Calm Under Tension by Gwen Gyldenege
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Art
    • Artwork
  • Sewing
  • Spiritual

Lifted, Gifted, Higher [than the Ceiling...] Otherwise Known as Sewing & Fitting Bras: Bravo Bella 2 V2

9/15/2014

Comments

 
Last weekend, I cut and sewed up a 2nd bra from the Bravo Bella pattern. I'm working through proper fitting.  It helps me see numbers and compare things side by side, and likely this may help you.  In this post, I'm going to cover sizing and fitting results from V1 to V2 of Bravo Bella 2.   

Starting Bra #2 opened a whole new world. I'm suddenly Bra woman.  I've like 3 or 4 posts right now queueing on the topics of drafting, making, and fitting bras. I'm going to post them as a mini series and I've been brainstorming names.  I think I settled on *the one*.  

My Bra series shall be "Lifted, Gifted, Higher...".  


Who can tell me the name of the artist who sang the lyrics in my title WITHOUT Google-ing it. Now, NO CHEATING you guys. :D   Please tell me in the comments!  And, like Stephen Frye on QI, I shall give points for interesting answers and negative points for the obvious answers. Watch the show, my friends. Hysterical.

Bravo Bella 2 - Bra V1

Picture
Size: 40 band, 42 I cup.  This is basically a 42 J.  
Size chosen per recommendation from Bravo Bella Bras when measured at Sew Expo. I don't have those #'s available to share at this time.
(HOLY Sha wow wow.  I usually buy a 38DDD. Color me shocked. Ignore sizes. Focus on fit, Gwen.)

Fabrics / Kit: 
Bravo Bella basic. Single knit for the cups, powernet for the band.
 
Fit: 
  • Cups - Too large in the cups 
  • Band - too large in the band.  
  • Underwire - the underwires poke into my sternum and side chest in the under arm area. Ouch!
As a result, it rode up in the back and I had to pull the cups really tight (read use really short straps) in order to get the bagging and rippling out. That's after I took out ~ 1 inch of seam allowance from armpit to sternum along the underwire. 

Result: Too big. It doesn't fit, I don't wear it. Learning process on construction and fitting. When worn under a shirt, odd wrinkles appear along the cross cup seam. They are very noticeable. Uncomfortable. Interesting. Must try again.

Bravo Bella 2 - Bra V2

Size: 38 band, 38F cup.  
High bust 39.5. Bust 45. Ribcage 37.5.  I selected this pattern based on current measurements and followed the size selection method within the BravoBella pattern.

(Note: This is not an apples to apples comparison.  I have lost a couple inches on my bust over the last year and most of those inches likely melted off with my health recovery followed by increase of walking, skating and hiking since January of this year.  Between Sew Expo in March and September, my measurements have changed. Thus, my sizing experiment is skewed because I am not the same size from bra #1 to bra #2.)

Fabrics / Kit: 
My own combo. A firm double knit for the cups, + powernet for the lower cup, powernet for the band.
 
Fit: 
  • Cups - too small, but also have wrinkles as though I cannot fill out the full cup. Instead of filling out the cup, I'm overflowing the top of the cup and pushing out the sides in the top underarm area.  Not pretty. Squishy and flat like. Odd.  I think my breasts are not quite as pointy as this pattern.
  • Band - may be closer to an accurate fit, but it is also too small height wise. Spillage over the top and bottom of the band occurs all around. 
  • Underwire - GREAT! I cut ~ 1/2" off of one end. Just as an experiement. 

Result: Too small. Not worth wearing. It's close, but somethings just not quite right. But!! I will hang onto it to review what I did. Made the mistake of getting rid of the V1 bra and couldn't look at my construction as I made V2.

Next time I will round the cups, test a few different cup sizes, increase the height of the band.  I liked the underwire length. I'll definitely trim the rest of the wires I have in my stash.  

I'm not sure if I'd use powernet on the lower cup again. That added a lot of bulk at the cross cup seam.  I thought it would lift more, but with the weird wrinkles, it didn't work as anticipated. It would likely be better with butted seams, otherwise known as Flatlock. Good to know by experimentation and discovery with powernet.

Interesting self discovery.
When I cut it out, I intuitively knew Bra V2 wouldn't fit. I was aware consciously and subconsciously.  The feeling lingered like smoke from incense. But, I continued sewing anyway. It felt good. I really enjoyed constructing a complicated (seemingly though it really isn't) piece. It really didn't matter that it wouldn't fit.  I was fully captivated by how I was turning a few pieces of wire, netting, fabric and elastic into a 3-dimensional supportive garment. 
Comments
    Gwen Gyldenege

    Author: 
    Gwen Gyldenege

    I'm a one woman circus.  
    I'm curvy and athletic.
    ​I am a dancer.
    My last name translates 
    to "Golden Oak". 

    I'm an artist, intuitive, engineer, seamstress 
    and performer.

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Sewing in Seattle

    Archives

    April 2018
    February 2018
    August 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    April 2009
    December 2008

    Categories

    All
    Activewear
    Adventures
    Art
    Artists
    ArtOfThe20sDress
    Calligraphy
    Cartoons
    Clown
    Comedy
    Costumes
    Creativity
    Crochet
    Dance
    Dancewear
    Dingleballs
    DIY
    Fabric
    Fashion
    Fiber
    Fitting
    Food
    Funkifabrics
    Garden
    Handwriting
    Hiking Gear
    Holiday
    Humor
    Inspiration
    Interviews
    Jalie 2795
    Jalie 2795 Hoodie Sew Along
    Jalie Patterns
    Jewelry
    KiddieAdultsUnite
    Kitchen
    Kits
    Knits
    Knitting Patterns
    Lifted Gifted Higher
    Lingerie
    Littlealters2013
    Mad Men Dress Challenge III
    Marketing
    MMMay14
    Moulage
    Muslin
    Needle & Thread
    Nwcreativespirits
    Outdoor Gear
    Paint
    Paper
    Passthepaper2012
    Pattern Drafting
    Photoaday
    Photography
    Pmc
    Prayer
    Projects
    Sculpt
    Sew
    Sewforvictory
    Sewing Workout Wear
    Sew News
    Shows
    Shrinky Dink
    Sing
    Skillshare
    Social Media
    Spring
    Spring Race Challenge
    Stories
    Tutorials
    Video
    Vintage
    Voiceover
    Wardrobe Architect
    Watercolor
    Yarn

Except for sources otherwise stated beneath images or bottom of the page (Creative Commons), all images and works are copyright Gwen Gyldenege, all rights reserved.  Contact Gwen to request permission.
Photos used under Creative Commons from I Robertson, DoNotLick, Gustty, Jayson Emery, Nbepko, Gamma Man, I Robertson, Lars Plougmann, RowdyKittens, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, The Wandering Angel, VasenkaPhotography, quinn.anya, Léa Chvrl, Lost Albatross, Guttorm Flatabø, BEST PHOTO, RowdyKittens, allistair, BozDoz, tanakawho, Navicore, Bilal Kamoon, D-Stanley, Kris Krug, glasseyes view, essers, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, Alex Pepperhill, Found Animals, adactio, Office Now
✕