Question! How are those attached to the rings at your shoulders? I see that it's tied at the bottom, are they two separate strings or is there more that I'm not seeing here.
p.s. threading is not my thing haha
Question! How are those attached to the rings at your shoulders? I see that it's tied at the bottom, are they two separate strings or is there more that I'm not seeing here.
p.s. threading is not my thing haha
this is really great, thank you so much for posting!
~There's Always a Siren Singing You to Shipwreck~
There There- Radiohead
That's going to look so cool when your done
Thank you so so much everyone! I'm having fun sewing down my base layer of netting right now Net, net, and more net. I'm having several layers of net, so I'll take progress shots so you can see how it's layered.
emma11: each shoulder strap is a doubled-over 22"length of ribbon (so it's only 11"), with one ring threaded onto each before I sewed it down (sandwiching the bra between the two layers of ribbon). To test it out I cut two REEEEALLY long lengths of cheap yarn, and threaded one through each of the rings so that now each yarn length was also doubled up - so there's 4 ends, but you treat each doubled yarn as one length. Before I put it on, I cross the yarn in an X then thread each one through the top (short) ribcage loop opposite the side where it started. Then I slip it over my head, adjust myself into it, cross the strings again and thread through the bottom loops, tie it, then adjust the strings and my anatomy until everything feels right.
It is a bit of work to get on, but it's super-comfy and stays in place (I have a serious problem of "wardrobe malfunctions" in performance bras unless it's something like this). Also, I think it looks neat :P It kind of has a fantasy-painting feel to me haha...
OMG Miyu this tutorial is a godsend. I also have a pretty large bra size in proportion to my frame (I wear a 28G, I'm not joking, I have to special order my bras) and therefore almost none of the traditional shell bras can even come close to containing...much less supporting...my girls o.O
I can't wait to see how this progresses as you finish it. I think it's really awesome that you're using all recycled materials. Though you definitely have a lot more pretty/cool things laying around your house than I do, lol!!!
Cryptomancy, I'm so happy I could help! I know I've had so many problems finding regular bras, let alone performance tops, that contain and support as well as being comfortable and looking good! The only shells that would cover my whole boob are large abalones, and I only have one of those :P
Haha, I'm a hoarder - I've been saving the netting for a while, just because I know there's a lot of things I can do with it :P When I decided to make a bra, I already had plenty laying around :P A good portion of my other materials (small shells, jewels) I was lucky enough to get permission to use when I moved into my current residence, as my BF's Grandma was a huge crafter in her time
So, in other words, hoarding can pay off, LOL!
The first bit of netting (ugh, wonky lighting, sorry). It's more than one layer of the same fine red net on the top part of the cup, but only one layer on bottom, because of how I was folding the strip of netting to conform to a large cup size LOL >.< Whatever, it looks neat.
Looking good! keeping track of this so I can see the finished product!
Owner of Under Sea Mermaid Co.
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Heehee thanks guys This might end up being done before my monofin if we don't start getting some sun again so I can flatten out plastic... (SUN SUN SUN then as soon as I need it, it turns to rainy season here)
I'm so happy I have my tail fabric though because now I can start to envision my tail, thus my "character", and exactly what kind of bra this will end up being! Actually, I have to pick out a few other jewels, as with the finding of the tail fabric (and subsequent research into the POTC mermaids), my "character" changed a little.
Miyu, I must say thank you, thank you, thank you! I couldn't get my top to work at all before, but I'm making one now with the criss cross back and it's so comfy, secure, and supportive! The first time I tried it though, the cups kept wanting to gap open in the front... But I tried again with the cups from an old racerback sports bra, and it works perfectly. I probably could have fixed the gaping with putting on the straps at a different angle, but I'm terrible at finagling things to work...
Also known as Salina Tideglow
Well thank you, I'm so so happy my little tutorial-thingy could help you! Isn't it just the most supportive thing ever?!? It does take a little finagling sometimes, my cups were gapping a tiny bit (well, they were also a size too big), but as I'm sewing on all the layers of decoration, it's kind of drawing it in and making it smaller. This would be why all bellydance costuming sites will tell you to get a cup size bigger, because sewing makes it shrink! The racerback sports bra sounds like it would convert wonderfully! I miss my old sports bra, it was my favorite, now I can't for the life of me find one that isn't a strip of fabric with some straps -_-;
And I used to be jealous of all my small-chested friends who could wear the typical triangle/halter bellydance bras... Now I'm happy with my bra size, because this looks so much neater haha! I'm not showing them till it's finished and they can see it in all its mermaid-y glory LOL
Speaking of, finishing up the second layer of netting. Pictures tonight sometime!
New pics! I got the second layer done, now I'm pinning on the last layer (green) before I get to bedazzling it!
Just finished sewing the green netting, YAAAAY! More pics:
how does the netting feel on your skin? It looks like it might get itchy...
Actually, I was surprised - it's not very itchy at all, and I have sensitive skin! Most of the bits that are touching my skin are a softer type of netting than my base layer. The few bits that poke me, I'll end up sealing with a lighter
Hey every-mer! Guess what I remembered I had for supplies today?!? Some fake flowers & leaves! There were a bunch of them in my room before we fixed it up (it used to be a craft storage room), and today I saw a bundle that had fallen right by my bedroom door to outside (yeah, my room also used to be an enclosed porch)... So I picked them up and picked off the moss, and they're soaking in some soapy water now! So I can have a proper mermaid top after all, YAY!
Pic of my new supplies after disassembling, soaking, washing, now they're laying out to dry!
YOU GUYS, I am so stoked! I was all sad that I wouldn't have greenery, and the universe handed me a solution! All it took was a little washing up
Hey guys, I remembered my camera has flash!
First bit of greenery!
Flowers:
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