I used to be content with buying my bras at a big chain store or specialty store—depending on what I needed the bra for. That all changed after my mastectomy. Cancer not only changed my life, it changed my body. Off the rack bras do not fit me well, and most have either metal or some form of latex in the elastic. I have sensitivity to both, and it does no good if the bra I am wearing makes me break out or itch like crazy. I have decent sewing skills, but I never thought about DIY bras, until I saw took a couple of online classes on Craftsy. It never hurts to continue your education, and adding to my sewing skill set is always of interest to me.
The first class I took was Sewing Bras: Construction and Fit, by Beverly Johnson. She calls herself the “Fairy Bra Mother.” The class is very informative and it gave me hope that I could sew my own. From what I saw in the video, it did not appear difficult. In order to follow along with the video, you need to have a bra pattern. It is not included. That is where I ran into problems.
Beverly has bra patterns on her website, but I found them very expensive. I know why. A good bra pattern is near impossible to find. Surprisingly I was able to locate a pattern. This is my go-to bra pattern, I hope it will be yours. You can purchase it in my Etsy shop.
I really liked the class and how Beverly Johnson teaches. She gets a little on the goofy side, but it is hard to be super-serious about bras. Right now, Craftsy is having a sale on her classes. They are usually $49.99, but until March 28th they are only $24.99. If you already know how to make a bra, you might want to look into her other classes. Johnson has tutorials on one-piece supportive swimsuits, and advanced bra techniques like foam for padding and adding designer touches. If you want to check out other instructors, Alison Smith has an educational class on corsets.
If you are not sure about spending money on Craftsy, you can always check out one of their free DIY classes. Unlike other websites where you have teaser classes that do no more than promote the full length class, the video tutorials on Craftsy are free, and you get really good information. A free class is always a good way to check out a website to see if they are legit. You do not need a credit card or other payment info for the free classes, they are truly free. You do have to register on the site.
Let me know what you think and post pictures of your bras and other creations in the comments or on my Facebook page.