I have long admired this one-piece bra plus drapy overlay style of exercise top, so when Papercut Patterns released the Pneuma Tank I wanted it immediately. Papercut is a little outside of my budget, though. Then black friday happened and for some reason I went crazy and bought all the indie patterns I denied myself for years, Pneuma and Coppelia among them.
I made the bra out of a activewear lycra I’ve had for a while, with the overlay from a very lightweight and drapy bamboo knit. The bra went together nicely. Surprisingly well, actually, and I’m pretty proud of the finish. It’s far better than my two XYT tops, but I’m pretty sure that’s due to the experience gained from those tops. The overlay went together well too, until the steps where you attach it to the bra. I was disappointed with the instructions here – there must be a better way and it looks pretty terrible inside. I also had to hand tack the overlay a lot to prevent the ugly insides flipping out. I made the straps out of 1/4″ elastic covered by the blue lycra. I’ve done that with bra making too, and while I do not like the process at all I do like having perfectly matched straps.
The colors are weird in these afternoon photos. We get the most beautiful sunlight in this room in the late afternoon, and while it’s totally inspiring and peaceful in person it does not translate well in photos. I had to take photos then, though, as I was wearing the top to yoga in an hour and there was no way that thing was going back on my stiff-shouldered dress form!
So, about its performance. I’ve been attending bikram yoga classes about three times a week. It started with a groupon that my coworker convinced me to get, and I actually have come to really love it. It’s about training the mind as least as much as training the body, and teachers and students alike are absolutely wonderful and supportive. I’m finding myself a little particular about tops now, though, since it’s so hot and they get so wet by the end of class. The XYT tops I made out of the supplex seem extra hot and I’m also a little embarrassed to wear them outside – they look a bit homemade. This top fared well in class, though this is one of those grays that shows sweat very obviously. It doesn’t really matter, it’s hot yoga after all, but I was a little self-conscious. The bamboo knit also got a bit over-saturated by the end of class, but again, what can you expect. It actually did pretty great for a natural fiber!
For next time I may shape the bra front a bit closer to the XYT. I wore one of those last night and had forgotten how much I like the neckline! I want to make another one of those too, now that my activewear skills have improved!
Finally, this is what it’s like to work in my back room in the afternoons…
