We offer a collection of 200+ recorded classes and sew-alongs in our Bra Bee Academy, a safe, supportive (PRIVATE!) community we’ve called The Hive, regularly scheduled beginner classes and an amazing annual virtual live conference where we celebrate and investigate the art and science of bra and lingerie sewing. Wherever you’re located, and whatever lingerie you want to sew next, we can’t wait to cheer you on!
Some have never sewn anything at all before, some are garment sewers, some are quilters or sew other things. Regardless of where you’re starting, we can support you. We want more for you than simply to make a single bra, we want you to understand enough and be supported well in moving from novice to confident creator, and even to professional for those who want to pursue either the technical or design branch of lingerie.
We recommend that everyone start with the Beginner Experience or something similar. This takes a slow, guided, thorough walk through all the basics of bra sewing.
We spend 4 weeks together with daily activities and twice a week meetings. Don’t worry if you can’t be there in person – everything is recorded, and you can pick it up at a time that is convenient for you.
At the end you’ll not only have a wireless bra, you’ll also have a solid foundation to build upon. While you can get some of this experience at an in-person bra sewing class or retreat, the Bee fills in all the gaps and gets you going!
Our next step is our Bee on a Wire class, which is another slow, supported walk to sew and fit your first underwired bra.
You will learn SO MUCH as you work with our amazing teachers and participate in all our events. This combo of classes will give you a set of bras that you can riff on, and your journey into this artform can begin!
One of our very best features is our online community, The Hive. We meet together regularly to talk all things bra, to share successes and learnings and to support each other in all sorts of ways.
There’s an ongoing conversation that you can join at any time – kind of like Facebook but private (no tracking here!), super helpful and always encouraging
Once a year we hold a celebration of all things lingerie sewing. This conference has classes of all sorts combined with fun community activities. We’ve had the pleasure of partnering with some of the most notable names in the sewing world, including Alison Smith from the UK, Jenny Rushmore from Cashmerette, Maddie from Madalynne Intimates, Pamela from Pamela’s Patterns, Monica from Bravo Bella Bras, Erin from Emerald Erin, Angie from Greenstyle Sports, Karu from Studio Costura, Lily from LilypaDesigns, Nikki from Sewing My Style, Sue from Bra Builders, Jennie from Annie and Myras and more!
We’ve held annual conferences for 5 years now, and this has become the backbone of our Bra Bee Academy. We have well over 200 different classes on just about anything lingerie sewing related that you can think of. You can get access to individual playlists for as little as $9.99 per month (price varies based upon content). We also have a library of free classes, so everyone can participate! Our very best deal is our Queen Bee package, where you can participate in the Hive and watch any class at all at any time. You really should check it out!
Our mission is to give women the confidence to fit and sew their own bras with our professional resources and to share and connect within our community. This is just the beginning of all that we have planned. You are going to want to stay connected with us as we continue to support women in all the ways that they need to be supported – both literally and figuratively. We can’t wait to connect!
In 2019, Sue, the owner of Bra Builders, was traveling home from a sewing conference across the country from her home in Wisconsin. Though she had an amazing time connecting with people who shared her passion, it was hard to justify the time away from home and the expense for her business. She thought “there has to be a better way”, and with that thought, the idea of the Bra Bee was born. Early in 2020, she decided to put some feelers out into the bra making community, and by spring she had teamed up with her daughter Emma to take that little idea to a big reality!
Sue and Emma worked tirelessly through the summer of 2020 with the help of Emma’s classmate Rachel, to build an entire virtual conference from the ground up. Shortly after their successful inaugural event, Sue’s niece Bessie, and full-time mom and part-time medical assistant, joined the organizing team.
Emma worked with Sue and Bessie to organize the Bra Bee in 2021, but has since graduated from college and started her career in sales and marketing. Sue and Bessie continue to work to grow the Bee and nurture the thriving community it has created.
Naomi, one of the 2021 Zoom hosts, joined the team this year, and is the perfect addition! Together, Bessie, Sue and Namoi are working hard to make sure you have the very best Bee experience possible!
