Bra Class update

So..

I’ve been back for a bit from my class in High Springs Florida taking a bra making class from Anne St Clair of Needle Nook Fabrics.

I had a really good time and would absolutely reccommend it to anyone. So…here is a bit about the class:

Did I get the most fabulous fitting bra ever?

Not exactly…but pretty darn close. The class is only a one day sewing experience and it takes about that long to finish your bra. What you do get is a pretty darn close to the right size for you bra that will need (maybe) a bit of tweaking on your part for the next bra. Some people may not need tweaking, but some will. For me I am just a teeny tiny bit smaller on one side versus the other. Not enough that anyone but me can tell but it does make the cup on one side of the bra sometimes wrinkle just a bit. I personally don’t like that even though it was something everyone felt was a “leave it alone and live with it issue”. Beyond that I don’t have a problem cutting and sewing two slightly differing sizes to get that perfect fit. (I am unfortunately hung up on perfection for my own things which is why I don’t own many clothes ;-D )  Beyond that the class does not have time to go into how to adjust your pattern for different fabrics (more stretchy, less stretchy etc) and just barely skims over the idea of changing the band to make it look different. All things I would have liked to discuss and maybe even be able to mock up to see if I understood correctly how to do them.

As an aside to the class, I am not a “large” bosomed person. I am only 5’3″ and weigh about 117.  I don’t look supremely top sided however I am small around the under bust and a bit “larger”  in the cup for my under bust size compared to most.  Which is why I want to learn to sew bras. I was not the only person in the class that was a bit on the smaller size though there were more women there that were larger bosomed. They also have their own fitting issues….easier to understand ones than mine. My point of telling this is that just because you don’t wear a 42H or something like that does not mean that you don’t also have a CRAPPY fitting bra. Once you find a pattern that fits making a bra is literally a 2 hour project start to finish. Unless you mes around like I do while you sew :-D Then of course it can be longer.

Did I get something else out of the class?

You bet! I learned a lot about how to make a bra look professional and not “home made”.  Anne St. Clair showed us lots of techniques for hand placement, pinning fabrics, stitching techniques and other small things that not only made a world of a difference in how finished looking my bra was but also things I could bring forward into my clothes sewing.  The class was almost worth it just for all the little things I learned as much as for the information I gleaned from the bra making aspect of it.

I also purchased this little “measuring gauge” that is FAB for bra sewing. It was wonderful to set against my needle and then dial my needle to the spot where my foot would sit at the edge of the fabric and give me the correct seam allowance. 1/4 inch is used a lot in bra sewing and no foot I own is that size perfectly (you must be PERFECT in bra sewing because taking even a tiny bit more in your seam can change your finished cup size).  This gauge is supposedly for quilting but I never used it for quilting. Not even sure if I would since I don’t do small piecing quilts anyway. However…it’s been great for bras and for doing topstitching too.

Would I take it again?

Not only would I consider taking it again because I still feel I could get a bit more out of the same short class but I had considered taking this class in Canada but was just not sure (the Boob camp is the one I am speaking of not the one day). Now however I think I will probably take it. They also had a class earlier this year in April or May and so I will probably take their class next year about that time. I am going to San Francisco in July and November is a bit harder to do since Christmas is so close but…if I had the money maybe I would. There was a lady in my Florida class that had also done a class  “Canadian style”  a week before. Her instructor was trained by Beverly Johnson who does the Canadian classes. She liked Anne’s class a bit better than the other. However of all the reasons that I heard her say why all went to specifics about Anne’s bra patterns versus the Canadian ones. Different strap placement. Different band shape/style. Cup seams differently placed etc. So…hearing that she liked Anne’s class better why would I now take the Canadian class?? Because I think it’s all about personal preference. Some people like T intersection straps and some don’t. Some like two piece style cup and some three. The Canadian class supposedly works with you on a number of different designs and different fabric types—all the things I wish I had gotten to do in Anne’s but couldn’t because it was just a day long. And exactly what I feel I could still use some help with. Maybe by the time I get to take the Canadian class though…I’ll have it worked out on my own. Practice does make perfect and at some point the light bulb goes on.

So..though I am totally not a great picture taker here are a few pics. Also if you dive or like natural springs to swim in I very much recommend going to High Springs Florida…even if only for a stop on your way to Disney or something. Really cute town with lots of eco tourism stuff to do plus antiquing and shopping. Everything closes at about 5 or 6 pm though so….

this is Anne St. Clair

Anne helping a student

this second picture is of the room I was in. The whole class was at the Wellness Center Day spa. That green Elna Supermatic is where I was sitting :-D Of course…I was taking the picture.

This picture is of Janet, Anne’s helper and the next is of her room. There were 18 ladies that day altogether with another bunch of 18 coming the next day.

Lastly is the great diner across the road from the very neat 50′s motel I stayed at. I did like the motel. It was quiet, and though not the most updated, it was very clean and well cared for along with comfortable enough for me.

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