Hi my darlings,
Today I bring you another Classic Full Band Bra from Bra-makers Supplies. The design of this bra was inspired by the Craftsy bra making class. I made the bra in sheer cup lining with a black lace inset.
For the size, I followed your advice in the comments to my lavender bra post and increased the band size as well as the cup size going, from a 42-E to a 44-F with its corresponding wire size.
I drafted a power bar, intended to direct the breast tissue forward, by drafting the cup pieces without seams and aligning them along the side and tilting them a little bit inwards towards the center of the cup as illustrated below. I then drew the power bar as indicated by the blue shaded area. I added the 1/4″ seams to the new piece. 
I also added a little piece of boning at the side seam of the band, which you can see in the pictures below. Here’s the result:
Interestingly, being able to see the shadow of the edge of my breast made me think that the wire was a bit large for my breasts. When I asked Beverly about it she advised me to use the wire size I normally use. After changing the wire, here is the final version.
Et voilà!
I am in LOVE <3!! I feel so sexy!! Making bras is the best thing ever!!
The bridge is now flat against my breastbone. Wearing this bra feels comfortable, although the band is still a tad tight. I compared the band size to one of my favourite RTW bras and I found that adding ~0.5″ to each side will do the trick.
Also, seems like the curve of my breast is not completely followed by the wire, and there is something of a flat/unfilled gap between them. I think for the next bra, I will split the bottom cup and curve the new seam to enable the breast to fill this region.
In the mean time, I will be dreaming of new colors and styles!
What do you think? How do you like it? Are there any designs that you loved and tried to reproduce? Do you feel sexy wearing the bras you make?
That’s it for today folks, thanks for reading!!
I leave you with a very interesting TED talk on how your body language shapes what you are. I think it is interesting, and I hope you like it.
Have a great weekend!
❤ M
mexicanpink 
You did an awesome job on this bra! You are smokin!
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Thanks! 🙂
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It’s looking really great, well done!!! 🙂
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Thanks Christina! 🙂
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❤
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Thank you my darling! 🙂
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Sooooooo incredibly well done!!!!!!! I love it. Thanks also for including your thought process as you figured things out😀 totally helps. When I get back from the big trip I’m about to take I’m totally getting back into bra making! (& thanks for the inspiration!!)
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Thanks Pam! 🙂 I’m glad you find it helpful!
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Wow! So happy to have discovered your blog. What a lovely bra, and more importantly it looks like it fits great. I think I have to take this Crafty class now.
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Welcome Donna, I’m glad you like visiting! 😉
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Meow! You did such a great job Monsie. The hubby must be pleased 😉
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Hehehe! I get to model it every time!!! 😉
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Ha! I know that TED talk! I loved it! And ever since I saw it I make myself even taller, when I feel I need it! 🙂 Have you seen the one from Brene Brown? I bought her books right after I’d seen it, and they’ve helped me a lot!
To your bra: I really like it! It looks like it fits you very well and I like the colors, I think you look really sexy in it! 🙂
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Hi Kat,
That’s right, it is very interesting! the way in which our body language has a significant effect on the outcome of a situation and how doing excercises like the superhereo pose can makes us feel more confident and we perform significantly better at a task. I also practice some of her advice when I feel I need it. I have watched Brene Brwon’s talk. Her research is very interesting and it makes a lot of sense that we are more confident and complete when we embrace our vulnerability. Did you know that she has another TED talk? http://on.ted.com/Brown2012
I haven’t read her books though, I would love to.
Sewing has actually helped me embrace my physical “defects”. It is interesting how I have started to see myself through my own eyes and recognized that i am beautiful the way I am and I don’t need to change to be better.
🙂
Thanks for your comment.
❤
M
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That bra is gorgeous and just looking at your smile I know you thrilled by the fit. I have a bra pattern over here and I hope to sew one soon so I can master this skill has well. You definitely got it going on.
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Hi Sbrina,
If this is your first trial, I would definitely recommend getting a kit with the materials and follow good instruction. I have a post on what I used to start here: https://monserrattlopez.wordpress.com/2015/05/30/the-lavander-bra-with-a-pop-of-pink/
I hope it helps! 🙂
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Your comment also reminded me about this talk from Onora O’neil on turustworthyness and vulnerability.
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You made a very pretty, sexy black bra! The smaller wire was indeed much better. The original in the Craftsy video was a Wacaol RTW I believe. I have to cut a curve at the center front bottom of the bridge to deal with my tummy shelf – it helps my band fit better, too.
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Cool! 🙂 thanks for your comment L. Do you think I should curve the center front bottom as well?
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I think it would suit your shape and may help lessen the too-tight feeling of the band. I also give you Kudos for modeling your bras!
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Awesome!! I’m trying it on my next one! 😉
Making bras is so addictive!!
I’m making the bravo2 now! I’ll include this alteration.
Thanks for all your help with the fitting issues, it really has helped me lots! 🙂
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You’re amazing! It looks so amazing on you! I am so stoked that you model your bras, too. You’re wonderful. I don’t think I could do it on my blog, but you did inspire me to share a picture of me in bra to a facebook group on bramaking. 😀 I got lots of great compliments. 🙂 Adore you!
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Aww Andie,
That’s great!! Thanks for your comment. I’m really happy for you!! 🙂
You know, on my first bra post I was unsure about sharing the full picutres, but I commented it with David and he said I should be proud I was able to make such a beautiful and useful thing for myself. He is really supportive about it, and he is right!
Doing making bras and modeling them has increased my confidence. I realize I am beautiful to my eyes and that I don’t need to change to be better! 🙂
It has been a great experience! 🙂
M
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It’s so true. You are beautiful just as you are. ❤ It's so wonderful having a supportive partner that thinks that. Definitely boosts the confidence, too. 🙂
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You are very beautiful too my darling, you are sexy and caring and loving. You deserve to feel that way about yourself. You deserve to be happy the way you are. It is only up to us to really believe this about ourselves.
Good luck with all going on in your life right now!
I am inpatient for the updates!
M
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❤ So much love to you!
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You’re such an inspiration! Va va voom!!! 😉
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You’re a love Tanya, thanks for visiting! 🙂
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You look brilliant! I can’t believe that’s your second bra! I’m about your size, so you’ve given me hope that it won’t take me too many efforts to get the fit right when I get started (after vacation). 🙂
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Awesome!!! I would love to see what you make! 🙂
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I like this, your smile, great job.
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Great work! Excellent copy of the bra the fit model is wearing in the Craftsy class. I’d like to copy it too. Would you mind sharing a bit of info on your construction? Did you use a stretch lace? purchased from Bramakers? And is the black lace one piece over the sheer? Or did you put a seam in the lace? I’m looking closer now…maybe it is two pieces sewn into the diagonal seam?
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Hi bronxbohemian,
Sorry for the delay in replying and thanks for the complements on the bra.
I would love to share the construction details in case you want to reproduce it.
1) I used woven lace from bra makers supplies. I have previously tried to mix the Duoplex, a non stretchy fabric usually used for bra cups, and stretchy lace with not satisfactory results, so I don’t recommend to do that. If you want the cups of your bra to be supportive, use not stretchy fabrics for the lining and the lace.
2) There is a seam in the lace. I cut two pieces of the lace fabric one for the lower cup and one for the upper cup. I then glued the two pieces (net and lace) of the upper cup together using a glue stick and repeated the same process for the lower cup. Finally I sewed the upper cup and the lower cup together as you would normally do with the single pieces.
I hope this helps! 🙂
M
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Monserratt, Thank you for sharing your construction details. Wow, I would not have guessed the lace and net are glued together. Clever! And your tip to use non stretchy lace is very helpful. I had ordered a Trio from Bra Makers which is Duoplex, Lace and Power Net. The lace is stretchy. I am surprised that they would sell a stretch lace in the fabric kit instead of non stretchy when Beverly emphasizes using fabrics with minimal stretch. I think I’ll also direct my concern to her or the staff and how to best handle the stretch lace. I hope you’re still making bras! All the best to you, ++BB.
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Hi bronxbohemian,
I’m glad my reply brought you some insights. Let me know if Beverly replies to you. I didn’t know they sold those trios with stretchy lace.
Although my energies are a bit low at the moment, I have some bra making plans for this month, specially since the curvy sewing colective is hosting the lingerie month during February.
Exciting! 🙂
M
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Dear M,
I thought I’d circle back about the trio pack at Bra Makers. I called their Canada location and was told that the trios are meant for use with foam cup bra styles — that’s the reason for the stretch lace. And to use a sheer bra cup lining fabric or stabilizer for bra styles that require a rigid or non stretch lace. So there you have it. Putting my stretch lace aside until I get the sheer cup lining or I can just make some underwear! Beverly released a new Craftsy class…she will discuss how the black & white bra was made that you copied so brilliantly!! A lot of questions about the fit model’s bra appeared in the discussion questions.
Hope you’re enjoying bra making with the curvy sewing collective…thanx for mentioning…I’ve been checking out some of the articles.
++Bronx Bohemian
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Hi BB,
Good to hear back from you. Sorry for the delay in my reply!
I got the last couple of classess by Beverly and I’m so very excited to start to wach them. Maybe I will make a swimsuit for next summer. We’ll see how that goes.
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