Hi, I am Cyndi from bdancewear.com and in this video, I am going to show you how to take in a racerback sports bra. The problem with the bra when it is too big is that you have a little bit of an issue back here. The reason you want to take it up, obviously, is that it is sliding down on the girl. So, you want to make sure that there is as much coverage as possible and that it is not loose and baggy because otherwise, it will come down as they move.
Supplies:
- Racerback Sports Bra
- Matching Thread
- Pins
- Safety Pins
- Scissors
- Sewing Machine
Directions:
- Choosing Your Materials
The only choices involved are the bra and matching thread.
- Deciding Where to Make the Adjustments
Always pick the area that will give you the least problem to adjust. My initial thought was to take it in from the back and then I realized it would be so much simpler taking it in from the front.
You should take it in from the back only as a last resort. The problem with taking it in from the back is if you just take it up by making a horizontal fold or pleat in the back, you will end up with a different look.
- Taking it in From the Back
There are two ways to take it in from the back. The first way to take it in from the back is to make a horizontal fold or pleat in the back, If you are going to use this method the first step is to cut the bra horizontally at the narrowest part of the back, most likely the vertical mid-way point of the bra. This would create a “V” look at the top half and a reverse “V” look on the bottom. Then to retain the original look, you would need to take in both “V”s equally making sure that the width of the upper “V” matches the width of the bottom “V” so that they come together properly and maintain that original look when the top half and the bottom half are sewn together. If the back has a vertical seam in the center, it would be easy to take in the “V”s. Otherwise, you would have to take equal vertical tucks in the center of the “V”s which would create smaller “V”s.
The second way to take it in on the back is to make a horizontal fold under the back horizontal band at the bottom of the bra. However, if you end up taking it in at that spot, you lose the bottom of the shape in the back of the bra.
- Taking it In From the Front
However, many times these sports bras have a seam on the front where the straps are attached. Now, this seam will probably be sewn down with a zigzag stitch so it will probably not be easy to see particularly when working with a lace bra. The seam on this bra was a little loose and you can definitely see the edge of the lace where you could take the stitches out.
When making the adjustment in the front, the first thing you are going to want to do is to have the girl put the sports bra on so that you can pin the strap while she is wearing it. Since the girl is wearing the bra, I suggest you use safety pins so that she is not stuck by a pin when she takes it off.
Next, you will need to pin the straps at the seam where the straps meet the front of the sports bra. Pin the straps so that the excess material is removed from the straps. You want them to be nice and snug but not too tight. As you can see, now that the strap is taken in on the front, the back is nice and tight. When you do this you need to make sure that the back of the bra has not moved up too high at the neck or wanting to pull anything forward. If it does, then you will have to use the option to pull it forward or you may need to make the adjustments to the back.
Now that I have put the pins in place, I am going to take it off the mannequin. Next, I am going to check to make sure the straps are even. So, I will measure them against each other to ensure that is the case. Once that is done, I am not going to cut right where the pin is located. I am going to cut it ½ inch down to give extra material to allow for a ½ inch seam allowances.
When you cut the straps and repin them to the front of the bra, make sure they meet so that the straps and bra match up properly without any excess material on the sides of the straps or the top of the bra where it meets the straps. If there is any excess, you will need to take it in that excess so that they do meet properly.
- Sewing the Straps
At this point, you will need to sew a seam inside the bra using a zigzag stitch. This seam will attach the strap to the front of the bra. Because it is a stress point, I am going to stitch across again for extra protection. Make sure the thread matches. Also, make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam. Take your time and make sure it is done right.
