*singing* A-bom-bom-chicka-chicka-bom-bom-chicka-chicka-balalaop!
Welcome to Make Thrift Buy! This is the show where you send in clothes that you’ve found
on the internet and then I do my best to recreate them.
So today’s episode is definitely going to be one of the weirder things I’ve tried
to recreate on this show so far, but SO MANY of you have been suggesting this cat keyhole bra.
Apparently, this bra became so popular on the internet at the start of the year that
it’s even on “know your meme.com”. It originally appeared on the store “Nonori”
on Taobao, but it can now be found all over the internet from ebay to amazon to and wholesale
places like storenvy and aliexpress – hang on, what??
So, this is a very good candidate for a Make Thrift Buy, so, let’s try and make this
for ourselves!
So you can skip ahead to here [1 minute 30 seconds] if you want to see how I finally
ended up making this, but initially I decided that I would try and make this out of stretchy
material like jersey. This was in order to get the cleavage thing happening having to
use tape, or a stick-on push-up bra or whatever is going on in these photos because boobs
don't just go like that. This defies the laws of physics.
So I wanted to use stretchy fabric to generate that amount of cleavage, which, if I'm being
honest, I think is the main selling point of this bra.
However, this just didn’t work out so well. After about 5 hours of my life that I’ll
never get back, and 2 different attempts, I just wasn't getting the result that I wanted
- I was having a lot of problems with the stretch of the material warping the cat cutout,
and it just wasn't looking like how I wanted it to look so in the end I gave up on that
and I went for some cotton and... yeah I'm going to have to use boob tape.
So the first thing that I did on this third and FINAL attempt at making this cat bra was
to measure around my shoulders. I’m doing this because I’m NOT using stretchy fabric,
so I want to make sure that I can get the bra on over my shoulders.
This measurement came out at 40 inches. I halved this measurement to get 20 inches,
and then added 1 inch for seam allowance.
Then, with a piece of black cotton fabric, I folded this over and drew a rectangle that
was the previous measurement, 21 inches, wide, and 10 inches long. I made these marks with
chalk, because this will just rub off the fabric when I’m done.
Next I’m cut across here and here, through both layers of fabric, using my rotary cutter.
And, with the piece of fabric still folded in half, I sewed down here.
This created a loop of fabric which I then tested to make sure I could get it on over
my shoulders. And, in fact, I was able to get it on really easily, so I’m actually
going sew further in on the side-seam.
When this was the right size, I cut the fabric close to the new seam. Then, I drew an outline
of a kitty cat head in the middle of the fabric with some chalk.
I then cut out a piece of fusible INTERFACING which was just a little bit bigger than the
cat outline. The interfacing will be useful in helping the cutout to maintain its shape.
I then ironed this interfacing, fusible-side down, with a t-shirt over the top to protect
the interfacing from my iron, and then I ironed, using some pressure, for about 30 seconds
until the interfacing was fused onto the fabric.
The next thing that I did was to sew around the chalkline, still visible through the interfacing,
using a very short zig zag stitch.
I did this very slowly and carefully, taking care on the rounded corners, and stopping
and rotating my needle at the sharp corners.
And, on the right-side of the fabric, I ended up with this!
Next, I’m using the same trick that I did on the DIY patches in episode #37. I’m got
a little bit of fabric glue and I dabbed this around the edges, on the INSIDE of the stitching.
The idea of this is to stop any fraying later on when I cut this cat-shape out! A product
like fray check will also work just as well. Just don’t use craft glue.
While I was waiting for the fabric glue to dry, I decided that I would move onto the
next step - hemming the top and the bottom of the bra! To do this, I flipped it inside
out again, and then I folded both the top and the bottom edges down about half an inch
like this, and then I sewed over the top of this using a straight stitch, all the way around the bra.
Once I had done that, the fabric glue had dried, so the next step was to cut out the
cat cutout. With some scissors I went very carefully around the inside of the cat outline,
being careful not to cut through the stitches buuuuut just next to them.
And here is my cat cutout.
Next, I needed to elasticate the top and the bottom of the bra to make this thing fit!
So, with a piece of elastic, in whatever colour I want because it's going to be sewn on the
inside, I first wrap this above my breasts to get the TOP elastic length. I pull the
elastic tight, so that it stretches but NOT so tight that it’s uncomfortable, and then
I cut it to this length. Then, I do the same thing with a new piece of elastic underneath
my breasts. And this is going to be my BOTTOM piece of elastic.
The TOP piece of elastic is going to be attached up HERE, and the BOTTOM piece of elastic will
be attached down HERE… except they're going to be attached on the INSIDE of the bra.
First things first, I sew each piece of elastic into a loop, which I basically do by attaching
the ends to each other with two short zig zag stitches.
Next, and this seems to be becoming a familiar theme in my videos, I’m going to quarter
both the elastic and the top of the bra with pins. And the bra fabric is inside-out for this step.
Then, with the elastic on top of the wrong side of the fabric, with one set of pins matching
up, I stretched the elastic so that the next set of pins matched up as well.
Then, I removed the pins so that I wouldn’t sew over the top of them, did a small backstitch,
and then I sewed the elastic to the fabric using a straight stitch.
While sewing, I made sure that my needle was RIIIIIGHT over at this far right edge of the
elastic. The elastic itself is a couple of inches away from the hem. And, the entire
time I was sewing, I was also stretching the elastic so that the next set of pins matched
up. Then, when I reached this set of pins, I basically repeated this process, until I
had sewn the elastic on all the way around the loop of fabric.
Then, I set the sewing foot back down on top of the elastic, but I set the needle so to
the left so that I would be sewing through the far left edge of the elastic.
And then, I sewed all the way around the elastic once again, stretching the elastic as I went
so that the fabric wasn’t bunched up the entire time.
Then I repeated these exact steps, on the bottom of the bra, and I ended up with this!
At this point I realised that I’d totally forgotten to sew on the whiskers!!
To un-bunch the fabric around the cutout, I threw it into an embroidery hoop.
Then, I drew whiskers on with chalk like this, and I sewed over these lines using a zig zag stitch.
Just remember - if you're making this DIY, do this part BEFORE sewing in your elastic.
Anyway, it still worked out in the end.
The last step is making straps, and I’m going to make these tie up like on the original.
To do this, I grabbed my black cotton fabric and I drew out four long, narrow rectangles
with identical dimensions of 3 inches by 20 inches.
And I cut this out. I then folded each piece like this – now
watch carefully – by folding the edges in to meet at the middle, and then folding this
over in half lengthways.
And then I sewed down this side of the strap, all the way down the strap like this.
To make the ends of the strap nice, I folded them over twice and stitch across here.
Then, to attach the straps to the bra, I slid one end of the strap inside the bra, underneath
the elastic, placed about where I think the straps should go, and then I pinned this in place.
I did the exact same for the two straps at the back by flipping the bra around so it’s
back-to-front and then placing these last two straps on just like I did for the front straps.
Then I sewed the straps on, on top of the elastic inside the bra, by stretching out
the elastic while sewing. I also sew the strap on at two points, on top of those left and
right stitches on the elastic, to make sure that it’s really secure.
Then I simply repeat this for all four straps… and I’m done!
So, how did I go?
Soooo - this is what the bra looks like. WHAT have you guys made me do?
This bra is… pretty weird. Still, I think I did a pretty good job.
But hang on. Hold up one second. It’s not exactly right just yet.
Where’s the ridiculous amount of cleavage at?
[Tape sounds]
Yeah!! That’s more… that’s…
hmm. So, now I’m feeling a bit… awkward…
because… well, I think I did this a little bit too well.
I mean… my parents are probably watching this… and.. Oh god, I think I have old highschool
teachers WHO WATCH THIS NO, STOP, STOP THIS NOW.
I’m going to diffuse this awkward situation with… This music. [country fair music plays]
Okay. I’ll just also
choose all my most awkward shots as well. Cool. Okay. No more accidental sexiness. THIS
IS A FAMILY-FRIENDLY DIY CHANNEL people. Let's keep it that way. But, anyway, you guys asked
for this item, and... this is what it looks like… kind of... if you’re willing to
tape your boobs together!
Also… this.
(“No but seriously… this cat looks like it has a butt for a face.”)
So – I did it! I made this really strange bra, which, to
be honest, I’m never going to wear! Ever.
[Scissor snipping sound effect]
Just remember if you want that cleavage, unless you have the most physics-defying, perky breasts
of all history, you’re going to have to use something like boob-tape.
Thanks for watching, and if you wanna post your own attempt at this or any of the other
tutorials I've made, then use the hashtag #diyannika on Instagram so that I can see
it! Follow me on these places if you would like and I’ll see you all in my very next
video. Bye!
Shoutout to my amazing supporters on Patreon whose support basically keep these series
going! To support me on Patreon, go to Patreon.com/annikavictoria!
*laughs* No! No. I can't even pretend to be sexy. Uh uh. *laughs* I'm wearing slippers!!!
I mean -