Remember when I made this bodysuit with a Madalynne x Simplicity pattern? Well, when Maddie of Madalynne Intimates asked me to make her new Barrett bralette and organize a little giveaway, I couldn't type 'yes!' fast enough. I love that bodysuit, and I had a pretty good feeling I was going to love this bra too.
This bralette is made with her new, free, PDF pattern and you guys, it's SO simple to make. I whipped this bra out in less than an hour, and depending on your skill level, I'd venture to say that even if you're a total newbie, it would only take you a few hours at the very most.
She was also gracious enough to send me one of her bra making kits, and is offering one to one of my followers! Read to the bottom of this post for more details on how to enter.
How beautiful is that kit? Oh my goodness, it's so lovely. So pink and feminine and sparkly. It even comes with rhinestone sliders. I mean, come on. This is just one of the three kit options, so if this much glittery pink isn't your thing, don't worry, it's not your only purchasing option.
The pattern was SO much fun to make, that as soon as I had finished the pink one, I immediately cut out pieces for another.
I don't sew stretchy fabrics often, so this was really good practice for me. I've also enrolled in one of Maddie's bra making workshops in May, so I feel like this helped prime me for the ultimate workshop experience. I'm looking so forward to attending her workshop. I've never taken any kind of sewing class, so this is pretty dang exciting. Oh, the things I will learn!
There is no surger required to make this bralette, just a regular ol' sewing machine with a zig zag stitch. I used my Janome HD 3000 and the zig zag performed excellently.
I was completely unfamiliar with mesh, picot elastic, as well as band and strap elastic. Maddie's kit was a wonderful introduction to all those supplies and, if you're just getting started with making lingerie, it's super convenient, and helpful, to have the kit show up with everything you need. After constructing the first bra using her kit materials I felt confident to purchase more supplies and make another!
The red lace for this Barrett is from The Tin Thimble's Etsy shop. The elastics and hardware were purchased from the Porcelynne Etsy shop. I used a red picot elastic, beige band and strap elastic, and gold hoops and sliders. The elastics from Porcelynne are high quality and shipped super quickly.
This bra isn't just cute, it's incredibly comfy (no underwire!), and provides the perfect amount of support. Because of the seam over the center of each cup, it does show through thin t-shirts, but I've been wearing it under layers, sweaters, button-ups (basically everything but thin t-shirts) and it's not visible. It doesn't have any closures, it just pulls on over your head, so there's nothing pinching or digging in. I'm fairly small busted (a full b on a good day), but Maddie recommends this for girls with cup sizes through C.
Want to win your own bra making kit by Madalynne Intimates? It's simple! This year I've made it a goal to expand my sewing knowledge. My first steps are to learn how to (officially) draft patterns starting with this Craftsy course, this Craftsy course, and by taking Maddie's bra making workshop. So, let's communicate! What courses/workshops/classes have you guys taken that you would recommend for me? And, what can I teach you?
It'd also be really nice if you could follow me @palindromedrygoods and Maddie @mmadalynne on Instagram.
Congratulations to Robyn! You are the winner. Please contact me at hannah@palindromedrygoods.com before Wednesday, March 21st to claim your bra making kit.
Don't forget to download Maddie's free PDF pattern for this bralette here!
Other details: Silver bar necklace from here, silver chain necklace from here. Sewn with my Janome HD3000.
What a coincidence, I just downloaded this bralette pattern three days ago! I'm still trying to source supplies (God bless Australia and their lack of quality fabric stores). Your versions look suuuuper cute, I love the sparkly pink.
ReplyDeleteOnto your question (sorry for the novel)--Suzy Furrer is actually a great teacher! I have watched all her classes on Craftsy Unlimited :) My favourite is her Darts & Seam Lines course--It's really nice to know what to do with your slopers once you've got them. Manipulating darts is really a seamstress' bread-and-butter, and once you learn how to do it, the combinations are LIMITLESS! So that's my recommendation :D I think you'll love it.
As for what you could teach us.. I have a secret desire to learn about draping. Living in Brisbane, Australia, means it's so hard to find draping classes anywhere :( It's one of the more thrilling aspects of sewing, making crazy fun bodices and skirts, but nobody around here teaches it! So please teach us, dear Hannah!
Demi, if you're unable to purchase a kit from Madalynne, which I would recommend first because it's such a beautiful kit, you should check out the Etsy store I mentioned in the post. I know that shipping rates to Australia are quite high, but her supplies were very high quality. I ordered 3 yards of everything so that I would have enough to make one or two more bras and the total cost was quite reasonable.
DeleteThank you so much for the Crafsy recommendation, I will likely sign up for the Darts & Seam Lines after I finish these skirt & bodice slopers. I am HOOKED on Suzy's courses. They are so informative. Lastly, thank you so much for the suggestion about what I can teach you! I will add it to my list and begin researching to provide the best info possible. Thanks for the comment (and the Insta follow) and I wish you luck in the giveaway!
-Hannah
Demi - I would love for you to try a kit! I offer international shipping on my international website:
Deletehttps://madalynne.glopal.com/de-CH/
The Beverly Johnson classes on Craftsy are excellent for learning bra construction and fit. I just got the pant and bodice sloper classes because I want to start making my own patterns.
ReplyDeleteHello Liz!
DeleteThank you so much for reading the post and for your recommendation. I am in the same boat as you in terms of wanting to make my own patterns. Can you imagine the doors it's going to open for us? We're going to be unstoppable pattern makers! Thank you for the comment and happy pattern making!
-Hannah
What beautiful bras! I downloaded Madalynne’s PDF patterns last year. I’m still a little scared to jump in and make it. But this beautiful sample has definitely motivated me.
ReplyDeleteI recently watched Katrina Walker’s “Sew Smarter” which was very informative. I mostly sew for my daughters with quilting cotton, but I want to start sewing more for myself. But I’m still finding it hard to find appropriate fabrics for my projects. The video helped me to understand more about garment fabrics.
I love your silk dresses, so I would love to learn more about silk fabrics. How to find appropriate silk fabrics, how to sew with them, how to care for the finished garments, etc.
Hello Coco,
DeleteMy recommendation would be to throw that fear out the window and jump right in. I typically don't like sewing stretchy fabrics, as I've had a bad track record with them, but this was such a pleasant experience. Because the bras are fairly small, and there's only 3 pattern pieces for the Barrett specifically, it's a fantastic introduction to using these mesh & stretch lace fabrics. You should absolutely go for it and make a bra! And then share the results with Maddie and me, because we love to see what y'all are up to.
Thank you so much for the class recommendation, I will absolutely look into it. And, in terms of sewing with silk, I would be thrilled to write a post about that. It is also a fabric I was scared of using for many years, but now it is without a doubt, one of my favorites. Thank you so much for chiming in! I'll be sure to comment here when I write a post about silks. If you're not already, you may want to consider signing up for my newsletter (look in the right-hand side bar for a sign-up box). That's the best way to get alerts about new posts, and I keep the emails to a minimum, so you won't regret signing up!
Thanks for reading the post and for commenting! Best of luck in the giveaway!
-Hannah
I second Hannah! I think you should throw your bra making fear out the window and jump right in! The kits will really help you not feel overwhelmed with trying to source all the little bits and bobs.
DeleteI have been eyeballing this bra pattern SO BAD. I don’t wear bras with underwire, so it’s perfect!
ReplyDeleteIn all honesty, I don’t take classes very often. I tend to just dive in to patterns, I usually disregard “baby steps” and “planning”. When I do need help, I’ll just google it and find a blog post about it.
In terms of what you can teach us, I think a post about working with different apparel fabrics and what to watch out for would be great! For example, I just bought some fabric to make a pair of Hudson pants, but I have never worked with knits before. I post detailing what needles to use and tips and tricks to keep in mind would be awesome!
Hey there!
DeleteThank you so much for reading and for the suggestions, they are super appreciated! I don't like my underwire bras, and I have to admit, I've been opting for bralettes like this one more and more and more.
Haha, I admire your style, girl! I have never taken any classes (Maddie's will be my first!!) so I can absolutely relate. It's amazing all the help we can find on the internet these days, isn't it?
Your suggestion for what I can help you guys out with is goooolden! I can absolutely tackle a post about that subject. That's a great idea. Thank you SO much for commenting and I wish you luck in the giveaway!
-Hannah
If you don't wear underwires, then the Barrett is perfect! It's a quick sew too - just a few hours.
DeleteThese barlettes look so cute, very inspiring!
ReplyDeleteI've done a couple of sewing classes, through a local seamstress, and then went I moved overseas I did a jeans-making course in Glasgow through The Stitchery which was brilliant. Such a great way to meet people and make friends! I think doing classes for something like jeans, if you're doing them in-person, is super helpful because you have assistants there to get all your fitting spot-on.
I would love to learn to make intimates though. They're so expensive rtw, and almost never as pretty. But I'm not great with knits so I've definitely avoided them! This year!
I'd love to know more pattern-hacking skills - I'd love some blog posts on that!
Hey Helen,
DeleteYes, I totally agree about jean fitting. Well, really, all fitting is so much nicer with someone around to help! I made a pair of Birkin Flare jeans (you can find that post on this blog if you type 'jeans' into the search bar on the right) and it was a struggle to fit them by myself. I bet that was a super fun workshop you took!
Well if intimates is your thing, you absolutely MUST head over to madalynne.com and look at her entire beautiful website. Workshops, bra kits, free patterns, tips & tricks, she has it all and would be a great resource to kick off your bra and undie sewing spree.
Pattern hacks! Yes! I love pattern hacking. I wrote a post back in December on how to splice together completely different patterns, be sure to check that out, but I can absolutely come up with more tips and tricks.
Thanks for the comment and the suggestions! Good luck in the giveaway!
I already mentioned this on IG but you've got to check out the class selection at Butcher's. I am sure you're well beyond the two classes I took there a couple of years ago (intro to knits and men's trousers) but they've got so many great options. I also booked it once for a ladies' sewing night and it was so fun!
ReplyDeleteI have tons to learn still but I'd love posts on working with specialty fabric, including the mesh on the bra you mentioned!
Hey Hannah!
DeleteYes, Butcher's! I'm so excited to visit them. Thanks again for recommending them. If you win the giveaway, sewing up the Barrett with Maddie's kit will be such a great into to using mesh. I was a little leery of it, but it was such a breeze. I had no reason to be worried. Plus she has a great suggestion for an adhesive in the directions for the Barrett, you might want to check that out too!
I’ve watched 2 of the craftsy classes on bra making and they were excellent! An in person class would’ve been amazing if I could’ve found something like that locally. So far I’ve just made a couple sports bra and finally 1 underwire bra but I want to try all different types!!!
ReplyDeleteHello!
DeleteYou MUST try this bralette then. And after this one, be sure to check out Madalynne's other free patterns. They're all cute and each one is so different, which is what I love. Thanks for chiming in!
I've yet to try crafty. But I started looking for free patterns online to test out and improve my sewing skills. :) Came across your IG and @mmadalynne. So far I'm interested in more feminine pieces, intimates, skirts and dresses. Awesome blog. My other go to place for inspiration is Pinterest.
ReplyDelete- Katrina (IG: @budgiboo)
Hi Katrina!
DeleteThanks for commenting! I'm so glad you found Madalynne and me. If you're in the Philadelphia area and are interested in a bra-making workshop, Madalynne is your girl! Feminine is a spot-on description of what she creates. I love to sew dresses and you'll find a lot of them on here if you poke around. Thanks again for stopping by and happy sewing! Wishing you luck in the giveaway!
This is such a nice bralette, congratulations! I can really recommend to take a course in Jeans making and fitting. For my opinion it is such a good knowledge you get, when learning how to make really good fitting Jeans. (:
ReplyDeleteHey Agnes!
DeleteThanks you! And thanks for the suggestion. I've made jeans before and it was soooo fun. You can see them on this site if you search for 'jeans' in the search bar on the right. I haven't made any since then, but I agree that I could learn a lot from taking a course with an actual person instead of just winging it!
Thanks for commenting! Happy sewing!
If you're interested in making more bras, Beverly Johnson's craftsy classes are fantastic!
ReplyDeleteHey Lucy!
DeleteYou're the second person to recommend her, so I guess I should look into it. I'm looking SO forward to taking a workshop with Madalynne at her Philadelphia studio in May. It will be the first in-person sewing class I've ever taken! Thank you for the recommendation and happy sewing!
Oooh, I love that red lace! I have checked out Beverly's bra making classes on Craftsy and they are very thorough and comprehensive! I also highly recommend downloading the free Maya pattern and just playing with it. Even if it fits terribly (mine did), you will get tons of great experience just with trial and error and the pattern is free!
ReplyDeleteHello Becky!
DeleteIsn't that red lace fun? I never opt for red in my undergarments, but I am all about this. I have plans of making a matching patny in the same lace. I also love that it's 80% cotton, 20% nylon so it's breathable AND pretty. That's a win-win! The Maya? Great, I'll research it! Thanks for the suggestion and for commenting. Be sure to check out this free pattern for the Barrett as well as Madalynne's other free patterns. Each one is adorable and different than the others, so there's variety to choose from! Happy bra making!
Thanks, Hannah! I actually already made a Barrett! I'm wearing it right now and it is super comfy :-) I have all of Madalynne's patterns already and love them! Love your blog and such a great post!
DeleteI haven’t tried any Craftsy classes yet, but plan to do a few knit classes soon!
ReplyDeleteHey Marissa,
DeleteCraftsy classes are awesome. I'm totally enjoying mine and I would definitely recommend them to others! Knits are something I don't sew a lot of, but I'd like to start sewing more. If you find a good online or in-person knit class, let me know! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I haven't taken any classes but I watch a lot of tutorials and what not on youtube. I like the sorry girls, coolirpa, Sarah Norwood, with Wendy, and sew over it.
ReplyDeleteI've seen some ways to lengthen a pattern but not sure if I could do the same to widen it. Some patterns, bralettes especially only seem to go to an Xl. But they're xl is about 2-3x smaller than a regular xl.
P.s. I'm a total newbie and have only sewn a handful of items. Some I haven't even finished. 😁
Hello Robyn!
DeleteYoutube is such a great place to find help. I looooove Coolirpa. That girl is always full of inspiring ideas! I haven't heard of a couple of the others you mentioned so I'll have to be sure to check them out.
I just saw a Barrett made for a large (28G to be specific) bust measurement. Check out the Instagram profile @kr0e to see what she did to make hers fit. I hope that helps!
Welcome to the world of sewing! I have lots of beginner tutorials on the site and I'd encourage you to check them out and comment if you have questions. There's also soooo much information out there to help newbie sewists out, so you're in good hands! Thanks for reading and commenting. Happy sewing!
-Hannah
Hey!
ReplyDeleteYeah this is definitely a good scrap buster project. I'll be collecting every bit of stretchy fabric I have for more Barretts. I'm looking soooo forward to Madalynne's class. Thanks for chiming in! Happy sewing!