29 | March | 2016 | frugalfish.org

“JUST CUT THEM OFF!”

I was in the Emergency Room with chest pains. It was like a steel band around my ribs that was too tight. I couldn’t stand for anything to touch my ribs.

Anything!

I later learned, one symptom of an inflamed gallbladder is you cannot find a comfortable bra. You can try different band sizes and still, nothing works!

My gallbladder was inflamed for years. This year had been especially hard. Finally, 6 months ago, I decided to make my own bra.

I got the idea from my youngest son! He wears sweatpants/trainers/joggers a lot. They are comfortable because you can tighten or loosen the drawstring at the waistband.

He also hates the strings in his hooded sweatshirts. The first thing he does when he buys a new sweatshirt is to rip out the string. He laughed at me because I always saved them.

I bought a pack of 3 sports bras, and using the strings from his hoodies, I made a bra that is as comfortable as a pair of sweatpants.

DIY “As Comfortable As Sweats” Bra

Cut a small vertical slit in the front center of the first layer of the bra. (If the bra is lined, you will need to cut through the lining.
Stitch around the opening(s) like you are making a button-hole.
Find a cord or shoestring that is 12″ longer than your band size.
Put a safety-pin at the end of it.
Push the safety-pin through the hole, and around the band over the top of the elastic.
On shorter strings, I tied the ends together.
After putting the bra on, tighten the strings, make 2 loops, and tie together.

It was so comfortable that I wanted to apply for a patent on it! (I came up with an even better idea, that would take different materials…maybe I’ll patent that one!)