A few months ago, I set out to make my first bra. Where o where would I begin??? Wires? Bands? Materials? OH MY!!! It was a lot to process, but I had to crawl before walking. I began taking weekly classes that were led by my gorgeous friend Nikki of Sewing My Style. The classes were nothing short of amazing and I highly recommend them to anyone. Why you ask? Simply because there is nothing that tops the comfort of a custom made bra. Absolutely nothing! The cup will be filled perfectly. You will finally have the right wire. Let me reiterate. The wire, alone, will be epic. Of course wire bras are an option, but not for me. I just don't feel comfortable without it. With exact measurements, it will not poke, bend awkwardly or break. Can you say winning???
Just like any other sewing project, you've got to pick the right pattern. This is important. Before, I thought that I could buy any pattern and just extend the band length. Or, maybe just add an extender. That seems easy enough, right? Absolutely not. There are various bra patterns to choose from, so it was only right to pick the pattern. You know, the one that was made just right for me….or someone like me with a heavy chest and wider back. I decided on the Josey Plus Bra from La Bella Coppia. This particular company specializes in large cup sizes with the perfectly proportioned band size. Check them out.
Now, for the supplies. Do I piece them together? Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I could buy a bra kit. Not only can you buy it, some are even customized to exact bra patterns. How dope is that??? If you're not familiar, let me explain. To properly construct a bra, there are materials that are a must. There are various bands, hardware and fabrics that are needed. One such fabric is power net. Not power mesh, but power net. The net is essential for stabilizing the bra band. In purchasing a kit, there is no chance for an "oops" in omitting one for the other.
To be transparent, I already had most of the bra making supplies from years of collecting. I honestly had most everything except for the nerves to execute. So, I only ended up purchasing power net and and wire for my muslin from Gigi's Bra Supply based out of Atlanta, GA. Seriously, check out the store www.gigisbrasupply.com ! The patience they had with me was unmatched; I was SUCH a beginner. Once I knew my supplies were in route, I ran over to my local Joann Fabrics in hopes of finding some fashion fabric to make my muslin appealing. Your girl was determined to wear that bra! As soon as I entered the store, I spotted some beautiful scalloped and embroidered mesh. The assembly of the bra was relatively easy, but I still wouildn't recommend it for a sewing beginner. The stitching alternates between straight and zigzag, but was still somewhat tedious. In the end, I LOVED my creation. The only caveat was that I could not find strap elastic in the exact color and width to match my fashion fabric. I used a smaller elastic which is honestly why I have yet to wear it. Regardless, that muslin let me know that I was ready for the real deal!!!!
GOLD! Gold is one of my favorite colors, so that was my pick. Furthermore, I did not have a single gold bra in my possession. After the ease of finding and purchasing the right pattern for my build, it was heaven sent that LaBella Coppia provided a link to purchase the bra kit to accompany the pattern. I went to www.brabuilders.com and began my search for a kit in gold. I found one one, but my initial reaction was that the gold looked a bit more orange than the desired color. I took a chance and ordered it anyway. Upon it's arrival, I fell in love with the color. So, I decided to sweeten the deal by ordering a panty kit in the matching color. I figured, the construction of panties had to be much easier than the bra. You may see those panties very soon. So, it was now time to make this long awaited bra. I jumped right to it.
Well rested, hydrated and eager, I began to construct my Josey Plus Bra. Of course I had to do it with a twist……I mean, have we met?! Lol! In addtion to the fashion fabric from the bra kit, I bought some gold sequin fabric to give a pop to the bra. In an attempt to not make it appear too much like a costume, I settled on using the sequin only for the upper cups and bridge. Can you say LOVE???? It's so pretty, there was just no way that I could take pictures and keep it hidden. BUT HOW? I don't do nudity. Lol!
Seriously, how would I cover this bra (and panty)? While scrolling on Pinterest, one of my favorite past times, I saw a GORGEOUS sheer leopard jumper! I had no idea what pattern was used since it was clearly a sale item from an online boutique. Never fear, tho. I would come up with something! That something was McCall's 8028 view C. I even lucked up on 8 yards of chiffon leopard from WALMART. Yes, y'all……WALLY WORLD! I whipped that jumper together, making the pants oversized for the balloon effect. I ran across Simplicity’s 8228, which allowed me to make a simple yet elegant pair of panties. I am pretty sure you will see those very soon (check your mailboxes). I tried on everything and was awestruck! This look was so meant! So you know it was time for pictures….right?! I had a plan….
As much as I love sewing in my little tucked away nook, there is just something about picture time. I get to add the final touches to the masterpiece! The hair, lipstick, shoes……all of the razzle dazzle! Well, imagine being able to do all of that AND take pictures with your (sewing) sister! I was catching up with Salina "Fully Coutured" Curtis and realized that we had something in common. Not only had we both made bras for the first time, BUT WE WERE BOTH USING LEOPARD PRINTS! This was a no brainer. We had to do a joint photoshoot.
HAD TO!
We easily settled on Atlanta, GA for the location. We're both members of Atlanta Sewing Style, plus I dive at any reason to drive over from Birmingham. After calling upon our outstanding friend and photographer Catrice Ezekiel, I hit the road. We landed at a quaint park and went to work. Although the poses were amazing, my creative director Vanessa LeBlanc (aka my amazing Sorority sister) made a suggestion that stepped the shoot up a notch. I wonder if you can figure out what she PULLED OUT...lol! This was SUCH a fun time! Please enjoy these photos!!! For individual pics of the beautiful Salina, please stay tuned for her blog post! ~SSS
