Bramaggeddon (aka Building a better bra)

[Dragonflower]

What a good idea. I don't know if my sewing skills are up to that though. I spend a fortune on bras and I hate the way it hard to get cute sexy ones in my size.

This is the whole reason I was asking... It's hard to find bras in my size, and when I do they're really expensive and rarely in cute colors and styles. And I've looked at beautiful, expensive trims and fabrics in stores and thought "You know it wouldn't be that much to buy just enough of this to make a bra and matching panties.".

[Dragonflower]

Since when did having a large chest commit someone to the lunchroom line? Everytime I have to fork out for bras I become very unhappy...... I have to pay 80 usd for a bra that ::shudders:: looks like the ones that you used to be afraid the lunchroom lady was wearing. And you could just envision that thing busting...... and the hook and eyes flying into the soup LMAO ::shudders:: I dont wanna be the lunchroom lady :*( I wanna be the sexy mama that I know I am.!

Oh, amen, sister! What is up with the scary lunchlady bras? And the frighteningly-pointy ones that you know are going to put someone's eye out one of these days? I mean, hello, why don't we get to have pretty underthings just 'cause we're big girls?

[ingysoup]

GAAACK!!!  This thread really hits home with me.

Hate, hate, HATE buying bras.  I spent an entire day one day in the recent past looking online for a bra to fit that was even just the tiniest bit sexy or cute.  My significant other came home to find me in tears.  (cue the collective:  "Awwww")

(I have a bra fitting thing somewhere, that tells you how to correctly size/measure oneself, and I am somewhere in the latter half of the alphabet.  I IM'd a woman at one online store to make sure I was in fact measuring correctly, and she said "yes."  People in polite society don't talk about this size bra... )

Anyhow, while wearing an ill-fitting underwire today, I have decidede to take it apart and try and make my own.  Will post results soon.  We just got back from vacation and I haven't gotten back into the groove of things quite yet.

And this:

And the frighteningly-pointy ones that you know are going to put someone's eye out one of these days?

  is just scary indeedy.  I have one of these.  And I feel like I am wearing something made from an erector set.

They can put a man on the moon, but no good bras for big boobies.

[bcgrote]

I'm soooo with you all!  It's depressing:  white, black, beige.  We like cute bras too!

Plus, making my own, I can use an elastic that I'm not as allergic too, and whichever fabric I want!

Hmmm, somewhere in my linksies I have a website of a gal that did bra making lessons, and she sold the kits.  She was even in the paper in LA many moons ago....  An when I was a pre-teen, my mom made not only belly dance outfits, but underwear and lovely 3 seam 1/2 slips of tricot - all on her old beige Singer!

Well, here are a couple good ones:

http://www.andsewitis.net/braclass/class_start.html  Australian, but has good links and written instructions with photos.  Some links are dead :-(

http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00111.asp   Good basic outline from Threads...

http://www.funhouse.com/babs/BraFAQ2.txt  text notes of a forum on bra making, good stuff here too!


Of course, most women are wearing a wrong size!!  http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~cat/bra.html  has good data and links on places that DO sell plus size brars.  In England, there are stores that get the twins in order.  Try going to Maycy's or Victoria's Secret for a fitting.  Then LEAVE!!!!  (Unless the bra rawks!)

Out here we also have Wizard of Bras, they do nothing but, and have every size you could imagine!  Yes, they may be pricier than Target, but they will fit right and be pretty at least.  I usually get fancy bras at Frederick's of Hollywood.  You'd think that here in the land o' silicone, lingerie stores would carry above a C cup in stock!!!  But no, only Freddie's does!



Making my own seems a bit fiddly, but I did make a nice corset from a kit for reenacting...now THERE'S a comfortable support garment!

[Soth]

@ZaftigMomma: I don't know a source in UK, but I know one in the Netherlands. That's where I got the pattern for my first really fitting bra.
http://search.stores.ebay.nl/Merckwaerdigh_merckwaerdigh_W0QQftsZ2QQsaselZ210858988QQsofpZ0
Look for "Patronen", especially BHL16, wich is for Plus-Sizes. They also sell complete sets for bramaking and pattern for lingerie.

Greetz from Germany

[Dragonflower]

ingysoup said: "Anyhow, while wearing an ill-fitting underwire today, I have decidede to take it apart and try and make my own."

I've tried doing that, with mixed results. I have a major issue with the underwire popping out, but these bras I bought at Lane Bryant have held up far better in that department than most. I've never been able to successfully repair an underwire escape. I'd love to hear about your luck in this, though.

And : "They can put a man on the moon, but no good bras for big boobies."
Hear, hear!

bcgrote says: "I'm soooo with you all!  It's depressing:  white, black, beige.  We like cute bras too!"
Exactly! Pretty underwear for all, I say!

Thank you for all the links!

[subdefective]

Of course, most women are wearing a wrong size!!  http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~cat/bra.html  has good data and links on places that DO sell plus size brars.  In England, there are stores that get the twins in order.  Try going to Maycy's or Victoria's Secret for a fitting.  Then LEAVE!!!!  (Unless the bra rawks!)

I just have to say THANK YOU for that link! This topic is timely, as the past week I have gone on a crusade to finally find A Bra That Fits, and while trying to accurately measure myself I became frustrated as all websites out there require you measure yourself with a bra on. Considering all I wear are years-old stretched-out bras or sports bras, measuring that way would be inaccurate.

Making my own bra would be far beyond my sewing skills at this point (I can barely reconstruct a t-shirt), but it'd be cool to do it one day. The thought of not having to shell out $40 for a single bra inspires me to learn to sew faster. *lol* Kudos to anyone who does it!

[Dragonflower]

Try going to Maycy's or Victoria's Secret for a fitting.  ...  I usually get fancy bras at Frederick's of Hollywood. 

I just remembered that several years ago, I had to buy a merry-widow type thing for a bridesmaid's dress I wore. I tried Frederick's first, thinking that they wouldn't have anything half-decent. Not only did they have exactly what I needed at a relatively decent price, the saleswoman literally looked me over, said "I think you need this size.", and handed it to me. She was uncannily accurate! I'd been wearing the wrong size bra! So I don't know if they give fittings, but maybe the one near you also hires underwear psychics.

[ms.cate]

Has anyone been to a sewing class for making lingerie? How difficult is it? Does it work out expensive with all the straps and hooks and such?

[Hollow Shel]

So I don't know if they give fittings, but maybe the one near you also hires underwear psychics.

Thank you, I literally laughed out loud at that one! (I'm just lucky I wasn't drinking anything at the time... )