Sewing with Henry: Adjusting a Tri-Top Binder

Okay, I have this tri-top that has a pretty common problem with FTMs, it has a little bit that bunches up in the front. I am not sure if this is common or not, but the bottom part of mine is way too big and hangs loose. I also think mine could be smaller since I think it doesn't compress as well as it could but I know the size extra-small will be way too small for me. I am not going to bring in all the sides, because I want to see if bringing in the bottom and taking care of the little front pooch will help the rest feel tighter and bind better. If it doesn't work, easy solution, and I'll do a "Sewing with Henry part III."

I'll add in this disclaimer that way no one flips out on me: I am not a professional tailor, there's probably a better way to do this, in hindsight I would've done the bottom part a bit differently, so if you ruin your binder, don't complain to me that you need a new one. Also, don't make your binder so tight that it is hard to breath. I can breathe perfectly fine in mine, even after I tightened up part of it. Use some common sense, I know we all have it somewhere buried deep down in that mushy thing between our ears. :)

You'll need: pencil, scissors or pinking shears, pins, needle, thread, and a thimble. Or, set up your sewing machine.

Step 1: Measure

This is pretty self-explanatory. For this part, just squeeze together the little baggy part and estimate or use a cloth measuring tape to figure out how much of a V to cut and how deep.

Here, just measure where it starts to get baggy, and using both hands or have someone help, squeeze in the excess cloth until it gets to where it feels comfortable. Unless you have help, you'll just need to estimate how much you pulled in on each side. Alternately, you can measure around your chest with a cloth measuring tape to figure out the correct size, and subtract that from the diameter of that section of the binder. We'll be bringing this part in to do some waist shaping. Hell, maybe we'll add a button to make it easier to put on! Brilliant.

So, for my front pooch I am going to measure my V down one inch from the top and cut the V  three-quarters of an inch wide. Before taking my binder off, I am going to put a mark right where my cleavage line is just to make sure everything stays centers (or alternately, you can just measure where the center is once you lay the cloth flat).

For the bottom, I am going to start my waist shaping 2.5 inches from the bottom, and I am going to take half an inch on each sides, making it a total of one inch smaller in the baggy area.

Using a pencil, cloth marker, pen, whatever, mark your measurements onto the fabric.For the bottom baggy part, put a mark on your 2.5 inch mark, and then one each side (front and back separately) put a line one quarter inch away from the seam.

You will notice that on the bottom piece, Underworks gives a quarter inch for their seam. We will aim to keep ours at a quarter inch as well for the double compression segment.

Step 2: Cut a V

First, I'd put in a bit of a waste stitch just in case it starts to unravel, though I've heard from many people that the tri-top doesn't unravel. It's just better to be safe and since this is a double compression it will help keep everything in line while we're cutting; this area is a little too small to effectively use pins.

By the way, an automatic needle threader is quite helpful, thanks grandma!

Once you get your waste stitches in, start cutting with a sharp pair of scissors or pinking shears into your V.

Step 3: Sew Up Your V

First do a back stitch around your V, being especially vigilant on the tip of the V.

Then once your back stitch is complete, we're going to mimic the Underworks seam as much as possible. I am not sure of the name of this stitch, but we're basically going to be going from the top around the cut, and then under; repeat all around until we have a nice smooth edge.

Take this opportunity to hide your knot from your starting thread. Once you've gone all the way around, you can finish here, or go back around if you're really ambitious. I stopped here because mine looks good enough for me and I feel confident that my stitches are secure.

If that was all your troubles, congratulations, you're all done! See now the little pop is gone and is doesn't show up under your shirt.

Step 4: Prepare the Bottom Part

Put in some waste stitches along your quarter inch lines. As you take the stitches out, take a mental note on how Underworks sewed the seam: the double compression is folded over and then sewn to the back of the garment. We're going to mimic that.

Once you've taken the seam apart, cut with your scissors or shears leaving about 1/4 of an inch for your seam. We'll need to cut above our 2.5 inch mark in order to prevent any strange bumping, so place some pins down in a gently sloping line going from the 2.5 inch mark up to the armpit. Cut along that leaving room for your quarter inch seam allowance.

Sew up the cut using a back stitch. Be very careful and make sure you get both layers of the front.

Turn the piece inside out, and carefully sew the front to the back from armpit down to the bottom seam. I'd also suggest using a back stitch here to make sure everything stays tight and flexible.

If you're going to use a button (I decided against it for now, I am going to try it without the button and then add it in later if I feel like it is too hard to get on), leave about an inch or so remaining and then sew on the button and either make a button hole by cutting a hole slightly bigger on the other side of the fabric and sew around it using the same technique that we used for the V.

 

As a note: my seam is kind of messy because I don't have a table to work on so therefore I couldn't use my sewing machine, and it's a little hard to sew completely straight while you're kneeling on the floor. Also, I still have the other half to do so that's why the bottom still looks a little bit loose, but it's really late now and damn, I am tired! Four forty-five AM comes quick.

Overall, I think I am just going to give up on binding, my tits are just way too big to hide:

Also, I'll probably be doing some edits on this, I am sure it's horribly written right now.