How to make ANY bra into a Nursing Bra

I could have sworn I had blogged about this with Aiko, but I can't seem to find it.  I've blogged about Bra problems before, so forgive me that, yet, once again, I do.  (Actually, just found it here. )  Why even blog about this?  Well, there are bras and then there are bras.  Then, there are nursing bras (or pieces of fabric that don't do anything and make you look frumpy) and then there are extremely expensive nursing bras.  So, why not use the bras you love and turn them into nursing bras.   Fulfilling all your nursing dreams....

Anyways, these bras are my favorite brand.  I've only been able to find them at Dillard's, which I annually purchase on the New Year's Day Sale.  Instead of $40 per bra (which is $20 per boob, in case you were wondering) I spend anywhere from $12-$19.  Yes, I have some funny colored, printed ones, but read those three points above and you will see why.  As a short Asian girl who is always in need of serious boobage support, I am extremely particular about my bras.  Yes, there are those bras that are pretty and super cute, but the above are meant to do something more substantial.  

Hold up boobs.

Yes, serious, substantial work is done with these bras.  Though the band may have 12 hooks and almost as wide as my back, you won't see any side boobage coming out. 

But let's get back to the real purpose of showing you these.  As I am four days past my due date with my little boy, I have yet to really utilize these nursing bras.  Sure, the day is coming anytime soon, so it's a good thing we finished these last week.  

What you will need to make any bra into a nursing bra.

Sewing Machine

Scissors

2 Swim Suit Bra Hooks per bra (Metal ones of course)

Bras

Pliers/Metal Snips

1 Mama to actually do the work.

10 minutes or less per bra

I got these hooks at Hancock Fabric, but (Amazon has them as well)and purchased with a coupon. 

Most bras have these little metal/plastic connectors (?)  At least, all of mine always have, but again, remember, big boob problems here. I'm sure this will work with most bras.  Technically, you don't have to cut the actual bra strap like we did below, but it doesn't really matter. 

Use your pliers/snips and cut off that connector on both sides.

I had a few bras I purchased at Dillard's this year.  I bought three different sizes...which I'm not going to tell you what size, but you never know when you breastfeed how big things may get.  

The sewing doesn't have to be pretty or even match in color. (at least I never worry about it.)  My mama chose a zigzag and she was cursing my sewing machine.  It isn't just me that can't get it to work properly!  Take the strap that comes off your shoulder and slip it through the non hook section.  Fold it over and run through the sewing machine.  I like my hooks to face out towards my arms for nursing.  I have one bra that goes the opposite way and it came unhooked a few times. 

There you have it!  A simple way to change any bra into a nursing bra. Because, again, there are bras and the there are real bras. (Sorry, I'm not going to model them for you. )

Guess who is a vendor at this fabulous market?

When I say "fabulous," I mean "FAB-U-LOOOOUUUSS!"

Really, they have awesome unique stuff.  This isn't your normal boutique kind of thing.  This is worth going too.  Plus...as a vendor, I don't have to sit at a booth, drop it off and we are done.  Really, it's like a mini Etsy Market but reasonably priced.  I do love buying Local!  Who wants to makes a ladies day out of it?!

Previous post with some pictures from last year...here.

i may have a little time on my hands

i do actually.  see, i have this baby, who sleeps all the time.  

all. the. time. 

she still takes 3-4 naps a day.   when she is awake, it's only for an hour at a time. yes, and she sleeps through the night.  she must be related to my sister, who loved to sleep as a baby and as an adult loves her naps.   i was telling my friend about my baby's sleeping schedule as she replied "do you miss her?!"  

i never thought of it that way, but yes, yes i do.  i was worried about her not seeing her dad enough... when in reality....I hardly see her!  anyways, but the whole reason this came about is because i've been filling my time prepping for this baby shower. 

little miss avy jane is going to debut anytime.  you guys, her brothers have the biggest blue eyes i've ever seen.  i'm always looking for excuses to make something fun! plus getting together with family and friends is also good.

so we thought we would welcome her with some delicious foods.

why yes, that is bacon on a stick.  in this light, even i think it looks delicious. like tracey said "everything is cuter on a stick."

we had some berry parfaits

made some paper flowers

a lot.

i also believe everything is cuter when put as a bunting

so below is my prepping and end results of my bunting.  when i decide to make something, i usually make it in mass amounts.  i believe in mass production.  i originally saw these flowers on Pinterest and planned on making them for the mother's in my life...then i realized i scheduled this baby shower the day before and why not have a fun party favor to boot! 

i don't have a color printer at home but then i saw a plethora of diy paper flowers from ellidesignstudio!!  so i printed out the patterns and starting cutting! thus starting my mass floral business.

so many hot glue gun burns.

my mom once told me that i don't have the patience for little details.

i feel like i prove her wrong all the time. 

but mothers generally know best.

as you can see, i may have gone a little overboard.

 

but once i started making them, i couldn't help myself.  they were so pretty!

well, my mom is right actually.  maybe it's that i like things to be efficient and easy. so with bunting...i had cousin tracey cut out the little flags (i'm good at delegating)...in mass production again, which is why some of them started looking less like triangles...but that's how we roll.  see the letters?  well, to make these easy, i went to my auntie's school.  there they have di-cuts. LOTS of them.  take a couple staples to the letters and BAM!  easy do it yourself banners.

to make the flowers easy to attach, i hot glued some pins that i had already (apparently, i had a lot on hand...hoarder here.) to the burlap and then we were almost done! my last step included the stapler once again. 

i wanted to be able to use the flags for various occasions, so if it takes some extra time to pull out (or not pull out is the more likely option) the staples i'll be okay with that.

so there you have it.  i may or may not have a little time on my hands...but i like to keep myself busy!  you guys should try out these flowers!  so fun! so pretty. 

lament of the bras

dear expensive dillard's brand of bras-

i'm writing to you today utterly (i almost...almost put udderly...buahahah) dismayed that i had to turn my bras purchased from your store into nursing bras.  (well, i had the idea and then asked my mom to do it.)  you could have made my life a little easier by just making and then distributing them.  you see, that store, that maternity store...they don't really make quality bras for gals who need real SUPPORT.  i already broke one of the new bras i just bought from that store.   you know what i mean, that's why you made those bras in the first place.  so why not make them?  i've bought these bras (on sale) at the New Year's dillard's sale the last two years at ten bucks a piece.  and i buy ALL of them regardless of color and print if they are in my size.  which is probably why i don't have a white one.  i have a black floral print, dark purple, some weird animal print, blue...all the weirdo ones because no one wants them. except me!

sigh.

anyway...for those of you bustier ladies in the world who are breasfeeding, you really can covert almost any bra.  we bought some swimsuit hooks from the craft store.  like these.  but, we bought the metal ones...for obvious reasons.  it's a good thing my mom did it, because she used the sewing machine...you know i would have sewn it by hand...and hours later had it finished.

i would post a picture of this process...but i feel it slightly inappropriate.  i mean i already posted about my bra issue before, but posting a picture seems overboard. 

so actually, while my mom was sewing these...I completely zonked out on the couch.  when i woke...she was gone.  so thanks mom!  

if you need to convert a bra call my mom!  or e-mail me and i can help as well. 

(i wrote this probably a couple weeks after the little raptor was born.)

sometimes i make things

for hours....that are completely useless

but they make me happy. 

so i bought a couch...like 3 years ago

so, one day whilst thrifting, the husband and i came upon this couch. 

i knew i had to buy it, while the husband did not. 

so there we sat...we "debated" about this couch.  

it was $75.00, which, i'll admit, is expensive for a thrifter such as myself.  so we struck a deal.  (i actually had to shake hands with him, thus binding me forever.)  i had one year to refinish this couch, if i didn't, the husband said he would either burn it or take it back to the thrift shop. 

so approximately, eleven months later (in my defense i did have a knee surgery when we originally bought it, then it was Christmas and then the summer came etc. etc.) i began the refinishing process.

honestly, it was a beautiful couch before they painted it white. . . .a lovely dark cherry. i believe it's made out of cherry wood as well.  i would have liked to stain it the original wood color, but i'm not that good, so i sanded it best i could and then spray painted and gave it a coat of polyurethane as well. 

i saved all the cushion backing and buttons to reuse them.

note: i have never seen so MANY STAPLES IN MY LIFE

i almost considered keeping the material.  it was thick, strong, and quite lovely.  probably was quite expensive in its day.   stripping it took quite a while...and as i started ripping things off, i knew i was a little over my head.

luckily, my friend holly decided to save me.  she would come over every week and we would work on it!  it really needed two people to work it and derek still refused to have anything to do it.  he really wanted to burn it. ..

so eventually, holly and i did finish the couch! (it was after my deadline, but after seeing its beauty the husband didn't want to burn it.)  it wasn't that hard, once we did one side and figured out our system.  she sewed the cushion for me, once, and then twice.  she was sooooo bummed when she realized that she sewed the zipper on the wrong side. she was a super trooper and its a good thing she came along...because we know...i probably wouldn't never have finished it. . . 

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ps...holli has an amazing etsy shop! 

sistao'sass 

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it looks pretty great...don't you think?

oh yeah...sadly, it's for sale

(because after all that work....it's style and material is just not fitting my current style and my new house)

we even took some family photos in them!

(thanks dad)