r/MAKEaBraThatFits

Hey there! I’m digging into a backlog of bra kits and pulled out a lovely mauvey-pink kit with this tulle lace. I’ve made a lot of bras, but I’ve never used a lace that didn’t have some sort of scalloped edge. How would you make use of this pretty stuff? I’ve got matching micro duoplex for my cup fabric.

My go to pattern is a pretty heavily modified Orange Lingerie Marlborough Bra with a split bottom cup. I love a power bar and usually favor a full band with a leotard back, but I have the skillz to rearrange my cup/band pieces if I need to in order to do this lace justice

I have made four bras and several dozen cup toiles in the past year, but it was only this week that I learned a little more about how bra patterning works. Specifically that the horizontal diameter of the cup when laid flat corresponds to the bust hemisphere horizontal measure.

With that information now in hand I present to you the cup of the bra I was trying to make fit 8 years ago, along with a cup I'm using right now.

The itty bitty cup in the center was 8 years ago. It is exactly the size that the pattern told me to make based on my measurements, with adjustments made to decrease projection, because no matter how hard I tried, I could not fill out the apex of the cup unaltered.

Yes, it was a "boob hat." The orange-in-a-glass effect.

Clearly most of my breast was not even remotely in the cup. Granted, the current cup is extra-tall (intentionally), and the strap area is janky because this is a prototype that I haven't even decided how to sew yet. but look at the side-to-side! There is no way both of those cups will fit the same breast. Even the bottom cup depth is drastically different between these cups. The red one definitely fits, and, surprise surprise, the pink and blue one still doesn't.

My measurements are (in inches):
LU: 31
SU: 30
TU: 29
SB: 39
LeaningB: 42.5
LyingB: 39.6

Please note I have a rib flare which is why my ribs look like that.

This is the Casherette Willowdale bra in a size US 30H. This time I printed out the correct size and remembered to add the stretch lace for the upper cup. The red underwire marks are from my usual EM bras I wear daily and are exactly why I am trying to make my own. All of the Ewa Michalak bras I have tried are too wide in the wires and end up sliding down despite trying multiple sizes. Sizing down cause quad boobs. Now for this drafted bra I made:

ETA: I also wanted to mention how much better it is to have the straps narrow set. You can see the friction/ hyperpigmentation marks from my previous bras which cut into my armpit.

The band is very supportive and for the first time I don’t have to rely on the straps. They are very loose here and no digging in from the straps. This is another major issue I have with bought bras.

I used the Porcelynne Vertical heavy gauge underwire in size 44 but I am wondering if I should find ones that are even narrower?

I’m not sure if the cups are slightly off and if it’s the size or the shape? Or am I just being too picky? Also, the seams seem to cut in. But I only used the liner for this so I assume the main fabric would just hide this if I had added it?

I am tall, 181cm with a long torso but I am unsure if the band should be sitting this low, or is it okay? This happens even with looser bands due to the shape of my back (upside down triangle, the band slides downward towards my waist).

I would greatly appreciate any pointers on what my next steps should be :)

First bra I've ever made, Black Beauty size 30FF (measurements; underbust 30 1/2 inches, bust 38 inches)

While this is more comfortable than most commercial bras i've tried, Im finding a lot of fit issues, especially in the band.

The power bar is digging into the cup, which should be a relatively easy slash-and-spread fix. My bigger concern is the gaping at the underarm area of the cups (seen best in the last pictures, a nice awkward overhead shot of my bust aka, my POV when looking down). Not sure the best way to attack this while still having the correct shape/fit of the cups

The band seems like an all around mess. It feels comfortably snug for the most part, but keeps sliding down throughout the day when wearing. I do feel it digging in significantly and leaving red marks in my skin right around the side seam, so i know that if I were to go any smaller in size it would be uncomfortable. The side seam is also pulling forward as shown in the pictures. So the band (to me) feels simultaneously too big, as it keeps sliding down, and too tight, as it digs in and leaves marks at the side.

The band elastic along the bottom edge at the cradle constantly curls up towards my body. I have been wearing this bra for a couple days now as a test drive and the elastic has now conveniently been permanently shaped into this weird curl position (as seen in the second to last picture)

The place the band feels the most comfortable is along the back, however here I get a bunch of weird sagging of the fabric, which I'm not a fan of. In these pictures I had just put the bra on, and pulled up the band to be perpendicular to the floor, and had done my best to try and smooth out the "sagging" fabric along the band, clearly with no luck. It looks like my skin/back fat (yum) is pushing the band fabric down in some areas.

I should note, that for every commercial bra i've ever had, I've always had to tighten the straps all the way right out of the gate in order to wear it. If I don't, they are super loose and floppy. For this bra I deliberately made the straps shorter from the start, so I wouldn't have to do that.
I'm not sure if this strap issue means that the distance between my apex point and my shoulders is just much shorter than average, but I was wondering if it may be contributing to my other fit issues with the band.
(The straps are the main win of this bra, as their length and position has successfully kept them from sliding off).

In short, I need looots of advice on how to deal with the band fitting all around, as well as advice on how to adjust the cup gaping issue at the underarm.

I enjoy altering and repairing my clothing, but do not have extensive experience with darts. I had a surgery recently and two of my favorite bras are too big in the cups now. Figured I’d try to learn something new and maybe get my fave bras back.
1- I chose this location for the dart because it’s less visible under my clothing, and starting from the side seam would be much more difficult.
2- I just learned darts can be concave and convex. Would this rounded molded cup be a good fit for using a convex dart? I mostly need to remove material above the midline where I have less ‘filling’.
3- The apex of the bra is not the same as the apex when I wear it and where ‘they’ sit/distribute tissue. I plan to take the stitches out and remark the apex. Should I aim for my point to be right on the apex or just short of it? I read this could be useful in making it smoother and less pointy (along with a few other standard tips).
4- Is there anything else I’m missing here… or is this not going to work at all and you all can save me the headache.
*cup material is not padded, two this layers basted for alignment, using a stretch stitch .5 wide, 2 length, needle 10 low tension, paper backing while sewing tears off later.