Replies

1. 
   Alexandra | Nov 07, 2006 08:57pm | #1

   Yes, isn't it an outrageous price!  When I first found this book online I thought it was a typo.  I'd love to see what's in it to warrant such a load of dosh.  Have you seen the elan patterns?  I've made my own bras and they have everything on their Web site, http://www.sewsassy.com/BraProducts/elanbrapatterns.html.

   
   

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   Edited 11/7/2006 6:10 pm by Alexandra

2. 
   diday | Nov 08, 2006 02:54am | #2

   I wear the same size as you and have not found a RTW for many years that fits properly. Are you looking for someone else to make them for you, or are you willing to try making them for yourself? There are several bra-making books and tapes, and I just came across Beverly Johnson's Blog at http://bra-makers.blogspot.com. She wrote The Bra-makers Manual--See table of contents at http://www.bramakersmanual.com/. Lee-Ann Burgess wrote Making Beautiful Bras--See table of contents at http://www.beautifulbras.com.au/book.htm. They are both excellent! I just printed two of the articles from Beverly's Blog, one on bones in your bra and the other about making a RTW band smaller.

   When I was a teen I used to take a tuck in the side band under the arm when the elastic began to give. Since I started wearing underwires I haven't done that but was considering doing so, as well as shortening the back band on each side next to the hooks. It's hard to duplicate a favorite molded cup bra after the manufacturer stops making it as Olga did because there wasn't enough demand for "our" size!

   Threads online has a great article by Cynthia Elam, "The Bra Dilemma--Solved!" http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00111.asp

   Yahoo has a Sewing Lingerie group that includes bras, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sewing_Lingerie/.

   There is an archived chat with Beverly Johnson about making bras on http://www.patternreview.com.

3. 
   Catfriend | Nov 08, 2006 07:19pm | #3

   I don't know of a certain source for a cheaper copy, but a good way to look is on the site addall.com  it finds available books and sorts them by price.

   Catfriend

4. 
   FitnessNut | Nov 09, 2006 07:39pm | #4

   This book is worth every penny if you are serious about making your own bras. Beverly Johnson is a whiz at her specialty and she writes the same way as she teaches...very well! I have taken classes with her and learned an amazing amount. The book only adds to what I learned over a three day class. She covers all the fitting information you would ever need to know, how to make a basic bra, and how to change that basic bra pattern into anything you could possibly imagine. Included are techniques for making sports bras and other special situations, such as mastectomy bras.

   If you are an odd size, then you know that your choices in design are limited, once you find a bra that fits. When you make your own, the sky is the limit. It is much faster to design and sew your own in the fabric of your choice than to run all over town in the hope that you might find something suitable.

   Good luck!