Amazing breakthrough!

Oh happy day! Oh happy day!
After fifteen years of searching and researching, six years of those years trying to draft my own bras, I finally have two bras that I'm completely in the cup and well supported. It's kinda sad when something as simple as a bra can evoke a bout of tears but fifteen years is a long time! These bras aren't me-made unfortunately but I'm still thrilled nonetheless.
I had been eyeing (read: salivating over) the bras from Ewa Michalak, a Polish based custom lingerie company, for a long time now. Ever since I stumbled across the brand on the blogs Fuller Figure Fuller Bust and Curvy Wordy, I have wanted some of their merchandise for my own.
 My first purchase from Ewa was not successful. Six years ago I ordered a few bras in a 38KK and my cups did runneth over, under, and around- a boobie tsunami! I boxed them up and returned them. But that event sparked the engines of my mind. It propelled me to start on my bra making journey.
Ewa Michalak stayed ever present in my thoughts as I drafted and redrafted for the perfect bra. One model in particular had a similar body shape and proportion. She looked fantastically gravity-defying in the EM bras. I strove to create a similar effect for myself. But it's much harder to engineer something when you are struggling without the aid of a commercial pattern, complex concepts of physics, or someone knowledgeable to bounce ideas and theories off of. I did have my mom who I completely appreciated but she was more fashion and clothing than foundation wear.
One day on Facebook, I stumbled into a bra making group Bra-makers Beginners thru Intermediate and then the group Bra Making Forum. Finally I had community! Ideas were readily exchanged. Theories discussed. Encouragement all around. But the perfect bra still eluded me. Then it happened......
Ewa Michalak debuted a new fuller cup (FB) line of their lingerie collection! Although mimicking their works was/is my ultimate goal, I was nervous about purchasing any due to my previous failure. I began to research for women who had made the plunge and had it work out for them. Penny Plunderbust's review on YouTube was the catalyst for this purchase. Everything arrived fairly quickly. The bras are well crafted and frankly marvels. And I couldn't be happier.

That first feeling of boobie weightlessness: such a relief.

Knowing that I can now buy more pretty bras with matching undies: amazing.

Looking in the mirror and finally seeing what I wanted to achieve: priceless.

Next up, BRA BREAKDOWN!

The Ever Familiar Drawing Board

Hello everyone!!!
Looking back at my contest entry photos spurred me into three things: (1) to start hitting the exercise/healthy food regimen more diligently, (2) to add some pizzazz to my lingerie collection, and (3) to adjust my pattern yet again. I decided to start with number three LOL.
So far to date, I have never sewn the same bra pattern twice. I've always tweaked some to almost all of the pieces in an attempt to achieve the elusive "perfect fit". The following are the newest alterations.

For the lower cup pieces, the apex has been lifted slightly and shifted toward the center bridge about an inch. An inch at my size isn't much of a change, but I think it will make a difference. The cross cup seam curvature was also altered to try to correct a persistent flat spot.

For the upper cup pieces, I lengthened the cross cup seam to match the lower cup and also moved the apex towards the center. Then I shifted the strap connector inward and shorten the armsyce to better prevent side boob spillage.

I'm still experiencing some underboob fallout from the lower center area of the bridge. My suspicions are that the underwires are rotated too low/close. So the underwire seam was rotated up and out on the bridge and side wing while keeping the same general band length/shape at the bottom band.
My last alteration was to the back wing. I've had a difficult time tightening the armsyce into the back while trying to contain back fluff. I should probably change back to a leotard style for that purpose, but for now the straight back is working for me. After scouring the internet, I came across an article about altering a RTW bra by pinching a dart out of the back wing without changing the bottom length. This change can cause a slight "skip" in the upper band. The end of the side wing was raised to accommodate that.
So there you have it. All of the alterations for my next draft. Keeping my fingers crossed! Ooh and here's a sneak peek of my upcoming color palette; my sister dubbed this "Ice Cream Shoppe"!

I'm back! And hopefully more consistently LOL

Hello everyone!!!
I've been on a truly long hiatus from here. I guess it should be considered a do over  than a return. Much has occurred during the interim. Laid off, new job, new living space, new new new. But I digress.
My real reason of return is that I feel energized and validated in my craft. Recently I participated in the first Bust Out the Bras contest sponsored by Bra Makers Supply (located in Hamilton, Canada). Although I didn't place, I made honorable mention for my entry :) Being recognized by someone in your craft/field that you admire is the best boost of confidence. Also it makes for strong motivation for next year's possible entries!

The contest asked sewists from around the world to make an least one bra in the one of four categories: original, best trimmed, cut and sew foam, and modified. I entered under modified due to my bra making beginnings deconstructing a RTW bra but they ultimately categorized me under original. Maybe because it looks nothing like the RTW now. Anyhoo, here's my entry (please excuse the jiggly bits!):

My design, pattern making, and construction have truly progressed since my first foray into this. Everything is nearly encased in the cups. The band sits mainly where it should. The uplift and overall shape are much better. So close!!! I'm really pumped to test my new pattern drafting with the adjustments I need. That will be covered in my next post.
Until then, HAPPY SEWING!

*P.s. you should really check out the other entries of the contest. They were amazing!

When I began this journey, I decided to borrow the design of the current bra I wore- Panache's Super Tango II balconette. The cup consists of two lower sections and a single upper section that connects to the strap. There is a full band with a non stretch front bridge and non stretch side pieces. The back wings are double layered techsheen powernet with a triple row, three hook closure in a leotard style. The straps are non stretch to just over the shoulder and 7/8" wide elastic into the wings. The material is a stabilized embroidered tricot and a stabilized tricot underlay. No padding was used nor any boning or power bars.



Puberty put me in an interesting situation. Every time I found a lovely bra I fit and loved, I would wake up the next day and magically my boobies had swelled. Damn genetics. Thankfully that stage of my life is over and all I have to worry about not binging on steak and potatoes, apple pie, bbq, lemon bars, spice cake, snickerdoodles... cheesecake....... mmmm cheesecake........

Ummm time to press on!!! So the Tango bra no longer could confine the bounties of boobie bestowed upon me. I didn't like how pointy I looked or how low they hung.
I know the sheer size of them visually take up the entire space between my shoulders and elbows but I was positive that they could sit rounder, perkier and implant-ier.See the downward slope on the upper section? I wanted to eliminate that mostly. Plus I want a slight compression into a more youthful shape. What you can't see is that:
(1) I have used double stick tape to keep the quadra-boob effect at a minimum,
(2) the center front is about an inch and a half away from my sternum,
(3) the wires are sitting nowhere near my ribcage underneath,
(4) I am falling out of the bottom of the cup,
 (5) the band is digging painfully into my flesh AND riding up the back and
(6) the shoulders have created divets between my traps and deltoids.

What I want is something close to the following:

Ewa Michalak.pl CHP Amethyst (seriously if you get the chance, order some EM bras! There is something to be said about custom, well made lingerie)

If you look closely, there are vertical seams that some plastic boning could be installed. There is thin but firm padding in the cups which, working with the awesomely drafted seamlines, create an awe-inspiring lift. The overlay of lace gives off a sultry ambiance. The back is surprisingly low using only two to three hooks depending on the size. If I adapted the look to fit me or even a long line style, there would need to be better back support for someone of my size.

There are several other brands that I would like to emulate. Curvy Kate, a fairly new (to me anyway) lingerie company based in the UK, has some beautiful styles. Flirtelle offers many choices both basic and fashion. And Krisline looks to be very promising. If I could make a series of bras like any of these, I and my boobies would be happy snappy.

Sorry it took so long!!!

I have had to take a long hiatus due to unforeseeable circumstances. But now I think I have more time to jot down my quest to gravity defying boobie-dom.

In the interim, epic events occurred in my journey. The first Bra Maker's Manual (written by Beverly Johnson) was given to me on my birthday. I subscribed to Foundations Revealed, a forum for those who love corsetry, foundationwear and lingerie and how to sew them. Bramakers.com debuted vertical wires which are perfect for those with omega shaped breasts (identified in Bra Maker's Manual, will explain later). I found better components to fine tune my fit. Finally, I think I'm down to my final few prototypes.

In my next few posts, I'll talk about the fleshier details of my project. Right now I'm just thrilled that a year long journey is almost over. My excitement over how many new fashion opportuniies that are going to be attainable knows no bounds. Racerbacks, cupped sports bras, longlines, babydolls, low backs- once this bra is complete, almost the entire world is at my fingertips. Still can't go braless (I really don't understand how women can go outside like that. Too much jiggle). But I will be higher, perkier and ready to shock the masses.

Go TEAM ME!!!

Muslin to muscle!

After a few attempts at completing the drafts, I realized that ACTUALLY using muslin fabric was a horrible idea. Too flimsy, stretches like crazy and not enough support- even if it's double layered. It should have come to me sooner to use a more durable fabric. In dressmaking, one should use a fabric that mimics the fashion fabric closely so you can visualize the final product better. When I finally construct these bras, I will be using a firm but thin foam for aided support, wider elastic on the band and the strongest powernet I can attain at the non-fashion house level. Until then, I decided to use drill, a thin, strong denim weaved fabric to mimic the strength of the foam.

Drill is sometimes used as a substitute for coutil in corsetry mockups or as a strentgh layer in the finished corset. If it's good enough for corsetmakers and can withstand steel boning, all the yanking and pulling and the pressure of the body within, it's good enough for me.

The many creases and wrinkling on the muslin just lets how flimsy it is be known. When I tried on one of my mockups, everything just sssaaaaannnnnkkkkkkk..... Lol! It was as if I didn't even make any up turned curved seams!

See the diagonal weave pattern and the thicker fibers? Yes it is coming undone at the edges but that's after much manipulation. I have yet to try this on since I have yet to finish the construction of the first drill prototype. I'm hoping that the drill will do as I wish and hold everything in place.


Besides it being a test run for my future bra, this drill prototype will give me an inkling on how my corset prototype will fare. Yeah another staggering project on the horizon. I can't seem to think singularly with my projects. Always thinking how my possible triumph will assist my next venture.

It begins with necessity

I haven't written on this blog in quite some time. The highs and lows of life have gotten in the way. But now I choose to focus on what inspires and makes me happy. Anyone close to me would tell you I have an obsession with my boobs. They're naturally large, in charge and past the end of the ready-to-wear spectrum of lingerie.

Did extensive research on specialty lingerie companies that carry small back-large cup bras. Found out companies in America don't accommodate someone as voluptuous as I am nor do their staffs believe someone can be this size without cosmetic "assistance" (simmering anger at this assumption). Looked into international companies- found Bravissimo, who carries ready-to-wear Panache, Cleo, Fantasie, Curvy Kate and so much more. So happy! Then I outgrew all of their brands. Through a wonderful new friend Georgina Horne of Fuller Figure Fuller Bust, I learned about Ewa Michalak, a Polish company that custom makes bras. Check out their site. They are beautiful, artfully done and well made. Ordered some of their designs- and I was still too big!!! Cut off from the possibilities of plunge, half cups, oh so pretty colors and MATCHING UNDIES! DO YOU KNOW MANY COMPANIES USUALLY CUT OFF THE PRODUCTION OF MATCHING UNDERWEAR TO THEIR BRAS AFTER THE CUP SIZE TOPS A CERTAIN VOLUME? Despair...
 
Then it dawned on me. Why can't I just make my own? If Ewa Michalak can put these gorgeous pieces in larger sizes on the market, I should at least be able to chug out some for myself. So now I'm drafting, re-drafting and re-re-drafting my first bra pattern. My excitement is growing with each day. Soon I will have a well fitting, non-ugly, uplifting, sophisticated, "better than I can get in a retail store" bra. YEA ME! Looking for information on bra construction proved to be difficult. It seemed to be that the situation dictated still only wanted to accommodate smaller cup sizes. I found that the idea of copying then adding to my last best fitting bra would be my best bet. Then Beverly Johnson and her Bra Makers Manual came into my life. Nothing better than a good book to further things along. So much information to absorb. So many corrections to make. And now my drafts are getting better. So close! And now to amass the materials to make the final product. Pictures will be here in the future chronicling my progress.