Beautiful Bra's!

Well bra singular at the moment! above are the cut bits and pieces selected from my pretty extensive stash of lingerie/bra making bits and pieces.

I got into lingerie after attending a day course and then further into bra making when a cyber-sew-pal visited from Australia bearing yummy lacey goodies and a pack of "lessons" on this aspect followed soon, which I always follow alongside my pattern instructions.



Generally I use the KwikSew pattern above which is one that Pauline refers to in her "lessons" and I modify it by adding underwire casing but without the actual wire as per her suggestion. Alongside I have another pattern which I've not as yet made up and I fancied a go after picking up a couple of pairs of underwires at a sale recently.

When I got thoroughly into bra making I bought this super book and I've sorted it out and dusted it off and plan to refer to it as, unless I undergo a rather expensive (and possibly painful!) operation I think I've got quite a lot of modifications to work out in order to achieve another successful standard pattern to fit my shape!!



From the inside you can see how the bra looks nice and neat, this one isn't lined or padded as it was my intention to test the pattern first. Again, using tips from Pauline's set of *lessons* I have learned how to adapt and change my usual single KwikSew pattern to give me enough variety in the past and often I will spend considerable time with laces and fabrics and over the years have experimented with different types mostly to good effect.



The upper cup needs major surgery and the lower cup requires filling in but generally speaking the pattern is one I might consider making up alongside my usual one.

I'm lucky (?) in not requiring heavy duty powernets or fabrics and here I've used quite a lightweight spotted powernet for the front/backs and some lace for the cups, the lower of which I've lined with some lightweight net. Most of the fabrics and elastics, bra backs and rings/sliders etc have come from English Couture purchased from Michelle at one or other of the last couple of Sewing for Pleasure shows.

I will try and find out if Pauline's bra making lessons and helpful suggestions are still available on the web and if she will let me link directly to them as they really do make the whole process easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!