bra patterns

Hi Indi,

Fancy your mentioning this issue, because I just finished assembling an Excel spreadsheet of all the bra patterns available on the internet last night! (I'm starting a website,

, which is a guide to bras for hard-to-fit women. I'm working on the Sew-It-Yourself section this week.)

Since my web designer won't be able to put it up for another week or so, I can email it to you (or anyone else who wants it). And, I can also point you to

The Amsterdam Bra by Your Dessous goes to an I cup, although it is average height of wire in the center.

The Queen Bra Elite pattern by Anne St. Claire of Needlenook fabrics goes to 48 H cup, and she is happy to specially draft one for you if you have special needs. (She said so yesterday!)

pic available, but I suspect also average wire height. The Merckwaerdigh brand of patterns have several that come in demi styles, at

They have an English translation option. But they're definitely not in your cup size.

If you have a commercial bra that is the right size and shape, you can have a pattern made from it by Brenda Solanki of

or LeeAnn Burgess at

will cut it up, Brenda will not. LeeAnn is cheaper. I just hadmy favorite Fantasie bra patterned and it seems perfectly accurate. If you don't have a commercial bra that you love yet, please email me. My RTW bra database has close to 300 brands right now, several of which come in your size. It's possible we can find you one with low enough wires in the center. (That database is going to take a few more months to get ready for posting to the Bra Connection.)

As a note, you will probably need to use the special flexible coil underwires available at

because they are just cut-to-any-length type. The other option is going to be ordering regular length wires and using strong cutters to shorten the center. I believe Bra Makers also sells the tip dip that coats custom-cut wire ends.

Pora

Your Fairy Bra Mother

snipped-for-privacy@bigfoot.com wrote:

oh wow thank you so much. Would be worth posting all that at patternreview.com. they have huge long discussions on the making of bras. have been looking at the desserous (or whatever it is) but gave up cuase of the german that Google was having issues with. will check out your other links and eagerly await your site:-)

Thanks for the kind words. From the sketch of the Your Dessous pattern, it looks very supportive. If you can manage to ignore the German translation, it might be a wonderful choice.

Can you say which brand in which you wear a 38H? I'll see what I can come up with in RTW styles. Just need to know precisely which system you're going by.

Pora

Whoops! It occurs to me to mention that Brenda Solanki is a certified teacher of PatternMaster Curves. She might be open to drafting you a whole pattern according to your specifications if you have clear ideas of the seaming.

Also, check out the site for the Canadian Association of Professional Bra-Makers. There are so many women listed, and there's likely someone who can custom draft you a pattern.

I am similarly sized though smaller around, and I have a similar problem with center wires. I sometimes get a larger size around and then take it in at the back so I can get the right cup size. This often, however, results in the damn wires poking at the top of one's shirt. Whoever designs most of the bras (men likely) seem to design them for a 36 B and then grade them for the other sizes. As with clothes, that results in a ridiculous article with the straps wide enough to accommodate a football player or the cups splayed out to the sides so your nipples are at a ninety degree angle from each other.... OK I'm exaggerating but only slightly. These so-called designers seem to forget that most women have breastbones that are NOT perpendicular to the floor--- hence the frequent wire problems.

If you can find wire or corset stay caps (good ones), you can open up the center wire channels and cut the wires back at the center, cap them, force them out to the endpoints at the side seams, and then stitch the channels down in the center leaving at least 1/2" of room for the wires to move when the bra stretches when you put it on. You might need to try it on first to see how much clearance you need to leave. If you don't leave enough, the wires will eventually burst right thru the channels. It's similar to corset stays in that you have to leave extra room. It also needs saying that underwires should be touching the chest wall at the center and the most frequent reasons they don't are (1) see above; and (2) the cup size is too small.

Phae

no not really. that's exactly it, at right angles to each other and pointinginto my arms. LIft and seperate if you have to but stretch apart so far the skin in between is painful's not good. besides, i want cleavage! indi. ps wustergirl- i'll draw some diagrams and stuff and get back to you:-)