The Sewing Place

Knitted bralette

charlotte

Knitted bralette
« on: June 22, 2020, 09:52:52 AM »
This is probably a bit 'specialist' but I thought I would ask for advice. I'm doing a bralette knit along with my knit night. I thought I might wear it for sun-bathing - I've got a bit of a 1950s fashion vibe going this summer. I would like to add cut and sew foam cups to my knitted bralette and I am trying to work out the best way to do this.  I will draft the cup pattern from the finished bralette and sew those on the machine. I could just hand-sew the cups to the bralette but I was wondering about sewing them to an elastic band and then somehow attaching the whole thing to the bralette.

Any ideas anyone as to what would work best?

Catllar

Re: Knitted bralette
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2020, 11:28:02 AM »
Sounds fun. It  will help if we can see the project before jumping in with advice ( mine would be not to wear it in the water under any circumstances!) You could just line the whole top with a power mesh, but it'd help to see the project first. Also how much help do your girls require??
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

charlotte

Re: Knitted bralette
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2020, 11:46:58 AM »
No, definitely not for swimming! :D

I'm looking at these two patterns - I'll probably do one of each.

Ripple Bralette:


Framework Bralette:

I am a A-B cup - the foam is really for opacity and comfort next to the skin rather than support.

Efemera

Re: Knitted bralette
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2020, 12:43:15 PM »
Oh to be able to wear something like that!..I’d frighten the horses!

charlotte

Re: Knitted bralette
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2020, 13:20:36 PM »
Well I think it is meant to be worn as underwear! I don't fancy spending all that knitting time on something that nobody will see, which is why I thought of poolside attire, and the need for opacity. That said, if it ends up being super-comfortable maybe I'll swap all the M&S t-shirt bras for a drawer full of these...

BrendaP

Re: Knitted bralette
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2020, 15:18:44 PM »
I don't think you will be able to do a lot of sewing without it showing through. 

Either use pre-formed cups and just a few small stitches in the 'corners' to keep them in place, or if you need something more substantial you will have to fashion at least a bridge and a back band.  What is the back of the bralet like?

Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

charlotte

Re: Knitted bralette
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2020, 15:54:37 PM »
The back of the bralette looks like this (both are similar), although I may do cross-over straps:


Yes, I was thinking I won't be able to sew an awful lot to the knitted fabric. If I do an elastic band I was thinking I could attach that through some belt-loop style yarn tacks on the inside, and then the cups with some hand catch-stitches in a matching thread. The elastic would help the cups stay in place and also help to give a more secure fit overall. Unless anyone has a better idea?

Efemera

Re: Knitted bralette
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2020, 17:19:40 PM »
Could you not just wear a little bandeau type thing made from some nice soft cotton Lycra... that would stop the chaffing.

Roger

Re: Knitted bralette
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2020, 19:27:47 PM »
Maybe you could add a little silk (if loose) or soft jersey (if you want some stretch) chemise under and tack it to the edges?
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

charlotte

Re: Knitted bralette
« Reply #9 on: June 23, 2020, 09:22:34 AM »
Great ideas thanks everyone. Perhaps a tacked in bandeau might work better than foam cups. Maybe once it's knitted it will be more obvious what will work best.   :D

Catllar

Re: Knitted bralette
« Reply #10 on: June 24, 2020, 11:10:06 AM »
Could you not just wear a little bandeau type thing made from some nice soft cotton Lycra... that would stop the chaffing.

I'd suggest that if she can wear one of these small scraps of thread then chafing will not be a problem 0_0 0_0
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

charlotte

Re: Knitted bralette
« Reply #11 on: July 06, 2021, 14:31:09 PM »
I thought I would come and report back on this. I attached foam cups to elastic and tacked them in and it was... fine.

But I have now perfected my knitted bralette and made one with a fold-over hem, encased elastic, and silk covered foam cups, made from the Jordy bralette pattern from Emerald Erin.





Planning to wear it under my sequined dungarees!

I am making one more, with matching shorts, this time with a picot hem and an opening at the centre back which will fasten with a standard bra clasp.