Adventures in Lingerie Sewing

I like to think of myself as an adventurous sewist; someone willing to attempt almost anything once. Problem is, once I make something once, I want to make it again and again! And that’s exactly what happened once I made my first bra.

I’ve been making my own underwear for a while now. I normally use a self drafted pattern that I made following along with a BluPrint class (Craftsy again? Idk I can’t keep up). I love them because they fit so much better than any store bought underwear I’ve ever purchased. So, it stands to assume that the situation may be similar with bra making. And if there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s bra shopping. Somehow, it always takes forever and I can never find just what I’m looking for. The fit always seems to be at least slightly off, and if I’m dropping major change on a piece of clothing, I want it to fit correctly. And the pandemic just made the prospect of having to shop for bras even LESS appealing. So I just kept putting it off, meanwhile my old bras are starting to come apart at the seams and I just keep reinforcing the seams because I refuse to go bra shopping! Then one day I’m listening to the Black Women Stitch podcast and Lisa is talking to her guests about bra sewing. It was such a fun and empowering conversation, and at the end of it, I was READY to tackle my first bra… well, bralette lol.

Scarlett Bralette from Ohhh Lulu Lingerie

I decided to dip my toes in with the Scarlett bralette by Ohhh Lulu Lingerie. I ordered the hardware and bra strap elastic from Stitch Love Studio and then just used knit scraps from my stash. The bra was pretty quick and easy to stitch up, and it fits great. Although, like most bralettes, it doesn’t offer as much lift or support as an underwire bra. I still love it! It’s so comfy and I think it’s really cute. But by this point, I’d definitely caught the lingerie sewing bug and was already mentally planning my next bra!

I knew I wanted an underwire this time and I also tend to like longline bras, so my next attempt would be the Cindy Longline Bra (also from Ohhh Lulu). I really enjoyed sewing this pattern. For this bra, I used an off white knit from my stash, combined with power mesh from Stitch Love Studio and underwire and elastics from Tailor Made Shop. I didn’t order a bra making kit, but I’m starting to understand their appeal. I did my best to color match my elastics and trims, but you really don’t know how the fabric, elastic, and lace (if you’re using it) is going to match together until you lay it out in front of you. I was lucky that I had just enough of the fold over elastic I used on the bra to finish off the leg openings of the underwear. The only other fold over elastic I had on hand was black, which would have thrown the whole thing off. I think a bra making kit could alleviate some of that stress, but what can I say, I’m living adventurously lol.

Cindy Longline Bra and Panties by Ohhh Lulu Lingerie

PATTERN REVIEW - Ohhh Lulu Cindy Bodysuit and Separates

Pattern Description:
A vintage style long line underwire bra, bodysuit, and high waist panties. The bodysuit requires some pattern manipulation, which is outlined in the instructions.

Pattern Sizing:

Bra: 30A-DD through 38A-DD

Underwear: XS-XL

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes, it did. I made the separates in size 38C (bra) and XL (underwear).

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Yes and there are tips on the Ohhh Lulu website for installing the fold over elastic.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I like that it's a longline bra with the support of underwire (and optional boning). I like the fit, and it wasn't difficult to put together. The underwear are nice too. I like the side paneling, which allows for the use of power mesh for a nice smooth fit.

Fabric Used:

Dusty Pink Power mesh

Off White knit (I think tricot) from my stash

Cotton jersey (for gusset lining)

Notions:

Long underwires

Ring and slider set

Fold over elastic

Hook and eye tape

Underwire channeling (wire casing)

Strap elastic

Band elastic

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I decreased the width of the center front band by 1/2 inch (from the fold side)

I used regular lingerie elastic instead of fold over elastic on the waist of the underwear.

I didn't follow exactly how the instructions say to finish the seams and I also chose the stitches that I felt worked best with my fabric and machine (which didn't always align with the instructions).

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I would absolutely sew this pattern again. I like the fit of both the bra and the underwear (though I may add a bit more coverage to the panty for every day wear). I don't know how many of these bras I need in my wardrobe, but I will definitely sew the underwear again and again. And I also saw that the bodysuit and separates can be hacked into a swimsuit as well, so that's pretty cool.

Conclusion:

Great pattern! I like that it's almost like 3 separate patterns. A bra, underwear, AND a bodysuit/swimsuit!

I think the bra and panty set match nicely from the outside, but I didn’t have enough underwire channeling to match the color scheme, hence the black. I could have ordered more channeling, but I didn’t want to wait any longer to finish this bra and it’s not visible from the outside, so I was ok with it. I also couldn’t find any hook and eye tape in a matching color, but I didn’t think the purple looked too terrible. But like I said, I can definitely see the appeal of the bra kits now. Bras don’t require a lot of fabric, but they do require a LOT of notions that the average sewer may not have on hand (let alone in matching color schemes). Am I going to order a kit? Probably not, lol. I decided on another fun route and ordered a mystery bundle full of lingerie elastics in various colors and styles. That way, the next time inspiration strikes me and I want to sew lingerie, I'll have some fun elastics and notions to experiment with and come up with something I’ll love.

I’ve stitched the channeling down for the boning, but haven’t installed it yet. I decided I didn’t want the plastic boning, so I’m waiting on my order of metal boning to arrive. The fit of the bra is good even without it, but I think it will add just a little more stability to the sides.

That’s it for today folks! Thanks for reading, and whatever your endeavor, I hope you find some time to get creative today!