How I Developed a Pattern…

(Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.)

We are wrapping up February 2019, and I’ve already had a not so stellar year! I broke the radius bone in my right arm on January 11th. I am now 6 weeks post surgery, and everything is healing as expected!

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But, I did have to forgo sewing during the initial weeks after surgery. During that time, I worked on expressing another creative side: pattern making!

I am so happy to debut a pattern drafted specially for Phee! You see, I have a love affair with the activewear and swimwear fabrics from Phee. And love is not a one way street, right? I couldn’t expect Melissa to keep supplying the good stuff without giving back some lovin’!

It all started out with an idea inspired by the new stretch mesh and some RTW sexy thangs on Pinterest. And while I was in my unintentional sewing fast, 100% of my initial pattern tests were done in paper.

Finally at 4 weeks post op, I was given the OK to sew! And I dug right into my new mesh and the most luscious plum supplex.

Scroll through the photo gallery to see the pattern making process of this special Phee pattern:

The Future of this Pattern

The pattern will still require some tweaks before the official release, and it needs a name! I have a running list of great suggestions so if you’ve got a name for this pattern, PLEASE SHARE it in the comments below!

This pattern will come with a few variations that play with either the mesh overlay or the bandeau. Additionally, I’ve graded it to multiple cup and band sizes! What I’m wearing in the pictures is a 34A (team Sport Edition Boobs right here!)

Fabric Choice and Notions

You can get almost everything you see in my sample piece from Phee!

Things that were from my own stash were 1″ black fold over elastic and swim cups/inserts.

One of the pattern variations will show you how to use Phee’s poly laminate foam to create a padded bandeau.

Helpful Hints…sort of ;P

This was the very first time that I have worked with a stretch mesh fabric. And while it does produce such an amazing effect on your clothing, I was really dumbfounded on how to sew it lol!

When it came to binding my edges with fold over elastic, I laid the pattern piece as flat as possible, and pinned down every little bit to my FOE while carefully following the curvature of the pattern piece. Then sewed very slowly, making sure to capture each little bit with my stitches.

This was probably the most difficult part, but it’s not impossible! It just takes patience.

Bye, for now!

My return to sewing after my injury was the highlight of my dreary winter. I’m so excited to put the finishing touches on this pattern and then release it to all you Phee-natics!

And remember: If you’ve got a badass name suggestion for this pattern, reply in the comments below! The winning namer will receive this pattern for free 🙂

Much love,

Monica

Phee X Ohhh Lu Lu Sews Hyacinth sports bra

Hello fellow seamstresses!

It’s Brandi. I live in Florida and sew mostly bikinis and workout wear. I love sewing, being creative, lifting weights, surfing and eating cheeseburgers. I may CrossFit 5-6 times a week so I can eat cheeseburgers on the regular. It’s awfully humid and sweaty working out in the southern, wet heat. The right fabric makes a HUGE difference.

I just made an awesome sports bra and need to share it with you. I used Ohhh Lu Lu Sews latest bralette pattern, the Hyacinth. There is a free version on her website https://www.ohhhlululingerie.com/product/the-hyacinth-free-bralette-pdf-sewing-pattern/ and the version with the add ons for all these awesome options on her Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/listing/608848929/easy-bralette-sewing-pattern-pdf-the?ref=shop_home_active_9#. I sewed view G.

I had to modify it just touch for it to be a sports bra. Before we go over that, let’s talk fabric. All the fabric I used is in the Phee fabric shop. I used the red and white matte stripes for the main http://pheefabrics.com/red-white-matte-stripes/ and white supplex for the lining, straps and band http://pheefabrics.com/white-supplex-18-oz/. If your heavy chested or want even more support, add some power net to the front. Lining with the 18oz white supplex was great for me. Let’s go over sizing.

Ohhh Lu Lu has a great range of sizing.
I’m a 30G cup (36” bust and 29” underbust) and somehow fall into Ohhh Lu Lu’s small. Since I have such a tiny rib cage, I usually pick the size I measure to for the front piece (this time a small) and size down one for the back piece (extra small).

Now on to modifications. First adjustment I made was squaring off the front bust line on the bottom. I wasn’t sure if it would ride up once I put the band on so I just squared it off like this. I added a red line on the photo so it’s easier to see.

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I knew I didn’t want to use lace or fold over elastic (FOE) for my sports bra. Every where the pattern calls for lace trim or FOE I added a 3/8” seam allowance so I could use 3/8” elastic. You can do this on the pattern itself or mark it on your fabric. I mark it on my fabric. I’ll throw my clear ruler on the pattern and fabric just to double check my extra seam allowance is actually 3/8”. Impressively, I nail it every time. Make sure you add a seam allowance to the front and back. Since the pattern calls for plush elastic at the bottom, it already has a seam allowance. No need to add more to the bottom just where it calls for using FOE or lace trim.

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For the band you have 2 options. One, you can either use a pattern piece from another sports bra pattern along with the elastic measurements it calls for or two, you can measure the width of the front and back pattern pieces, decide what width elastic you want to use, double the height and add a seam allowance. I used a 1.25” sports elastic from Joann’s. My band height is approximately 3.25” tall with the seam allowance and the same length of my front and back pieces. I also added a 3/8” seam allowance to both back pieces of view G and cut out 4 pieces (shown in white supplex). Here’s most of it cut out.

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Now to cut out the straps. This is my favorite blog post about making straps. It shows you several ways to make them. http://strawberrymilkrun.blogspot.com/2011/10/sewing-swimwear-spaghetti-straps-using.html?m=1 I did not make adjustable straps. I measured another sports bra from the bottom of the cup (not the bottom of the band but where the band attaches to the bottom on the cup) up over the strap to the bottom of the back piece (not the bottom of the band) to get a idea of how long my straps need to be in comparison with how the Hyacinth. I needed my straps to be about 9”. I cut my straps at 12” just in case things went haywire.

Time to sew! Finally. I sewed my straps and back accent pieces first. I sewed the back accent pieces right sides together (RST) and added 3/8” elastic on both seams. I like sturdy sports bras. Take a strap and push it between the two pieces of fabric to the top of the accent piece while it’s still inside out like this. Sew across the top where my finger is. Trim any excess.

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Pull the strap and wiggle the fabric around and you should be able to pull it right sides out. Mine was a little stubborn so there was lots of wiggling the fabric around to get it to pull ride side out. Repeat on the other side and you should have something like this!

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Now follow the steps in the instructions sewing the side seams (remember Ohhh Lu Lu uses a .5” seam allowance) and baste only the bottom your accent pieces in place per Ohhh Lu Lu’s instructions. This is where I went on my own path on finishing the sports bra. I put the front and front lining RST and sewed 3/8” elastic with my elastic foot (so I don’t have elastic measurements) to the top center front. I opened it up, right sides up and under stitched the elastic to the lining with a stretch stitch. This will help the elastic from wanting to flip outwards while your wearing it but the right side on the center front will still look seamless! It looked like this under my machine.

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I then attached my straps to the front in the same manner we sewed the strap to the back accent piece, basting them in place to make sure they weren’t twisted. This is a great spot to try it on and check everything. If the straps feel like they are good to go, sew from down for good. Now I finished around the underarms and back of the sports bra with the *wrong sides touching* using 3/8” elastic on the lining side. Just like sewing bikinis. Then I turned the elastic under and top stitched using a zig zag stitch. Now it looks like this.

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Now it’s time to add the band. I sewed the side seams of my band together then I sewed just one side of my band to the bra RST matching up the side seams. Stay with me here. This is a little different than most pattern designers instruct you to sew the band. I like this way. The band won’t twist and roll around. Once you have your elastic cut, measure the half way point and mark it. Place your elastic on the wrong side of the band starting about an inch before one of the side seams. Leave some of the fabric hanging, like an extra seam allowance about 1/4-3/8”, disengage your serger blade and serge the band making sure the needles are catching the band while you still have some fabric hanging to the right. It should look like this.

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Don’t forget to stretch your elastic as you sew it. The center point you marked should match up with the other side seam. Sew or serge all the way around over lapping your elastic at the end. Flip the band up and top stitch with a stretch stitch or coverstitch making sure you catch the seam allowance. This is what the wrong and right side of my band look like.

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Ta-dah!!!! You now have an awesome sports bra.

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Much love,
Brandi

Pattern Hack Strappy Back Christina Sports Bra

Hey yall, it’s Nicki from SewUprising again, back with even more glamour shots of my boobs! Just kidding, just kidding! But only kind of because I am here talking about bra patterns, again, but instead of lingerie and bralettes this time I am talking about one of my favorite sports bra patterns, the Christina sports bra from Porcelynne!

This pattern comes in one of the largest range of sizes I have seen, all the way up to a 52 K cup! As a small band, large cup sized woman, buying and wearing sports bras is one of life’s greatest miseries for me.. Either the cups fit and the band is ridiculously massive, or the band fits but only one of my boobs fits in the area where two are supposed to go… and you can imagine for yourself how comical / indecent either of those two options look when I hit the gym. So I recently l took to making my own sports bras and have been loving not only having the perfect fit but also being able to hack one or two basic patterns into endless design options as well!

Ever notice that in most retailers, the larger a bra gets, the uglier it gets? Yeah, me too and I hate it! Just because my boobs are bigger doesn’t mean I only want to wear a beige bra for goodness sakes…So one of the biggest design hacks I have been doing for my sports bras is attempting to replicate all of those cute, strappy bralettes that you see in places like LuLu Lemon, Athleta, and other stores like that, while keeping all of the support and function I need as a larger busted individual and it has just been making my heart so happy!

I have made many differnt variations of bras like these but today I am going to share with you a quick hack for making my favorite version, a LuLu-esque basket weave / strappy back! Let’s sew!

Pattern Hack Tutorial

*Note: this hack works best with the rolled edge option of the Christina Sports Bra Pattern but is doable with the FOE finishing as well

Supplies: Sports bra pattern and required notions, 1/2 Yard Tricot from Phee (the best fabric I have found so far for a light weight but supportive sports bra!), 1/2 yard powernet from Phee (to be used as the bra lining, this stuff is AHHMAZING!!), regular sewing supplies

  1. Print and assemble your pattern as instructed in the pattern.
  2. Also cut, six 17 inch pieces of 3/8 inch elastic and six pieces of your outside fabric 1.5 inches wide and 17 inches long
  3. Straighten out the back piece
    1. Fold down the racer back portion of the back piece so it becomes plat across the top. Cut off along fold or tape down to keep the extended part out of the way
  4. Cut your pattern pieces out as instructed in the pattern, being sure to use your adjusted back piece from step two
  5. Sew your bra together according to the pattern steps, skipping step one and continuing on until your reach step five
  6. Use the elastic and fabric you cut in step two, create six covered straps by folding the elastic in half right side together, placing the elastic on top, 1/8 from the folded edge, and sew a line of small zig-zag stitches half on the elastic and half off on the side of the fabric that isn’t folded before turning right side out. Check out a video of how to do this HERE.
  7. Line the 3/8 edge of three pieces of strap elastic side by side, with the seams facing down, and baste together. Repeat with the other three pieces of elastic strapping. This will new work the same as your “straps” in the pattern going forward.
  8. Continue sewing your bra as indicated it the pattern until the end, skipping where the pattern asks you to attach the straps to the back of your bra
  9. Lay the bra facing down on a table and weave the straps in a way that is pleasing to you, spreading the ends of all six straps across the center half of the back of the bra when done. Pin/baste in place.
  10. Try on the bra to check the strap length and placement, adjust and repeat as desired.
  11. Use a zig-zag stitch to secure the straps to the back of the bra and you are done!

Easy as that! Happy Hacking!

Lining the Bridgette with powernet/techsheen

  This blog is focusing on the Made4Mermaids mama bridgette pattern. Powernet and techsheen are both materials that give stability and support which is perfect for lining bras. As the group has repeated many times, this is NOT meant to be a supportive bra, but seriously, a beautiful bralette in sizes for us who have HUGE milk pillows?!?!?! I’m all about it and unless I want this bralette to fit me like a girdle I will need to add support…..In comes powernet/techsheen.  Here’s how I create a clean lining on the racerback version.

1)  Cut 2 patterns, I do all the pieces. First with outer fabric, here I’m using white circular knit. Second with either powernet/techsheen, here I’m using white techsheen.

2) Right sides together serge the blue lines, leave top triangle and side open and both cups.

3) Serge both pieces, right sides together following the blue lines, leave out strap openings and bottom piece. Turn wrong sides together and topstitch same areas that you just serged.

4) Serge or baste, right sides together, the back piece, following the blue lines.

When open it will look like this

5) Insert bottom of the racerback in to the opening on the back piece, right sides together.

6) Serge the blue line.

7) Remember that wide opening from step 2 and the side opening from step 4? Great! Right sides together, opened up and serge.

8) Straps, the pattern is drafted to have a ‘V’ where the cups and straps meet, doing the step will remove the ‘V’.

Remember the opening near the straps in Step 2? Insert straps right sides together and turn the cups inside out. Top right picture shows the cups inside out with the straps inserted. Bottom right shows how much I serge off. Remember, when using fabrics other than galloon lace I like to add the straps into the back piece, figuring out what works for you would require a muslin, in the same fabric.

9) Topstitch around the rest of the pattern as one piece.

10) Finish up pattern following instructions.

Below is the video for the racerback:

Below is the video for the crossback: