Jackie - The Fabulous New Zipper Front Sports Bra From Porcelynne

It’s been a while since I posted but I’ve got quite a few new patterns to share with you. As this has just been released I thought I would start with the Jackie, the new sports bra pattern, from Porcelynne. When the call went out I was eager to test this pattern for a number of reasons. The main reason was the zipper front as I’m having physio on my shoulder and using a back fastener is incredibly painful. I love the strap detail as well as the clean inside, no seams to rub or chaff. It also turns out it is interchangeable with all of Jennifer’s other sports bras as well as the Tankini Add On. So let’s see how I got on.

Starting with the pattern, as expected the size range is phenomenal. Jennifer had posted some pictures on the Porcelynne Facebook of makes with larger cups and the shape looked great so I was interested to see how this would look on me at the smaller end of the scale.

There are three pieces to the cup as well as a shaped back. The zipper has a top and bottom tab built into a hook and eye which you can fasten first to make pulling the zip up easier for the bigger cups. I chose the zipper shield option as I thought the fastener would not be necessary for my size.

Moving on to the sizing. The pattern describes the fit as “more relaxed for low impact sports or daily wear”. My measurements put me in a 32D. As I wanted more compression I went down a band and cup size as suggested in the instructions. There are a lot of pieces so I have uploaded a short video of the pieces and the materials I have used. Tailormade still has the grey fabric in stock but the Orange Soda Space Dye Poly Lycra Knit is no longer available from Fabric Fairy but they have a huge range of similar products.

As there is a Facebook Sew Along Group I am not going to go into a lot of detail about the construction. I started with the straps. For my sports version I used foam for both comfort and to stabilise the inner strap. This does make them quite bulky but my machine didn’t have a problem. My comment here would to make sure you use the correct width pattern piece for your elastic and findings and adjust the front strap placement on the side front to match.

I only had a really long zipper to use but it is relatively simple to cut it down to size. I didn’t have any silver end stops left so I used a crimp bead cover from my jewellery making stash. The instructions have you leave an extra 3/4” but I found this a little short and only just fit into the band. Next time I think I will leave cutting until the shield is in place. Also remember to make sure you have the pull in the section you are using before you cut off the excess.

I would definitely recommend reading through the instructions as well as watching the Sew Along before construction as the steps to enclose all the seams are not straightforward. So in the end you are pulling the whole garment through the shield side of the zipper and then you topstitch through the main fabric, zipper and shield to close the gap. This is a lot of bulk to sew through and I changed to my walking foot and size 16 needle.

The fabric and fit are fabulous for a sports bra. I love the clean inside and it is so comfortable. I just love it when a test make goes so well and why I like to use appropriate fabrics for every make. This pattern is particular good for scraps of fabric and the grey is what I had left from making the Greenstyle Inspire Tights Moto Add On. I put the bra through a workout and I am pretty impressed with the support from the compression without being squashed flat. Personally, there is too much bounce for a long run but pretty good for everything else.

As the pattern is interchangeable with the other sports bra patterns I thought it would be good to combine with the Laurel as I loved the hook and eye details with a heart cut out and the criss-cross front band.

For this make I decided to go with a comfortable day bra. I kept the band size the same as I like a snug fit but went up a cup size for less compression. I’ve uploaded another short video for the pattern pieces and materials used. This was before I realised I had gone a step too far without reading the instructions for the Laurel.

I’ll come to the seam ripper moment later but first I thought I would share the links to the fabrics I used. The main fabric is from BWear and comes in a number of colours but the one I have used is Lavender. The white athletic mesh is no longer available but Tailormade still have the black. Again the heart mesh is no longer available but Madalynne always has some fabulous and unusual fabric to add to your stash.

Moving on to the construction, I started with the criss-cross pieces. It was a little fiddly to get the pieces in place as you have multiple layers of fabric and elastic. I tried to machine baste in place but the fabric is very slippery so I did this by hand several times so I could place before attaching to the front.

I didn’t have much room to adjust the straps for the first make so for this one I added some length to the side front. I redrew the sides so that I had a straight tab for folding over the slider as I found the shape a little bulky on the first make. I also stabilised both the main and lining fabric at this point to stop them stretching out.

So it wasn’t until after the video when I was trying to work out how to keep the seams enclosed that I realized I couldn’t construct the Laurel in the same way as the Jackie. For the Laurel I needed to sew the back neckline and heart cut out, attach elastic and then turn through to finish. Seam ripping lightning stitches is not fun but I had to undo the four side seams. Also, the heart cut out is not as neat as I would like as I used 3/8” clear elastic and when I watched the videos on the website it said to use 1/4”. I think this is a bigger issue with the smaller sizes as there is very little distance between the neckline and where the scallops of the heart meet.

Combining the two patterns worked out brilliantly although I did have to think through the construction to put the two together. The only difference is that the band seam is not enclosed.

Despite the hiccups along the way it turned out pretty well. In conclusion the sizing is spot on and the shaping is beautiful. This is a fabulous day bra and will be perfect for long walks and cycling and trips out in the motorhome.

If you are interested you can buy the Jackie at half price until the 26th November and, in addition, on Black Friday itself (the 26th November) there is a 25% discount on all Porcelynne patterns. For my test makes I have used scraps of fabric but Jennifer has put together some kits specifically for the Jackie as well as having some sports bra knit fabric by the yard in some lovely colours. BWear has also put together some kits that are suitable for the Jackie (both the Jackie and Emily kit).

Back with a new blog soon.

Matching Bras for my Great Bra Sewing Bee Panty Inspiration Class

Some of you may have watched my “Panty Inspiration” class on the Great Bra Sewing Bee where the brief was to show how to recreate the look of your favourite rtw with commercially available patterns and supplies. I made up some of the designs from the class into finished makes, they turned out so gorgeous that I decided to make bras to match. So here is a round up of the sets, the patterns and supplies used and the changes I made to the patterns to recreate the look.

This first set is inspired by the Maison Lejayby Nufit range which is described as “undetectable under the slimmest clothes” and in particular those with a combination of plain jersey and floral stretch tulle. I had a lot of requests for “pretty and comfortable” and I thought these fit the bill perfectly. Just prior to preparing the class I had received my order including this beautiful floral mesh from Madalynne which is really super soft. Already in my stash I had a similar wide tri-band elastic from Bra Builders. The look is described as “sporty chic” so I opted to use mesh rather than jersey for a completely sheer look.

For the high waist full coverage briefs I used the Ohhhlulu Grace which is a hipster but when you add the wide band elastic it sits at the same place on the waist as the rtw. I reshaped the front pieces as the pattern has a straight seam and I wanted to introduce the curve.

The bra, described as a triangular soft cup, is a darted one piece cup finished with fold over elastic and partially adjustable straps. The pattern that immediately came to mind was the Emerald Erin Jordy which is a triangular two piece sitting on a wide elastic band. I do love this pattern and have made all the versions but for this make I was looking for more coverage around the side so I decided to adapt the free Madalynne Barrett pattern which is described as “sporty femme”. You can adapt most patterns to be a darted one piece cup but they can end up a little pointy if you are not careful.

I didn’t used fold over elastic for two reasons. Firstly, I didn’t have enough in the right colour and secondly, I prefer the support of plush picot when using stretch fabrics in the cups.

I started with the changes to the Barrett front.` As you can see from one I made a few weeks ago, the centre front has a triangular cut out. So on the pattern piece I drew a line down to establish the centre front. Next using my curved ruler I shaped the front to drop to the bottom edge for a plunge neckline and then added the width of my picot elastic. On the bottom edge I added 1/8” as I wanted slightly more overlap than the 1/4” seam allowance.

The Barrett is a pull on bralette but I wanted a back closure so I used the back piece from my Madalynne Fenix Bodysuit as a size guide. I put my fastener and elastic on the line to work out the depth of the band needed at this point and then I added on the width of my elastic and drew a straight line up to the top edge.

With my pattern pieces ready I proceeded to make up as normal. To stop any spillage I like to overlap the cups at the centre front. Firstly, I basted in place before overlocking along the bottom edge. Overlocking not only finishes off the raw edges but acts as a guideline for overlapping the band elastic. Then for reinforcement, after I attached the band, I stitched in a triangle around the overlap.

Moving on to the next set which took a little more thinking through. Hannah, of EvielaLuve, had classes on both strappy bralettes and panties so I decided to go for something a little different. The satin ribbon detail of the Aubade Courbes Divine Short, which translates to divine curves, is another cute design without compromising the comfort and/or fit. I love the description for this one, “The contrast in lace panelling creates alternating transparency which shows the skin and combined with the cut-out detail with decorative lattice creates the ultimate sexy brief.

I adjusted the Studio Costura Eva for the brief by lowering the waist and creating a fabric panel for the front as well as extending the lace panels to meet the bottom of the ribbon detail.

The collection has two bra styles, a plunge and a half cup. With the plunge the lattice detail was accommodated on the side which is mostly hidden so I thought I would try to recreate a lattice bridge. In putting together the class I became very aware of how different camera angles affect the look. It wasn’t until I scrolled through the images that I could see that the padding curved up into the arm. I have previously used the Orange Lingerie Devonshire to alter from a balconette to a half cup but for my size this wouldn’t leave enough room for the lattice so I made it as the balconette. I took a little out of the curve of the vertical seam using the 34C overlaid over the 34D pattern pieces but kept the height for the coverage I prefer. Vertical seams are great for uplift.

First, I made up the lace cup as per the pattern instructions and then moved on to the shaped padding. Then I used my usual method of making up a full foam cup, holding it against me and drawing on the shape I am looking for. Next I cut along the drawn line and this became my pattern piece. I didn’t have a good enough colour match with the sheer lining I had so I used some bias binding I had in my stash to cover the top edge of the foam.

I used a similar method for the lattice but, unlike the open back of the brief, the bra needed a backing to the ribbon so it would retain it’s shape. To design the lattice I drew the bridge on tear away stabiliser in similar proportions to the brief but I had to narrow slightly to fit the crisscross within the width at the top of the bridge. I placed two layers of sheer lining over the stabiliser and stitched along the outline of the pattern piece. Next I attached the ribbon, stitching in place along the marked lines. Then I placed fabric pieces, with the seam allowances folded under, over the ribbon and again stitched in place along the marked lines. Finally, to create the bridge, I cut along the original stitching marking the pattern piece.

To finish the bra I followed the pattern instructions except on the second pass of the band elastic I didn’t sew over the sheer lining. I stitched from the front with a small zigzag with matching thread so I didn’t have red stitching showing through.

To complete the look I finished with bows at the strap attachment and I think it turned out pretty perfect. The shape is amazing. Red is always a difficult colour to match but the elastic and lace from Sew Wardrobe were a perfect match. So on to the next set.

This set is recreating the look from another Aubade design called the Aubade à l’Amour Pearlized collection. For the class I made both a shorty using the Day Dream Nora hipster, with the detail on the back as shown, and the brief, with the detail on the front. There are three bras in the collection, a push up half cup, a bandeau and what is described as a comfort full cup. My initial thought was to make the bandeau version with mesh gathered across the front using the Afi Atelier Exquisite Butterfly addon but it wouldn’t really require much adjustment and I wanted a bra with smoother lines for under clothing. Also I didn’t want another padded bra so I went with the look of the full cup using fabric and lace I had left.

The pattern I had which was most like the design was The BraMakery Chloe but I knew I needed to take some of the fullness out for a better fit so I decided to use a similar pattern, the Merckwaerdigh Wings. I had bought this at the start of my bra making journey but never got around to making other than a test size but was recently reminded that I had bought quite a few of Merckwaerdigh’s patterns when I saw a post on Instagram.

To match the shorty I was going to use the scalloped edge lace for the upper cup only and then the honeycomb stretch mesh for the rest. I also didn’t have enough lace to use on the band. To start with I made the lace cups and then I made the side and lower cup in foam to place around the cup. This was to help me decide the shape and size of the mesh panel and again I drew a line and cut along for the pattern piece. After studying the various images I decided the mesh wasn’t actually gathered but the stretch fabric would do this with the pull from the strap when worn.

To use the mesh for the base of the bridge I fused to sheer lining with Misty Fuse. I marked on the bridge where the lace cup piece would end. Then I cut two pieces of the fabric to create the v adding a seam allowance to be folded over and then sewed the centre seam again using Misty Fuse to stop the stretch fabric moving. I carefully marked on both the cup and bridge where the pieces would meet.

I made the side pieces the same way fusing the fabric to the sheer lining and enclosed the seams using another layer of sheer lining. The perfectly aligned front was well worth the effort. The pattern has large lace wings for a bare back look but with no lace left I adjusted the pattern for a regular leotard shape using just the powernet. The straps also feature gathered mesh. I have made straps similar to this before but decided to use no gathers for a smoother look but still used mesh to create the illusion of continuing up from the mesh sides.

I cut two 12” pieces of elastic the same width as the strap tab and strips of mesh twice the width with seam allowances added. Next I sewed the mesh strips right sides together and then turned through. Then I threaded the elastic through and marked intervals of 2 1/2” to sew across to hold the mesh in place. I attached to the strap tab right sides together and pushed the seam allowance down and sewed through all layers.

Finally I made some plain adjustable straps for the back. I tried on to decide how long to leave the front strap to allow for enough adjustment at the back. I was thrilled with how it turned out especially the soft gathers of the mesh sides when worn. I just to need to embroider some bee decorations for the straps to match the back.

I know it’s a long post but I have one more set to share with you. Another frequent request is how to achieve the look of no vpl briefs. Most designs are very plain but I really liked the Marks and Spencer “Smoothing No VPL Brazilian Knicker”

For the class I used the Studio Costura Mia which is also a brazilian cut. I split out the front into a lace and fabric panel and angled my lace a little lower for more coverage at the front. For the legs I used double sided fusible elastic and instead of a bound waistband I used some really pretty fold over elastic.

I have a couple of patterns that are designed for preformed foam cups which are used in the “Smoothing” bra. Bra Makers Supply have a full frame pattern but I used the Orange Lingerie Mystic which is a partial band and required fewer adjustments.

Moulded cups are really hard to get hold of in my size so I decided to make use of the cups from a rtw where the band and bridge had stretched out after only a couple of wears. I took the bra apart and recycled the wires as well. What I found interesting was that the fabric covers were also moulded.

To recreate the look you need some really stretch fabric like the microlycra I was using from Bra Builders. The first step is to add some stable fabric to the bottom of the cup for the seam allowance as the foam itself cannot be folded. Then you have to stretch the fabric over the cup without causing it to collapse. It takes a bit of time but you have to keep going around stretching until you get all the wrinkles out. The pattern then has you cut around and then attach to the back of the cup and roll around to the front and then start the process all over again. Sometimes this can create a bit of bulk at the neck edge. So I first stitched in place all around the cup with the foam side up except for the top edge. For the top edge I used 3/8” double sided tape on the foam side and pushed the fabric over the top and onto the tape. Then I cut the loose fabric back to the tape.

As the wires are shorter than those used in the pattern I had to shorten the bridge and construct in a slightly different way to use the scallop edge of the lace. First, I fused the lace to a piece of sheer lining then I cut out another piece of sheer lining and turned up the bottom seam allowance. I attached the two pieces right sides together at the top edge and then flipped the front over and sewed across the bottom edge catching the turned up seam allowance.

As my wires were also shorter at the side I had to adjust the height of the side frame before combining with the back band using the Orange Lingerie Berkeley band as a guide. Rather than use picot elastic which can be bulky on the foam I used fold over elastic to finish the upper edge. I really like the slightly wider and stronger elastic from Emerald Erin and remembered I had bought some in the new the blush pink colour which was was a great match. To complete the smooth appearance I attached the strap direct onto the foam cup and created an adjustable strap by attaching a small piece of strap elastic to the height of the band for the ring attachment.

So that is my matching bra sets done! What to do next?

More Bodysuits - The Hibou Pattern Release and a Black Beauty Hack

Never having had a bodysuit I now have another two beauties to show you. I’m going to start with the newly released Hibou from Small Bobbins (Hariito). I had been following the release date for this pattern and had a green stretch velvet kit on order. So whilst I waited for it to arrive I made a test size and it turned out to be one of my best makes this year.

You get a lot of information with the pattern both in sizing and fabric guidance as well as detailed construction instructions except in one area which I will cover later. It is also size inclusive ranging from 32 to 56 with four cup options in each size. My measurements put me in a 38 bust down to 34 hips and b/c cup. With all those sizes it is helpful that the pattern pieces are in a layered file. I included the three sizes and both the b/c and d/e cups. I compared to the bodysuit patterns I have drafted and decided to go with the 38 as I could always take in at the hip and the bigger cup. I should point out that it is drafted for a 5ft8” person and I am a couple of inches shorter but I know I am longer from underbust to waist so I didn’t make any adjustments to the length.

Then I had to choose which fabric to use. I know it was only a test but I was confident with the size so I used the gorgeous flock mesh from a Madalynne kit. I lined the body pieces and the inner cup using temporary adhesive spray before enclosing in the outer cup. Having made a number of bralettes with a mesh top I knew I would need either powernet or two layers of mesh for adequate support. I decided on the two layers of mesh for the sheer look. This time I basted the two layers together by hand as sometimes the spray can stay a little sticky on just mesh.

There a lot of V points on this pattern so I did the back first carefully marking the notch on both pieces. I used a lightning stitch and then top stitched down with a small zigzag and trimmed back to the stitching. Another pattern option is to overlock the seam but as the fabric is so fine I didn’t want to add bulk. The front centre is the one area I thought the pattern could be more detailed as only the centre cup top point is illustrated and not where you need to join the two cups. Once the front mesh is added it’s pretty much plain sailing. At this point you can add elastic to the underbust seam but I left this out for my test make and for me it turned our not to be necessary.

I did overlock the side seams but only after using the sewing machine first so I could make sure the front and back mesh panels lined up. Then just the elastic to add. The pattern pieces include the fold over allowance for plush picot so you need to cut this off if you are using fold over elastic. For the top I used some wider, stronger fold over elastic that I use for sports bras as I find this does not over stretch. Another tip I have picked up along the way is to add some sort of stabiliser where the elastic is folded over the ring. In this case I have used black grosgrain ribbon. For the legs I chose to use plush lingerie elastic as I find this a softer finish.

The pattern includes a gusset piece that you need to adapt for a snap closure. You start by splitting at the marked line and adding an overlap and seam allowance to the front and just the seam allowance to the back. Rather than use individual snaps I used the tape from Madalynne that I have used before.

It looks absolutely stunning and the fit is just as good! So then we move on to the bodysuit I made using the Emerald Erin Black Beauty.

I made the front piece the same way as I did with my earlier Lawren/Watson combination. For the back I knew I would need to have a back closure so for this I blended the back band piece into a Jalie swimsuit pattern piece.

I already had a beautiful lace Black Beauty kit from Emerald Erin and I had bought some extra lace to make underwear so I thought this would be perfect. I started with the cups and had to work out how to match the stripes on a curve. I couldn’t match all the way around but manipulated the position of the pattern piece to cover most of the seam from the outer edge that became a chevron at the centre front. I wanted to keep the cup sheer so I cut out the powerbar on the fold of the sheer lining and added a strip of lace to the strap area so that I could stitch through the upper cup edge to secure.

For the front I used two layers of super soft micro mesh again from Emerald Erin which I hand stitched together. I then laid the lace over the mesh and pinned in place to cover as much as possible before hand stitching in place before I cut around and secured in place down the centre front. I did the same for the other side making sure the stripes lined up all the way down. Next I made a frame in sheer lining and attached the band elastic to just this so it would be free floating keeping the sheer look from the front. Once joined at the bridge I flipped over and basted the remaining sides.

I made the back band with a layer of powernet and the lace making sure I had the stretch in the right direction. This means the stripes are vertical but the contrast with horizontal of lower back works well. I used a single layer of mesh for the lower back. To match the stripes on the side seam I placed the lace over the front and then placed the mesh on top of this and pinned from the back. Again I used the tape to create the closure this time using grosgrain ribbon on the front to stabilise the mesh.

Another perfect fit so I thought I would finish with a look inside together with the outfit I have made to be worn with it on Christmas Day. The top is the Greenstyle recently released Cambria. A really versatile pattern with many options. I wanted something to sit on the hip over the skirt I had made. So this is the slimmer fit high hip length with hem band, pleated sleeve gathered into a long cuff, with mock turtle neck! The skirt is pleated fabric joined and attached to an elastic waistband. Both the stretch velvet and pleated fabric are from Sew Wardrobe.

And I think that’e enough bodysuits for 2020!

Pattern hack perfection - Madalynne Lawren Bodysuit with Cloth Habit Watson Bra

Still going with the Bra-A-Week Challenge I thought I would try something different with the very beautiful lace bralette kit I had from Tailor Made for my November #TMCollaBRAtory. Ying’s kits are always very generous so, fresh from testing Madalynne’s Lawren, I hoped there would be enough to make some sort of bodysuit.

There wasn’t enough for the bodice so thought I would use the Cloth Habit Watson bra as the plunging neckline and stretch cups should work well in a body suit. As with many of my makes the detail came as I went along.

The first step was to draft the pattern pieces. I put on one of the longline versions of the Watson I had made. Then I tied a piece of elastic around my waist and asked my husband to measure the distance from the bottom of the band to the elastic. I traced off the Lawren front panty piece. From the waist line I added the 2” needed, taking into account the allowance for the fold back of the band elastic, and then placed the frame piece on this line. After I graded from a medium waist to small hips I used a curved ruler to smooth from the cradle to the waist and then the leg line.

For the back piece I traced off the Lawren, added the 2” again and then placed the back band on this line at the side seam. From the side I used the curved ruler to draw a line to the centre back. Then I used the front piece to reshape the back piece to match at the sideseam.

Now I had my pattern pieces I could decide how to use the fabric and lace. I wanted two layers of mesh for the front but this wouldn’t leave enough for the back so I looked in my stash and found this beautiful ribbing fabric from a previous #tmcollabratory which was just enough for the back.

Next I made the cups. The lace was just wide enough to have the stretch in the right direction. I knew I wanted the lace starting from the centre so it flowed seamlessly from the cup but the actual placement was decided by the width of the lace. If you look at the middle picture you can see the corner missing from the top right. I worked out what would be caught in the seam and armhole elastic. I made sure the lace hit the leg line at the same point.

With the lace stitched to the front piece I could attach the cups. I cut out the frame in sheer lining and enclosed the cups between this and the front, topstitching down through all layers to flatten and keep in place.

Then I moved on to the back. I placed the lace the same as the front. Again I was a little corner short but this time it was too big to be caught in the seam.

I found a scrap of lace that matched and placed underneath. I used a small zigzag to attach and then cut back to stitching. Before attaching the front and back I cut out a back band from mesh that I attached to the sheer lining. This was so I didn’t have to attach band elastic to the sheer front. Once I had sewn the side seams I basted all the layers together so they didn’t slide around when I attached the top elastic.

The idea was to not see the bottom band elastic so I attached as close to the cup as I could using the widest three step zigzag on my machine and trimmed the lining back to the stitching. For stability I made the straps long enough to attach to the bottom band and stitched through all layers to prevent the mesh from rolling when putting on. The stitching is not noticeable on the lace back. it all worked out really well. A good colour match thread does help.

I finished the leg with just elastic as I had no more lace left and I think the design suited a clean finish. The only item I had to add to the kit was some snap tape which had just arrived in my Madalynne order. For the back you attach to the gusset lining on the 1/4” line, fold to the right side, tuck in the sides and sew along the opposite edge.

For the front you attach to the right side and tuck to the wrong side. The issue for me is that you would see the snap tape through the sheer front. So I cut a piece of a folded piece of rib fabric the same width and deep enough for the folded back tape. I attached to the wrong side of the front with raw edges together. The sides are covered by the tucked in tape.

And to finish I thought would include some close ups of the finished bodysuit. Even starting with two great patterns that fit well I was still overwhelmed by how gorgeous this looks. Got so many ideas for more!