the Frameless Bra Fitting Band

Bra Styles

Have you noticed there are two styles of wired bras. Framed or frameless. All wired bras fall into one of these two categories. 

The typical bra has a front frame that is made of an outer frame on either side and an inner gore. These three pieces, or sometimes cut as just one piece, or even in more pieces, are joined under the cups and create the front of the bra. The cups have fabric around the entire wireline edge to be sewn into, hence they have been framed like a picture.

The other style of wired bra is the frameless bra. This may sound like the cups have gotten away scot-free and are traipsing through the countryside, and perhaps they are, but the reality is they have a part of the front frame removed. The outer frame is not connected to the center front gore under the wire. The bottom edge of the frame has been shortened, which may allow for more movement, or to make room for a high abdomen.

The way the wire line is connected to the cup and frame is different. In the typical bra, as most are fully framed in, the band is sewn right sides together to the cup and then the seam allowance is turned out towards the band. The underwire channeling (a tube the underwire is placed into) is sewn to cover the seam - literally sewn to the stitching line against the cup, then the outer edge of the channeling is top stitched down to hide it. Simple, ingenious. But what if there is no band?

For the frameless, or partial band, bra, an extra seam allowance is added around the cup the width of the channeling. The seam to the center gore, or bridge, and the outer frame are sewn to the cup right sides together, then the channeling is sewn to the seam. This time, the channeling and seam gets turned under into the edge of the cup. The inner edge of the channeling is sewn down to the cups. Simple, ingenious.

Fitting bands

Fitting bands are a tool for adjusting the bra pattern to fit the individual. They are very useful to be able to not use as much fabric and elastic as making one full bra after another. It can be difficult to use a fitting band for a regular framed bra. Imagine fitting a band, then adding a cup. The weight placed on the band may now cause issues. The cup may be perfect, or may be way off, but often the tension the top band needs has been left off the equation when fitting only the band. Bear this in mind as any bra is fit. It can be easier to just work around a full bra. The fitting band, then, gives us a band that is fit to wires that fit the body, with the ability to have removable cups for the bulk of fitting. There may still be fitting to do once you can see how the fabric behaves with all structures fully sewn down. 

Because of this frustration, the center front fitting is my focus before cups are added. It can be difficult to see how the wires are sitting against the lower and outer edge of the bra. By making the fitting band, it is easier to see if the center front needs to be narrowed or widened. Personally, the only indicator I see of my fit issue is that the wires want to sit below my breasts. If I take one wire and place it where it “feels right,” then I may be able to determine if the bridge needs to be spread to allow the other wire to rise up to the other breast. Once this center front space is corrected, the back band is often in a better place. I can add cups and see if other adjustments are needed for the band.

Kat of Kat Makes blog demonstrated a fitting band for the partial band bra during the 2024 Bra Bee. Before, it was assumed that the lack of structure would make this near impossible, as channeling often has mechanical give, which can cause things to shift on the wireline. Kat cleverly came up with the simple strip of fabric to sew the channeling to, which helps stabilize the edge, and gives a seam allowance to sew the cups to.

Tight channeling?

As an aside, I did make sure to note, though, that the opposite side of the channeling is sewn down in each of these styles. Think of an arch, like a rainbow. To work to the outer edge is longer, the inner edge is shorter. Personally, I find that this means the channeling may end with a snugger feel on the framed bras as the shorter curve is sewn down first, and the channeling may need to stretch slightly to be sewn down. The frameless bra has the longer edge sewn down first, and thereby the shorter  arc may actually be slightly gathered -usually not enough to visually notice, but enough that I find the wire fits better in this style. So, if you have any issue with the channeling being snug in the framed style bra, maybe measure first and make sure you are getting the full length needed in that wireline.

Potential Strapless Comparisons

It’s August! It’s Bragust! Let’s make some support!

I am very curious to compare some of the available strapless bra patterns. So far, I’ve been experimenting on me because I can feel the problems. But, since I can’t reach to pin them out, it has been slow going. I think it’s time to switch modes for this battle of the bras. At least, to save on fabric! I’m going to make my model her size in each of the main strapless bra sewing patterns I’ve found.

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Esplanade Bra Sewing Pattern by Orange Lingerie

Sizes available: 30A - 40DD

Style: longline (close to the waist, but I need to lengthen the front), 3-piece cup, made for use with cut and sew foam

Boning? None suggested

Have I made it yet? Yes, but I’m struggling with the band fit. The cups are a great shape for me.

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Marei Strapless Wired Bra Pattern

Sizes available: band sizes 26-52 inch for all sizes, but separated into 3 distinctly different shapes for each of the cup groupings. In each grouping, t’s all sister sizing…

A-DD sizes ¿26D-52DD?  2.9” - 6.2” for horizontal measure of 7.2” - 13.7” 

DD-GG sizes ¿26FF-52G? 4.0” - 8.4” for horizontal measure of 9.0” - 16.8”

GG - KK sizes ¿26J-52K? 5.6” - 9.0” for horizontal measure of 122.4” - 20.7”

I do struggle with this sizing convention as I’m used to the Imperial measurement, and they don’t use decimals like this. The maker prefers metric and has named the sizes as the metric equivalent of these. 

Style: longline (on the ribs, not to the waist), 3-4 piece cup, from what I can tell,  fabric or cut and sew foam cup

Boning? Yes, both cup and band

Have I made it yet? Not yet. I find this company somewhat daunting to figure out my size in. I’ve made some paper cups but have yet to cut it from fabric.

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Symmes Strapless Bra

Sizes available: 28C-54J 

Style: 4-piece vertical seamed (clamshell-esque) cut and sew foam cups in a wide band

Boning? Yes, both cup and band

Have I made it yet? No, it came out just before summer and I have been busy! I’ve made several paper cups, but they are too stiff to really tell me how the Symmes will fit.

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Possible other candidates

Merckwaerdigh Patterns has a Strapless Bra Pattern. I tried it early in my bra sewing journey, but struggled with things like: what shape and size wire do they use? Is it a good shape for my body? I did not get a good fit right off the first try, but maybe I’ll have a better fit now that I’ve had more practice?

Underpinnings Museum (theUPMuseum on Etsy) has a circa 1950s Cathedral Bra Pattern that I’ve had my eye on. It does not come in cup sizes, sized for 30”-50” bust.

Another to consider is the Madalynne Merrywidow. If I get the body of it to fit, can I then substitute cups? How much altering would it take for the upper band tension to work well? 

Madalynne did produce a strapless, Simplicity 8437 which says it has sizes 32-42 A-DD. I may have a candidate to try this one, but most of my models have average or larger busts. Some of us need support, this bra looks like it’s for smaller self-supporting busts.

Oh, I nearly forgot the PUG Diamond Bustier Pattern. Pin-Up Girls traditionally only sell their patterns in paper format, and most of my other bra patterns are pdf. Because this bra is in a series, I could modify the shorter band from Ruby or Amethyst to try the strapless cups in it to check the fit before making the more fabric intensive longline. I’ve not been able to wear the PUG patterns for long periods, but maybe making it for someone else will help correct the issue.

I’m not sure how many I’ll be able to sew, there’s only a week or so before the semester begins!

SuperSock World Championship 2025

 SuperSock World Championship 2025 is drawing to a close. There are 5 rounds all together: Qualifier, Laps 1-3, and the Finale. The theme is based on car racing. There aren’t deductions for taking a “pit” lap to rest. Each of the main 4 laps has 2-3 patterns available to choose from.

I am on the MMM team that is full of Sock Madness competitors. We are generally socked out by the end of the Madness and don’t necessarily go into SWC for a win. The highest points go to the top 10, with top 5 or better getting large point numbers. I was able to get about 50 points altogether, with my finishes being in the top 50 or better. It’s a fun, relaxing group, with patterns that are fun to make, and usually not nearly as cerebral as the SM patterns.

Purpose of a Bra

 What is the purpose of a bra? 

The most obvious purpose of a bra is to hold the breasts in place for comfort while the person is moving. This has been accomplished over time with binders - wrappings to hold the chest flat in place. These developed eventually to the corsets, which were back and front support for working people. The corsets developed into fashionable things that became associated with less use and more expression.

At a point, coverage in the form of a bra formed by handkerchiefs was developed. I can imagine this worked lovely for a small bust on a hot day, or perhaps as an addition to bedroom clothes. The changes in fashion may have been what necessitated the invention.

Eventually, structural developments and stretch fabrics were made such that larger busts could be cantilevered off the stomach and up into a position for the back to support. At some point, wires were added to give definition around the mounds. 

Also, the bra seems to be to lend a silhouette that aids the fashion of the day. There are styles to “minimize” the size that shove the breasts out and back, or just hold in place for wider set busts. There are bras that shift the tissue towards the front and lift for presentation. There are sports bra that compress the tissue and are supposed to keep it from shifting during active times.

A bra serves the bust if it fits.

Sock Madness Round 5

 

Ribbed, cabled socks with a touch of embroidery. What is there not to love? This round was another clearly charted pattern and a speed race for the finishing spots. I was approved about spot 3 of my team of the 7 spots available to go into the next round. The pattern was already released when I woke Wednesday morning, so Europe and the like had 8 hours head start! I was able to complete my pair (including an unplanned 4 hour nap) by Thursday afternoon.

Evenstar Socks by KnitJoyz (ravelry name)

Sock Madness Round 4

 

These socks looked deceptively manageable. Most of the sock is plain knitting, but there are two panels of brioche; the rib knitting, not the bread. They are worked intarsia style. The main color goes all the way around each round, but the contrast works once each round forwards or backwards.

 I did get tired of flipping the sock around for just five stitches at a time, so I started working the stitches in reverse, then placing them onto the working needle. Eventually, I figured out how to throw with my left hand (I’m a “continental’ or “picker” knitter - hold the working yarn in my left hand). This improved my speed and felt more comfortable than switching around and around, potentially dropping stitches.

Finished and approved.

Brintarsia by Renee Strouts

Thoughts on cup shaping for a person with a rounder torso

 Had a thought, wanted to bounce it off you, might be a run away train with no destination yet.

- My torso is basically flat on front, where my breasts start, then slants back. This is made most obvious by the way my breasts point out about 90° to each other when wearing a bra made for “typical” breasts (straight out in front on flatter torso). You know the one? You lay down the bra and the wires are flat and two perfect mounds look great sitting there. Not me.

- Does my wire have to be larger than someone with a flatter torso because it is not just going across, but also back? Think of the cross edge of a right triangle, it has to be longer than the two edges to join both points.

- The wire basically is meant to be worn across a flat torso. What size would mine be if set across parallel to the front? (Way smaller!)

- Therefore my pattern should also have a long flat area in the cup side. If I use two wires to help build the cup pattern itself, then perhaps it should be the smaller one used to set that smaller portion of my breast balanced, as I was initially instructed to get a balanced even cup (which resulted in nips pointing out, rather than forward).

Then, I can add back in the portion between the two wires to support the side of my breast which would be added to an already shaped public side of the cup.

Thoughts?

Sock Madness 2025 Round 3

The socks this round seemed straightforward. A well charted pattern that started off tricky, but was quickly rhythmic. After closing up the toes, I noticed that I had dropped a stitch, causing one sock to have 5 stripes of ribbing, whereas the other had six. I had to open the toe and drop a couple stitches back to fix the error.

Finished and approved.

Itamaraty Socks by Anna Zuravleva