Defying Gravity. One bra at a time.

Bras.  Now there's a thousand dollar subject.  The cost of them, the shape of them, of the fit of them . . . last ready to wear bra I bought set me back just shy of a hundred bucks.  Yea, a bill man . . . And, to make it even better it was just okay.  Like every other bra I've ever owned it was comfortable for about two wearings and then the real personality appeared.  Yea.  Every woman knows that pain.  Wires digging into you, cutting into the chest bone, or . . . the dreaded jiggle and gap at the cup top.  Okay, the other side . . . spillage.  There's a classy, sexy image.    

Any woman will admit--though many will need a bourbon or two to really say it--that a favorite bra, one that fits will get worn until it stinks. You know what I mean. Years later, no amount of soap gets the sweat smell out. Yea. The bra. It's like a woman's inside arm. Of course, 99 percent of bras make us want to rage, pull our hair out, and drink bourbon from the bottle with a straw. Then...then there is shopping and all those push up bras putting the girls in an unnatural territory of nestling below our chins. WTF, males of the world. That is not natural or comfortable. 

Well, I can unabashedly say I NEVER have to go bra shopping again.  Ever.  That, right there, is a reason everyone should learn to sew.  Seriously . . . those lights, those chipper girls pushing a push up on you, with padding, as if your RTW size of a DD needs padding.  Nope.  There's a beautiful thing called seams, top stitching, and comfort to make a bra.  In that regard I've got two that are now TNT bras, and rather than do a run down of each I've got a blathering love of both and comparison today.  This one is a little long, lots of pictures.  Fair warning.  

I never have to go bra shopping again. 

And with that I give you my first bra.  

Everything a first one should be: fitted and slutty.  Red and black (the camera keeps making it pink.  It's red, trust me).  

That is the Marlborough Bra in part of a kit from Grey's Fabric.  When I thought, "hey, I'll make bras" I bought two versions of red and black (saying I'd mix and match to get one black and one slutty red and black.  Of course, read on and you'll find that I never follow a kit or directions . . . all to fabulous results.  Of course, I then let them sit on my shelf for two months from sheer terror.  Yea.  I was afraid of getting in a fitting hell.  Keep reading though. 

And why kits . . . note above how I was scared.  Also  . . .as you see I never really follow a kit.   

On this one, I didn't turn the elastic under, as I was going for a quick(ish) run to see if it fit and if I liked it.  Considering I wore it for three days straight . . . you tell me? 

Seriously, defies gravity and feels like a couple of well placed, strong hands cradling the girls.  Ahhh.  Who the hell knew a bra wasn't supposed to hurt? Also, bras aren't supposed to wrinkle, gap, or cut into you.  This one does none of that.  

Size: 38 D is what I cut. Ahhhh. The assaulting double D is no longer there. The girls are still just as busty. But...they are now a more socially pleasant size of one letter. Yea, fuck you rtw and your arbitrary sizes. Wire size is a 40.

I have no warps, wrinkles, or . . . Spillage. We all know from those foam bras the crisis of either having a bra lip up top from either our flesh flowing over or the bra not curving properly. So...I got the perfect fit on this one. 

No, I won't model for you. I teach college by day, have an active professional career, maneuver harassment in the city streets, from hormonal 20-something's, and. . . . So yea.  No. And, my Momma reads this blog pretty closely. She lost her pacemaker a few months back, and she's finally on the mend to try out another one. In some ways, the shocks of me might be why the first one crapped out so let's not ruffle those waters right now. 

Though, I forget to close the curtains more times than not . . . so, if you're on my block you can most likely see from time to time.  Yea, I'm one of those urban neighbors.  

No. 2: Practical black, with some lace and lace.  

 

I know...everyone wants to know what alterations I made. Um. None. I lucked out, and this bad boy fit me like cheese to macaroni, peanut butter to jelly, and kismet on a sunny day in July. Of course, I should note that if you make this and need a tuck or need a larger power bar for your shape . . . cutting a larger piece with smaller ones would suffice.  The three part cup works well, and it is due to this design that the bra has shape.  No foam needed, as your seams create structure.  

Notice: I double top stitched this one. Why? Fits like a good, strong man's hand on the girls. Went for the gold. The lace is stretch lace, but as you will see you can use stretch or solid on the cups.  If you use stretch line that top panel.  The pattern calls for scallop . . . I trimmed this one with decorative black elastic.  This black bra is a little gem I tell ya.  

And . . . no. 3: Women's Lib.  Hot pink and white . . . another Grey's kit that I didn't follow the rules on.  I have oodles of that stable hot pink lace, and opted for hot pink and white verses pale pink and white . . . Of course, this means of the two ready to wear bras I have left one is a nasty white one.  The other: a strapless.  

No, I won't show you the ready to wear . . . they are in some sorry shape, and  . . . yea, no.  

On this one I stabilized the top cups with clear elastic and of course I lined the lace part.  Didn't have to, but I like it better.  Makes it a little firmer . . . not a lot, but just enough.  

A run down, of the beauty...

No. 4: a Princess Pretty. Also known as the most tame, neutral bra I've got. 

Pink lace, from a Grey's kit. Ivory from a Sweet Cups kit. If you get a Sweet Cups kit note that you need extra strap elastic.  She only includes half a meter.  You need a full on meter (or yard and a quarter for Americans ;)).

Seriously, this is about as neutral as I get. But, isn't this one just cute as all get out?! Seriously, it's like a cupcake for my boobs. 

Dude.  Google search words have fun with that.  Too late. 

This one has a heavier mesh on the band . . . eh, it is heavy enough to warrant a half an inch increase, but on that same note I'm wearing it now and it loves me.  

What's the secret to bras? Tension.  The elastic should be pulled slightly taught, not tight, when stitching it.  I think of it like this: those jeans in the back of the closet.  On the dreaded fat days they are too tight.  On most days they are snug as a bug.  On a skinny day that are snug and eating the ice cream cone will pop the button.  On a really skinny day they slide on like a commercial for Hanes briefs.  Your elastic should stretch like the Hanes commercial.  I measure mine out before sewing, adding an inch to each end (just to handle it), and then for my band the stretch is about one inch.  "Tis my rule of thumb, so to speak.  

Make a few pairs of knickers . . . practice your tension on those if you don't want to risk screwing up a bra.  

A shitty photo of matching parts.  My favorite pattern, that you can't see here is the Rosy Lady Shorts.  I'm done with the bikinis.  I need to invest in elastic so that I won't be tempted to be cheap and "just make do" with these.  I like these enough, but I like the Rosy's better.  There's more, that I'm not bothering to pull them from the drawer...mostly Rosy shorts. 

So, now that we've got the wires down like a finally tuned Mustang I got lured into the promise of the Watson. Why? Heather nailed it best, sitting at the computer all day with a wire...no thank you. And, seriously...there's something sexy about a '70s style longline...especially for a woman who spends much of her life writing, teaching, and crusading for Women's Lib, rights, and progression. Of course, I'm concluding some writings on the 1970s and launching a new activism project on the '70s and '80s. Ambiance, of sorts. This is light support, so not nearly as firm as my cradle cupping hands of the wires but a nice warp per se.  

Three kits from Merkwaerdigh...about 35 bones each. Ironically, I also sewed these with thread I picked up in Holland last spring.  Full circle, perhaps.  

First: winter Lycra. Yea. Just so ya know, the girls were warm on an arctic walk the other night. 

Of course, this is where we have a fit conversation.  If I'd started with this pattern I'm not sure I'd have as many made . . . why? I love the pattern, but the first one was like "whoooo nilly!"

Pretty, huh? Pre alters . . . FYI, I trimmed all me seams after top stitching.  

Well, when I put her on (as you can only tell a bra fit once it's done) it was like a flashback of every time I've tried on a RTW in this style.   gaps at the underarms, girls hanging out in slings .  . . huge frown on my face.  

Well, beautiful fabric, a few bucks invested, and moxy paved the way.  

First, I darted the sides and top stitched it down, trimming the seams.  

Then, I took in about half an inch on the center cup seam.  Again, stitched, top stitched, and trimmed the seam on the back.  FYI: applique scissors are my BFF.  

 I had her near perfect.  Put her on and a few hours later opted for bra two. Oh, I didn't use the lace in this kit.  I'm sure I'll use it later.  ;)

Sheild your eyes, incoming aircraft alert...or, what a fucking awesome bra. 

Panties to match. Another kit.  

Here, I applied all of my alts (to the pattern), which involved half inch seams on the sides, a half inch center bust seam, and . . . wait for it. . . 

Oh, I also sized down!  The pattern said 40 D.  I sized down to a 38 D, and did these alts . . . hence, I didn't need darts on the sides this time.  

Thatpower bar is three layers: lace, lycra, and the stable fabric.  I really, really like it.  

I still had a little pucker on the cups, so . . . I darted this one, and went back to no one and did the same . . . Perfect fit.  

I scooped out some of the cradle. I cut my pattern on that blue line.

And...hello my favorite lover. 

Oh, yes.  I serged and top stitched this time.  Seriously, when you get the fit down better than a comfortable Sunday morning, you roll in the glory.  

The band is mesh and lace for no real reason other than I could.  Stabalized with some black.  

The pattern comes with bikinis . . . I didn't bother.  Read note above about my love of these.  

Lastly, leftover silk and lace from Amsterdam made two slinky camis.  Pattern: Seamwork Savannah. This one is actually what started the rabbit hole dive into my lingerie drawer. I've been toying with making another Colette cami, toyed with drafting a straight one, and then . . . Voila. I really was a chicken about the whole bra thing . . . then I made the camis, as an excuse to ease into the lingerie drawer.

Easy: XL, as I sized up since I did not cut on the bias.  French seamed. In all fairness, these run large. A large would have sufficed. I took them in a bit.  

Strap sliders in metal. 

Yea. Wear this with the Oslo Cardi, or as I've been . . . A pair of Hudson pants.  Classy . . . nothing says a woman in her late dirty 30s like the image of lounge pants (ahem, sweats), a silk cami, slippers, and  . . .  well, some  kind of chocolate and a glass of wine.  

The above color, purple, is the wall color.  Below: I have no idea what the fuck that is. 

And there you have it . . . bras, the run down.  In case you are wondering: I have one white, one white with teal, one baby blue and white, and a couple more Watson's waiting on me.  Wires take about four hours, Watsons around two . . . point: the next time I want some instant gratification bras are my go to. 

And, yea, I never have to go bra shopping again!