I kept thinking about how to alter the bra pattern sitting on my desk so the bridge would fit and go right back to the chest wall. Last year I spoke with the staff at Bra Makers Supply, and they’d suggested I lower the bridge if it wasn’t going all the way back. That really helped. So that was one of the things I’d done on the custom bridge I made as well as a couple of other changes.

And some of the ideas I was thinking about to alter the bridge, like narrowing the top of the bridge but keeping it a normal width at the bottom, were the same alterations I’d done using Norma‘s book: Demystifying Bra Fitting And Construction. I had no desire to go back down that road again, trying to re-invent this, especially as all the changes I was thinking of were the same as before.

I decided to look at what I’d done last year when I made a custom bridge. I have a bag of bras I’ve made, and they are put into the bag when I’m not completely happy, or I deem them ‘unwearable’. It’s like the Bag of Bra Shame! I’ve kept them all so I can use parts like wires, rings & sliders , hooks & eyes again. So I dug out the bag, and pulled out the bra on which I’d done the custom bridge.

I didn’t even finish this completely. The channeling didn’t get sewn down. No little bows to cover up the seams at the straps. Poor little Ivory Shelley. When I made this, I was disappointed in not getting the fit just right (again), and I stuffed it into what seemed to be an ever-filling Bra Bag.

This morning I tried it on again, and there are a few minor adjustments to be made but it does fit pretty well. The bridge works just like it should. It goes all the way back. So I thought some more about what I didn’t like about this bra.

I decided to look at the wires. I originally had put in 38s, then 40s, (my original bra pattern changed shape a bit when I altered the bridge, and the original wires didn’t fit properly.) and although I’d been told I wasn’t likely a smaller wire size, I decided to try one. I had a couple of 38 Vertical wires, which correspond to a 36 wire. It worked out quite well that I hadn’t finished that channeling.

And… drum roll please. It fits! The wires aren’t too tight. I am amazed! In one little experiment, I may have taken care of all my fitting challenges I couldn’t figure out. I’ve had this little Ivory beauty on all day and it’s more comfortable than any of the $200 bras I own.

I am so excited! It’s drafting time again. Now with the bridge problem fixed and past adjustments to the patterns, I’m ready to make something that fits PERFECTLY!

Happy creating!