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Replacing bra shelf foam with horsehair?

I'm trying to innovate on a support shelf built into a soft cup bra,
which is made of tricot-fused foam. It would be nice if it were a
little cooler and thinner, making "less bra". (In a size 48J, that's a
lotta foam.) My current thoughts are toward layering tricot with an
equally supportive, flexible layer that's more open-weave. Maybe
horsehair? Does it come in 6" widths? Stiff tulle would be light,
supportive and strong. I might try sandwiching it between sheer tricot
to prevent creasing/binding.

Any thoughts?

Pora

P.S. Anybody else reading Beverly Johnson's blog? She answers
comments using the login BraMaker One. She's such a guru I'm going to
think of her as Bramaker-Wan Kenobi.

Replacing bra shelf foam with horsehair?

"wurstergirl" wrote in message
ps.com...

I'm trying to innovate on a support shelf built into a soft cup bra,
which is made of tricot-fused foam. It would be nice if it were a
little cooler and thinner, making "less bra". (In a size 48J,
that's a
lotta foam.) My current thoughts are toward layering tricot with an
equally supportive, flexible layer that's more open-weave. Maybe
horsehair?

Sure, and if that doesn't work, try course sandpaper, it would
probably be just as comfortable.
/sarcasm

Replacing bra shelf foam with horsehair?

Yes yes, that's what the tricot would be for, a complete layer against
the skin. I have to cover all the SAs with tricot strips anyway, so
that part is okay. But I'm not sure if the horsehair will be flexible
enough.

Do you guys have any other suggestions for fabrics? I suppose there
are various weaves of power nets. Why do bra manufacturers use this
foam stuff instead of power net for interior shelves in general? I
guess I should consider stretch laces, which are soft and I assume more
breathable than the foam. I like the idea of layering a soft fabric
and a stronger one, both very thin with open weaves.

Pora

Replacing bra shelf foam with horsehair?

Power net = stretch = bounce

VERY bad idea for cup material.

Joy

"wurstergirl" wrote in message
oups.com...
Yes yes, that's what the tricot would be for, a complete layer against
the skin. I have to cover all the SAs with tricot strips anyway, so
that part is okay. But I'm not sure if the horsehair will be flexible
enough.

Do you guys have any other suggestions for fabrics? I suppose there
are various weaves of power nets. Why do bra manufacturers use this
foam stuff instead of power net for interior shelves in general? I
guess I should consider stretch laces, which are soft and I assume more
breathable than the foam. I like the idea of layering a soft fabric
and a stronger one, both very thin with open weaves.

Pora

Replacing bra shelf foam with horsehair?

In article om,
"wurstergirl" wrote:

I'm trying to innovate on a support shelf built into a soft cup bra,
which is made of tricot-fused foam. It would be nice if it were a
little cooler and thinner, making "less bra". (In a size 48J, that's a
lotta foam.) My current thoughts are toward layering tricot with an
equally supportive, flexible layer that's more open-weave. Maybe
horsehair? Does it come in 6" widths? Stiff tulle would be light,
supportive and strong. I might try sandwiching it between sheer tricot
to prevent creasing/binding.

Any thoughts?

Pora

P.S. Anybody else reading Beverly Johnson's blog? She answers
comments using the login BraMaker One. She's such a guru I'm going to
think of her as Bramaker-Wan Kenobi.

Sorry but it won't work. You just can't have something like that (hair
canvas) so close to the body and it will ruin the tricot aside from not
being very washable. The foam is useless and merely adds more bulk and
induces more sweating than anything else. The amount of foam padding
needed to actually provide a framework would be ridiculous. Heck, you'd
be better off with heavily quilted layered cotton for padding.... as in
a stomacher. And that still would not work because of lack of boning or
other support.

Someone who is a 48J needs a framework of support and a bandeau bra
won't provide support. The bra will hang from the shoulders and the
sides will collapse under the weight. You have to look at it from an
engineering POV. Even if you made the cups out of hard plastic and if
there's nothing to support the cups, they will still hang fro the
shoulders and flop. An analogy would be a chain link fence supported
with posts made of cardboard.

You can use the bottom of the cup as a shelf or "balcony" ONLY if the
shelf is supported by an underwire or some other kind of framework. One
thing you can use to your advantage with a 48J is the extra
circumference. Friction does add some modicum of support and the more
snug contact the bra has with the body surface, the more support you
will achieve. But I still don't think that will go very far with a 48J
with no underwires.

This person cannot wear underwires?

Phae

--
I fear me you but warm the starved snake
Who, cherished in your breasts, will sting your hearts. (Henry VI,Shakespeare)

Replacing bra shelf foam with horsehair?

Oh, oops. I should have described this better. Here's a picture of
the bra I'm hoping to copy for her:

http://www.herroom.com/Glamorise-Mag...01-1005,4.html

The foam shelf I'm referring to is a 4-inch wide strip inside the lower
cups, like a bandarin in a custom-fit bra. You can see it through the
cup fabric in the Fitter's Comments picture. Other brands sometimes
make this element an entire sling around the breast and hang it from
the strap. This particular brand criss-crosses the flat foam under one
breast and over the other, turning it up to become a padded strap.

This is a bit like a sports bra with the cups of a heavy Cool-Max type
fabric. The frame is actually entirely of power net. (Huh?) The foam
bandarin is stretchy under the breast and switches to stable above.
Can a less sweaty replacement to the foam be found? Suggesting
horsehair was my attempt at thinking outside the box, but maybe that
wandered 'way off into the woods :-) It's been a while since I
handled it.

Yes Phae, I would very much like to put her in underwires. We haven't
found one to copy yet, so I might have to pattern that from scratch.

Pora

Replacing bra shelf foam with horsehair?

Sorry, Pora. I did not mean to sound so terse or bossy! It was late
and I was in a hurry... sorry.

In article . com,
"wurstergirl" wrote:

Oh, oops. I should have described this better. Here's a picture of
the bra I'm hoping to copy for her:

http://www.herroom.com/Glamorise-Mag...lam01-1005,4.h
tml

The foam shelf I'm referring to is a 4-inch wide strip inside the lower
cups, like a bandarin in a custom-fit bra. You can see it through the
cup fabric in the Fitter's Comments picture. Other brands sometimes
make this element an entire sling around the breast and hang it from
the strap. This particular brand criss-crosses the flat foam under one
breast and over the other, turning it up to become a padded strap.

Yes, I understand what you are talking about. Most bras of any
consequence are made of power-net these days but it still does not
provide much of a structure for a 48J unless you make it so tight as to
bind her. I do like the way the back is made on the bra. But it's
still not enough for the size in question. We're talking Enell for 48J
methinks. This lady needs compression, coverage and structure.

This is a bit like a sports bra with the cups of a heavy Cool-Max type
fabric. The frame is actually entirely of power net. (Huh?) The foam
bandarin is stretchy under the breast and switches to stable above.
Can a less sweaty replacement to the foam be found? Suggesting
horsehair was my attempt at thinking outside the box, but maybe that
wandered 'way off into the woods :-) It's been a while since I
handled it.

While I still don't think the bra has enough supporting structure to
support a shelf that actually works, an alternative would be to run a
corset channel on the underside of the cup where it would not show (it
would be curved to conform with the "sling" in the picture and the
channel would have to connect to the center and sides of the bra. Then
you fill the channel with a spiral steel bone like this:

http://www.farthingales.on.ca/spiral_bones.php

I think it was Goddess that made a long-line strapless bra for amply
endowed women.... I have one somewhere but I vastly prefer a corset to
it. Anyway, it has spiral steel bones that run diagonally over the
entire cup just above the nipple IIRC. And no, incredibly, it did not
show. But it was damned uncomfortable which is why I opted for corsets.
I can't recall whether the bones ran from the middle out or the reverse.
I lean toward the reverse.

Phae

Yes Phae, I would very much like to put her in underwires. We haven't
found one to copy yet, so I might have to pattern that from scratch.

Pora

--
I fear me you but warm the starved snake
Who, cherished in your breasts, will sting your hearts. (Henry VI,Shakespeare)

Replacing bra shelf foam with horsehair?

We're talking Enell for 48J
methinks. This lady needs compression, coverage and structure.
ahh i fear this is my problem. Bra manufatures think like that. I'm a
38H. and i hate compression, coverage and structure. The words firm
support make me cringe and full coverage makes me retch :-) as a result
i've pretty much given up wearing bras. use duck tape when 'have' to
have shape. backless, strapless and cleavage. just takes 30 to put on.

but on the original idea.... have you considered moving away from the
fabric idea completely? i've done some along the bioform idea using
clear silicone RTV on a papermachie mold and creating a shaped insert.
Could try something similar using harder material under to be the shelf
and replacing the cup foam with more bendy stuff. would have to punch
holes in it for breatability but you wanted out of the box!
emma

Replacing bra shelf foam with horsehair?

Phaedrine wrote:
Sorry, Pora. I did not mean to sound so terse or bossy! It was late
and I was in a hurry... sorry.

Don't worry offence taken :-)

Yes, I understand what you are talking about. Most bras of any
consequence are made of power-net these days but it still does not
provide much of a structure for a 48J unless you make it so tight as to
bind her.

I'm puzzled myself, but apparently it is very comfortable to wear as an
everyday bra. She's not using it for exercize.

I do like the way the back is made on the bra.

Me too. Architecturally neat.

But it's
still not enough for the size in question. We're talking Enell for 48J
methinks. This lady needs compression, coverage and structure.

She's already ordered a custom one! That was the first thing she did
after I showed her what's available in her size. That bra changed my
*life*.

While I still don't think the bra has enough supporting structure to
support a shelf that actually works,an alternative would be to run a
corset channel on the underside of the cup where it would not show (it
would be curved to conform with the "sling" in the picture and the
channel would have to connect to the center and sides of the bra. Then
you fill the channel with a spiral steel bone like this:

http://www.farthingales.on.ca/spiral_bones.php

[snip]

(I'm impressed that the boning did not show in the Goddess strapless.)
I understand the desire for the ultimate in support solutions,
suggesting boning. But, she'll never wear such a thing. I'm shooting
for "pretty good", which is much better than what she had before. I'll
feel I've contributed a lot if I can simply equal the support of the
foam while reducing weight and heat. That's proving to be a very big
challenge! I might just visit the sports fabric store in Berkeley and
browse the technical stuff for inspiration.

Pora

Replacing bra shelf foam with horsehair?