Adding a Front Closure to a Sports-bra

I have a “thing” about exposed bra straps.  Like; they’re underwear and should stay there.  Under.

Recently, I sewed a camisole with a racer back and of course with my standard bra, the straps showed.  I know you can buy little gizmos that hook the straps together at center back, and I bought some.  After almost dislocating my shoulder while trying to install one, they were tossed into the back of a dark drawer.

Plan “B”. 

Buy a “racer-back” bra. 

Sure.  That’s a “Sports-Bra”.  They don’t have hooks.  You pull them over your head!!!!  And wiggle yourself into it.  Right.  So now I’ll dislocate my other shoulder. 

Anyway, I did buy one.  It was inexpensive.  I also wandered into the notion department and bought this.

It’s sold as a bra extension, but I see it as a set of hooks and eyes for a front opening bra.

I cut the bra open at center front.With a piece of tissue paper underneath, I sewed two rows of basting along each cut edge, about 1/8th inch apart.

I carefully tore away the tissue paper and with a pin at each end to wrap the bobbin threads around, I pulled them to gather the front opening down to 3 inches.  (That’s the length of the bra extension I bought)

I had already cut a one inch wide piece of fusible knit interfacing along the grain, three inches long, then sub-cut it to 2 pieces, 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long.  I fused one strip to each side of each of the gathered front edges.

I picked the part of the extension with the hooks off the rest with a stitch ripper.  There was a row of zig zag stitches that came out easily.  Then I was able to slip the edge of the bra front into the “pocket” of the hook area.   If you’re doing this, make sure the hooks are pointing “in”.

Zig zag through all layers to join.

Slip the point of a fine pair of scissors under the second set of eyes and cut as close to the second set as possible.

Line up the raw edge of the piece you just cut with the remaining gathered bra edge with good sides together.  Again, watch that the eyes are facing the right way. 

Use a straight stitch to join, avoiding the ends of the eyes that are hiding under the fabric.  Turn the seam allowance to the inside and zig zag along the raw edge to finish off the seam allowance.

No more dislocated shoulders.

No more wiggling into a bra when I’m hot and sweaty.

No more bra straps showing.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.

Is this something you’ll do?

Yvette Chilcott

I'm a mother of 3, stepmother of 3. My hubby and I share our home with 2 cats, and my hobbies, including my food experiments.

14 Responses

  1. That is soengenious, I have to try it. It’s difficult trying to get into sports bras, especially when you’re hot, sweaty and impatient, or “hot flashing”. Thanks for the tutorial, I would have never thought of it.

  2. Wow!!!! this is GENIOUS!!! I have a few sport bras that I wiggle in by the time I have it on I want to take it off, I’m so sweaty!!! 🙂

  3. I have about 10 sports bras that are about to get fixed! I have trouble getting them on when I’m just out of the shower, too. Damp skin and this type of stretchy fabric with a tight fit do not play well together. Thank you very much for actually doing what I’ve been thinking about for ages!

  4. THANK YOU! This is exactly what I was searching for. I am too old to be trying to wiggle into these bras! But, seems the only ones that are comfortable are the sports bras.

  5. I just did this with one of my regular bras. I clipped the hooks off the back on both sides. Sewed the back back together sans hooks. Made a cut along the seam in the front and reattached hooks in the front. Pretty easy. Did it all by hand. Going to try a few more. Would be nice if I could find some easy to close bra hook contraptions on eBay. But at least now I don’t have to throw out my nice back hook bras. Yay!

  6. I am so excited to try this! I am sooo tired of struggling out of a sweaty sports bra. In addition to the whole method of adding the front closure, I picked up on a couple of things that I never thought of in my many many years of sewing. Like using tissue paper while sewing on stretchy fabric – what a great idea, I have always struggled with sewing on stretchy fabric! Then using fusible interfacing to hold the gathers in place – another great idea! Thank you so very much!

  7. Thank you for the wonderful idea. I have made a few sports bras and plan to add front closures. Making this for my sister who has back issues. Also from what I have read, can do this for regular bras too. Fantastic!

  8. I do not get it – this country can send a man to the moon, win two world wars, but cannot make a decent sports bra with sewn-in cups and front closure!! NUTS. I have loose bra cups in a drawer, and have really cut myself out of a bra that I couldn’t get off. But I do not sew. Is there a company that already makes one? I have not found it yet.

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