy bras that fit me quite nicely (thank you, Wacoal) but the chance to sew up these ravishing lace and color combinations is what is attracting me the most. I can certainly see why you would have a hard time deciding which kit to sew next.

  8. That is just GOR-geous. And I love that you stopped to mix up a mojito and have a phone date. 🙂

  9. Wow- that looks great! I am so impressed with your results! I, too, am intimidated by the idea of sewing a bra.

  11. I know you are tinkering with fit but all of your bras look storebought which is part of the battle sewing bras. Too bad about the pink one. It is so pretty.

  12. What a beautiful bra! I hope it fits well and that you can adjust the band relatively easily.

    You can dye your own bra notions with Rit even. Just find white poly or nylon fabrics and pieces, plunk them in a bowl, and dye 🙂

  14. Would you mind pointing me in the direction of the lingerie sewing blog? My google mojo isn’t working…

  15. Bra fitting — arrrrrgh! I made bras years ago when my bust was considerably smaller (talk about weight distribution and age!). Neither fit nor support were much of an issue then. Both are big deals now.

    Your bras are so beautiful, though, that I’m slavering at the thought of maybe trying again. I seriously hate the only commercial ones I’ve found that I can stand to wear.

  16. Blogger and I haven’t been getting along lately so I couldn’t leave this comment on the lingerie site although it’s based on seeing the bra on.

    My solution was to sew a D cup except for the lower cup. It’s a C height and a D width. On me, that got rid of the flat space under the breast. I also narrowed my bridge considerably. The wire casings overlap at the top. This brought everything in and up which seems to be what you’re working on in part. Hope that helps.

    Keep going. Bras are a LOT of fun to make and a great use for scraps. I read a really good write-up with some great tips on Sew Tawdry the other day. Here’s the link – http://sewtawdry.blogspot.com/2011/06/bravo.html

  17. It looks fantastic, even though it’s tricky to size right until you get the hang of it. I hope you sign up for that bra making class.

  18. Beautiful Cidell. You should be very proud of yourself with this result. The inside looks good as well! I’m sure you’ll get the right fit in the next one. Keep going!

  20. Simply gorgeous! You can be quite proud to have such beautiful results so quickly. I’m totally impressed! So glad I could be of assistance in getting you started…

  22. I think you’re doing a great job! This is one of my long range goals~ to make me at least one bra, and one panty. I’ll keep watching!

  24. What a beautiful bra. You just might push me over the edge into giving this a go myself. I suspect that I’m smaller than a 32, and with a petite frame, there’s always too much distance between the shoulder and the bust point on RTW bras. The combo of a small band size and a large cup, there’s one bra that fits me that I can buy, but I think I could do better with fit if I really tried.

    There’s a lady who teaches a bra making class near me too, but it’s $200, and her pattern looks wimpy and sad. ;(

  25. Your band may be too big. But also, your band may not have ‘the hook’ from Beverly Johnson (I think Rebecca doesn’t). That has made a -huge- difference for me, who tends to have ride-up. In fact, when I examined my favorite Wacoals, I found that they have the hook..

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