Merckwaerdigh: BHST2 (Bra and Bustier) - Type:Lingerie  | | Viewed 218 times
| | Review rated Very Helpful by 5 people | | Reviewed by: | clothingengineer | 
 | About clothingengineer | | CT USA | | Member since: 5/7/10 | | Reviews written: 136 | | Sewing skills:Intermediate | | Favored by: 54 people | | patterns reviewed: 127 | | Bio: more... |
| | Posted on: | 3/8/13 4:55 PM | | Project Photo: |  | | Pattern Photo: | Pattern Info provided by clothingengineer | | | | Related Links | Click on  to add a link |
| This review is for view D, the fabric cup bustier.
Pattern Description: Pattern BHST2 from Dutch design Merckwaerdigh with a lovely mix of 2 bras and 2 bustiers with underwired cups. All designs come with a nude back which make them very usefull for party and wedding garments. These patterns need some experience in handmade lingerie.
Pattern Sizing: I made a 32C.
Comes in sizes:
34A t/m 44A
32B t/m 42B
30C t/m 40C
30D t/m 38D
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, the line drawing is very accurate.
Were the instructions easy to follow? They are very terse and you can tell English is not her first language, but I got by. This is the first time I have ever done a garment with boning, and while the results are not 100% perfect they are good enough!
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Likes: I love the 3-part cup with the lace detail. The vertical seams work better on my smaller bust. This bustier also does some amazing things for my figure - while I am small waisted it looks even trimmer wearing this. While the boning makes it not as comfortable as a regular bra alone, the stretch fabric makes it a fairly comfortable undergarment. It is great for formal occasions as well as under slim fitting blouses because the lack of bottom elastic means no "back fat", and the back is low enough to work with a dress or top that plunges a little in the back. So if you want to wear a dress that dips a few inches down from where a normal bra back would be, this would be perfect for wearing under it.
Dislikes: The boning extends all the way to the hem, which causes distortion when I sit.
Fabric Used: "Lingerie lycra", content unknown, from Elingeria. It had about 40% stretch across the grain. The lace is also from Elingeria. The non-stretch cup lining, which is used for the center front as well as the cups, is the sheer cup lining fabric from Bramakers Supply. The back hook and eye closure tape is from Sew Sassy, as are the findings, elastic, underwires, and bra straps. I used regular plastic boning from Joann's.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I didn't make any design changes this time. For fit, I lengthened the waist 1" and narrowed what would be the bottom of the bridge (if this was a regular bra) 3/4". Merckwaerdigh bridges always feel too wide on the bottom so this is a normal adjustment for me with this designer. Since I removed 3/4" from the bridge I took in the "band" only half as much as recommended in the instructions. (For those of you that are not familiar with Merckwaerdigh patterns, everything is drafted as a B cup so if you are an A/C/D cup you adjust the band - instructions are included for how to do this.)
As I mentioned above the boning tends to distort a little when I sit, so I would either make it not extend so far down next time, or just use regular underwire channeling instead and completely skip the boning. After I made this I decided to take the boning out to see how it looked, and while it didn't look as "in place" as when it had the boning, it rides up a lot less than a normal knit camisole and has far less bulk at the hemline.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes, I will definitely sew this pattern again. There's a regular bra as well as this bustier, and there's also a version of the bra and bustier that has an all-lace 2 piece cup. I would definitely recommend it to others if they fit within the Merckwaerdigh size range. It would be a pretty good shapewear top if you made the body out of powernet.
Conclusion: This is a great pattern if you want a bra or bustier that dips down in the back and has cups with vertical seaming. If you want a bra camisole instead of a structured bustier you can skip the boning entirely and just use underwire channeling for structure.
|
|
 Pattern with more than 5 reviews!
<< Previous Next >>
12 Comments
Login to Add a Comment |
|
|Login|Help]
This is gorgeous and beautifully made. Wow!
3/8/13 5:28 PM
Wow, super. I have just made a bra using the cups of this pattern. Perhaps I should try the corset.
3/8/13 5:34 PM
This is really beautiful. Thanks for all the details!
3/8/13 6:09 PM
This is absolutely stunning, and the design looks great too. Thanks for such a detailed review!
3/8/13 10:39 PM
Really well done. REALLY.
3/8/13 10:45 PM
Wow, that is awesome!!!
3/9/13 0:05 AM
Really well done.
3/9/13 0:31 AM
Great work and a gorgeous bustier!!
3/9/13 7:43 AM
For someone unfamiliar with Merckwaerdigh patterns, your review provides excellent information. Thanks for taking the time to post. And the garment...simply beautiful.
3/9/13 10:22 AM
Wonderful, quite inspiring
3/9/13 3:56 PM
So much patience and skill...just beautiful.
3/10/13 7:56 AM
Beautiful! Thanks for the tips on the boning. I bought this pattern recently for the bra version. I think I might put the bustier on the wishlist too.
3/11/13 8:34 PM