Lingerie: Pale Blue Lace Covered Bra

In my efforts to stashbust fabrics that I already have, I needed new bra supplies, so went shopping recently for more bra supplies. It's becoming rather limiting to only be able to make bras that are mainly white.

Left to right, I bought black tricot, cream tricot, light tan powernet, cream elastic, cream bra straps, cream underwire casing, black underwire casing, black elastic, black bra straps, white bra straps (thicker than what I already had), black bra backs, black rings and sliders, cream rings and sliders, white rings and sliders, and cream bra backs.

I also went through my lingerie drawer and pulled out anything that I'm never going to wear anymore and could re-use.

For my latest bra, I knew that I wanted to add some lace. I started by cutting out white satin, white powernet for the back band, and white tricot as lining (I even used tricot to line the bra wadding this time - a little tricky to get it to stay in place, and probably totally unececesary, but I mentioned when doing my last bra that I wanted to try it, so I did). I had planned on using white stretch lace over the whole bra, but then remembered this light blue lace camisole that I rescued from my lingerie drawer.

I managed to re-use the bra cups as the bottom portion of the bra cups, lining up the centre seams, and topstitching them in place on top of each other. I used the scalloped edge along the top of the bra cup and along the bottom edge of the back band, and topstitched the scalloped edge down close to the top of the bra cup.

There wasn't enough lace leftover to cover the bra cradle, so I left it plain white. I had a few challenges putting this one together due to the lace, but got there in the end. Rather than use the 7mm strap elastic that I have been using, I used some of my new white strap elastic for this one.

The lace had some age spots on it, so I threw it in some napisan to soak for a few hours so it would look new for my photos and not like something that has been sitting around in a lingerie drawer for years (as my husband thinks)!

Costing:

Interfacing and satin - stash that was gifted to me
Pale blue lace - an old lace camisole
$0.64    Bra wadding
$0.22    Powernet
$0.27    Tricot
$0.66    Underwires
$0.74    Underwire casing
$0.81    Elastic
$1.27    Rings, sliders and strap elastic
$1.54    Back hook closure
$0.54    Thread (rough estimate)

Grand Total  $6.69

This bra fits a little tighter than my previous versions. When I tested the stretch of the lace, it seemed to have as much stretch as the powernet, so I cut them from the same pattern. When wearing it though, it would seem otherwise. Apart from that, this bra is quite comfortable, and I think I even got the strap placement right!

Expect to see more of my new supplies in the next bra. Although, I think I still need to buy more stuff. You know what I'd like to try doing? A plunge back strapless bra (with removable straps) in black. Of course I don't have back removable hook thingys in black, or any grip elastic. And I have absolutely nothing that requires something like this under it, but I'd like to make one anyway. Just because I can.