Perseverence pays! This one fits

I’ve done it friends! I now have a perfectly fitting sports bra pattern 🤩

This is the #brassiereathena by @eclipse_lingerie_studio, sized for 80-130cm bust and only available in French.

My size/shape/proportions mean I always have fitting issues with any sewing pattern (and basically all ready-to-wear before I started sewing/knitting), so even though it looks basic I knew this was going to take some time. My measurements always put me in completely unsuitable bra sizes, so this took me 4 attempts to get right – similar to my underwire bra fitting saga. But now it’s perfect and I will go forth and multiply these! I want one per day or so, because I really hate having to do a load of washing more than once a week.

My full bust measurement put me in the XXS size, but my volume distribution and torso shape meant that size was way too small for me, so I sized up twice before finally settling on a mix of S and M sizes. (See the first vs latest attempt in photo 3, perfect fit in photo 5, grading pattern pieces between sizes to achieve that in photo 6, and in photo 7 the unglamorous high bust/underarm squishing prior to grading).

I love the crossover back straps, the side and front pocket options! (mine are the purple mesh), the exposed elastic band, and the hook and eye option.

These are all made from strong recycled Lycra for the shell, purple athletic mesh for the pockets, black powernet for the lining , and coordinating elastics (materials from @mondialtissus and @bwear.se). I thought I wanted to make foam cups too, but it’s more comfortable without any (no sweat retained), and the compression support of the powernet passes the jump-and-run-around-like-a-crazy-fool test. All my sports bras are going to be some kind of black and purple combination, to limit waste, allow reuse/recycling of bits and pieces, and make them all part of an exercise capsule 😊

Matching wicking undies using my pantie block are coming too, because exercising in lace underwear really isn’t practical 😂

#diybra #memadeactivewear #braugust #bodils_wear #sustainablefashion #sewingsportsbra #sewingsportswear