Triangle bras are a classic lingerie style; they are a cute, sexy and comfortable style. This simple shape can actually be quite versatile and there are lots of different ways to alter or customise the popular triangle shape. They can be sheer, non-stretch, padded, for swimming, with darts, with panels, skimpy coverage or a bit fuller. The possibilities are endless! Once you have found a cup shape and style that works for you, then you can have some fun with different customising options.
I personally prefer triangle bras with a more classic wing rather than an elastic underband; I find that this makes me feel like I have a little bit more support while still maintaining the comfort of a soft cup. I also like to use fun fabrics such as velvet, lurex and fun prints to make simple shapes more exciting.
Today I made a velvet triangle bralette using our Tia bra sewing pattern.
Step 1: A few choices
It's not quite as simple as 'I want to make a triangle bra', there are some things to considered before starting. Stretch or non-stretch? Darted? Lined? Lace edge or elasticated edge? Super skimpy or with a bit more coverage?
Our Tia bralette pattern is a soft darted style that is somewhere in between skimpy and full coverage. There is an overlap at the centre front for more coverage, but the cups and wing are all there is to the style making it super simple and classic. The Tia uses 4-way stretch fabric and is ideal for a jersey, lace or mesh fabric. This example uses a stretch velvet with a luxe look, metallic finish.
Step 2: Cutting out
Once you have chosen your pattern and fabric, the next step is to get cutting! It is important to follow the cutting instruction on the pattern as ignoring this could change the fit of your garment.
To cut my pieces out, I found the direction of the maximum stretch by pulling both along the grain line and perpendicular to the grain line to compare the percentage. As I used velvet I also had to consider the direction of the pile. My fabric's stretch was approximately 30% weft and 20% warp; this meant I aligned my arrow with the weft.
Step 3: Sewing the dart
Darts can be tricky things to get right and there is nothing worse than a pointy dart (unless that is the look you are going for of course!).
To ensure my bust darts were nice and smooth, I carefully marked the bust point on my fabric using a dissolvable pen. It might be useful to place a few pins around the curve. I am not normally a fan of pinning seams, but when it comes to bust curves it can be very helpful to hold the curve in place and help you to create a more accurate seam when sewing.
Then I stitched using a 4-thread overlock, following the curve of the dart all the way up to the bust point and smoothing the seam out to 0cm S/A at the bust point.
Step 4: Elastication
The next step is to attach the elastic to the top wing. I used a 8mm, plush back, flat elastic and I attached this using the two step zigzag technique. For a more detailed explanation of attaching lingerie elastic check out our lingerie elastic how to post.
Step 5: Attaching the cups
Next I attached by cups to the wings using a lock stitch. I didn't use an overlocker for this seam as the raw edges will be trapped underneath the underarm elastic in the next step.
Step 6: More elastic
All remaining edges need to be elasticated starting with the underarm and neck edges. When elasticating the underarm, the elastic should be attached to seam allowance of the side seam and then turned onto the cup and zigzagged down.
Before attaching the underband elastic, it is helpful to tack the cups together at the overlap. I always mark my notches when cutting out my pattern pieces, but it is always useful to check these against the pattern before sewing.
Step 7: Straps and the hooks and eyes.
The finishing touches to any bra are attaching your straps and the closure, in this case a 28mm hook and eye set. I used 10mm satin finish, black straps with black hardware. I also decided to attach my ring at the apex instead of at the wing.
I was very pleased with the overall outcome of my bralette; I love the metallic finish of the velvet and the shape is really comfortable. Triangle bras are such a simple classic and once you understand the basics of how to make one, there is so much room for customisation and making something that is perfect for you!
*This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link*
Comments