Intermission: Black Beauty

 While awaiting the Ruby Fit Class, I decided to sew up a Black Beauty. 

I tried and tried a couple years ago, but I just couldn’t seem to get the size right, no matter how much Liz I watched Sew. But, now, I’ve learned more about how I feel the wire should fit, and that is my starting measurement. 

When I started this adventure, I thought I might use up to a size 46 underwire. I was over 175 pounds, and finding the side of my intramammary fold (IMF, the line around the breast) was impossible for me. As I’ve made more bras, I tried smaller wire sizes. This year, 2024, I’m using the smallest wire yet, even though I’m not that far from my starting weight. Things have shifted, or I’ve learned how it should feel on me.

Measurements?

Weight has been between 160-163 this week

Overbust: 35.5”

Bust: straight across/parallel to floor? 42”, but parallel to overbust, along top of bra: 40”

Underbust: 34”

Wire: 38

Starting size according to pattern: 34E-FF

Actual starting size: 36C. I should have used 34D, for a tighter band (these two use the same cup), but I also thought about using the same size as I fit in store, for comparison.

As this is a tester, I used whatever I had on hand. Emerald Erin often uses tulle for her bras, and I have some bra tulle, so I used that. The only adjustment was to the center gore. In this size, it’s a whole inch wide! I brought it in to 1/2 inch, and the bottom gore maybe took a little more away. This is too much off the bottom gore.  Next time I’m switching for the 34D gore, as it is only 3/4 inch wide. The wire feels good so far. The left cup was way too tight, and -wow- does it mound up!. The back band is one of those flat T-bands, so it’s trying to find its own path, plus it’s angled up, so it is riding a little high.

Take two! I added 3/8 inch across the horizontal seam at the apex notch. Now that the left feels good, I think the right feels tight. Maybe I should just go up to the next cup size, to the 34DD. The underwire seems a tiny bit long for the current cradle, so it could possibly fit into the next size up. The drawback is that my right side almost looks like it’s at the bust point, but maybe it’s just squished?

Now, it’s time to clear the sewing table, get in a stretch, and get ready for Ruby!

Worker Bee

 I have hives of honeybees most years happily buzzing through the summer. It made sense to have fun and pick up the Black Beauty Bees bra kit from Emerald Erin. At the time, they only had latte, but it looks like bees on black tulle may be back in stock.

 The kit comes with stable tulle, the kind you use for the bridge, and to keep things up. The bees are on cup tulle, which is stretchy across and stable along the grain. I sewed up the pattern as written, but the power bars were at a strange angle and my bees fabric bagged out along the cross seam. I took out the cups.

I have altered one copy of the pattern to vertical seams. I sewed up a new pair of cups. I didn’t add the power bars back in, and found that the seam is actually at least an half inch forward of my bust point. The cups are a touch loose, too. Without the power bars, I simply looped the fold over elastic (FOE) through a ring and put the adjusters in the front of the bra. 

I need to adjust the pattern some more, it’s nearly fitting. 

Spring, Angles, Play

 While trying the band of the Porcelynne bra, I did find a comfort factor that has been missing with home sewn bras. The wire tips were pressing into my sternum, and I took a pinch of the base of the bridge and used a safety pin to hold it closer together. What a difference! I know. Wires fit to my “inframammary” line (the curve of my breasts), but the bra was forcing the wire to sit in the wrong position against me.

Yo. And I mean that in the most solid, I grew up in So Cal during the LA riots, gangsta that this little housewife can manage. And I’ll throw in a -Dude - for good measure.

My bra band fits. I took that tiny dart (1/4” per side!) and moved it to the back band to maintain the circumference. And I wore that until I nearly fell asleep in it. I do like to not sleep in wires, let  alone bras. I like to feel free at night.

Next bra I made up is the vertical seamed Black Beauty (LizSews on YouTube has a tutorial for this). I tried a Gothic Arch for the first time, but it didn’t turn out great. It’s my first, the cups need a touch of finessing, yet it’s wearable. 

Check that bridge! I have. Wires on top of each other, which may be a smidge too close, but it feels fine. This is the last of my Mom’s white shell lace. Blush pink for the cradle, and the back is a peachy color powermesh. 

Have you found a fit inspiration that suddenly just made things fit better?