Front Closing Sports Bra with snaps

Is there such a thing as a comfortable bra?   Until now, I had never worn one.   I mean a comfortable one.   50 years of discomfort.  Done.

Meet COMFORT!

  

 Meet PRETTY!

I used fabric remnants from previous projects, both are a rayon spandex jersey with 4 way stretch which were provided to me by Distinctive Sewing Supplies, an on-line retailer based in Oakville Ontario.   It is one of the most comfortable fabrics I’ve ever worn.

Burda 6749 front
left front

And this is the most comfortable bra I have ever worn.  The pattern is from Lingerie Secrets, “Front Closing” Sports Bra.

I used plastic snaps on an added placket to close the front, and a pretty lace elastic around the neck and arms instead of a hidden finish that’s described in the pattern.

My sewing instructions are geared to sewing a size Large, A cup. Measurements for other sizes may differ, so please follow the instructions included with your pattern.

Here’s how I made the Plackets:

After cutting out the bra, back and front, I fused 2 pieces of medium weight fusible interfacing cut 4 1/2 inches by 3 inches, to the wrong side of a leftover piece of fabric.  Cut out after it cools.

Fold each in half with right sides together long-ways and sew the short ends using 1/4″ seam allowance.

Clip the corners at the fold, then turn right side out, press and set aside for later.

To Sew the Bra:  Note:  the center front and the sides look very similar once the pattern paper comes off, so I suggest marking the center fronts until you’ve sewn the side seams.  I used safety pins.

Sew the shoulders and the side seams.  My fabric was very soft so I slipped a strip of water soluble stabilizer underneath the seam and sewed over it.  I used my sewing machine and first seamed with a narrow zig zag, then finished the edges with a triple zig zag.  The stabilizer will disappear in the first washing.

Attaching the Decorative Elastic:

The instructions use a hidden elastic application, and is very clear to follow.  I, however, have quite a “bit” of pretty elastic, and wanted the edge of it to show on the finished bra.

Attaching the elastic is a 2-step process.  Start by putting the right side of the elastic on the right side of the fabric, with the straight edge of the elastic even with the raw edge of the fabric.  Use a fairly wide, long zig zag, width and length at 5mm. 

 

For the neckline, follow the pattern instructions, and begin the elastic 1/4 inch from the center front.  I found that my machine wanted to “eat” the fabric when I did that, so I put the elastic on top, extending the end past the center front, BUT began sewing 1/4″ in from the front edge.  I trimmed off the excess later.

The first inch of elastic is sewn on without stretching it, but then, (for my size) the instructions say to stretch 2 inches of elastic over 3 inches of fabric.  Hmmmmmm, here’s how I tackled that.  With a heat away pen, I marked a dot on the elastic 2 inches from the needle.  Then I marked a spot on the fabric 3 inches from the needle, stretched the elastic so the marks were together and stitched to the mark.

 The same process was used at the center back.  Then the elastic was folded to the inside so the scalloped edge extended beyond the fabric edge and top-stitched with the same sized zig zag to finish.

The elastic along the bottom was sewn according to the pattern instructions.

To Complete the Front with the Placket for Snaps:

Gather each center front edge with 2 rows of basting stitches as described in the pattern instructions.  Gather each front to fit inside the open edge of the placket pieces you set aside earlier.  Pin to hold, then use a wide zig zag along the open edge of the placket to sew through all layers.

Attach the snaps according to the directions with the snaps.

I hope you enjoy wearing your new bra as much as I am comfortable in mine.

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.

3 Responses

  1. I love this idea, but would there be any means of altering it for a lady with much more ‘weight’ to the situation? lol I’m one who would need more compression, or else gravity takes over.

  2. Hi Cassie, this bra pattern offers little in the way of support or compression. I do find that if I make it out of a firmer fabric with good stretch recovery that it offers some compression, but not lots. There are patterns “out there” that do offer more support, though. All the best!

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