When you observe certain clothing items like lingerie or swimsuits closely, you will notice that they can perform the functions of a bra even without wearing one. This is because they have a powerful in-built tool found in most bras — underwire.
Underwires form the foundation for bra drafting and determine the depth, diameter, and circumference of the breast. In essence, the underwire is responsible for the support, lift, and shapes bras provide for the body to make dresses look smarter on the owner.
However, incorporating underwire into dresses is not a craft that lends itself to a simple approach, which is why in this article, the method used to describe how to sew underwire into a dress is well delineated to make sewing easier for designers.
How do you sew underwire into a dress (bustier-style bodice)
- Construct the front lining of the bodice and join the boning channel in your preferred location. Put the underwire in different positions and check if they fit by holding up the bodice to your torso. And make sure the underwire is not protracted beyond the neckline top.
- Fit the underwire into channeling. You can also use 1/4 wide bias tape as an alternative to channeling.
- Mark the positioning of the underwire, keeping in mind that it is likely to stretch when worn. Draw lines with chalk while you are trying to stretch the underwire open so that it can be easy for you to locate where the channeling will be stitched. And make sure the underbust seam and the bottom of the underwire match.
- Draw out the underwire from the channeling, then pin it in place along the line you chalked earlier. Sew along both sides of the channeling.
- Insert the underwire into the channeling, then stitch the open end to close it up. Do the same for the other side.
- Construct the front of the outer bodice. You can insert fusible fleece in the cup and use woven interlacing for the midriff. Then finish up the bodice the regular way.
How to sew underwire into a swimsuit
- Cut the front and back bodice from a power net fabric and chalk the center of the front bodice from the other side.
- Cut your channeling, making sure it is longer than the underwire by 1 inch.
- Sketch the shape of the underwire using a fabric pen. Do this in your power net fabric. Then position the wire about half an inch away from the midpoint front line and also from the lower edge by an inch.
- Sketch from the chalked line by a quarter inch on the closest side to the middle and also by half an inch on the other side.
- The channeling should be basted in place along the line and on each side, leaving about a half inch free-floating above them.
- Open the channeling and put the underwire into it. If there’s a colored tip on the side of the wiring, work it through the basting to place the colored tip closer to the center of the front, and also work the wire through the channeling.
- Sew the swimsuit side seam and put it on to see if it fits perfectly.
- If it fits, draw out the underwire from the channeling, then secure the edges by stitching it from both sides. Secure the center front edges by stitching a bar tack on the tip of the channeling.
- This process should be repeated for the second wire, then trim the channeling, making sure it is close to the stitching line: as far as it can get.
- Fix the underwire into the channeling and secure the opposite side of it.
Can you sew the lining into a dress?
Yes, you can sew lining into a dress. Lining provides dresses with shape, form, and support, and they can be either made from silk, cotton, or chiffon.
There are different ways you can sew your lining: you sew them before finishing your dress or afterward. Only that joining lining before finishing your dress will ensure it has cleaner edges.
Can I add an underwire in a dress?
Yes, you can add an underwire to your dress. Just that when you want to add an underwire to your dress, it must be stitched to the lining. This is to prevent the stitching line from showing to the outside.
How do you attach an underwire channeling
- Cut out the underwire channeling.
- Press the channeling.
- Place the cup seam and the underwire channeling together.
- Sew the cup seam and the underwire channeling together.
- The channeling, cup and the band should be topstitched together.
- Close the front underwire channeling.
- Sew the elastic of the underarm.
- Fix the underwire into the channeling.
- Ensure the underwire is rightly placed and close the channeling.
- Finish the elastic of the underarm.
Can you sew a bra into a dress?
Yes, you can sew a bra into a dress. You can design a bra into your braless dress to make them more comfortable to wear. However, when doing this, always make sure that the cups are appropriately positioned inside the dress.
You can rightly place the cups with a safety pin and try the dress on to see if it fits before proceeding to the other stages. To sew the cups, make use of whipstitch.
How much does it cost to get cups sewn into a dress?
The price of adding a cup into a dress may vary, but it is usually within the range of $20 to $40.
How to fix an underwire bra?
You can sew an underwire back in using a moleskin patch. However, here are the details on how it can be used.
- After getting your moleskin patch, cut a stop from it with your scissors. Make sure the strip is large enough to cover the hole and over the bra edge to ensure stability.
- Locate the part where the underwire is sticking out and poke it back in to hide the wire away from sight. Stretch the fabric of the bra a bit and cover the wire with one side of the rip.
Remove the paper backing of the moleskin and put the sticky side of it down on the hole, then bend it over the bra edges. Smooth it afterward with your finger.
