Burn the Minimisers: July 2013

I apologise for the severe delay in the Ada review. As for the Deco I am reminded of obsessedwithbreasts.blogspot.com 's comments when she who lost her Deco which was the size of a violin case in a one bed apartment. Mine has vanished too!

I want to discuss Freya's different shapes. Miss Underpinnings has categorised them here: http://www.missunderpinnings.com/2012/08/full-bust-review-freya-shapes-ellie.html. I love Freya but I have accepted I can only fit into their Plunge Balconies. Specifically because of their stretchy lace. My left breast is nearly one whole cup larger than the right, and wow, does non-stretchy lace become a disaster fast!

I have discovered their Plunges just do not work. At all. No matter what size.

Let me show you with pictures:

Here are four Freya bras, from left to right we have: Freya Lacey, 28FF, Freya Naomi 28G, Freya Ada 28GG, Freya Tara 28H.

What do we notice? Well, the H is bloody massive compared to the rest!

I need the depth of the 28H but not those horrific wires. Why the massive increase between the GG and H. I can actually fit into the Naomi, but even with the stretch I still kinda pop out...

So, enter the 28GG Ada. Only not so much. It's barely bigger than the Naomi. The gore barely tacks despite being a size bigger. Hell, look at that picture. Gives you can idea? Argh, it's super small. It just doesn't fit!

I'm pretty disappointed, as I can't size up, the 28H is too big! It's a bit like the problems Sweets posed in this review: http://sweetnothingsnyc.com/2013/04/24/review-morning-meadow-by-freya/. Only I would say I have a worse problem because the right breast is smaller than the left.

I'm pretty disappointed that the plunges just don't work. It doesn't seem like much thought was but into the 28H - it's not that much bigger than a 28GG. Yet the 28GG is barely bigger than the 28G!

Urgh!

I've heard the Ada runs a bit tight in the band. I would agree.

Looks:

It's no beige horror. Aesthetics are 1st class here. I usually hate white bras because they give me a flashback to minimisers but in general I would say that this bra is clearly an exception. An excellent use of white as it should be in a bra. Not all over, but young and fresh. Also the fabric doesn't seem like it would go grey, or at least it the gorgeous pattern would look okay with a greyer shade.

Feel:

Not super soft or cosy. Feels just like any Freya. Pretty boring.

Shape:

Very pointy, but I don't actually find that a problem, but busting out is such a problem it's not a good one at all!

Fit:

Just doesn't fit. Gore does not tack.

Straps/Other features:

There really isn't much to say. The straps have a fancy black trim, which I like. The straps are wide, usual Freya fare.

Conclusion:

Too small because of a shape clash. Wires felt slightly too wide, but the cups were just too small. Back to the drawing board.

I wanted to write this post for the people who say they can't sew.

Here's a story that is very long and barely on topic.
In Secondary School, I was an excellent Home Economics student. I loved the subject! If you have the option to study it or learn more, I would recommend it! The subject combines sociology, consumer studies, food science, cookery and even a bit of crafting! It's very broad, but very rewarding as a subject. I swear it overlaps with pretty much everything I've done in college so far, and at the oddest times! As I adored the class so much I was excited for sewing classes.

Only I was terrible.

Sadly, a portion of the exam was based on a sewing project. And I couldn't sew. I have very poor hand eye co-ordination. I can't tread a needle. I kept on tearing fabrics. I nearly broke the school's sewing machine (I was banned from touching it.).

My teacher took my aside and told me I was doing the Childcare Project (I didn't get a choice!), a written alternative assignment for the exam, otherwise I would sabotage my chance of getting my A.

I got an A in both that Junior Cert and my Leaving Cert exams (which thank God had no sewing part!) in Home Economics, and I acknowledged I couldn't sew. Just couldn't. Incapable.

If it hadn't been for the bra fitting community, maybe I never would have tried again. But I've tried. I'm still pretty bad, but I can do it. I thought myself using books from the library and guesswork.

So, I'm going to show you that someone who has been repeatedly told to back off from the needles that you can do it! It feels great! I've patched up some of my clothes already.

I am shortening a bra band in the same way as MsMandrakeRoot is in her tutorial here:
http://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/comments/1ffet8/as_requested_a_picture_tutorial_of_how_to_shorten/

I am not adding anything to her tutorial, I'm just showing myself doing to to show it's possible even for the challenged sewers. So I would look at her tutorial!

Here is my victim!

An unknown Freya Bra in 36F that I found in a charity shop for 4 euro! My mum is a 34FF, a sister size.

Quite a mystery. I couldn't find this lovely bra on Bratabase. If anyone does know the name, please tell me. I'd love one that is a little smaller in the cup for myself.

Okay, first we need sewing stuff. You only need the basics:

A needle

Strong thread (I used red polyester thread)

A seam ripper

Scissors (I have this little fancy thing you can use to cut thread with that allows you to use one hand, but scissors will do!)

Big old fabric scissors for when you get angry and have to hack through elastic.

A ruler or some of those fancy ones you get in a sewing box you use for hems (something I have yet to master). Mine's clearly from a geometry set...

Fabric chalk

Pins

Optional:

A pencil

Paper. I recommend using highly confidential stuff flipped onto the other side.

A needle threader, if you're not like me and constantly breaking the damn things.

If you wish, using your paper and a pencil that poorly shows up on a camera, trace around the bra shape.

Okay, how much are you going to take off. Oh God this is scary. I mean, I've done this before and it's still scary. Be brave. It's only 4 euro down the drain.

I opted for 2 cm. Which turned out to be too little. So I erred wrong. Oh well. But regardless, stay with cutting off a little bit.

Mark off the amount you are going to cut off. Then you can trace around the shape so the bra wing will stay the same shape. Also you can compare the sides before cutting them off so they are the same amount.

Okay, I've marked of the amount I'm going to cut off. I can do this.

Use the seam ripper to detach the eyes or hooks at the end.

ARGH I gave up and used scissors. Too hard. The sewing at the end of this was very hard to cut off.

Well. It could be more mangled. At least I'm cutting this end bit off.

At least this bit looks okay.

Now for the elastic at the side and the strap.

I found that reaching under the stitches and moving forward actually worked quite well.

Looking good!

I've accidentally ripped out some elastic here

This is very hard to take off, so I resorted to cutting.

Finally free!

Look, I'm using the pattern I made earlier. :)

I shouldn't be trusted with these.

No going back now!

Pin the elastic back into place.

Sew! Use a non-straight stitch or it'll rip. It should be a zig-zig stitch according to my books but alas I don't own a sewing machine... Here's the top. Leave room to put the strap back!