I feel like I've earned a sewing merit badge after finishing my first bra! I made Cloth Habit's Watson Bra, which is an flattering 70s design. I wanted to make the long-line version, but didn't have enough lining :(. My bra findings and materials all came from a bra kit from Sewing Chest, but I bought my main fabric, the black mesh fabric, from my local fabric shop. I cannot recommend mesh fabric enough, especially if you're sewing your first bra- it's cheap, it's flattering, it's so easy to cut! The only downside is that it's like impossible to unpick stitching on it, I messed up the stitching on one of the bra cups and just had to give up cut another one.
Loads of reviews for the Watson bra say it's best for a first bra, which is why I went for it. I think it's because it uses less components than most bras, for example there's no underwire, and the stretch makes it more forgiving if the size is a bit small. I wouldn't say it was easy, bra-making is tricky but it's totally doable. Cloth Habit's sew-along is really helpful and has clear photos and videos. The hardest part of bra making is getting your head around the bra making techniques, which you don't really see in any other aspect of clothes making. Having done them now, I think they would be pretty easy to repeat. For instance, it took me so long to understand how to put a bra strap together and it turned out to be one of the easiest things. I have tiny mistakes all over this bra but they're not too noticeable and not much went wrong. It takes up so little fabric that it's not a pain to start again if things go really wrong. Though one annoying part of bra making is sourcing all the different bits and bobs. Like one shop might sell the right trim elastic but you'll have to go elsewhere for the strap elastic and then find a fabric shop that does powernet, and all of these have to be the right colour... Luckily, there are shops like Sewing Chest that specifically sell lingerie/bra-making bits, also Blackbird Fabrics and Tailor Made Shop have some beautiful stuff but P&P for the UK is like £10. Oh and eBay has a pretty good selection of bra findings. Most of these sites sell bra-kits which includes everything you'll need, making it a lot easier but they're often more expensive.
So yeah, to conclude, if any sewer (and I know a few) are waiting to jump on the bra-making wagon, this is a good start. Bra-making is not as intimidating as it seems (resisting a pun about intimidating intimates, mainly because I can't think of a good one). I think next I'll do a Craftsy class on bra-making, because there's so much to learn about it, especially in regards to getting the right fit. That is all, byeeee.
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