There’s no easier way to find the right pattern than reading reviews. The best ones are those where people share their special twist on a certain detail. #BRAugust, the inclusive month-long challenge to create bras, is the best time to step out of your comfort zone and make something exclusively for yourself. To help you find your next pattern for your braugust project we invited five sewists in the handmade garment community to put their bra-making skills to the test and share their tips and tricks for making their bras. Keep reading and have your sewing machine ready!
Cottesloe Swimsuit Pattern Turned Sports Bra
Featured design Sydney by melissa_rothman.
A pattern that has multiple use cases is GOLD! Danica of Danica Does It and Mary of Sablecraft show us the adaptability of a swimsuit pattern into a bralette. It’s perfect for lounging around the house or matching with leggings. Using the Cottesloe Swimsuit by Megan Nielsen Patterns, Danica and Mary each adapted the swimsuit patterns for their styles. Check out their masterpieces and get the pattern to make yours!
Featuring design: Sydney by melissa_rothman.
“Making my own bra has been one of those sewing fears of mine, mostly because I originally thought that ready-made lingerie would be far too complicated to make! While this bralette is certainly beginner level, I was so surprised with how simple and straightforward it was to make a bra that I would actually wear around the house.”
Featured design: Vintage Botanical Wildflowers by redbriarstudio
Loungewear and undergarments are the best way to try out new, bold designs before incorporating them into your everyday wardrobe. Inspired by her love of plants and background as a florist, Mary chose redbriarstudio’s Vintage Botanical Wildflowers for her bralette.
“As a florist and professional plant mom, I feel like the bomb diggity when I’m sporting this bralette. I’m tempted to order another yard to make Sam a pair of boxer briefs, so he can have plant daddy underwear too!”
Satin Lingerie Bra
Satin is the epitome of lingerie material. Its smooth and shiny texture makes it easy to wear for hours. Making a satin bra can be easier than you think with the right pattern. Raven of Paloma Projects challenged herself this Braugust, and it was a much-needed reminder about what can happen when you go outside of your comfort zone.
“I was excited but also felt scared. Could I do it?? Would I succeed? Could I make sure I used this precious fabric and do it justice? With a little humility (read: tons of muslins), some risk (satin bralette???), and a willingness to take accurate measurements, I feel proud of my newly honed skills.”
By challenging herself and using a fabric outside of her comfort zone, Raven now has made her own beautiful Satin lingerie (although with these results, it’s hard to believe that she’s a newbie to the craft!) Between the sheen of the Satin fabric to the fierceness of the Jaguar Camo print by Nina Leth, it’s hard to say what we love most about this bralette. Just one question: Can we get one in our size?
Watson Bralette
A fun and flirty bralette that’s perfect to beat the summer heat in style! Victoria of Victoria Lucille Anne tested out the Watson Bra by Cloth Habit in Modern Jersey and we are ready to make our very own version. With the help of Fill-A-Yard®, Victoria chose Women in Head Scarves as her main print and then added a pop of pattern with Tiny Dots in Ebony.
Victoria paired the bralette with high-waisted pants and a cardigan to complete her me-made look.We even hear Victoria is planning on making another version of this bralette in Sport Lycra so she can take a dip in the pool.
“After deciding on this bra pattern, I thought to myself that it would be fun to change it up with a little pattern mixing. I had been dying to use the Fill-A-Yard feature on Spoonflower, and I thought if I could color block the bra with different prints, then it would be possible to use the Fill-A-Yard feature and highlight two prints that I love.”
Madalynne X Simplicity 8711 Bralette
Trade the elastic band for a fun ruffle with this bralette. Alexis Bailey of The Real Alexis Bailey made the Madalynne X Simplicity 8711 bralette in Cotton Spandex Jersey. Working with a large-scale print like Katie Kortman’s Blue and Magenta Painting, Alexis was strategic in cutting her fabric to get a specific area of the design in just the right spot on her sewing pattern pieces. It’s safe to say she’s mastered a new piece in her wardrobe.
Working with a large-scale print like Katie Kortman’s Blue and Magenta Painting, Alexis was strategic in cutting her fabric to get a specific area of the design in just the right spot on her sewing pattern pieces. It’s safe to say she’s mastered a new piece in her wardrobe.
“Sewing a bra has been a very relaxing change up from my normal apparel routine. I’ve enjoyed the challenge and the skills I’ve learned from working with knit fabric and stretch notions. I’ve also enjoyed the process more than anything, and it’s been a reminder to bask in the wonder of great fabric, find happiness in the construction of a garment and enjoy the work of art that is your creation.”
What a great post! I am a watercolor artist and sewist and I recently created my first fabrics specifically for making bras, bralette sand panties using Spoonflower. The process was surprisingly easy and I absolutely love the results! I made Orange Lingerie Marlborough bras, Evie La Luve Knickers and Esme panties for BRAugust2019 from Spoonflower fabric- my own and from other artists. Spoonflower is a popular place for lingerie makers to purchase fabric for their lingerie and activewear. We love Spoonflower fabric for our me-made lingerie!
Hi Barbara,
Thanks so much for sharing! We’re so happy to hear you’ve enjoyed making your own lingerie with Spoonflower fabric. Happy making!