Madalynne Intimates Raquel Bralette + Kit Review
This post is sponsored by Madelynne Intimates. All opinions are my own.
With Sew My Style 2019’s Bra Making Month and BRAugust well underway, I’ve been thinking a lot about what some of the best bra patterns to have in your collection are.
Of course you need your every day bra, whether that’s a simple underwire or smooth bralette silhouette.
And you’ll like want a great weekend bra, like an even comfier bralette option, or a sports bra if you like to wear one around the house.
But you also shouldn’t forget about having a just for fun bra. A bra in a bold colour, fun shape, or with interesting details that just makes you feel happy the minute you put it on. It might not be the most discrete option under a tee shirt, but it’s certainly going to be the most joyful in your whole collection.
Because if you’re going to make your own damn bras, you might as well make ones that make you SUPER HAPPY!
This is the bra category that most people forget about when they first start making bras (myself included!) but as you start making more and more, it’s great to have something in your collection that’s playful and bright. Which is why I was so excited when Madelynne asked me if I’d want to review her new Raquel Bralette and matching kit – it’s the definition of a fun bra!
The Raquel Bralette is a comfy bralette that feels like wearing a simple bandeau, but unexpected design elements (like a center cut out and sloping lace edge) make it so much more exciting to wear. It’s a free pattern that comes in sizes XS-3XL, and I made a medium. For reference, I would typically make up a 28DD in an underwire pattern. Since the design incorporates ruching, the fit is forgiving, which makes it a breeze to sew up without making a muslin.
One of the things that I’m most excited about the Raquel is that it’s a free pattern – which is perfect for a fun silhouette that you might only plan to make a few copies of. It’s not a very complicated pattern, and Maddie has made an accompanying video tutorial (which I used every step of the sewing process!) so it would be a good pattern choice for a confident beginner. If you’re a true beginner, the very first lingerie pattern I ever made was Madelynne’s Noelle, another free pattern of hers, so I would recommend you start there.
She sent me a kit to try along with it in the pattern in a fun pink hue - it’s not something I think I would have picked for myself, but I’m SO happy she surprised me with this colourway, because I really love how joyful this whole set is! In addition to all of the supplies you’ll need to make the Raquel, each of Madalynne’s Raquel bra kits now comes with enough material to make a matching thong, like the one found in Madalynne x Simplicity 8437 that I made with my Raquel. By the end, you’ll have a cute matching set! With making a size M in both the bralette and underwear, I found I had plenty of leftover fabrics to make another pair of undies and might whip up the Noelle Panties (one of my favourite panty patterns) with some elastics from my stash to go with it!
The standout part of the kit is the blush knit fabric. Yes, the hot pink lace is pretty and eye catching, but there is something really special about this knit that you can’t quite pick up with a camera. It has some super delightful silver sparkles throughout that lends an unexpected twist to the bra. I’ve never seen something quite like it!
This is my first Madelynne kit, but I’m excited to try more. I’ve always hesitated to order from her store because I was worried about international shipping prices – any of my Canadian sewists can attest, evening shipping something as small as a bra kit from America to Canada can be very costly! So when Madalynne told me she was introducing a new international shipping option where you can forgo her signature box for a lower rate, I was eager to share the news with you guys. All you need to do is select “Skip a Box” at checkout.
Don’t get me wrong, the box is really cute… but cheaper international shipping? Hello!
If you’re interested in trying Madalynne’s new Raquel Bralette Kits, you can use the code RACHEL10 to take 10% off your order until Sunday, August 18th at 12 AM EST. If you decide to give it a try, make sure you tag me on Instagram so I can see your makes!