Today is the day the bra is finished! I hope this series has helped you work your way through this project. Today we complete the waistline, the center front and the front strap attachment. Not too complicated. But just as everything else, don’t rush and it will turn out beautiful.

As for my own Jackie, I had to finish up the strap attachment. I didn’t fully think rough through the fold over elastic on the necklines with the strap, so I improvised and I think it works out well.

The first thing I did was trim up the back straps so they were straight then applied fold over elastic to the raw ends. I also trimmed up the strap end and covered that too with fold over elastic. Its a big thick, but my 20 mm FOE did the trick with no problems.

I trimmed up the fold over elastic so about 1/2″ was left hanging on both ends. I folded the separated strap pieces towards the front and the back strap point towards the back and ran a basting stitch across them to hold them in place. It was pretty bulky. I probably should have just sewn a regular stitch on those.

I then worked on the front strap position. I pinned the flaps on the front strap points under and folded it towards the back side. I decided to only stitch the edges that have the fold over elastic on it to give a cleaner finish. I reinforced it with like 3 stitches, so its not going anywhere, so its definitely an option for less messy stitches.

The last thing to do is attach the back strap points. I overlapped them and stitched in the middle. It allows the stitch to be hidden in the ditch of the fold over elastics.

My bra is officially done! Its definitely a beauty.

Below are the videos for the final steps of the Jackie.

We are nearing the finish line for our Jackie Sew Along. I am taking a different process to create a Jackie bra. I clean finished the back neckline and armhole with fold over elastic and added a hook and eye.

The first think I did was line up my hooks and eyes to the center back and cut off the excess. I have random supplies laying around, so I am using the eyes from a stash of left over beige and the hooks are black. I though the would make a nice combination.

I then pinned the back necks carefully and overlocked them together to keep them in place. I think I forgot to photograph this step, but then I took fold over elastic and covered the back neckline and the armholes. I love this fold over elastic. Its wider than most and is just really easy to work with. Plus it doesn’t stretch out of shape.

The hooks and eyes went on so beautifully. I straightened up the back and slide it between the flaps on the eye tape. I used a straight stitch right on the edge and backstitched to secure it. The hooks I apply in two passes. The first pass with them open so I can get a full grip with the foot. Then I close it and offset the needles to stitch on the edge for a second secure stitch. I think this is the nicest looking hook and eye I have ever applied.

The last thing I need to do to complete this bra is to attach the straps. I am planning to cover the raw edges of the strap with a piece of fold over elastic, but I haven’t decided if that is what I’m doing. Until then, this is my beauty. I really like using the beige eyes with the black hooks. I have a ton of extra beige eyes and since I have discontinued the, I will likely be using this combination for a while.

Now for the rest of you. This week is the neckline. You will need some narrow elastic – 6 to 8 mm in width or 1/4″- 5/16″ wide.

The front neckline I spend just a little extra detail on because that is what people will be looking at (if you show them). The design has a bit of a squared neckline. Not completely square, but angled for sure. Its a bit tricky, but as you can see in my video, even a crappy sewing job can still look good.

I am, by far, not the most meticulous in my sewing. I can be when I want to be. You should see my wedding dress. I spent days working on that beauty making all the edges clean finished. But for every day stuff, I’m not perfect. Between the distraction of having my kid talk to me while sewing and the 99% chance I’m sewing without my glasses on, its always fun to see what the outcome is.

Anyway, just take your time on the neckline and it will all come together.

My own Jackie bra is coming right along. Today I added band elastics to the bottom and trimmed up the armholes so I can use foldover elastics as my finish.

The first thing I did was pin the double layers securely at the hem, then overlocked the right side of the elastic to the right side of the bra, right on the edge. My seam allowance is only 3/8″ here, but because I am using a few non stretch panels, I decided not to trim anything off and attached right on the edge so the seam allowance would be 1/4″.

I then flipped the elastic to the backside and zigzagged the seam allowance down to the top of the elastic.

I didn’t want to finish my Jackie today since this sew along still has a few weeks, so I also decided to prep the armhole for fold over elastic. I pinned the double layers carefully and trimmed down the armhole the 3/8″ seam allowances.

I then overlocked the edges to keep them secured. I know I didn’t do much today, but I seriously have had no time to sew this past month. I am working on several projects at the moment.

I will be attaching the hook and eye next week and changing the back neckline to work with the hook and eye, then the last week of the sew along I will finish it up by adding fold over elastic to the armhole and then my strap.

For everyone else, this week is all about the zipper, how to shorten it and how to attach it.

Lets make our zipper shorter! We need to customize the length of our zippers. You will need an 8″ zipper for this task. And guess, what? I sourced all the zippers you will ever need for this.

Now, I recommend using a toothed zipper, meaning either a resin/plastic tooth or a metal tooth. I’m not sure how a metal tooth will do during workouts and outer clothing, so the recommendation is really the resin toothed zipper.

Coil zippers can split, no matter how heavy duty they are. Line up the zipper to the center front panel and add 3/4″ to the total zipper length.

You can then chop off the rest and remove the top 1/2″ of zipper teeth with pliers or cutters. You need to secure the top of the zipper. You can do this with hardware, or just wind thread between the top two remaining teeth at the top until it becomes bulky enough to stop the zipper from coming off.

This video can walk you through this process.

Attaching the Zipper

Attaching the zipper isn’t very complicated, but you need to have a zipper foot handy. This is one of the shortest video in the series, so I will let the video do the demonstrating for you.

We are officially in Week 4 of the Sew Along. I’m working on my own version, so I’ll share that first, then I’ll share what those that are working with the Sew Along are working on.

I started today by attaching fold over elastic to the neckline of the center front.

I then attached the side fronts to the center front and burrito rolled the lining so I could clean finish the princess seam. I used a straight stitch since the front panel doesn’t stretch. I had to pin this carefully before sewing, because the side panel stretches and I needed to make sure these line up the same for the self and lining. This also makes it easy to work on the rest of the neckline.

I then pulled it right side out. You can see the clean finish of the inside.

I then clipped the seam allowance on the side panel where it meets the neckline of the center front panel. Once I clipped it to lay flat, I cut the seam allowance off up to the strap. I could have done this before sewing, but I cut my notches off so I didn’t have a point of reference to where the point is they joined together.

I clean finished the strap point, then I then took a piece of fold over elastic and folded it to make a 45 degree angle and attached it to the front neckline up to the strap with the shorter folded angle in the front.

I decided to end it at that point today. I’ll work on my waistband elastic next week.

If you are working with the videos, this is the week to work on the Zipper Shield or the Hook and Eye tape. I have created two different options for the shield of the zipper. One is a straight shield, but the other is a hook and eye tape designed specifically for this purpose. Normal hooks and eyes are spaces about 3/4″ and are fairly narrow in width. One of the participants had a brilliant way to hack together the hooks and the shield. Here is a picture showing her genius. She attached the hook and eyes to the shield so the pattern pieces would match.

The special hooks and eyes I’m using with my kits came from my haul from Fredericks of Hollywood. The eye tape is 1 3/4″ wide and the hardware is spaced 2″ apart on center. This allows a minimal amount of hooks and eyes to help secure the sports bra, prior to zipping it up.

Not everyone needs to hook it before you zip it, but if you are like me and gravity prevents any actual containment prior to zipping, you may benefit from helping to hook the twins in place prior to secure it with a zipper.

Because there are two options for protecting your skin from the zipper, there are two separate video tutorials for today. One is the shield with the bottom tab included in the pattern piece and the other is the hook & eye tape with the separate bottom tab.

Make note that you would use either the shield or the hook & eye/bottom tab combo, not both.

Zipper Shield

Hook & Eye Tape

This week we begin to assemble the body of the sports bra. My bra construction is a little different from the ones in the instructions and the videos. I am going to work on the body this week and next week as I am not including a zipper on mine and I want to make progress on my own next week.

The first thing I did was glue the lace overlay to the stretch fabric for the side back. This was a trick shown by one of the sew along participants and I think this will forever be in my sewing stash now.

I wanted to treat those as one pattern piece and sandwich it between the two layers of the center back. I decided not to top stitch this seam as the sandwiching pulls the seam allowance so there is no need to top stitch it.

On the front, I sewed the center front to the middle pieces and sandwiched it between the two layers. I then had to top stitch as the lining fabric is just not as thick and it rolled too much. The seam is not perfect and caused some puckering on the sheer panel. I clipped a few of the overlock stitches to try to release it. I figure this is fine since it is secured with the top stitch. It looks a little better than it did, but its still not perfect.

I then sandwiched the side back between the side front panels. I’m not attaching the fronts together yet as I plan to do a fold over elastic, although any decorative elastic will work. I have to do a little creative construction on that. I’ll be working on that next week.

I also trimmed up the edges of the seams where they all join. I didn’t line up the side front to the side back properly so it was all shifted up a bit. But with the stretch fabrics, all is forgiven. Until next week, here is the video for the zip front version.

Video

This week we work on straps. I am super excited about these straps. Not only do they look awesome, but they are very versatile because they adjust.

The secret ingredients – cut & sew foam on the strap and an adjustable bra strap. Here is my newest set of straps.

The straps are a little more complicated to put together, but once you master it, you will be doing this on all your straps. There are two layers of fabric, 1 layer of foam, a length of strap elastic with matching hardware and an extra set of rings to attach to the front of the sports bra.

You can make varying widths of strap elastic, from 1/2″ to 1″. The only caveat about using a different width, is that the front strap point must be narrowed to accomodate the desired elastic used. I kept the strap width 1 3/8″ or 35 mm so it would be consistent with mixing and matching patterns with the Christina and Laurel, but nearly all the strap elastics require an adjustment.

Even if you use the 1″ elastic, I would recommend using the 1″ ring, rather than the 35 mm slides I carry. I had the problem with the slide twisting on its side, so unless you are using cut and sew foam on the entire body, I’d switch it for a 1″ ring.

I didn’t share my own fabric layout last week, so here it is. As you can see, I’m making mine asymmetrical and mixing it up a bit. I’m not doing the traditional Jackie construction, but a “bra” construction. The center panel is non stretch cup lining, the middle cup is a lace fused satin, also non stretch, lined in a 15 denier cup lining. The side and most of the back are cut in two layers and is of my new double brushed nylon spandex (coming soon to my shop). The side back is a spandex from my stash and the lace is from my shop. I thought I had the same lace as the front lace but I couldn’t find it.

The strap assembly is the easiest so I did that first. I have about a yard left of the tan strap elastic I used to carry, so I used that for this along with some gold hardware for a little bling.

The strap I machine basted the contrast to the foam, then basted the black fabric on top. It is very clear how bad I was at cutting and how much the fabric stretched when basting. I sewed both sides from the small end down, so it would reduce any twisting.

I then took them over to the serger and made a better, consistent stitch along the edges of the strap.

The last step was to flip them inside out and assemble them completely. As you can see, the basting stitches are still showing. I might remove that, but its presently not bothering me. They are less than perfect, but I think they look fabulous!

To follow my video steps, I have linked the YouTube video below. Don’t forget to like my video and comment to help with the algorithms.

I have been listening to my customers and the greatest requests for my patterns were to make a front closing sports bra with an adjustible strap. It has been a few years since my last sports bra pattern, but those requests were always on my mind. The adjustible strap on the Laurel was a little challenging to adjust, so I wanted to play around with a completely different concept that utilizes items you likely have in your stash.

Introducing the Jackie Sports Bra!

The pattern officially released in November, but I wanted to offer a sew along series with YouTube videos to accompany it. Today marks day 1. This is my finished sample below. I usually don’t share photos of me wearing my own lingerie, so this is a treat.

Note that there are two different construction methods in the instructions, the videos show the more complicated construction, but you can make either version. Make sure to follow along with our Sew Along Group on Facebook to get some support or ask your questions below.

Measurements

Lets get to know your measurement and what size you should select when getting started.

You first want to measure your underbust measurement fairly snug and preferably sans clothing. In imperial measurements, round to the nearest inch then add either 1 or 2 to your measurement to equal your band. This is similar to European sizes, but my band would likely place you in one size up. In most American sizes, you’d be one band size down.

Confusing? Yeah, sorry about that. I developed my sizing about 8 years ago and I can’t change it since all my patterns are sized like this and I don’t want my previous customers accidentally purchasing the wrong size going forward.

Once you get the band size, then you want to measure your full bust. This should be a supportive bra and not leaning over. If your breasts are pendulous, you could end up in a huge cup that you are swimming in. If you don’t have a supportive bra, you can do your best to hold up the breasts manually while a friend measures your full bust. Four hands are needed for this.

Take your full bust measurement and round to the nearest whole number and subtract the band number from it. The difference is directly related to the cup size. 1″ difference is A cup, 2″ difference is B Cup, 3″ is C cup and so one, straight up to a 14″ difference which equals an N cup.

Once you have this size, you want to then look at the fabrics you plan to use and the purpose of the sports bra. For a fabric with a 20-30% stretch and a relaxed daily wear fit, stick to the size you picked. If you have a fabric in this stretch and would prefer a compression fit, go down 1 band size and 1 “sister” cup size, so if you measure as a 36F, you’d select the 34F.

If you decide to use a more firm fabric such as scuba or a cut and sew foam for a layer in the front, the size you measure into will fit like a compression bra. If you prefer the relaxed fit, size up one band and one “sister” cup size, so if you measured 36F, you’d go up to 38F.

If your fabric is stretchier, you can utilize a less stretchy lining or place an extra layer into the sports bra. A high level of spandex can likely make for too much bounce and can spread the breast more around your body, so be careful of that. The sports bra fabrics I currently carry are about 30% stretch, so they are at the cap of my recommendations, so if you want to feel hugged, go down in size.

I included a set of instructions for measuring for asmmetry as well a as a video on determine your size for asymmetry. Watch my video HERE. Here are a few pictures showing the pattern changes I made to alter my patterns from right to left.

Supplies

Not its time to round up your supplies. I prefer a fabric about 230-280 GSM with a low stretch of about 20%. The fabrics I carry are a hair more than this, but I’ve not had any issues with the sports bras I made with them. I am slightly limited in the nylon fabrics. I prefer to carry nylon as it doesn’t smell when sweating. I prefer the weight and stretch of the poly fabrics I carried previously, but those things smelled so bad after one day of sweating.

You will need a separating zipper at least 8″ of teeth. I highly recommend the resin teeth. I have black and white available in my shop HERE.

You will also need straps and hardware for the straps as well as some cut & sew foam and a hook and eye tape. Luckily I made kits for this occasion. You can find them HERE. I made a variety of fabric kits and a variety of finding kits. If you prefer to source your own, below is the full set of instructions for you to browse and collect your supplies.

Cutting

Now for the cutting. Make sure you lay out the patterns so the grainline is in the direction of the least stretch. The greatest stretch goes around the body. Some athletic fabrics stretch in the opposite direction, so just check your fabrics before cutting.

If you are more of a beginner, then I’d sugget making your version to go over your head. I did a separate post that detailed some of the changes I made to that construction method HERE. If you are determined to try the zipper version, note that I would consider this advanced sewing. The version I demonstrated in the videos has a completely clean finish on the inside of the sports bra, so there is no rubbing of seams against the body.

I do need to advise that you really should follow my instructions in the order I show them to get the same results. The zipper and shield finish requires this clean finish. There may be faster, raw finishes for zippers and shields, but the garment will not look as refined.

There is only one change for switching to the pull over head version and that is the elastic length. The front pattern pieces can be cut on the fold or cut 2. The zipper takes up the space in which we shorten the pattern when sewing the zipper. The zipper version will be only slightly more snug than the over the head version because the zipper doesn’t stretch, so its not really enough to notice.

Flexibility

The wonderful thing about my sports bra patterns is that they all can be constucted with the zipper front or over the head and all pieces are interchangable. The backs can switched around as can the waistbands and straps. If you have all three sports bras, that can give you a wide variety of bra designs. My personal favorites are the Christina Front, Jackie Front, Jackie Back and Laurel Waistband.

Work on getting yours cut out this week and we can get to the sewing next week.

Video

Guest Post by Emma – Instagram: @bean_box_sewing

Whilst I’d like to say I began sewing lingerie for fun, it was more a case of problem solving since store-bought items pinched, rubbed and ultimately lead to more time than I would like ending up braless.

3 rd December is International Person with Disabilities Day and that seems an appropriate day to hearn from a disabled sewist and how a sewing pattern has been useful in meeting particular needs. For me, my relevant health conditions here are Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME, also known as CFS), scoliosis and spina bifida. Amongst the disabled community, I have found I am one of many with sensory issues and difficulties with mobility. Exposed seams (including overlocked edges) can make clothes unwearable, slight pressure can cause pain (even when no mark is left) and seemingly soft fabrics can be too uncomfortable to wear.

First Impressions

When I saw a call for pattern testers for the Jackie Sports Bra, I was excited to join in. Before my chronic illness emerged, I was quite sporty and athletic wear made up a large proportion of my wardrobe, so I was sure I’d know a good sports bra, if I saw one. These days, my exercise is gentler and doesn’t stretch much beyond a need for a light compression sports bra, so I followed the instructions to make a more relaxed fit of the Jackie Sports Bra; leaving compression versions to other testers. It didn’t occur to me that a sports bra pattern would lend itself to be in my regular lingerie rotation – even for the days my chronic illness has me in bed all day and exercise is the last thing on my mind. As my friend said, upon trying on my first version (which I never got back…): “this pattern is GENIUS”. I totally agree.

First, I made a toile with the pullover hack in the instructions to check the fit – the only adjustment needed was to reduce the overall strap length by 2 inches. After that, I made the zipper front version and sat back to admire it.

Here I will outline some of the features of the Jackie Sports Bra and how it helps me with my health issues. Fully enclosed seams Many bras and bralettes have exposed edges somewhere on the fabric, be it the cups, side seams or strap attachment. To my skin, this can feel like the discomfort of sand in my underwear – no one wants that! The more advanced construction of the Jackie hides all of these edges, even protecting skin with the use of the zipper shield or hook and eye tape for front closure options.

Foam straps including adjustable portion

With a 32E bust, it is often suggested that I use wider straps such as 5/8” (approx. 16mm) for comfort, but this has still led to an uncomfortable pressure in my shoulders in even the best fitting bra. The Jackie design has a more complex strap attachment that uses a foam-covered fabric strap against the skin and a length of regular bra strap on top of this for adjustability. The softness of the foam and the distribution of pressure left me so comfortable that I fell asleep – this never happens with bras!

Front zip closure

Fabrics

My choice of fabric for this next bra was a Tencel Modal spandex, lined in the same fabric. I realized the stretch percentage was greater, at least twice as much as the nylon spandex, so I would need to alter the size I used or the bra would be too big.

Aiming for a comfort bra with even less compression, I chose to go down a band and up a cup size, making the 30F. In a later version, I swapped the middle panel for lace, which lead to me altering the construction a little to accommodate the scallop edge.

My next steps

Emma – Instagram: @bean_box_sewing

Guest Post by Ree of Fiery Darts

First things first—it’s the initial step that I sew, and the foremost thing that deserves a mention: the straps on the Jackie sports bra are amazing. These are definitely straps that I am going to hack into any other pattern that I can. They incorporate two different fabrics as well as strap elastic, so they are visually striking and give you a chance to continue design choices in an area of the make that is sometimes taken for granted. They are adjustable, and they are padded. A layer of foam padding is suggested, and if you have findings large enough to accommodate the foam, I highly recommend it! But even if your straps are thinner and only stabilized with non-stretch fabric (I used quilting cotton on one of mine), the cushion of fabric layers on the shoulders, and for me, my bony clavicle, is worth the extra effort.

Now more broadly, a sewing pattern is an investment: time, energy, materials, and purchase cost. It’s great when that investment pays off. Some patterns are quick and simple, and so a little victory makes a small investment worthwhile. The Jackie Sports Bra is a larger time investment than some other patterns, and requires a few more materials than other patterns might, but the investment pays big dividends because this sports bra has so many options and extra features. If some of the techniques involved are new to you, then your payoff is doubled: you’ve developed new skills and created a versatile, functional, and comfortable sports bra!

The options with the Jackie are many, and the fact that Porcelynne’s sports bra collection is interchangeable really expands those possibilities. I had the opportunity to test this pattern, and I made four different versions of the Jackie, and I still have more combinations that I want to try. For me, it worked well to “level up” gradually. My first make was an over-the-head version where I omitted the central zipper and treated the cut line in the middle piece as a fold line. I followed Jennifer’s blog post where she outlines this version, and I recommend doing so if you are in the mood for a pull-over Jackie, as some of the construction steps are different than in the main pattern. This is because in the main Jackie style, we use the opening between the main and lining layers at the zipper to turn the work inside out. I used a simple cotton jersey for my main fabric and my lining, and this worked well for me, since I don’t need a huge amount of support.

For my next make, I put in the zipper front, and this main feature of the Jackie will be a welcome option for many people who struggle to pull tight sports bras over their heads, or who just don’t like to do so. I used a scuba lined with stretch net, and I sewed the zipper shield option. This is the option I will return to next time I make a straight-forward Jackie. The zipper shield is an easy construction, gives a smooth inner layer of protection, and is flexible.

This was my first time shortening a zipper, and I was a bit nervous at the outset. I had watched all of Jennifer’s tutorial videos, which I highly recommend doing, so I knew what to expect. I was worried that I was going to break or ruin something, but once I dove in, the process went smoothly and snipping the zipper teeth was surprisingly therapeutic. For this step, you will need to make sure to have all the needed materials. I had some zipper stops to add to the zipper once I cut it down, some pliers and snippers, and something to carefully melt the nylon to keep it from fraying. Having the right kind of zipper is important here; the instructions call for molded plastic or resin teeth. A metal or coil zipper would have been difficult to deal with.

Once I had completed a successful zipper front, I was ready to try the hook-and-eye tape option. I also upgraded my fabric on this one, using some of the nylon spandex athletic fabric available in the Porcelynne shop (this fabric was provided for me). The hook-and-eye tape option will be really useful for many people, as it allows the bra to hold in position while the zipper is secured. It turns out for me, though, and likely for some others in my (smaller) size range, the zipper tape isn’t necessary. I barely had room for two hooks, and the construction is more difficult in my opinion than the shield. Here is another point where knowing what works best for you will guide which option you select. The Jackie sports bra is thoughtfully constructed so that there are plenty of possibilities to customize according to your needs, and for many people, the added security and stability of the hook and eye will be worth the extra effort.

I had to be meticulous working with this fabric, but I definitely felt that effort was worthwhile. It is lightweight, but strong and supportive and feels great.

After having worked through the standard construction options, and three different fabric combinations, I felt ready to play with the pattern. The Porcelynne sports bra patterns are drafted to all be compatible with each other, which means you can take one front style, another band style or strap or back style, and mix them up. There is also a tankini add-on which works with all the sports bras in place of the band. For my mash up, I used the Jackie front with the zipper, and of course the Jackie straps, but then I used the back from the Laurel pattern, and added the tankini. I used some nylon spandex (holographic silver!) and some swim fabric and lined the top with an athletic mesh (bright orange!).

I decided to hack the tankini to take my zipper all the way down, and then decided that the zipper shield going the full length of my torso was more bulky than I wanted, so I ended up taking out the shield. The zipper on it’s own is totally fine for me, but I do think that next time I will try adding a little tab and snap at the top.

There are a few reasons why there are more tankini hacks in my future: first, the style lines of the Jackie are interesting enough that I don’t necessarily want them covered up, but I’m not one for an exposed stomach. Also, this tankini add-on has pockets! They are inconspicuous, covered and deep enough that I could slide in a driver’s licence, a key, or a credit card and go for a jog or out to a waterpark. It would be easy to add an interior snap or some sort of further security if I planned to swim, since the tankini portion is a somewhat loose fit on me. Knowing that there are still more styles to try, more fabrics to use, and more details to perfect makes my time investment in the Jackie sports bra certainly worthwhile.

Fiery Darts is a special needs parent who finds respite and therapy in sewing and collecting vintage sewing machines. She has been sewing for over twenty-five years and loves that there is still so much more to learn and explore.

Anticipated Pattern Release Date: Sunday November 21st 2021

I decided to create the Jackie Sports Bra pattern as a solution to a problem many of my customers often complain about – getting into a sports bra or getting out of a sports bra. Enter Jackie.

Jackie was designed for a front zipper closure with either a hook and eye or a zipper shield. The construction steps are far more complicated than a pull-over-your-head bra, such as my Christina or Laurel Sports Bras.

But not all people want to zip up their sports bras. The zipper can show through clothing making it more of an athletic bra rather than a every day sports bra. There is a solution for that too. I have seriously thought of everything here.

The pattern pieces of the Jackie can be mixed and matched with the Christina or Laurel Sports Bras, meaning that the seam lines make the sizing consistent and the pattern pieces interchangable. You can use the Jackie front with the Christina band with the Laurel back, and they all work with the Tankini Add-on.

The center front pattern piece of the Jackie can be cut on the fold for a pull over the head version or cut 2 for the zipper front closure. That also means that you can do the same thing to the fronts of the Christina and Laurel! They can all be zipped up.

For those who would like to make the Jackie as a pull-over-the-head sports bra, those steps are relatively easy. Now, understand that after I release each of my sports bras, I continue to make the construction cleaner and cleaner, meaning I have opted for a clean finished waistband on the inside. This might add a few steps of complication, but it makes for a very nice finish.

The first thing to do is make your straps. Now, I love how I created the straps for the Jackie and they are my new favorite straps. I will make all my future sports bras with these straps. They are fun and a bit decorative. You can follow the steps in the instruction, but I made a series of photos to document those steps for your convenience.

As you can see, one of my straps twisted, but once I put it together it fit fine. If you want to avoid the twisting, I recommend sewing from the same end down on both sides. I don’t think I did that on the twisted strap.

The next thing to do is to attach all the pieces together in the body. I like to topstitch my seam allowances down, but you don’t have to. If you decide to topstitch, topstitch each seam as you go. Complete both the self and the lining layers. I would recommend topstitching the seams of the lining in the opposite direction of the self.

After you sew the body pieces together, sew the waistband in a flat tube, attaching the side seams together. The with the waistband flat, sew one side of the waistband to the self then the other side of the waistband to the lining.

Pull the sports bra right side out and attach the waistband elastic to itself, overlapping the elastic edges. Place the elastic inside the waistband and pin the waistband around the waistband elastic, pinning the seam allowances together. Then zigzag the seam allowances of the waistband together, completely encasing the elastic.

The next part is a little tricky. You need to clean finish the front neckline, but you can’t just sew it and expect to turn it right side out (or you will have to seam rip – ask me how I know). You need to do a bit of a burrito roll to get the neckline attached. The best way to do this is the lay the sports bra with the right sides out, put your hand between the layers from under the arm area. With your hand between the layers, reach in and grap the two necklines, by folding them in then pin immediately so you don’t sew it wrong.

Phew, hopefully you followed that. Its too hard to photograph, mainly because I needed both hands to do it and I cannot opperate a camera with out hands.

With the front necklines pinned, sew carefully. You might want to baste stitch it first to make sure it will pull out correctly. Once you have confirmed it will be correct, attach the front necklines then do an understitch, stitching the seam allowance to the lining and make a corner on the side of the neckline so you get a nice crisp corner. You can snip into the corner to release the shape if needed.

You can then clean finish the front strap point and the underarm neckline in the same way, but you don’t need the understitch there. If you are using 1″ rings, make sure you narrow the front strap by 3/8″ or 10 mm. I would recommend the 1″ rings over the 35 mm slides. They have a tendency to shift on their sides and scrunch fabric unless you are using cut and sew foam on the fronts.

Once you have the underarm completed, then you can attach the straps.

The last thing to do is clean finish the back neckline. I like to attach elastic right on the inside catching both layers together, then I fold to the lining side and zigzag over the edge.

In that above picture, I show the rings attached already, so I missed taking a photo of that step, but once you have the straps attached to the back, you can loop the front strap points through the rings and top stitch.

And voila! The sports bra is completed. Now, I don’t like to photograph myself in my sports bras, but here is an exception. You can’t see that its me, except my identifying arm tattoo. I am asymmetrical, about a 2 cup size difference, but I generally just make the average, so the center always pulls to one side.