Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Power Bar

(Insert under Modification to the Basic Bra in first edition of Intimately Yours)

Power Bar

A power bar is used when a woman has especially soft breast tissue, or when needing to retrain breast tissue to stay in the bra cup.

Using drafted upper and lower pattern pieces overlap ½” (note the dotted lines). Draft your Power Bar pattern piece as shown with the solid lines. Please note the curve at the under arm is ” in from the dotted line.


Cut 4 of flannel or other stable fabric. Using Trans Web® or other fusible material, fuse together 2 layers for each side. Serge or zigzag the edges.

After stitching bra cups into band and BEFORE stitching channeling to cup/bra band seam allowance, stitch Power Bar to the seam allowance only of the cup/bra band. Be sure to measure ⅜” from the underarm cup area to attach Power Bar (this must be done to reduce bulk).


The armhole part of the power bar does not get stitched into the upper bra cup/strap until Construction Step 11. Mark 1” down from the top of the strap on the upper cup, do not put the power bar top higher than this 1” mark. The power bar will be sandwiched between the tricot and the “fold over” of the plush elastic. Done properly the power bar will lay in smooth to the 1” mark line.

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