This pattern was on my long-term to-do list, but it got bumped up when I was taking the Bra Fit Clinic class and needed to wait for some supplies to arrive in the mail to work on my main project. So I went down a road of side quests trying some wire-free bra patterns I’ve been meaning to use for a while. Although I did a first pass at fitting the LilyPAD Lanai Wireless Bra, I think that pattern is going to need some dedicated extra fitting time, so I probably won’t have a finished version any time soon. But I also decided to try the Porcelynne Aphrodite Bralette pattern, and this was a much better initial fitting. Although I think I still need to do some more work on fitting this pattern as well, it is a lot closer to a good fit and I felt like it was worthy of getting a pattern review post sooner rather than later.
The Porcelynne Aphrodite Bralette comes in an extensive size range and as an optional pattern bundle with the Rachel Briefs. The bralette has three variations, and the brief pattern comes with a few style line options.
Although I do want to try the Rachel Briefs at some point, for the purposes of this side quest, I just made the Aphrodite bralette. When I did my initial fit testing, the pattern seemed like the perfect size, and I even wore my poorly sewn fit sample around for a few days before it started coming apart. (At this point I sew my fit sample bras assuming I’m going to deconstruct them as part of the fitting process, so they really aren’t made to last the test of time and I’m honestly impressed that I was able to wear the fit sample as much as I did.) I wish I had gotten more in-progress photos, but I basically made a fit sample, decided I liked it, and sewed a real version, so that’s all I have pictures of at the moment.
I really like the style lines of this bralette, and the back has a lot of nice coverage and I also really like the butterfly effect of the lace placement as well. The pattern also has an optional internal sling, which I think gets smashed down a bit on me, but I’ve been adding all of the optional support pieces in my recent projects to see how much those features help provide additional support. I’m not sure how helpful the sling is in this pattern, but I’ll probably include it in future iterations. I also really loved the color combination of the black lace over the minty blue-green, so of course I made a matching bottom. I think the finished project looks super cute!
Unfortunately, despite the fit sample being really comfortable and this first real version being super cute, I think I’ve ended up making this pattern too small. This pattern is made almost entirely in stretch materials, so the amount of stretch and recovery of a fabric is going to have a drastically different result in how the bralette fits and feels. On the final version, despite using a stretch lace, the lace isn’t as stretchy as the power net I used for the fit sample, and so the cups are definitely too small. I think I’ll need to go up one or even two sizes for future versions, so I still have work to do on this pattern. But it is really cute and has the potential to be very comfortable, so although this version isn’t my ultimate bralette pattern yet, I think it could be once I get the fit worked out.
Official Pattern Review
Pattern Description: The Aphrodite is a bralette pattern that is designed to be made from power net or can be made as a swimsuit top. For the regular bralette there are two options for the back band, and the third design option is for a front closing swim top. From the designer: The “Aphrodite Bralette pattern is designed to bring beauty and support to your lingerie collection. Perfect for those who value both style and function, this versatile pattern offers three unique views to suit a variety of preferences and needs.”
Pattern Sizing: This pattern comes with band sizes 28-52 and cup sizes AAA-N, and comes with a regular and petite size side cup. I made my first version in a size 36G with the regular side cup, which is in the middle of the size range, but I need to size up to at least a 36H or possibly a 36I.
Were the instructions easy to follow? Overall, yes. The construction order is a bit different than more typical wired bra patterns but the instructions were fairly straightforward and include helpful diagrams. I didn’t see a recommendation for how long to cut the strap elastic, but other than that the instructions seem very comprehensive. If you tend to sew a lot of bra patterns it’s helpful to read the instructions and note that the seam allowance for this pattern is 3/8” and not the typical 1/4”.
Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it? Yes, I think it looks a lot like the line drawings and the example photo included in the pattern instructions.
What did you particularly like/dislike about the pattern? I was surprised how much lift this pattern has considering it is made almost entirely with stretch power net. However, because of that, I find that the sizing is really dependent on consistent use of materials, which is not always an option. In general I really like the shape and style and it’s very comfortable. I will point out that this is definitely a bralette however and not a wireless bra, as it doesn’t have the same kind of structure and separation as a wireless bra.
Fabric used: I used power net for the majority of the pattern and structure, duoplex for the non-stretch support panels, and stretch lace for the decorative outer layer, along with the typical bra finishings, findings, and elastics.
Pattern alterations or design changes you made: The only alterations I made were for fit, to reduce the back band by 1/2” and take and additional 1/4” dart out of the top of the band. These are typical alterations for me regardless of pattern or brand, so this isn’t anything unique to this pattern. One thing to note is that this pattern comes with two options for the side panel pieces – one for a regular fit and one for a petite fit. I tried both and the regular panel was the better size for me, and seems to make the overall fit of the bralette a tiny bit larger.
Would you sew this again? Would you recommend it to others? I think I will sew this again, though I may try going up a size or two. My fit sample looked good and was very comfortable, but once I started layering the multiple materials and the stretch lace, the end result felt significantly smaller than my fit sample. I like the feeling of support, but I need more coverage in the cup area. But I think going up one or two cup sizes may help the fit when the materials aren’t quite as stretchy and give the correct balance in terms of support and fit.
Conclusion: Overall I really like this pattern. I think it has the potential to be very comfortable and fun to sew, and I like the style like and support it offers. I also like that this pattern comes with all sizes included. I think with a bit more effort this could become a go-to pattern for me and I expect I’ll come back to testing this pattern more soon.
I’m not sure when I’ll get back to this pattern, but hopefully later this year. I have a few other reviews in the backlog because I’ve been doing a bit of sewing but not a lot of posting over the past few months, so I’m going to try and get caught up and post those reviews before I move on to posting about newer projects. Hopefully I’ll have time to get all of those out soon!
Doctor T Designs 