How To Make A Balconette Bra

Materials

1. Cut and sew foam
2. Lycra
3. Fold-over elastic
4. Band elastic
5. Bra strap elastic
6. Stabilizer fabric
7. Hook-and-eye tape
8. Wire casing
9. Rings and adjusters
10. Underwires
11. Cup cover fabric
12. Lace
13. Ribbon bow

Measuring

Before you can start sewing, you first need to get the measurements and start designing the bra.

1. Wrap a measuring tape around your rib cage and below your armpit
2. Add four or five inches to this part to make it even
3. Write it down as your band size
4. Measure around the fullest part of your bust
5. Subtract the band size from the full bust size to get your cup measurement

Get the Pattern

There are a lot of balconette styled bra patterns online. You can go ahead and grab one of those patterns, print it on the ready, and make sure that it is easy to follow and that you can refer to it when you need to for this process.

Cut the Pattern

Now that you have the perfect balconette pattern, you can now cut through the size lines, cutting those shapes to your desired size.

You can then pin those shapes into the desired fabric while following the instructions on your bra pattern. If the material you’re is using is too soft, or if it is laced, then you can place paperweights to hold them into place.

You can then cut along the pattern pieces using sharp scissors and make sure that you are cutting through both layers of fabric.

Assembling

Once you are done cutting the pieces, you need to pin them together according to the pattern. This way, you can see more clearly if the pieces fit together and are in the right size. This is also the chance for you to check if there are jagged edges on the shapes.

Sewing

Now all that is left to do is to sew the pieces together. You need to follow the instructions on your desired pattern very carefully so that you won’t have to worry about missing the wires or overcutting.

You also have to make sure that the wire is not too sharp to not tear through the fabric or the foam.

You can then sew the cups into the bra band while inserting them into the gap between both sides of the fabric.

Next comes the elastic, and then the straps and the clasps of the bra. You can also add some lace and added details while you are at it. Make sure that those details do not make the wearing the bra uncomfortable or difficult.

Checking the Bra

Now that you know how to make a balconette bra, all that is left to do is test the balconette bra you have made.

Go ahead and put it on, check the sides, the stitches, and the clasps of your newly made bra. It will also help if you did some stretching of the bands and the straps to know if it is of the right size and elasticity. Find out more about balconette bras.