Bra Sewing - My Very First Me-Made Bra! MAYA by AFI Atelier

After MUCH anticipation, my shipment of bra making supplies finally arrived!  Unfortunately, the bra pattern I ordered did not.  What is one to do?  Why search online for a free pattern of course!

Thus, the MAYA Bra Pattern from AFI Atelier

This free bra pattern has an amazing size range - 28AA to 44H (UK)!!

Prior to diving into my precious bra making supplies, I decided to make a muslin or bra toile to check the fit.  There is an excellent trial run bra tutorial at Cloth Habit.  I highly recommend it as I made not one but TWO trial run bras.

As a lingerie sewing novice, I found the instructions that accompanied the Maya bra to be sufficient.  I did some more "research" while I was waiting for the supplies to arrive and felt fairly confident to just dive in.  Mostly the tutorials from Make Bra to supplement the **almost** complete instructions from AFI.

Why 2 bra muslins?  The first one (32F) turned out to be too big in the cups - so I went back to the AFI site and downloaded the 32E.  Since I already had a teeny bit of experience sewing bra cups from the first muslin, I went ahead and made a few changes for round two.  I'm fairly narrow set so I took in the center gore - at lot, lowered center gore and graded the cups to match, and widened the back band to better mirror my favorite bras.

A few key take aways:

- Double up on the lightweight powermesh (likely unnecessary if using regular powermesh)

- shorten band further as it fits like a 34

- slightly too much immediate projection at the wire 

- Shorten underwire as the shortening the center gore also shortened the wire channeling.

Overall, pretty comfy!  Cups fit pretty well - center gore tacks and doesn't jab me in the chest.  This creates more of a "natural" silhouette.  I may make another one - but wireless to use as a sleep bra!

My Induction to Bra Making

BIT OF BACKGROUND:

Have you heard that statistic about most women in the US are wearing the wrong sized bra?  I know I have and systematically discarded it.  

"That's them" I thought. 

I had been measured by the ladies at Nordstroms and tiny lingerie boutiques - all the same size 32D.  Well, that was before I had kids.  After wearing comfy nursing bras for 4 years, my body has changed enough to warrant new bras.  So off to Nordstroms I went - they promptly sized me at 32DD.  After the initial sticker shock wore off and brought the one bra home, I went online in search of similar bras in my new size.  Stumbled upon the Reddit thread A Bra That Fits.  

Oh My!

The knowledge from that one site turned my world upside down. For starters they needed 5 measurements to calculate your size. They addressed shape, volume, how the girls point, where the girls point, which bras worked with which shapes and why.  SO. MUCH. INFORMATION. Where has this been all my life?  Curious, I measured and entered my stats into their calculator fully expecting it to confirm my 32DD status.  Surely their calculator will be THE most accurate since it requires more data.  My analytical side was kicking in. OMG. HOW WRONG I WAS.  The ABTF calculator put me at 32F/FF.  Wait, what?  I was confident that the calculator would put in at least in the same realm (maybe 1 cup off) as my old size but this was 4 (FOUR!) sizes bigger.  My mind is racing.  I had gained some weight postpartum but the band size remains the same. Could it be possible I only gained weight around my hips and boobs?  Hilarious.  Then it dawns on me.  The majority of women wear the wrong size bra!  I am one of those women.  I have been wearing the wrong size for over 20 years! WTF?

I dive full force into this brave new world where most major US lingerie manufacturers do NOT make bras in my size nor do they have a standard.  The days of grabbing a clearance bra for ~$25 are long gone.  The single bra I purchased from Nordstrom (and subsequently returned, unused) was $70! 

SHOPPING FOR NEW BRAS

I turn to online retailers to 1.) actually find a selection of bras to try in my size and 2) pray for a bargain.  In the course of a few months, I was able to purchase a few in my new size and was elated at the fit and comfort!  Not that my old size wasn't uncomfortable back then ~ i never had the issues I hear other women complaining about.  No wires poking, no spillage out the top or gapping, the center gore tacked (sat firmly against breastbone).  It wasn't until I tried on a bra in my CORRECT size for a few days then went back to my old INCORRECTLY sized bra that I felt the difference.  The wires were too small - they sat on my breast tissue and caused "tissue migration" under the arms.  

After a few weeks of wearing the new bras, I noticed the wires felt uncomfortable around the gore at the end of the day.  The wires were higher than I was accustomed to and my girls are set fairly close together so the wires were once again, sitting on breast tissue. My search now has the following (seemingly impossible) criteria: my correct size 32F, extra narrow center gore (usually indicated by OVERLAPPING wire channels) and/or low center gore, and lots of immediate projection at the wire.  Oh, and under $40 would be great!  

SEWING BRAS

Once again, I turn to Google for help.  That is when I stumble up this:

Bra pattern Merckwaerdigh BHST2 sewn by Very Purple Person 

Wait, someone sewed - at home - this gorgeous bra - with overlapping underwire channels?  It clicks.  I can sew.  I know how to read and follow patterns.  Why don't I try making my own?  The cost of purchasing the pattern and a bra sewing kit is STILL less than the cost of a retail priced bra.

And so it begins.  After much deliberation and research, I ordered the Merckewaerdigh Mix 30 Bra and Panty pattern.  From the reviews, it seems this company has really good instructions and quality patterns but also offers instructions on converting to a foam cup online.  I also ordered bra making supplies from ArteCraft.  Can't wait for it all to arrive and start my journey!