-
Wireless Bra Analysis: Panache Sophie & Andorra
The Panache Sophie and Andorra are enduring wireless models, they’ve both been around for at least a decade – and Panache itself is a brand I have always favoured for its fit quality. But in all honesty I have never liked these bras, particularly as I recall working instore as a bra fitter, offering these…
-
How wireless bras create support: the 3 types and how to choose between them
I remember my first attempt at sewing a bralette, I copied the cups and cradle of my favourite half cup wired bra, eagerly sewed it together, put it on and… oof. It was bad, the whole thing just collapsed on me, boobs spilling out the front, the works. You see, every underwired bra supports the…
-
Lilypadesigns Lanai Wireless Bra Pattern Review & Debug
2026 Update: In the end I decided to take what I had learned from fitting this pattern – and more – and put it into designing a high-support wireless bra pattern of my own, the Orion. It covers sizes 26–44 DD–K and can be found here. Since its release, the Lanai by Lilypadesigns has been…
-
Not all power bars are created equal: which patterns will give you the best side support, and why
Why do some power bars fit snugly into lower cups and some don’t? If you have ever made a bra with a power bar or attempted to add a power bar to a bra yourself, you may have noticed that not all power bars behave the same way. Some push your breasts forward nicely, while…
-
Altering your bra cup to fit a smaller wire (aka the omega alteration) – a more accurate way
The “omega alteration” is an alteration that aims to fit a bra cup into a smaller wire by shaving length off the wireline seam (distributed across the cup pattern pieces). The standard omega adjustment This is what it looks like, and you may know this is something I have written about before, although I always…
-
Tutorial: how to increase wire spring in your cradle
I’m here with an actual tutorial for once so get your drafting stationery ready! It is my personal belief that a lot of us struggling bra makers should be increasing the spring on our bras, especially in larger wire sizes. Spring is, in short, the distance between the wire at rest and the cradle the…
-
Control Your Flat Spot: Learn how to direct strap tension to get the cup shaping you want!
I have spoken before about how there are regions of flatness in a bra cup, but I think the topic needs another visit, as I’ve found people sometimes underestimate how much flatness caused by the strap can impact the shaping of the cup – especially in large cups. By the end of this post you…
-
The relationship between horizontal hemisphere and bottom cup depth, and how to maintain balance as you move the apex
Using different sizes for the bottom cup depth and horizontal hemisphere (BCD and HH) of your bra cups has become a popular alteration, with some pattern makers going as far as to suggest making these changes before sewing up a single bra, instead considering it as part of an overall sizing system. A little while…
-
Galina by Madalynne Review & Debug (Part 2 — Cups)
I was hoping to do a play-by-play alterations process for these cups but as it took me a long time to truly understand what was going on with them — and 8 toiles to fit it — it’s better if I summarise what I’ve learned about the fitting of this bra and how to address…
-
Galina by Madalynne Large Cup Pattern Review & Debug (Part 1 – Band and Cradle )
The Galina by Madalynne Intimates has had lots of exposure lately, it’s been all over Instagram and TikTok with a bunch of bra influencers promoting it. I’ve been meaning to tackle patterns lately, hoping it will help others fit bras to themselves – and why not start with this pretty iconic bra? Part 2, where…
Recent Posts
- Wireless Bra Analysis: Panache Sophie & Andorra
- How wireless bras create support: the 3 types and how to choose between them
- Lilypadesigns Lanai Wireless Bra Pattern Review & Debug
- Not all power bars are created equal: which patterns will give you the best side support, and why
- Altering your bra cup to fit a smaller wire (aka the omega alteration) – a more accurate way
Tags
28G abrathatfits alteration balconette band size black bra bra cup geometry bra fitting bra making bra pattern bra science bra size bratabase breast breast roots breast shape charts cleo companies forces fuller bust gore graphs guide lace lingerie longline measurements pain panache pattern pattern alteration physics projected Review ribcage ribs roots short space straps underwires wireless wires
Comments
I would love to see an article on the best bras for lifting gravity-challenged, tennis-ball-in-a-sock, grandma boobs back up where…
[…] 2026-10-06 design analysis, ready-to-wear reviews, Uncategorized, wireless Previous […]