Bra-making classes fun and practical

BY ELYSE AMEND

elyse.amend@transcontinental.ca

It’s something we’ve been hearing for a while now, in women’s magazines, television shows, and expert reports: if you’re a woman and you wear a bra, chances are you’re wearing the wrong size. And appearance isn’t the only thing affected by a bad fit; discomfort, back problems, and bad posture make up only part of the list of adverse health effects.

“Some women just need to find out what size they are. I’ll tell you, probably about 80 per cent out there are not wearing the right size bra, and usually it’s about two sizes too small,” said Kirkland resident Vicki Ellis, adding that no two women are alike. “What they do in the industry is, they take a perfect 34B and then they grade up from there. First of all, who’s the perfect 34B? And second, grading up just doesn’t work that way.”

For the past four years, Ellis, 53, has been custom making bras for women who can’t seem to find the right fit and – better yet – teaching them how to sew their own. She initially started off with bathing suits.

“I know I always had trouble getting a bathing suit to fit properly,” she said. “That eventually led me to the bra, which is a four-season item.”

Ellis offers her bra making courses in two forms: she can accommodate up to six people at a time for the group course, which is held on three days over three weeks. Ellis will take measurements and go over correct fit, technique and patterns in the first week. In the second, participants are given the fabric, wire, and all the materials they need, and then go home and sew their bras, which Ellis will look at and give recommendations on in the third class.

The one-on-one course is done over a full day. Clients can bring their own sewing machine, and Ellis will go over everything they need to know to make their own bras.

As for style, clients can do everything from the basic white, tan and black to something a little more elaborate. “You can do it the fanciest way, the most basic, padded, non-padded, with or without wire. Whatever they need,” Ellis said.

And, for those women who have uncovered that perfect bra, but can’t seem to find it in stores anymore, Ellis can replicate styles as well. Also, if you’ve found something that almost fits – minus a band that’s too loose or straps that fall off your shoulder, for example – Ellis can do alterations too.

“I find, really, that when most people come here, they’re very excited,” Ellis said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

To find out more, contact Vicki Ellis at 514-694-2567.