Intro to Bra Making - South 4 - Christine

The bra struggle is real. Since they were invented, bras have been a literal pain point for so many women. The quest for the “perfect fit”, for many, has seemed futile.

Allow me to introduce myself. For many years, my job has been to alleviate pain and discomfort for numerous people. I have a background in Kinesiology and post-rehab exercise, and I also have worked extensively in Pedorthics and orthotics where I helped to correct gait and overall posture through proper fitting and custom-made pieces.

I took this expertise to bra construction in 2016. One day, my mother-in-law read about a local custom bra maker offering a 'how to sew your own bra' workshop. Casually, she wondered aloud if I’d be able to construct her a custom bra if I took the workshop. So…off to the workshop I went!

By the end of this first workshop, I had sewn up my own custom bra pattern for myself, and the moment I put it on, I was SHOCKED. It fit…in a way that was vastly different than the way my store-brought bras “fit”. This bra - my bra - was comfortable beyond anything I had ever thought possible.

That was it. I was hooked. Immediately, I pursued further education to become a professional bra maker, specializing in bespoke fit. And soon, Blush Bra Studio was born.

A bra has to be load-bearing and uplifting. It both has to hold you in place and move with you every minute of the day. As one of my bra instructors once said, “Bra-making should have been taught at Hogwarts. It’s a black art.”

Ready-to-wear makes an assumption between rib cage and bust to create “standard” sizing, and if you’re proportionally within those parameters, then you’re one of the lucky ones. How many of us are this “lucky?” 25%. For the vast majority of us, the variances of the body are far from this standard.

• the materials to make one bra (includes materials, wire, findings, pattern and thread)
• a fitting for each participant with their wire and best fit 'tester' (by appointment on Thursday, April 16th)

Supplies:

• Good working sewing machine.  Manual for your sewing machine. 
• Straight stitch, zigzag and 3 step zigzag will be the stitches used. 
• ¼” foot – if you like to use this or if you needle position does not move (and straight stitch plate if you have one and like to use it but also bring the universal stitch plate for zigzag),
• All Purpose foot, Zipper foot,
• 1 package 75/11 strech needles (schmetz is preferred unless your machine sews with a different brand),
• empty bobbin (thread will be supplied). 
• Fine hand stitching needle. 
• Stitch ripper, Snips, Scissors (sharp), rotery cutter and weights, fine or ultrafine pins, marking tool (chalk or marker), clear ruler (curved ruler is optional), cutting matt, tracing/pattern paper (medical exam table paper), sharp pencil, eraser, notebook for taking additional notes.