Fitting and sewing a bralette enables you to create an elegant,

feminine look without sacrificing comfort.

Pattern: Beverly Johnson 8416 Sweet Sixteen Bralette
Fabric: stretch lace edging and picot-edge elastic, BraMakers.com.

48 THREADS
 Pretty
Bralettes
Make easy-to-sew lingerie with comfortable bust support
B Y B e V e r LY J o h n S o n

B
ralettes offer a comfortable and casual alternative to a regular bra. For the home
sewer, they are easy to make, and they offer many variations in design and style.
A bralette is an unstructured, underwire-free bra. The style was once mainly
worn as loungewear. Bralettes were invented as a comfortable alternative to structured
underwire bras and were mostly ignored by fashion retailers. Today, however, they are
no longer intended solely for at-home wear. Bralettes are worn under any garment and,
in some cases, have become fashion garments in their own right. A bralette is quick to
create and requires only basic sewing and fitting skills, so it is a great introduction to
sewing lingerie.
A common misconception is that bralettes are intended only for smaller busts. It is
true that most commercial bralette patterns are sized as generic small, medium, or
large. This can cause fit issues, as generic sizes cater only to a single cup size, typically
somewhere between an A and D cup. However, some patternmakers, including myself,
design bralettes with many cup and band sizes. My Sweet Sixteen bralette pattern, used
for this article, contains a dozen cup sizes and six band sizes. It’s worth having a look at
independent patterns for some fresh bralette ideas.
Bralettes can have as many style variations as any other garment. Not only can basic
bralettes be made entirely of stretch lace, they can also be made with scuba knits or
even sheer fabric with lace appliqués. This article focuses on stretch lace bralettes,
which are versatile and simple to make.

Beverly Johnson is the owner of Bra-makers Supply and the author of Make & Fit Bralettes
(Turtle Press, 2019). BraMakers.com

w w w. t h r e a d s m a g a z i n e . c o m A p R i L /M Ay 2 0 1 9 49
Bralette materials
Creating a bralette requires specific fabric and notions, which can be found at many fabric stores or at specialty bra and lingerie supply
stores. Read the pattern requirements closely to ensure that you get what you need.

Stretch Lace Low point of lace

Stretch lace edging, 5 inches to 10 inches wide, is easy for novice bralette makers to
use because it has stretch but is stable. Just be sure the stretch lace edging is wide
enough for the tallest part of the pattern piece.

Working with scallops

Scalloped edging provides a beautiful finished edge for cups and bands. To align
pattern pieces with the edge, arrange the pattern’s straight cutting line along the
“valley” of the scallop. I call this valley the Low Point of Lace (LoPoL).

Planning a symmetrical layout

Lay the front cup pattern
piece along the LoPoL
on the top edge of the
Low point of lace
lace. Cut the first piece,
RS
then flip the cut piece
over. Position it along
the bottom edge of the Left-Front Cup
lace and align it with the
pattern of the previously
cut piece. If you have
mirrored it correctly, the Right-Front Cup
pattern motifs line up on
the finished bralette.
Low point of lace

Elastic
A bralette requires elastic along the cups’
upper edges and the band’s bottom edge.
This elastic gives the bralette its relaxed
and comfortable fit. There are three main
types of elastic used for making bralettes.
Lingerie elastic is soft and plush on both
sides and comfortable to wear. Use this
type when making stretch lace bralettes,
where the elastic is not encased.
Picot-edge elastic is commonly used for
bra-making and is plush on one side,
which usually sits against the skin. It is
firmer than lingerie elastic but softer
than strap elastic. This elastic is best
used on cut edges, as the picots add a
decorative finish.
Strap elastic is firm and has minimal
stretch. It comes in many widths and
colors. Wider strap elastic is often used for
larger cup sizes, as it does not dig into the
shoulder like narrower elastic.
Needle
Use either a size 75/11 stretch
needle or a ballpoint needle,
size 70/10 or 80/12. Stitch
with all-purpose polyester
thread in a color that blends
with the lace.
Findings
Bra-making findings include
the hook-and-eye closure,
if needed, as well as strap
hardware such as rings or
sliders. These are labeled with
their inside measurement;
1
⁄2-inch hardware fits 1⁄2-inch-
wide elastic. Some bra-
making supply stores sell
kits that include the findings
needed for one bra or bralette.
• BraMakers.com
• StoneMountainFabric.com
Bra-making essentials, from left: Picot-edge and lingerie elastics,
• SweetCupsBraSupply.com strap hardware, and a hook-and-eye closure.

50 THREADS
Apply elastic to lace edges
This version of a stretch lace bralette has soft elastic at the top edges of the cups and at the top and bottom edges of the band. There are
two common techniques to sew elastic on a bralette. One retains the lace’s scalloped edge; the other finishes the edge with picot elastic.

The Flat-Sew Method

Use this method to attach elastic to a scalloped lace edge when you want to retain the scalloped effect. Sew a narrow zigzag stitch, 2 mm
long and wide, along both elastic edges, beginning with the edge farther from the scalloped border. When stitching, stretch the elastic
about 1⁄4 inch every 4 inches.
The elastic and lace should
lie flat when finished. If the
lace gathers or becomes
wavy, you are stretching
the elastic too much. If the
elastic causes the lace to WS RS
stretch out, check the stitch
length. The stitch may be
too short or too narrow.
Stitch both edges of the
elastic for a secure finish.

When matching thread is used, the zigzag stitches don’t show on the right side.

The facing Method

Position the elastic. Lay the elastic on the fabric’s right
1 side, with the elastic’s plush side up, and the straight
elastic edge aligned along the fabric’s cut edge.
Picot-edge Elastic (plush side)

Stitch the inner edge. Sew just inside the picot edge
2 with a zigzag stitch, 2.5 mm long and wide. Always sew
the innermost edge of the elastic first. This anchors the
RS

picot edge so you can fold the elastic under neatly. It also
establishes how much of the picot edge will show along the
finished edge.

Zigzag-stitch the first line on the inner edge of the elastic.

Sew the remaining edge. Turn the elastic to the lace’s wrong side and sew the free edge with the same zigzag stitch. With this method,
3 only one line of zigzag stitching is visible on the right side of the bralette, and the picot edge shows along the bralette’s edge.

First stitching line Second stitching line Picot-edge elastic

WS RS

w w w. t h r e a d s m a g a z i n e . c o m A p r i l /M ay 2 0 1 9 51
Create adjustable straps
The straps in a basic bralette pattern are custom-fitted and do
not require adjusters. However, adding adjustable straps can
Back-strap
be useful if you are making a bralette for someone else. You scoop
will need about 11⁄8 yards of strap elastic, and two rings and
sliders in the same width as the strap elastic.

Cut the elastic. Split the strap elastic length in half, so each
1 piece is a little over 1⁄2 yard long. Each of these lengths
becomes a strap. Cut a piece off each strip measuring the
height of the back-strap scoop—the length between where the
shoulder strap attaches and the center-back edge—plus 1 inch.
WS
This elastic is attached to the back-strap scoop to anchor the
strap end.

Align the shorter length of strap elastic with the lace’s raw
2 edge on the right side of the back-strap scoop. Leave about
1 inch of elastic extending beyond the upper edge. Stitch
along the innermost edge of the elastic, then stitch a second
time along the midline of the strap elastic. Trim any excess The back-strap scoop elastic supports and anchors the strap end.
lace. Set the bralette aside to work on the long piece of strap.

Add the slider. Push one end Thread the loose end
3 of the elastic up through the
slider’s bottom slot, over the
Slider
5 of the back-strap
scoop elastic through
center bar and down through the ring. Fold the end
the other slot. Push the slider over, enclosing the Back-strap
almost to the end of the elastic ring, and use a zigzag scoop
so only about 1⁄2 inch of the stitch to sew it down
elastic tail remains. Fold the roughly level with the
short tail down and stitch it to elastic trim along the
the long elastic with a narrow narrow back band. Trim excess
zigzag stitch, as close to the zigzag strap elastic if needed.
slider as possible. The zipper foot stitching
may be necessary for this.

Pin the other loose end of the strap to the front cup. Try on

4 Add the ring. Slide it onto the

strap’s loose end almost all
6 the bralette to ensure that the strap will adjust to the correct
length. Then stitch the front strap to the wrong side of the
the way to the slider, then feed cup with a straight stitch. For a secure anchor, stitch a triangle
the elastic’s tail end up through following the elastic cup edging. This ensures the strap stays flush
and over the slider’s center bar. with the top edge of the cup.
Slider
The elastic should fit snugly in
the ring and slider. If it is loose,
the strap may not stay at the Stitch a triangle to
desired length. secure the shoulder
strap to the cup.

Ring

BRALETTE Cup
Photos: Mike Yamin.

(WS)

52 THREADS
 A hook-and-eye
closure at center back
makes a bralette
adjustable and easy
to wear.

Attach the closure

Not every bralette pattern includes a hook and eye, but this closure enables adjustable fitting in the band. You can add a hook-and-eye
closure to a pattern that does not have one by splitting the back band pattern piece in half at center back and adding a 1⁄2-inch-wide seam
allowance on each side of the center back.

Sew the eye side to the bralette’s left back band. The eyes are attached to a double-layer
1 fabric backing, so you can encase the fabric’s raw edge. Make sure to tuck in the raw edge
as far as it can go, then stitch the opening with a straight stitch. Backstitch at each end.

Align the hook side with the right side of the

2 bralette’s back band. Some hooks are sold unfolded;
fold the edge to
Folded hook-and-eye closure

encase the raw

edge. Keep the Straight stitching Straight stitching
hooks facing up as
you sew, using a
straight stitch on
the outermost edge
to secure it. Moving
the needle for this
step makes stitching RS WS
much easier.
Alternatively, use a
zipper foot to keep
the stitches where
you want them. Tuck the fabric’s cut edge into the folded hook-and-eye closure and stitch in place.

w w w. t h r e a d s m a g a z i n e . c o m A p r i l /M ay 2 0 1 9 53