Hello bralette sewing friends, Jenny here!

One of the joys of running a sewing  pattern company has been getting to know fellow sewists all around the world – and at this point, I’ve known some over a decade! Elaine is one of those people – she’s been making Cashmerette patterns since the very beginning, including being a pattern tester, and I’m always so interested to see what unique garments she’s making with our patterns. So when Elaine posted about her GORGEOUS Loftus Bralette in our online community, I immediately wanted to know more.  At the wise age of 71, Elaine clearly proves that age is no barrier to style – or making very beautiful bralettes! Without further ado, here’s Elaine’s Loftus Bralette experience:

Elaine’s review of the Loftus Bralette

I have made several bras over the last 15 years and was lucky enough to experience several bra sewing retreats with the now retired Beverly Johnson from Bra-makers Supply in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. My favorite of her patterns are the Ruby Bra and Ingrid Bralette – I am a 38 or 40 D  (4.5″ bottom cup depth) in her patterns for your comparison. Don’t be frightened by the words ‘bra’ if you are a beginner –  go in faith knowing it is more difficult to sew in a sleeve than it is to make this bralette. Just practice your 1/4” seam allowances and follow the directions.

Elaine’s Loftus muslin

When measuring for the Loftus Bralette, I measured a 40 band and a D cup. My stash still has most of the findings, but I only had 3 hook closures not the 4 hook ones called for, so I chose for the purposes of my muslin to use the 1.5” elastic. I only had white bra tulle and elastics, so I tea-dyed everything for the muslin and Rit-dyed for the final bra.

The muslin turned out pretty perfect size-wise, but the underarm elastic insertion left a loose baggy look across the top of the back band (though it’s not really visible in the picture.) I used the high neckline option in the muslin.

Elaine’s final Loftus

So, for the second bra,  I pinched out a 1/2” at the top of the back band pattern piece tapering to nothing at the bottom band seam line (a wedge shape), close to the underarm. I also shortened the elastic by 1”.

The lovely red flame lace that I purchased 7 years ago on a trip to Amsterdam found itself in my ‘too precious to sew or cut ‘stash. Really! I am almost 72 years old. If I don’t sew it now then when? I guess I could get my kids to line my coffin with it. It was a fairly narrow lace and I bought a meter of right side and a meter of left side lace, which gives you the ability to mirror the placement.

The long shoulder strap pattern piece didn’t fit on my lace, so I pieced it. I used a purple glue stick to glue the pieces of lace on to the bra tulle. This meant I had to sew the lining and lace together and sew as one piece. The purple goes away when it dries and in the first wash. I then stitched the overlapped bits with a small zigzag stitch. It doesn’t show at all in the finished bra and doesn’t fray.

For me the most important lace placement was the center wedge center front. That is where I wanted the mirrored lace to shine. I used the lower neckline pattern piece and folded over the neckline seam allowance and placed the lovely edges a long the folded over seam line. I used the lace single layer and featured the mirrored edges along the top.

This is the sexiest bra I’ve ever owned. No wires at all. I find that now at 71, I really hate wires. The fit is perfect. I have fairly narrow shoulders and with most purchased bras my shoulder straps fall off the shoulder – that doesn’t happen with this bra. I like the sling inside and it keeps the headlights facing forward, no east-westing! I also have found the support is great and with minimal bounce with movement. Because of my broad back and dowager hump I believe I will do what Beverly called a downward hike to make it easier to do up the back closure on my next one because there will be more of these in my future.

Overall, this is probably the best bra pattern I’ve used ever. I love this pattern and the vertical lines and plan to use up my lace stash. I may well buy the wider closures and wider elastic for the next one. I just have to figure out a pantie pattern that can use non-stretch lace and make a sexy set!