![]() I have been testing sewing patterns for about a year now. I will share more about my new suit on Friday (4/1) since today I want to share my special bra hack for all the ladies eager to sew theirs up right away! I am happy to report that testing the new Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop Bahama Mama Peplum Tankini and High Rise Bikini Bottoms went very well, and I ended up with a suit I love for a day at the pool, the lake, or just heading to the splash pad with my kids. Since the pattern released today (3/31) I can finally share my pictures and a special hack I made to make it perfect for me! Here is the peek-a-boo bra finished and modelled on Ashley.As you heard on Tuesday with my Swimsuit Sewing Tricks and Tips for Beginners post, I made myself a fabulous swimsuit last week. I hand sewed the bow to the bridge and tacked them in place on the upper cups and the straps. Then I made a strap to tie around the centre of the bow for the knot. I tied a piece of scrap fabric to hold the folds in place. There was too much bulk to do that by machine. Lastly, I worked the bow into a symmetrical shape and stitched it into that shape by hand. Then, I finished the top edge and the strap as I normally would. However, I did catch it by hand in a couple of places so it wouldn’t flip outward. I liked that better than stitching it down. The fabric stretched quite a bit as you can see. The upper cup is actually holding the breast in place. The stretch satin stretches quite a bit so you want to get it the right width. I tried this on the model to get the size exactly right. Re-cut the upper cup to conform to the underarm curve. Next, sew the slings in place. The peek-a-boo bra is really shaping up! Sew both sides of the upper cup to the bridge. Hence my thoughts on reducing bulk above. There just wasn’t enough space to stitch with all that bulk. Sewing the pleated upper cup to the tiny bridge was tricky. If I were doing this again, I would make the front the same height as the upper cup so I wouldn’t end up with as much bulk to sew to the bridge. I made a pleat in the upper cup at the front. Sew elastic to the bottom of the partial bands. Sew the open edges of the bow, leaving a small space unsewn so you can turn it. The bow is a piece of fabric 8.5″ wide and 30″ long with angled ends. The sew the upper cup bottom edge using a zig-zag stitch so it can stretch across the breast without popping. Understitching makes the seam lie flat, and also pushes the seam to the back. Sew the two inside curves of the sling/strap together. I’ve cut the bridge from one layer of satin and one layer of sheer cup lining. From the satin, I’ve cut out four sling/straps, two upper cups and two back bands (you can use power net underneath the back fabric if you need to). We’ll use red stretch satin for that peek-a-boo bra. It still needed taking in, so I really didn’t need the extra I allowed. Note – If I were doing this again, I would skip the rectangle and draw this to the shape of the upper cup (in purple). ![]() I’ll draw in the shape of the underarm once I try the bra on and can see how I want it to angle. The DoGS go across so the fabric can stretch to help hold the breasts in place. Cut 4 of those.įor the upper cup, I drew a rectangle, a little wider than the width of the upper cup and twice the height (so it will cover the areola) plus seam allowances. The tip of the sling goes to the cross cup seam so the bridge can attach there as well. Align the upper and lower as you would for a power bar, then draw in the sling and continue the line up for a strap. You’ll need a partial band bra pattern that fits you. The bow is just icing on the cake! Let’s get started! Drafting that Peek-a-boo Bra ![]() With two layers of satin, there is no way the bow knot would be that small (I tried it!) I think the sling and the upper cup work together to hold the breast up. Is the bow simply tied on? Or is the upper cup actually sewn in place and the bow a clever add-on? In my opinion, the bow is not just tied on. What you cannot see is how the bra wire sews on once it leaves the sling area. But that’s all we can deduce from this picture. There is also a strap that looks like it could attach to the sling. Both the sling and the bow appear to use double layers of fabric (I can see the impression of a seam). Over the top of that sling layer, is a bow. There’s a sling running under the cup, continuing a little past the vertical of the apex. First of all, it’s a partial band bra with underwires. Lets’ dissect the bra so we can discover what makes it tick. So here now in keeping with Valentine’s Day – is how to make that peek-a-boo bra! ![]() A lot of you expressed an interest in learning how to make it. For those of you have been following my Facebook page, The Fairy Bra Mother, I recently posted a picture of a red satin bra that garnered quite a bit of attention. ![]()
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