Thread: covering a bra without "darting"?

How is this done? Is it that Eman and Pharonics have access to rock hard bras and that's the reason they don't need to dart?

I've done it by using 2 pieces of fabric --a football shape (lower half of the bra) and a sort of long rectangle shape for the top.

I imagine it would be possible to cover a rock-hard Egyptian bra with a stretchy fabric without needing darts...

I wonder how one could get their hands on such a bra..

You can get fabric stiffener to stiffen bras. You need a lot though.

It used to be possible to get Egyptian-made bra and belt bases that were already covered with sequins. Some vendors had them, but I'm not sure who does now.

Is it possible that in the case of some modern-style costumes, the fabric is fused onto the cups during manufacturing, much as it is in commercial lingerie production?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S1ocM81Waw]YouTube - Sahar bra skirt[/ame]

ozma just posted this on fb.. looks like sahar uses hot glue!

um. Might be a *really* silly suggestion, but would papier mache maybe work to strengthen it? My sis and I recently made crown headbands with a papier mache base and then covered in felt and fabric and then beaded and they're holding up so far. Not sure if it would work with bra though.

Great video, Ozma! It's so strange to hear your voice. I never imagined a southern accent....

Originally Posted by DancingLale

um. Might be a *really* silly suggestion, but would papier mache maybe work to strengthen it?

I don't know. I was wondering about using a two part resin myself.

Originally Posted by Andrea2

Great video, Ozma! It's so strange to hear your voice. I never imagined a southern accent....

That video was posted by Zahara of Texas (azahara on Bhuz). She's my troupe-mate and definitely has a southern (Texas) accent.

Ozma re-posted Zahara's youtube clip on Facebook.

what I wonder is if they water the glue down so it doesn't get all stringy, and gobby..

Originally Posted by mlacombe

what I wonder is if they water the glue down so it doesn't get all stringy, and gobby..

I'm not sure, but Zahara has used the technique on a costume currently under construction. She'd be able to tell us how she did it.

Use a regular bra and cut the straps off leaving the cups. Coat them with fabric stiffener and let them dry. Then coat it with another coat of fabric stiffener. The person doing the demonstration sewed on the covering after fitting tissue paper patterns to the cups to get the sizing right.

Learned this at Dragon*Con last year during a panel called "A Little Wiggle Room" about how to build dance costumes. If anyone is going next weekend, I highly recommend checking out some of the costuming workshops. I learned a lot... just too lazy to make use of any of the knowledge.

Originally Posted by roguepen

Use a regular bra and cut the straps off leaving the cups. Coat them with fabric stiffener and let them dry. Then coat it with another coat of fabric stiffener. The person doing the demonstration sewed on the covering after fitting tissue paper patterns to the cups to get the sizing right.

Learned this at Dragon*Con last year during a panel called "A Little Wiggle Room" about how to build dance costumes. If anyone is going next weekend, I highly recommend checking out some of the costuming workshops. I learned a lot... just too lazy to make use of any of the knowledge.

Wow thanks for this-it sounds do able-even by me..g.:

Originally Posted by Andrea2

Great video, Ozma! It's so strange to hear your voice. I never imagined a southern accent....

That is NOT me, I just posted a link. That is our own Zahara.

I do, however, now own the Sahar she opened up. She sold it to Eshe...I seam ripped it as soon as I got it so I could tighen the elastic that meets the cup under the armpit, to reduce the sides from sticking out oddly(which was a problem for two previous owners I believe)

I have a midwest accent.

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

I'm not sure, but Zahara has used the technique on a costume currently under construction. She'd be able to tell us how she did it.

And for the record, that is her video. I thought I was clear in my link....

Edited to add: I see you helped clarify that.

As far as covering it with out darting or too much construction, I know that the few Eman and Eman - esque bras I have seen which were covered with stretch fabric generally had gentle gathers where appropriate. If they were covered with woven fabric, many times the fabric was placed on the bias, which gives it some stretch and moldability.

{{{HUGS}}}

sorry I wasn't clear ozma! I should have written that though you posted it, it is someone else.. my oops

Originally Posted by mlacombe

sorry I wasn't clear ozma! I should have written that though you posted it, it is someone else.. my oops

No problem.

As for your original question, to dart or not to dart has little (but not nothing) to do with the hardness of a bra cup.

It's simply a way to get a flat plane of fabric to cover a curved 3-d shape. It's not the only way to get non-stretch fabric to lay smooth over a shape (you can also, as mentioned, peice multiple fabric shapes) and with stretch fabric sometimes the fabric will have enough stretch to not need darting..which I think is what you're asking, because a stretchy fabric pulled tight over a soft cup can collapse or warp the shape of the cup.

yes.. exactly!!

i should say.. "how to have an un-darted bra without making the cup look like a dogs breakfast"

once i am unpacked, I am trying the hot glue method on a bra I'm done with.. to be my guinea pig

For those of you who are now curious about my voice and accent:
Buggirl's Increasingly Strange Tokyo Tales... - Voice Post

Originally Posted by ozma

For those of you who are now curious about my voice and accent:
Buggirl's Increasingly Strange Tokyo Tales... - Voice Post

You have no accent.

i sound like a child on tape.. so I only record my answering machine greeting when I'm sick.

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

You have no accent.

I second that. And I'm originally from Prince Edward Island on the east coast of Canada - as far away from your origins as possible and still be on the same continent!

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

You have no accent.

It's a Midwest thing. . .