Pattern Review | Madalynne Fiona Bra – Sew Busty Community + Patterns

“Finally, a wire for those of us with close-set boobs!” This was my first reaction when Maddie from Madalynne Intimates had me try on a prototype of her new bra pattern back in … April?

Cue months of complicated pregnancy and absolutely nothing on my sewing table. I put the new bra pattern out of my mind and subsisted on stretchy ready to wear bras. But, a few weeks ago, when I had a couple of nausea-light days after an infusion treatment, I texted Maddie that I wanted to sew up a Fiona! She graciously gifted the pattern and a kit to me, but as usual, that gift does not affect my feedback.

A smiling woman with reddish-brown hair wears a striking red and gold Madalynne Fiona Bra and black pants, standing against a plain brown background with her hands on her hips.

extended size chart

One of the most exciting things about the Fiona is the extended sizing. This pattern includes US sizes 28-46 A-N, with every band offering every cup size. Previously, when making a Madalynne pattern, I’ve had to sister size and make adjustments, but this time I was actually on the chart!

Pregnancy does weird things to bodies, and at 25 weeks pregnant, I currently have a 36.5″ underbust and 49″ full bust. After trying on a 38I that Maddie had in stock, which felt slightly too large at the band and too small at the cups, I decided to make a 36K.

the wires!

But my FAVORITE part of this bra is the newly developed wires, which she’s calling her Vertical Omega wires! Shorter in the front, but just as long at the sides as a vertical wire, they’re perfect for those of us with close-set boobs. They’re still the heavy-duty wire gauge that many of us busty folks use from Porcelynne. Here’s a comparison between the new Fiona wires and Porcelynne vertical wires and demi wires:

Three white, flexible plastic tubes with different colored ends—one clear, one tan, and one gray—are placed in a loose arc on a white surface, alongside papers and items including a Pattern Review for the Madalynne Fiona Bra. — Madalynne Vertical Omega 44 wire (peach cap) vs. Porcelynne Demi 44 wire (gray cap)

A curved white tube with colored ends lies on a white surface, surrounded by scissors, packaging, and other materials—tools often seen when working on a Madalynne Fiona Bra sewing project for a detailed pattern review. — Madalynne Vertical Omega 44 wire (peach cap) vs. Porcelynne Vertical 44 wire (blue cap)

I ended up using a 46 wire in this bra, and it feels really comfortable. I started with a 48 and was getting poked with the 48. I’m actually considering moving down to the 44 for my next one, because the 46 wire is not quite snugly in my outer inframammary fold. I may end up needing a bit of an omega adjustment, but what’s new?

Adjustments

I only needed to make one little adjustment to this pattern — a bit of a pinch taken from the outer upper cup, which is a normal adjustment for me on Madalynne patterns.

A paper sewing pattern piece for a bra cup, labeled "Side Bra Cup" with cutting instructions and guidelines, lies on a white surface with other Madalynne Fiona Bra pattern pieces—perfect for your next Pattern Review. — You can see here the 1″ pinch I took rom the upper edge of the side cup.

my first toile is wearable!

I’m really excited that my first Fiona is very wearable. As mentioned, I used a Madalynne kit that featured non-stretch lace for the lower cups, lycra for the upper cups, and lycra over powernet for the back band. I also LOVE the new strap elastic Madalynne introduced for this bra — it’s thick and firm and so comfy.

I’m really pleased that the upper cup has stretch so that as my bust continues to change through the remaining 13-ish weeks of my pregnancy and then breastfeeding, hopefully the bra will continue to accommodate. It’s also a great feature if you’re someone with a lot of bust fluctuation.

There are some little tweaks I need to make — another pinch out of the outer upper cup, maybe go down to a 34 band (or use a firmer powernet), and play with the wire.

I also am going to do an omega adjustment. I was going to say that this pattern has too much wire play, but apparently the problem isn’t the wire play but my inability to read directions — the 36K is made for a 54 wire, so if I’m using a 46 … yeah, I should have done an omega adjustment from the jump.

A smiling woman with fair skin and red hair poses confidently with one hand behind her head, modeling the Madalynne Fiona Bra and black bottoms against a plain brown background for a Pattern Review.

My one critique of this pattern is that it doesn’t have grainlines. The pattern says “No DOGS or grainline since should be nonstretch,” but even nonstretch fabrics have grains, and those grainlines matter for support. As I mentioned in my Rey review, the lack of grainlines doesn’t bother me personally, because I know where to put the grainlines, but beginners might struggle with this lack of direction.

I also don’t love the S/M/L/XL/2X/3X/4X/5X/6X nomenclature for the bra bands that the pattern uses for printing and on the pattern pieces themselves. It’s also a little confusing because the pattern instructions use the 28-46 nomenclature on the size chart.

Other than that, I don’t have much critique of this pattern. I’m really enjoying it! The shape isn’t my absolute favorite — it’s very rounded (as Madalynne’s patterns tend to be), and I do feel like I’m a smidge east-west in it. But overall, it’s so comfy and a really practical pattern for my current body that I will definitely be making more!

A person with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a red Fiona Bra and black pants, stands with their back to the camera against a plain brown background. A tattoo with text is visible on their upper back.

I’m loving this pattern so much that I’m working with Madalynne on a giveaway! Head over to instagram later today to join for a chance to win a copy of the Fiona pattern and a fabric kit!