Seamwork Florence lounge bra
2017-Nov-27, Monday 02:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chebeSeamwork's Florence is a soft-cup lounge bra crossed with a cami. I had tried making stretch lace camis before (there are patterns in both Sweet Nothings and Sewing Lingerie), but was never satisfied with the results. Those camis seem to be mere decoration, rather than practical. I was pleased to see that Florence is different.
The other camis consist of a band of stretch lace about your underbust, and two cups (each made of two rounded triangles) attached to the top. Absolutely zero support.
With Florence the cups are actually set into the band, like a regular bra, and there is plush elastic adding around the bottom of the stretch lace band. The instructions include a few ideas for additional support; sewing the straps criss-crossed, adding channeling under the cups, and feeding underwires into that channeling. But overall it's still a soft cup lounge bra, with t-attached straps, and no fastening. It will always have a low level of support (thankfully non-zero), but it can still offer a little shaping/control.
As well as a powder pink stretch lace (mine is 7", so a bit longer in the body than the pattern) I used black power mesh, and 3/8" plush elastic. Because the elastic didn't take the dye fully I couldn't use it to make straps, so I used shop-bought straps instead. These came with hooks on both ends, so I used the plush elastic to make loops on the bra, enabling the straps to be worn in different ways.
When it came time to try it on there were a few fit issues, as usual. I ended up taking 9cm (nearly 4") off the band at centre-back. (I probably need to size down next time.) I also took 4cm off centre-front. This results in the two cups being sewn to each other without a bridge (creating a greater feeling of support). In doing so I noticed that that 'seam' curves outward. This still didn't feel right so I straightened the seam. It ended up being 2cm (folded over) at the band bottom, and 3cm (folded over) at the widest point (where the two cups originally met). Now I have to figure out how to translate this back onto the pattern.
I placed the straps 5cm either side of the centre-back seam, and I left off the plush elastic around the bottom of the band. I don't seem to need it, but it is the last step so there's no problem putting it on later if I change my mind.
I paid particular attention to mirroring the pattern in the lace on the cups, and am pleased that even as I hacked bits off it stayed balanced. Although I did lose the band bottom scallop-edge balance. And I was amused to see that when I reduced the band at centre-back the pattern in the lace almost perfectly aligned.
Overall, this is actually wearable. I don't think there is higher praise than that.
The other camis consist of a band of stretch lace about your underbust, and two cups (each made of two rounded triangles) attached to the top. Absolutely zero support.
With Florence the cups are actually set into the band, like a regular bra, and there is plush elastic adding around the bottom of the stretch lace band. The instructions include a few ideas for additional support; sewing the straps criss-crossed, adding channeling under the cups, and feeding underwires into that channeling. But overall it's still a soft cup lounge bra, with t-attached straps, and no fastening. It will always have a low level of support (thankfully non-zero), but it can still offer a little shaping/control.
As well as a powder pink stretch lace (mine is 7", so a bit longer in the body than the pattern) I used black power mesh, and 3/8" plush elastic. Because the elastic didn't take the dye fully I couldn't use it to make straps, so I used shop-bought straps instead. These came with hooks on both ends, so I used the plush elastic to make loops on the bra, enabling the straps to be worn in different ways.
Florence lounge bra, in powder pink and black, front
Photo by chebe
Florence lounge bra, in powder pink and black, back
Photo by chebe
When it came time to try it on there were a few fit issues, as usual. I ended up taking 9cm (nearly 4") off the band at centre-back. (I probably need to size down next time.) I also took 4cm off centre-front. This results in the two cups being sewn to each other without a bridge (creating a greater feeling of support). In doing so I noticed that that 'seam' curves outward. This still didn't feel right so I straightened the seam. It ended up being 2cm (folded over) at the band bottom, and 3cm (folded over) at the widest point (where the two cups originally met). Now I have to figure out how to translate this back onto the pattern.
Florence lounge bra, added centre-front seam
Photo by chebe
I placed the straps 5cm either side of the centre-back seam, and I left off the plush elastic around the bottom of the band. I don't seem to need it, but it is the last step so there's no problem putting it on later if I change my mind.
I paid particular attention to mirroring the pattern in the lace on the cups, and am pleased that even as I hacked bits off it stayed balanced. Although I did lose the band bottom scallop-edge balance. And I was amused to see that when I reduced the band at centre-back the pattern in the lace almost perfectly aligned.
Overall, this is actually wearable. I don't think there is higher praise than that.
no subject
Date: 2017-12-04 06:54 pm (UTC)