Showing off my next set that I made with the new Madalynne patterns and kits, this is the Maris Bralette and Panties! I recently got this Black Tessellation stretch mesh in stock and have been (im)patiently waiting for the opportunity to use it. It only stretches in one direction, but I wanted to demonstrate how that shouldn’t hold you back from using it! Bralettes and panties usually only require stretch that goes around your body horizontally, so as long as you position the fabric correctly, it should work perfectly!
And in the case of this set, it definitely did!
Here’s a quick overview of this project.
I sewed a size Small for the bralette, cup size A/B. For the panties, I sewed a Medium. You’ll notice that the shape of the cups is very similar between the Maris and the Fenix Bodysuit, and I’ll use these Maris cups for both patterns going forward. On my next Maris, I’ll add some width to the back piece (it’s a particular fitting issue I notice with my body, I have a bit of a wider back relative to my cup size!).
For the panties, I used a smaller piece of fabric than what’s included with the kits (always thrifty with my scraps!) so instead of cutting the back panty piece on the fold, I added seam allowance and cut it in two pieces.
I used my new 30mm shiny band elastic on both the bralette and panties instead of the matte elastic that I originally planned with this kit, and I really like the result! The shiny elastic is a bit softer and more stretchy, plus it elevates the whole set with a touch of glam. (The matte elastic would be perfect for a sportier look!)
The lycra is opaque and supportive, and the tessellation mesh is fairly stable, so I skipped lining any of the pieces. I also made the bralette a pullover style and omitted any closures.
I used 18mm strap elastic as the wide elastic that lines the top of the back piece. That, plus the 30mm wide band elastic that I used, are both a bit shorter than the elastics Madalynne drafted the pattern for, so I had to chop a bit off of the bottom of the cups so that the side seams matched. On my next version, I would make the pattern piece for the back band larger to make up for the difference.
The boning and channeling was easy to apply (the channeling in this kit is suuuper thin, I searched far and wide to find a type that was easy to sew, but still soft and supportive!). I was tempted to skip it, but it does help the bralette feel more secure and stay in place.
Both pieces came together quickly and easily; there aren’t any unfamiliar techniques if you’ve sewn a couple panties and bralettes already. The panties are a medium/high-rise thong, and I may play around to lower the rise a bit on my next pair (personally, the waist doesn’t hit my favorite spot on me!).
I love the result! It’s sporty and geometric, comfortable but stylish, everyday but special. If you want to make your own set, you can buy the Black Tessellation and Lycra Maris kit while supplies last, and add the Maris Bralette and Panty pattern to your kit with a 20% discount! Don’t forget to check out the other Madalynne kits for the Lawren Bodysuit, Fenix Bodysuit, and Roxie Bralette, and I’ll show you more soon!
