Classes
With a full schedule of live classes and loads of exclusive video content, the International Bra Sewing Bee has classes for everyone! Whether you’re building a foundation or perfecting your technique, any level of lingerie sewist can hone their skills. Learn about measurements, fit, drafting and pattern hacks to create your perfect bra! Get inspired by beautiful fabrics, expert panel discussions, and personal journeys. Top it off by joining in with the community of makers to create your own masterpiece following an expertly guided sew-along!
Sew-Alongs
Let the lace be the star in the Aries pattern! Sew along with Jennie as she riffs this super-cute pattern which lets you feature gorgeous lace which becomes a part of your outfit as it peeks out the top of your button down or low cut top. Jennie will show you an extended frame, either as lace, or plain satin, and two decorative strap variations
Let’s make a foam cup bra! Monica will be using the Willowdale pattern and cut and sew foam to create a seamless-look print bra. You’ll be able to adapt Monica’s instructions to modify any bra pattern into a T-shirt bra with that nice, smooth look under a t-shirt.
We love the extended size range of the Lusamine bra, which is a gorgeous addition to any lingerie wardrobe. Janna will help you perfect a couple of lace techniques, including a lace upper cup and frame.
Finding a perfect strapless bra can be hard. We have a few classes about how to create your own strapless bra out of any well-fitting bra pattern. This instructor will demonstrate and sew 3 different patterns — the Willowdale, the Black Beauty, and the Maya.
Nikki will be sewing along the Lanai pattern for those who love a wire free bra! We’ll use stretch lace to make this nice, practical bra into something as pretty as a picture! This is a great place to use some of the lace skills that you’re learning at this year’s conference!
The Sahaara wire free bra is a great bra for beginners! There are lots of options to make this bra your own, and it provides adequate support for many sizes, even though it’s wire free. Sew along with Ruhee to make your very own Sahaara!
Combine a gorgeous robe and flowy pants for a nighttime ensemble too pretty to wear just for bed. The robe is a loose-fitting kimono-style that will look as good with jeans and a t-shirt as it will for bedtime. Made entirely on the serger, it features a front band, tie belt, drop shoulder and wide “faux” cuffs. 4-thread seaming, secured ends, unique straight hemming, and belt points will all be shown – skills that will translate handily into future projects. The flowy no-side-seam pants have many possibilities. Leave them wide at the hem or turn them into a jogger-style hem. Made with a serger and a sewing machine, you won’t believe how fast these go together. Finally, top it all off with a retro-style cami using the Glamour Slip pattern made short! Pop on over to the Vault to watch the 2021 sew along.
By some lucky twist of fate, Alison was able to take a pattern off of a vintage, high-fashion girdle. She has turned that into a modern pattern for that vintage garment, and we thought that it was a perfect fit for our vintage-inspired Bee in the Shape category. Make your own foundation garment with style in this sew along!
Last year we made fun sports bras. This year we’ll complete the set with a pair of leggings using the stylish Greenstyle Stride pattern. Angela will add the cross cuff option to the leggings so that you can use this technique with any leggings that you make!
There is a nice variety of period panties out on the market, but they tend to be expensive, and may not work well for heavier flow. Alechia will be making 2 different styles of period panties — one with a paneled gusset and one with a free-floating gusset.
We were looking at a very high end lingerie company and saw a pair of darling yoke-back undies that were embroidered at the leg and waist. They only cost $450! Let’s make our own alongside an expert instructor, as she shows materials considerations and pattern adjustments.
Janna-Marie, who is in her 20s, is getting married and she will walk you through her favourite Hipster panty style and fabric selection that gives her the light-weight comfort she loves with little to no panty lines. You’ll love these oh-so-feminine and yet practical undies!
Hannah, who is in her 30s, just got married, and her everyday undies are a perfect mix of practical and sexy. Her newly updated Lyla pattern mixes a jersey print, stretch lace and stretch mesh in a comfortable thong. She’ll show both variations — the stretch mesh sides and back and the stretch lace sides and back.
Monica, who is in her 40s, is chasing her boys around all day, so her favorite everyday undies are boyshorts! She’s making 2 different styles of knit print undies with nice, wide waistbands to maximize comfort. One is her favorite boyshorts and one is a hipster.
DeWahn is in her 50s, and her favorite everyday undies are briefs with stretch lace. She loves a light, smooth lycra fabric and black with pops of color are her very favorite of all. DeWahn only does matching sets, so she made a bra to go with her undies! So cute!
Sue, who is in her 60s, has 2 favorite everyday undies, both of which are no-show styles incorporating fusible elastic. In the winter, she used fun jersey prints under her jeans in a modern brief and in the summer she wears slip shorts under her dresses to make any dress into a cool and practical way to do everyday chores — even gardening! Sue will also show you how to work with a post-menopausal body in some of the drafting and features of her undies.
Anne, who is in her 70s, loves her tricot undies with stretch lace on the waist and leg! Join Ann to learn all about adapting any modern undie pattern into a more relaxed style with extra ease all around. This style is perfect for gals who love a vintage vibe!
Angela is a mom and a grandma, and she’s making undies for the family! She’s using one pattern that includes men and women, boys and girls to make a matching wardrobe of darling undies!
Fit
Technical
What do you do if your size is not listed on a bra pattern? Learn exactly how to use sister sizing to imporove the fit of your pattern, and to extend the size range of a pattern.
Technical
Join Lily for a discussion on wire spring—what is it and how it affects fit. Learn about the different types of spring (single and double) along with the current differing views on this subject. Includes live demonstrations on where and how to apply it when drafting/adjusting your own patterns.
Technical
How do we define Fit in bramaking? What are the parameters that create a ‘good’ fit? Do we define it as coverage, shape, support, style? Within each of those, what does that mean? Join our premier fit expert for this discussion.
Technique
What are some changes that you can make to existing patterns or new patterns to try as you climb up into senior years to improve accessibility, comfort, support and other important elements of bras? Join Nikki to dive into ‘Fitting as we Age’!
Technique
Join experts Evyone and Margarita for a talk about close-set breasts. What styles and pattern adjustments make for the most successful garments for this figure?
Technique
From first bras that can adapt to the changing sizes and shapes of a young girl’s growth, join Valeria as she reviews some patterns that are suitable for tweens and teens. She’ll show some that a girl can make for herself and options for her sewing mom or grandma.
Technique
Join Monica as she walks you in detail through the fitting process for one real woman. Understand what she looks for, and how to correct those fit issues on a pattern, through the sequence of muslins and culminating in a well fitting bra.
Technique
Join Monica as she walks you in detail through the fitting process for one real woman. Understand what she looks for, and how to correct those fit issues on a pattern, through the sequence of muslins and culminating in a well fitting bra.
Technique
Join Monica as she walks you in detail through the fitting process for one real woman. Understand what she looks for, and how to correct those fit issues on a pattern, through the sequence of muslins and culminating in a well fitting bra.
Shape
Design
Take a dive into history as Alison covers corsetry profiles and construction over the centuries, and helps us to glean important lessons that we can apply to modern corsetry.
Technical
Achieving a perky shape while focusing on great bra design is always a balancing act. Join Lily to explore the fundamentals of lift—what is it, do we need more, and how to get more. Learn about how drafting methodology affects the overall shape and the often overlooked importance of fabric choice.
Technical
Clo3D is a design software capable of drafting patterns and translating them into 3D prototypes. We will compare different bra patterns and review how the drafting, shape and curvature of the pattern pieces affect the shape and volume of the cups. We will also look at how these patterns fit on avatars with varying cup sizes and how to modify them to accommodate the different shapes. Looking forward to connecting with all the pattern drafting geeks out there!
Technique
In last year’s Bee, Evyone and Margarita introduced a panty sloper, and showed the many ways that the sloper could be used. We had all sorts of people asking for a detailed “how-to” for one of the variations — a Waist Shaper. This is that class! Learn how to create your own personal waist shaper!
Technique
Do you want to achieve that smooth, slim look with me-made undergarments? Then you’ll want to join DeWahn to learn all about shapewear patterns, shapewear fabrics, shapewear strategies.
Technique
This class covers methods and techniques to change your well-fitting bra cup shape so that volume is maintained but the overall profile is different. This class will include minor changes to seaming to change the overall look of the bra.
Technique
Are you looking to achive a less voluptous look? Then this class is prefect for you! Join Evyone and Margarita to learn what techniques and structures de-emphasize the appearance of breast volume.
Undies
Technical
One great thing about me-made is making exactly what suits your needs. Let Alechia walk you through making undies for special circumstances such as urinary incontinence, heavy menstrual flow, fecal incontinence, colostomy bags and menstrual garments for sports and swim. Alechia will discuss patterns, materials and strategies for adapting to various needs for yourself and your loved ones.
Technical
How do you alter your favorite panty pattern to accommodate a full tummy, and to properly fit for the apron of flesh that can sometimes appear in the midsection? Let Anne show you a variety of techniques for fitting your undies.
Technique
What’s the modern take on the classic slip? Why, slip shorts of course! Join Angela as she covers materials, patterns and techniques for slip shorts. You’ll just love this lingerie wardrobe staple!
Design
In this course you’ll learn how to use your tried and true underwear pattern to create different style variations while maintaining your preferred fit. As a base you can use any pattern you like and you’ll learn how to transform it using pattern hacking, creative ways of using lace leftovers and combining different materials. Get ready to play around with different design elements to create new styles!
Lace
Technique
Join Alison to learn about using chemical lace and non-netted laces so that there are no seams as you cover the cup. You can also survey other RTW uses of Guipure laces and how to implement those ideas.
Technique
Dive into basic techniques for beautiful lace panels, learn how to work with laces that aren’t quite wide enough, and get tips and tricks for showcasing lace on lovely, paneled garments like bras and body suits.
Design
Sometimes the edge of a lace is so pretty that you want to keep it uninterrupted over the cup. Helen will show you how to achieve this look by using darts to preserve the look of your lace.
Design
Once you know how to make a bra, how do you begin to incorporate lace? Clio covers simple and easy instructions for adding things such as a lace upper cup or lace on the band.
Design
Covering your bra with stretch lace makes sense since the lace stretches along with the band. How do you work with a stable lace on your stretchy band? Let Liz tell you how!
Design
There are many women who love the comfort of a wireless bra, but struggle with ideas on how to make it beautiful. Let Ruhee show you how to make the most of the appearance of your wireless bra. She will discuss the support strategy for a variety of wireless patterns, and what this means for how you can enhance the appearance of the bra.
Design
You’ve seen their creations on social media, and you’ve loved them! Join Claire, Dee Anne and Liz as they discuss techniques for marrying color, lace, inspiration and pattern to make their own unique creation out of a bra kit.
Design
Continue perfecting your lace skills with placing a galloon edge along the power bar with both stretch and tulle lace. How do you use a straight edge on a curved pattern piece and avoid rigid edges along the breast tissue? Build your lace skills with Liz!
Bands
Technical
A well fitting bra pattern should be able to support the breasts without straps. How do you alter your pattern to turn it into a strapless bra that actually supports? Monica will demonstrate on a few patterns, with particular emphasis on the Willowdale.
Technique
The story of a fitting band. Follow along with one sewist as she walks you through her fitting band fitting process with all it’s ups and downs, hits and misses. She’ll also talk about why you want to start your fit with full coverage.
Design
When it comes to the artistry in bra sewing, you can play with a few different canvases on your garment. This class focuses on the canvas of the band, whether it is small (partial band), medium (full band) or large (longline). Let Nikki see some ideas into your design process. We’ll also look at moving the parts of the band which are usually on the inside to the outside.
Specialty
Specialty
In past Bees we discussed bra making after mastectomy, including sewing techniques, patterns, breast forms and all the associated needs. This year we’re shifting the focus to bra making after reconstruction, reduction and augmentation. This instructor will bring her expert sewing skills and deep knowledge of breast surgery to guide you along these paths.
Specialty
Many women love matching sets, and make a pair of undies to go with every bra. How do you go past that point to make a coordinated capsule wardrobe that all works together? Watch how Nikki makes the most of her Bee capsule, even before the Bee! She will share techniques for getting the most out of your capsule and discusses what you might want to add to your capsule to get the best use of your materials.
Specialty
We’re lucky to live in a world with so many beautiful bra patterns, but which one has just what you’re looking for? This Bra Pattern Review panel explores just that! Join Angel, Nikki, and Kat as they discuss the strengths and features of various bra patterns.
Specialty
We love to create, and we love having garments that fit. We also love to get the most for our money! In this world of tightening budgets, is making your own lingerie a good decision? Let’s do some comparisons and find out!
Technique
Do you avoid certain dress styles and patterns because you don’t know how to integrate your bra into your outfit? Monica will show you how to take your own well-fitting bra pattern and drop it into a dress so that your bra and your dress cooperate rather than compete.
Technique/Design
The bra sewing world expanded last year when Cashmerette released the Willowdale pattern. Now that you’re discovering the joy of bra sewing, let Monica show you how to alter the shape and features, and Liz show you a variety of style riffs on the Willowdale.
Technical
Home projectors can be a useful tool for those who wish to eliminate the often tedious chore of printing and taping PDF patterns. Many pattern-makers are now including projector files in digital pattern downloads, but figuring out where to start can be confusing. In this class you’ll learn how to work with projector patterns and what programs to run when using a projector file.
Beginner Bee
Beginner
You might be saying to yourself, “Eek! It’s different than anything I’ve ever sewn and it looks so complicated. I’m a bit nervous about starting, but I really want to see if I can give it a try.” Let’s overcome that reluctance. Kat will talk you through the process of starting your bra sewing journey.
Beginner
While a few women can jump right into an underwired bra pattern and feel confident, it can be nice to have a bit of an on-ramp of projects to build you up to that beautiful, lacy underwired masterpiece. Let Sue give some options for working your way up the Bra Sewing On-Ramp!
Beginner
Welcome to the world of bra sewing! Join Lily as she demonstrates what to consider when fitting a me-made bra with fewer trial versions. Learn about tips and tricks to speed up this process and a few common alterations.
Beginner
One of the intimidating things about sewing lingerie is understanding all those specialized fabrics and materials. Let Sue demystify this for you as she covers all the different sorts of fabrics and all the inner workings of the bra.
Beginner
Did you know that there is a predictable sequence of construction for just about every bra? Once you know this sequence you can work with just about any pattern, even if the instructions are a bit cloudy. Let DeWahn give you the key to bra construction order.
Beginner
Yes, they look a bit intimidating when you peek inside your own bra, but they really aren’t! Getting all those elastics and other bits inside the bra sewn is pretty straightforward once you understand how. Watch our head sewist at Rubies walk you through how to best sew on elastics, channeling and hook eye to your bra, along with our best tips and tricks!