Bra-Makers Challenge 2019

September – STRAPtember – We often see interesting straps in ready-to-wear, but how many of us actually try those straps on our own garments? Here’s your chance! We challenge you to make interesting, innovative and inspiring straps. The straps can be for a bra, bralette, swimwear, or other intimate apparel. Our tutorials this month will feature straps from ready-to-wear you can make at home.

Ooh Straps

I don’t usually do too much with my straps, but I think it’s time to try. I’ve had a few ideas of what to do, and I have a whole folder on my computer full of images of straps. Here are just a few.I even have a couple of kits with strap lace in my stash. You know those kits that you save for someday. The strap lace is similar to what’s shown below on this gorgeous bra. Just look at these straps from a favorite RTW bra, the Prima Donna Milady. Those little bits of heart lace are adorable. I have some similar bits in kits from Kantje Boord. In fact, I bought the kit for the strap lace.

I decided it was time to break into that kit. It’s time to use the pretty things I have and not save them for someday. Oh, it’s so pretty.

And I decided to use my Ruby pattern again.

My September BMS challenge entry

Here’s my latest Ruby bra.This is a gorgeous left & right mirrored lace. It was my first time using anything like this, and it was fun. I chose beige duoplex for my frame because there was some pretty floral detail in beige too. I tried it with brown, but that was just too dark.

Seeing as the emphasis this month was straps, here’s a nice close up of my straps, and the lovely strap lace.To reinforce them, I’ve used sheer cup lining to make narrow tubes behind this strap lace. It worked perfectly.

Here’s the side view.I’ve used the lower edge of the lace with just a little bit of the embroidery on it for the lower cup pieces.

Here you can see the back of the bra. This kit had the most adorable oval sliders. Just adding something a little different like this can be such a nice change. Lastly, I cut out a tiny floral from some of the remaining embroidered lace and used that instead of a bow on the center front. Have you used a kit with strap lace before? I really enjoyed it and want another kit now.

Happy creating!

The January Challenge for Bra-Makers Supply is We Got Your Back. The idea is to ‘make creative, unusual, or off-the-wall crazy backs for your bras, swimsuits, corsets or underwear. Yes, this month we are looking at bra backs and how to make them pretty and even more supportive than they usually are.’

Thinking about this challenge, I knew just what I wanted to do. A while back I received an email from Booby Traps about Bare Bax, a company that specialized in interchangeable bra backs. Not only that, but bra backs that are meant to be seen. I loved this idea!

Dual Reasoning

As well as participating in the challenge, I had another reason for wanting to make a bra with a fancy back – a gorgeous sweater my hubby gave me. Isn’t that a great back right there? I was thinking of wearing a camisole under this, but a bra with a fancy back might be more fun. A pop of color, that doesn’t look like a bra back might be just what I’d like behind this sweater.

My Challenges

The one challenge about my Challenge entry is I need my band to provide the support for my bra. So, rather than just use lace for a pretty back, I’m thinking lace backed with power net. The lace will still be all that’s seen though.

Another challenge I’m facing is I can’t get hooks & eyes in the same color I’m using for my bra. I’m making a lavender bra, but the 5 x 3 hooks and eyes don’t come in that color. Even hook and eye tape doesn’t come in lavender. I’m going to have to dye my hooks and eyes – a first for me. So, since I’m jumping into dyeing, I’m going to dye some elastics while I’m at it.

Dyeing

My adventure into dyeing went pretty well. I had everything set out, including the bit of power net I wanted to match. Honestly, those findings weren’t in the dye two minutes before I looked at the hooks and eyes and thought, ‘They need to come out. Now.’

I turned around to grab my spatula handle, and they were already darker than I wanted!I realized just how quickly these findings will take color. However, the BMS Challenge for January was coming close to an end, so I decided these will do nicely.

I found dyeing very interesting. Look at the one ring and how it took color differently. One is noticeably darker than the others, but they were all in for the same amount of time.This has me thinking, I might want to do some timed tests with bits of elastic and such and record the results after say 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes…

Back to the Challenge.

My Fancy Back

Here’s my lovely lavender bra, with a removable lace back.I’ve used 5 x 3 hook and eyes on each side of the bra to attach this back. I can take this off and use another back in the future (When I get another back made.)

As well, I’ve adjusted the height of my lace for my back. You can see how much I shortened the height of my lace by cutting and matching the pattern on it.

Here are the hooks and eyes that connect the back to the bra. And if you look closely, you can just barely see the seam in the middle of the lace. Below is my bra from the front. It doesn’t look any different from a normal bra.Lastly, here’s my bra under the sweater on my display.What a subtle but lovely little pop of color peeking out!