My bra making journey was anything but a straight line. As a heavier child the need for my first bra came sooner for me than most of my peers. The standard retail measuring system (at least back then) was to take the ribcage measurement, add 4 or 5 inches and use that as the band size. The sales rep made what they had work for me although the options were limited to beige and white plain styles. I won’t even get started with what seeing that large number did to my self esteem.

Fast forward many years later, my then 12 year old daughter came home and announced that she wanted to be a Fashion Designer! As a single mom that was working 2 and sometimes 3 jobs just to make sure she had an average life, I wanted an easier path for her to earn a good living and fashion design didn’t feel like the home run one of the STEM subjects would be. What was my plan you ask, to make fashion design less glamorous and more labor intensive with the most possibility of being broke. I know it’s a terrible thing to do but my only concern at the time was her ability to earn a living wage. I told her she would have to learn how to sew and draw as first steps to becoming the next Donatella Versace.

I found a basic sewing class and signed her up without reading the fine print. I thought she would hate it and I would have an afternoon to myself. Class day arrives and the instructors says I have to stay with her because the fine print says anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, so I had to stay. While in the class we learned machine basics, how to read patterns and more. The instructor and I chatted a bit about the types of things she made including jeans and under garments, two things this plus sized lady always had a hard time shopping for. There was way more math involved with sewing than I had anticipated, which my brain did cartwheels for.

Well needless to say, my daughter does know how to sew but she decided Fashion Design was not for her. I however was HOOKED! My brain buzzed with the thought of finally being comfortable in my clothes. I jumped in head first and made a pair of jeans, they were horrible but they were mine. I haven’t stopped sewing since. 15 years later, my mission is give everyone the ability to have under garments that not only fit but are as beautiful as they are.