Friday, September 04, 2015

Can you refashion bras?

Did I just put my bra stash online? Yes, for the common good. Bras are expensive and most of us wouldn't think that you could refashion or alter them. I didn't either. So we buy new ones when size changes, or suffer the bad fit of the old ones. But you can alter them. And I' ll show you one way to do it.
Here are most of them, pre-altering.

My breast volume had increased. I found a solution: Sew in lace elastic along the upper edge to cover more and keep the contents in. The width of my cup size remained the same (that is paramount to be able to use this solution).

While I am at it: Go get measured in a dedicated underwear shop, that has a broad selection from the smallest to the largest sizes (because thos with a limited range will always measure you to a size that they have in the shop=).
90% of us use the wrong size (and you think that you are among the 10% not to, but go get checked). Well fitting bras is heaven.

Comment: They do look a bit wonky on my dress form, but they fit me well.


See the blogpost HERE for TUTORIAL

The same bra in black:

And also in pink. The black lace elastic looked a little "lonely", so I stiched lace elastic to the bottom edge too.

Here I stitched the lace elastic to the inside of the cup since this was a lace bra, and it would look best that was. I also sewed a little piece of lace on in the middle of the bra to make the lace follow the lines of the bra.

And I did the same on the same bra in black:

This one had a ruffle along he edge, so I also put the lace elastic on the inside of the cup.

Nude (well caucasian scandinavian nude) bra, that got a lace piece along the edge like the others.
To gather the two colours so the lace piece didn't look out of place, I put sateen bias tape on top of the bra wire casing.

Aside from it being too small like the others, the straps had disintegrated on this one. I added the lace elastic. And I removed the straps and replaced them with others from a thrift stop bra. But not just any straps: Removable and multifunctional. I have always wanted such a bra.

Here I have made it a halterneck bra.

I have one more bra project, but it deserves its own blogpost. Do look forward to see it tomorrow. Teaser: Two bras became one.

5 comments:

RanchHouse said...

Awesome! Thanks for taking the jump!!! Your Refashions really extend the life and add such a pretty aspect.
Bras are so expensive and something we are less likely to know how to Refashion.
I encourage others to share what they have done to Refashion Bras and other undergarments.
Mary @ RanchHouse Wednesday Editor of the Day (EOD)

Sandy said...

This is brilliant. I have some waiting for such treatment, but your post is giving me the courage to just do it! I like how you added more colour to integrate for a whole look.
Sandy in the UK

jenny_o said...

Great ideas, which I can use immediately :) Thank you for sharing this.

Saga said...

Although it was fidgety work to refashion them, it was not too difficult, so go for it! :-)
But be aware of the hardware inside the bra. I broke a few sewing machine needles on that account.

Unknown said...

I have a couple of bras that show way too much cleavage. I had never thought to add stretch lace for coverage. I look forward to trying this!