DIY Cat Keyhole Bra | Make Thrift Buy #39

*singing* A-bom-bom-chicka-chicka-bom-bom-chicka-chicka-balalaop!

Welcome to Make Thrift Buy! This is the show
where you send in clothes that you’ve found

on the internet and then I do my best to recreate
them.

So today’s episode is definitely going to
be one of the weirder things I’ve tried

to recreate on this show so far, but SO MANY
of you have been suggesting this cat keyhole bra.

Apparently, this bra became so popular on
the internet at the start of the year that

it’s even on “know your meme.com”. It
originally appeared on the store “Nonori”

on Taobao, but it can now be found all over
the internet from ebay to amazon to and wholesale

places like storenvy and aliexpress – hang
on, what??

So, this is a very good candidate for a Make
Thrift Buy, so, let’s try and make this

for ourselves!

So you can skip ahead to here [1 minute 30
seconds] if you want to see how I finally

ended up making this, but initially I decided
that I would try and make this out of stretchy

material like jersey. This was in order to
get the cleavage thing happening having to

use tape, or a stick-on push-up bra or whatever
is going on in these photos because boobs

don't just go like that. This defies the laws
of physics.

So I wanted to use stretchy fabric to generate
that amount of cleavage, which, if I'm being

honest, I think is the main selling point
of this bra.

However, this just didn’t work out so well.
After about 5 hours of my life that I’ll

never get back, and 2 different attempts,
I just wasn't getting the result that I wanted

- I was having a lot of problems with the
stretch of the material warping the cat cutout,

and it just wasn't looking like how I wanted
it to look so in the end I gave up on that

and I went for some cotton and... yeah I'm
going to have to use boob tape.

So the first thing that I did on this third
and FINAL attempt at making this cat bra was

to measure around my shoulders. I’m doing
this because I’m NOT using stretchy fabric,

so I want to make sure that I can get the
bra on over my shoulders.

This measurement came out at 40 inches. I
halved this measurement to get 20 inches,

and then added 1 inch for seam allowance.

Then, with a piece of black cotton fabric,
I folded this over and drew a rectangle that

was the previous measurement, 21 inches, wide,
and 10 inches long. I made these marks with

chalk, because this will just rub off the
fabric when I’m done.

Next I’m cut across here and here, through
both layers of fabric, using my rotary cutter.

And, with the piece of fabric still folded
in half, I sewed down here.

This created a loop of fabric which I then
tested to make sure I could get it on over

my shoulders. And, in fact, I was able to
get it on really easily, so I’m actually

going sew further in on the side-seam.

When this was the right size, I cut the fabric
close to the new seam. Then, I drew an outline

of a kitty cat head in the middle of the fabric
with some chalk.

I then cut out a piece of fusible INTERFACING
which was just a little bit bigger than the

cat outline. The interfacing will be useful
in helping the cutout to maintain its shape.

I then ironed this interfacing, fusible-side
down, with a t-shirt over the top to protect

the interfacing from my iron, and then I ironed,
using some pressure, for about 30 seconds

until the interfacing was fused onto the fabric.

The next thing that I did was to sew around
the chalkline, still visible through the interfacing,

using a very short zig zag stitch.

I did this very slowly and carefully, taking
care on the rounded corners, and stopping

and rotating my needle at the sharp corners.

And, on the right-side of the fabric, I ended
up with this!

Next, I’m using the same trick that I did
on the DIY patches in episode #37. I’m got

a little bit of fabric glue and I dabbed this
around the edges, on the INSIDE of the stitching.

The idea of this is to stop any fraying later
on when I cut this cat-shape out! A product

like fray check will also work just as well.
Just don’t use craft glue.

While I was waiting for the fabric glue to
dry, I decided that I would move onto the

next step - hemming the top and the bottom
of the bra! To do this, I flipped it inside

out again, and then I folded both the top
and the bottom edges down about half an inch

like this, and then I sewed over the top of
this using a straight stitch, all the way around the bra.

Once I had done that, the fabric glue had
dried, so the next step was to cut out the

cat cutout. With some scissors I went very
carefully around the inside of the cat outline,

being careful not to cut through the stitches
buuuuut just next to them.

And here is my cat cutout.

Next, I needed to elasticate the top and the
bottom of the bra to make this thing fit!

So, with a piece of elastic, in whatever colour
I want because it's going to be sewn on the

inside, I first wrap this above my breasts
to get the TOP elastic length. I pull the

elastic tight, so that it stretches but NOT
so tight that it’s uncomfortable, and then

I cut it to this length. Then, I do the same
thing with a new piece of elastic underneath

my breasts. And this is going to be my BOTTOM
piece of elastic.

The TOP piece of elastic is going to be attached
up HERE, and the BOTTOM piece of elastic will

be attached down HERE… except they're going
to be attached on the INSIDE of the bra.

First things first, I sew each piece of elastic
into a loop, which I basically do by attaching

the ends to each other with two short zig
zag stitches.

Next, and this seems to be becoming a familiar
theme in my videos, I’m going to quarter

both the elastic and the top of the bra with
pins. And the bra fabric is inside-out for this step.

Then, with the elastic on top of the wrong
side of the fabric, with one set of pins matching

up, I stretched the elastic so that the next
set of pins matched up as well.

Then, I removed the pins so that I wouldn’t
sew over the top of them, did a small backstitch,

and then I sewed the elastic to the fabric
using a straight stitch.

While sewing, I made sure that my needle was
RIIIIIGHT over at this far right edge of the

elastic. The elastic itself is a couple of
inches away from the hem. And, the entire

time I was sewing, I was also stretching the
elastic so that the next set of pins matched

up. Then, when I reached this set of pins,
I basically repeated this process, until I

had sewn the elastic on all the way around
the loop of fabric.

Then, I set the sewing foot back down on top
of the elastic, but I set the needle so to

the left so that I would be sewing through
the far left edge of the elastic.

And then, I sewed all the way around the elastic
once again, stretching the elastic as I went

so that the fabric wasn’t bunched up the
entire time.

Then I repeated these exact steps, on the
bottom of the bra, and I ended up with this!

At this point I realised that I’d totally
forgotten to sew on the whiskers!!

To un-bunch the fabric around the cutout,
I threw it into an embroidery hoop.

Then, I drew whiskers on with chalk like this,
and I sewed over these lines using a zig zag stitch.

Just remember - if you're making this DIY,
do this part BEFORE sewing in your elastic.

Anyway, it still worked out in the end.

The last step is making straps, and I’m
going to make these tie up like on the original.

To do this, I grabbed my black cotton fabric
and I drew out four long, narrow rectangles

with identical dimensions of 3 inches by 20 inches.

And I cut this out.
I then folded each piece like this – now

watch carefully – by folding the edges in
to meet at the middle, and then folding this

over in half lengthways.

And then I sewed down this side of the strap,
all the way down the strap like this.

To make the ends of the strap nice, I folded
them over twice and stitch across here.

Then, to attach the straps to the bra, I slid
one end of the strap inside the bra, underneath

the elastic, placed about where I think the
straps should go, and then I pinned this in place.

I did the exact same for the two straps at
the back by flipping the bra around so it’s

back-to-front and then placing these last
two straps on just like I did for the front straps.

Then I sewed the straps on, on top of the
elastic inside the bra, by stretching out

the elastic while sewing. I also sew the strap
on at two points, on top of those left and

right stitches on the elastic, to make sure
that it’s really secure.

Then I simply repeat this for all four straps…
and I’m done!

So, how did I go?

Soooo - this is what the bra looks like.
WHAT have you guys made me do?

This bra is… pretty weird. Still, I think
I did a pretty good job.

But hang on. Hold up one second. It’s not
exactly right just yet.

Where’s the ridiculous amount of cleavage
at?

[Tape sounds]

Yeah!! That’s more… that’s…

hmm. So, now I’m feeling a bit… awkward…

because… well, I think I did this a little
bit too well.

I mean… my parents are probably watching
this… and.. Oh god, I think I have old highschool

teachers WHO WATCH THIS NO, STOP, STOP THIS
NOW.

I’m going to diffuse this awkward situation
with… This music. [country fair music plays]

Okay. I’ll just also

choose all my most awkward shots as well.
Cool. Okay. No more accidental sexiness. THIS

IS A FAMILY-FRIENDLY DIY CHANNEL people. Let's
keep it that way. But, anyway, you guys asked

for this item, and... this is what it looks
like… kind of... if you’re willing to

tape your boobs together!

Also… this.

(“No but seriously… this cat looks like
it has a butt for a face.”)

So – I did it!
I made this really strange bra, which, to

be honest, I’m never going to wear! Ever.

[Scissor snipping sound effect]

Just remember if you want that cleavage, unless
you have the most physics-defying, perky breasts

of all history, you’re going to have to
use something like boob-tape.

Thanks for watching, and if you wanna post
your own attempt at this or any of the other

tutorials I've made, then use the hashtag
#diyannika on Instagram so that I can see

it! Follow me on these places if you would
like and I’ll see you all in my very next

video. Bye!

Shoutout to my amazing supporters on Patreon
whose support basically keep these series

going! To support me on Patreon, go to Patreon.com/annikavictoria!

*laughs* No! No. I can't even pretend to be
sexy. Uh uh. *laughs* I'm wearing slippers!!!

I mean -