How to Easily Add Bra Cups to a Rash Guard Pattern

Rash Guards are fantastic for full-coverage protection from the sun. However, I want to be able to wear it without an additional bikini or bra top underneath. It is simple to add your own support in the form of a shelf bra with cups. Here is how to easily add bra cups to your own rash guard pattern.

For this tutorial, I will be using the Made for Mermaids Reagan Rash Guard (Affiliate Link here), but you can use any pattern you would like and follow the same concept. The full video tutorial can be found below or read on for the written instructions.

Supplies:

-Rash Guard Pattern found here

-Swim Fabric and Swim Lining Fabric (I am using this gorgeous abstract print from DenverFabrics.com and my swim lining was purchased at Joann, linked here.)

-Scissors or rotary cutter

-Bra Swim Cups ( I purchased this set from Amazon) Pads without extra padding here

–Elastic 1-1.5 inches wide based on preference for shelf bra

-Sewing machine, thread, needle

Favorite Pattern Weights from Thanks I Made Them

Steps for Adding Bra Cups:

1. Cut your swim fabric and lining fabric from your rash guard front bodice piece. Then using the crop cut line, cut an additional front bodice piece from your swim lining. (If you do not have a pattern with a crop length, use a sports bra to help determine how long to cut this bra lining. Lay your bra on top of the pattern, matching underarm, and add about 1 inch seam allowance below your sports bra line.)
2. Measure the distance between your bust apex (typically the nipple) from one breast to another. Write down this measurement.
3. Lay the bra cups onto your shelf bra fabric. Using your measurement from step 2, lay your cups onto your fabric and pin. This can be easier to do on a dress form, but the measurement will help you determine how far apart to place your cups.
4. Try on the shelf bra as best you can to make sure the cups are in the correct position. Move as needed, using lots of pins to secure around the cups.
5. Sew the cups on using a zig zag stitch close to the edge of the cup. Trim the lining fabric close to the stitching line to allow the cups to not be restricted by the fabric. (Please watch video for more detailed instructions).
6. Cut a piece of 1-1.5 inch wide elastic 1.5 inches shorter than the width of the shelf bra fabric along the bottom edge. Stretch while sewing the elastic to the bottom edge using a wide zig zag stitch. Fold up fabric around the elastic and stitch again along the top edge using a zig zag stitch.
7. Baste the swim lining to your swim fabric, wrong sides together. Keep your basting stitches within the seam allowance. Then baste your shelf bra/swim cup piece to the front bodice, wrong sides together. Then sew according to rash guard pattern to complete the pattern.

You can see here (or hopefully you can’t really notice 🙂 that the side seam pulls in slightly where you added the shelf bra elastic. It is a slight pull that may be more noticeable in a solid fabric, but I do not feel it is that noticeable.

By adding this shelf bra and cups I feel confident to wear this on its own without added sports bar or bikini top underneath. It provides support and coverage while still being incredibly comfortable. You can apply this same tutorial for fitted bodices in dresses and tops that you want to add cups and shelf bras to and not have to wear a regular bra.

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Until Next Time,

Happy Sewing