anybody tried making a bra?

[girrrlychild]

i keep thinking i should just cut my boobs off.  or, well, have someone else cut them off for me.  *hehe*

i want to make a bra.  unfortunatly, the few bra patterns i can find (online only, so i can't even read the back of the envelope or snoop through the pattern...grrrr) are too small for me.  i can alter a pattern, but i'm not sure about trying to alter the cup.  i can buy a freaking 40DDD bra for $15 just about anywhere anymore, why would i bother to make one?  what i CAN NOT buy (at least, not anywhere that i can try it on, and not for any too cheap) is a 44 or 46 J that doesn't look (and usually feel) like a mid-evil torture device that covers me from belly button to collar bone (ok, that may be an exageration) and itches like no other (that's not, those "heavy duty" fabrics give me a rash).

and i can't find a strapless, even longline bra, for bigger than a G cup.  in my experience, a strapless bra with cups more than maybe one size too small tend to flip over, and a band that's too big just kind of runs away (cuz i could get like a 48 G and the cups might be workable, but the band too big....and i'm iffy about trying to alter something i spent $40 or more on and don't have experience making something similar to.)

i realize something skimpier or strapless is going to lack the support that the monsters have.  but sometimes i find a really cute shirt or dress that won't even begin to conceal the monsters, and those things look extra stupid sticking out of a sexy/low cut/skimpy top.  i just want something that will pull the girls up and in a little bit and keep me from knocking people out if i decide to dance/run/ride my bike.  i tend to just not wear a bra most of the time, or if i do, i just wear a sports bra to keep people from going "look at that slob, she's not wearing a bra".

i bought some fabric and elastic to attempt to make a bandeau style top in hopes of coming up with something workable for the summer....but the only discussion/instruction i've found related to making those was for little girls.  like, 32/34 A/B teenagers that probably look about the same with or without a bra on.

so, um, anybody have any ideas?

[Alexus1325]

Wow, I have no idea what those monster-things you describe even look like! Maybe you could make a bustier with 2- or 3- piece cups? (you said you want strapless, right?). Like, lightly boned around the ribs and maybe a stiffer fabric for the cups? I'm sorry to say I don't know much about that sort of lingerie, and have no idea how viable an option that is.

You could make a sweetheart-style corset (they don't smoosh the boobs so much as hold them in place). http://www.trulyvictorian.com/catalog/110.html with some major upper-half modifications could work (it only goes to just above the nipples). It's a very easy pattern in my opinion (I'm disproportionate, and it was cake to modify), at least compared to the Simplicity piece of poo I tried before it. Ducting/cable ties, industrial zip ties, or plastic lumber strapping work for boning if you have a cheap/free source. Lumber strapping is the most hardcore (they won't flex over your boobs very well), while zip ties are the lightest weight and suitable to the task of just supporting your figure, rather than squishing it.

I really hope you find a solution!

[LMAshton]

Check through the Bramageddon thread - it's quite long with a LOT of links to online resources, including tutorials, supplies, and whatnot.

[KLKing]

   This is really off the wall... I lived in San Francisco a few years back. Well, I had this crazy friend who just had to get herself noticed at the SF Giants baseball Games.... You guessed it! It was a bra with 2 baseball boobs! I actually made the ball cut in half out of white leather. I cut up a white leather purse. It was pieced together exactly the way the baseball is cut. Complete with red laces stitched exactly like a real baseball. This was made into a bra.
       As far as a real wearable everyday bra, no. just sewn a lot of bra cups into wedding gowns.   Do swimsuit tops count?

[ivoryh1632]

I know this is an old post but I happened across it when looking for something completely different so I figured I'd chime in since I know how you feel (I wear a 36GG).

You should look on corset-making websites for bra making patterns, I don't know any off hand but I was looking into it a while back and I found a bunch on different corset-making websites, they sell the supplies there too.

If you don't care about it being not super supportive, you can make a bandu-type thing out of a large scarf or square of fabric. I learned how to do this from a belly dancer at a ren fair a while back and now use it for swim suit tops all the time. Basicly you fold the square into a triangle, tie in the front with a tight double knot between your boobs, adjust the fabric and your boobs and either tuck in the ends or tie them around your neck for a halter. If you want I can do up a tute with pics for this.

And for buying bras, I really suggest you go to www.brastop.com I know buying online without trying them on is scarry but I get all my bras from them, they go up to K cup and they have sales all the time so even with shipping and the exchange rate (they're a UK buisness) it averages out to about $20-$25 per bra and they're actually pretty and cute. They have a good fitting guide on their site but your first order you're gonna want to get a few different styles and sizes and then try them on and send back the ones that don't fit and exchange them (they have a 10% discount on exchanges to make up for the cost of return shipping), and then after that you know what size and style works for you and you can just wait till something you like is on sale and order. And they have customer reviews on the bras and the customer service ladies are all really nice and helpful if you need to e-mail them with any questions about sizing or products. I seriously can't recomend this site highly enough for someone with the big boob curse.

I hope this helped, and I really hope you find something that works for you!

[Nofuelleft]

See if you can find on of this brand pattern ;Merckwaerdigh

They're dutch but they also sell on ebay .
They also have patterns in the big sizes
And off course there are instuctions in english 

[supertink]

Did you ever find anything?

Needle nook fabrics sells a bigger bra pattern (I wear a 34K) but I haven't tried since I like pretty ones, not industrial watermelon sacks. 
I, too, want a strapless bra that holds up. I know mine will have to be a longline since the weight should be on the body anyway and I'm okay with that. I figure I'll put heavy boning in the cups so they don't bend down under the weight the fleshballs I call boobs.

[Psycho_Bitch]

Making a bra isn't that difficult, I make my own bras and draft my own patterns and they hold me up (36H).
If you still haven't found anything I can draft a pattern for you.

[supertink]

Did you draft your pattern from scratch?

[Psycho_Bitch]

Did you draft your pattern from scratch?

I have a book that uses a drafting method that is very easy to understand, though the patterns need some adjustments for larger sizes, but I'm quite sure that would be with other drafting methods too. Unfortunately the book is in Dutch and I don't think there's a translated version, so not much help to most people.
Unfortunately it's pretty unlikely your bra will fit at the first try and there's no way to find out until your bra is finished.