#''can you not draw at least—'' NO I WILL >:'D

[kiwisoap]

How to Make Your Own Binder that Fits Well and Looks Good

A while back I was in need of some new binders and thought hey, I bet I can make one way cheaper than buying it from somewhere (especially cus some of the ones I’ve bought in the past didn’t really fit right). Except when I started looking for a binder patterns online, I was very surprised that I really… couldn’t find many that looked very nice lol. Most of them had really wrinkled necklines, or didn't bind well, or just overall looked weird. A lot of the patterns also required a serger, which I don't have.

So I just said fuck it and made my own pattern! And it ended up being relatively easy! And the binders fit REALLY WELL and are comfortable to wear, even for long periods. The neckline doesn't show under shirts with loose collars, and the bottom hem doesn't gap or stick out. Here's me wearing one:

(plus I was able to make myself 5 of them for a total of like ~$50.)

So I figured I could throw together a guide to help out anyone else who wanted to make their own binder but was dissatisfied with the patterns available!

Disclaimer: This tutorial is going to assume a baseline level of sewing experience, and also will require access to a sewing machine. It is not a complicated pattern, but it will most likely require some tweaking and adjustments after you make the first one. Don’t be afraid to make alterations to make it fit better!

This tutorial is for a gc2b-style half-tank binder. It could be altered to be a full-tank binder, but all instructions will be for the half-tank design.

Materials needed:

Stretchy fabric, probably listed as 'athletic fabric' (I use this kind from Joann’s. Most athletic stretch fabrics should work, look for around 80% nylon/20% spandex blends)

Stiff fabric (I use this shirting cotton because I like how lightweight it is. If you want something a little stiffer with more structure, you can use a cotton or cotton/poly blend twill like this. gc2b binders use twill for theirs.)

Lightweight fusible interfacing (I use this kind) (get FUSIBLE not sew-in)

Fusible webbing like Pellon Wonder-Web (this is technically optional but it WILL make your life easier when you’re sewing - just make sure to get the kind with the paper backing!!!)

“But kiwisoap thats 4 whole kinds of materials, surely I don’t need that many!” Ok sure, you can probably get by without the fusible web and interfacing, but consider: they are both dirt cheap (im talking like $1-2/yard), they will make it much easier to sew the final product, and will give you an overall better-looking result. This tutorial is written with the assumption that you’ll use them.

"How much fabric will I need?" Measure the circumference of your chest below your armpits. Add 6 inches just to be safe. This is the yardage of stretch fabric you’ll need, and should give you enough material to make at least 3 binders without much excess left over. You will need around half as much stiff fabric.

Other supplies:

Big Paper (for drawing the pattern)

Flexible measuring tape

Sewing machine

Iron

Pins

Step 1: Measuring

You will need 4 main measurements for this pattern.

A) Measure the circumference of your chest just below your armpits, then divide the number in half. This will be the widest part of the pattern.

B) Measure from the top of your shoulder down to where you want the binder to end. For most folks, this will usually be around the natural waist (narrowest part of the torso), about 3-6 inches above the belly button. This will be the overall height of the pattern.

C) Measure the distance from below your armpit to where you want the binder to end. This will determine where the arm hole starts.

D) Measure the circumference of your waist where you want the binder to end, then divide the number in half.

So for example, after dividing A and D in half, my measurements are 17", 15", 7", and 14.5".

Next:

Subtract one inch from measurement A - This will help provide some compression. You might need to take it in even further depending on how it fits, but one inch is a safe starting point. I take mine in around 1.5 inches.

Subtract half an inch from measurement D. This will help prevent the bottom edge of the binder from gapping. Again, you may need to take it in more or less, depending on your own body.

Add 1.5 inches to measurement B and one inch to measurement C. This is to account for the hems and armhole placement.

This makes my final measurements

A = 16"

B = 16.5"

C = 8"

D = 13.5"

From here on out, we are only going to be working with the measurements that we have added/subtracted to, NOT the ones we initially took.

Step 2: Drawing the Pattern

You will need a piece of paper large enough to accommodate the entire pattern. This may involve taping multiple pieces together, or using a piece of newsprint, etc.

I recommend folding the paper in half to ensure that you get a symmetrical pattern. However, this means you will need to divide measurements A and D in half again, or else you’ll end up with a pattern that’s twice as wide as it should be!

Also note: the pattern is drawn with the seam allowance built in! You don’t need to add any seam allowance.

To draw the pattern:

Begin with your folded paper. Measure and mark B and C on the paper, and draw a line extending across the paper. These will be your guidelines.

Measure and mark A and D along the middle and bottom guidelines, respectively. Remember, the paper is folded, so you only use half of the measurement for A and D.

Draw a loose curve connecting the endpoints of A and D. If needed, you can also just draw a straight line between the two.

Mark the opening for the neck hole. Depending on your size, it will measure around 6-8 inches across at the top (remember to divide this in half for the folded paper) and about 5-6.5 inches deep. (mine is 6.5" across and 5.5" deep) Draw a curve to connect the two points. This part will take some tweaking and adjusting to get it to look right lol.

Measure the width of the strap - this should be somewhere between 2.5 - 4 inches wide. They will end up about 1/2” to 3/4” narrower once you sew them. Draw the line at a slight angle, as shown.

Connect the endpoint of the strap to the endpoint of line A with a curve like in the diagram.

This will be the pattern for the front piece.

To make the back piece, trace the front pattern, but make a very shallow curve for the neckline instead of a steep one, as shown:

The last piece is the stiff front panel. This is what provides the flattening effect of the binder. To make the pattern, trace the front pattern again. Trim 3/8” in on the sleeves and neckline, and 3/4” to 1” along the bottom. This gives a flatter hem. Then trim the straps shorter by a few inches. This helps the binder lay flatter along the shoulders.

When you're done, you should have 3 pattern pieces that look approximately like this (stiff panel shown overlaid on the stretch fabric to show how it fits together).

NOTE: If you want more compression or just want to make it a bit sturdier, you can add a second panel of stretch fabric to the back piece. Just use the bottom half of the back pattern (from the widest part down to the bottom hem) to cut out another piece of stretch fabric. Attach it to the back piece with a strip of fusible webbing and a zig-zag stitch along the top.

Step 3: Putting It All Together

Once you’ve made the patterns and cut out the pieces of fabric, you should have something that looks like this:

The next step is adding interfacing and fusible webbing. Use your pattern to cut out 3/8" strips to fit on the top of the straps for both pieces, and to the neckline, sleeves, and bottom hem of the back piece, as shown:

If you want to add it to the bottom hem of the front piece, it will help keep that hem flat when sewing it down later, but it's not essential.

If you choose to also use fusible webbing (WHICH I RECOMMEND), you will apply it to the stiff front panel similarly to how the interfacing was applied, ~3/8” strips along the neckline, sleeves, and top of the straps. Cut out two strips for the neckline and sleeves, because we'll use those later too.

Iron the strips onto the front panel as shown:

Once it's on, just peel off the paper, position it webbing-side down on the stretch fabric, and iron it to fuse the two pieces together so everything stays in place while you sew. THIS MAKES IT WAY EASIER TO SEW.

After the stiff front panel is fused to the stretch fabric, you’ll sew the straps of the front and back pieces together, then join the pieces along the sides. Pin the hell out of it to keep everything in place -this type of material is VERY prone to puckering.

When sewing, USE A ZIGZAG STITCH. A straight stitch will NOT WORK for stretch fabric. I adjust mine to 1.3mm long and 3.5mm wide which has worked well. If your machine doesn’t let you adjust stitch length or width, well. That sucks, I don’t really have any advice.

After you sew the front and back pieces together, you can add more fusible webbing to the front panel to help hold the hem down flat and prevent it from puckering while you sew it. Just add the strip, peel the paper off, then fold the hem over and iron it down. This part isn’t really necessary, but it does make the hems look nicer. If nothing else, I would recommend adding it to the neckline.

After that, you just fold & pin all the hems and sew them up with a zigzag stitch, then go over the raw edge at the top of the stiff panel (where we cut the straps shorter).

And that’s it! You’re done! And now you can make your own binders whenever you want!

And hey! If you used this tutorial and wanna throw me a dollar or two on ko-fi, I wouldn't complain.

[furstriker]

Omg a tag game ALSO SWEET TOOTH IS SUCH A GOOD SHOW, haven't seen season 3 yet tho

Last song: Ruler of Everything - Chonny Jash

Last book: Max the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick, read it after the prequel shattered me, love it very much 😭

Last movie: Deadpool & Wolverine, I understand why so many people ship them after it released like DAMN

Last TV show: Creature Commandos, absolutely loved the characters and can't pick a favorite

Sweet/Savory/Spicy: Sweet! Can't go without candy at least once a month or I'll die (not really)

Last thing in search history: I mean, can you blame me?

Current obsession: The Eltingville Club, Homestuck but mainly the Pepsicola/JohnDave ship (You can shame me) and designing characters :D

Looking forward to: Finish college so my poor soul can actually rest fr, write and draw more fanfic for either selfship or OCs, both are good

10 people I'd like to know better: I'll cut it down a bit, I don't want to tag so many people lmao

You don't have to participate, feel free to act like you didn't read this, sorry to bother you (Also I'm gonna cheat a bit and tag some friends)

@flandejazmin (the bestiest bestie ever) @scarecrowgoat (great friend too) @palluniskillas (<3) @empanadaaaaaaa @therealfroggymagician + Anyone who sees this and wants to join the fun ig

(I would tag you Rei but you're the one who tagged me first 😭)

YIPPEE

Last song: Digital love by Daft punk

Favorite color: Dark red and black

Last book: ......a fazbear frights book

Last movie: sonic 3 !!!

Last TV show: Erm.... mob Psycho 100....

Sweet/savory/spicy: sweet and spicy

Last thing in search history: metal sonic figures :3c

Current obsession: METAL SONIC MY POOKIE !!!! Reigen, selfshipping, drawing, I'm very into sonic and mp100 atm

Looking forward to: posting more metal sonic stuff maybe I'm planning to post my sonic sona ref sheet soon too

10 people I'd like to know better, only if you'd want to participate btw ( =＾ω＾)

@bunbunsheart @fl0ralsxgar @floralpotions @moxanji-real @vergils-beloved @heartsfromcyber @heartmatic @ams-puppy @lovesickvalentines @sari-stars

[sirenontheloose]

GOOD MORNING

Sometimes, a simple conversation changes everything.

GENRE: fluff??

After finishing your morning routine and sending your 5-year-old daughter off to daycare, you decide a coffee would be the perfect way to kickstart your day. Being a single mom has its challenges, sure your daughter is an angel, no doubt, but she can also be a handful at times. Even so, you wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world.

As you step into the bustling cafe, you make a beeline for the counter, ordering your usual, a strong, bitter black coffee paired with a flaky croissant. While you wait, you scan the room. It’s packed, as expected since it is the beginning of the week, and you spot only one available seat. Grabbing your order, you carefully navigate your way toward the dark-haired woman sitting alone in the corner, her nose buried in a book.

"Good morning" you greet with a warm smile, trying not to sound too eager. As she looks up, you're taken aback by her beauty. She’s like something out of a dream, with dark, wavy hair framing her face like an angel caught in the soft morning light.

“Good morning” she responds, her voice smooth and effortless. You catch yourself staring for a moment longer than you should but quickly pull it together, hoping you don’t come off as some kind of creep. It truly is a good morning, you think silently.

With a deep breath, you put on your best smile and ask, “Is this seat taken?”

“No, please, have a seat” she replies, flashing the kind of smile that makes your heart skip a beat. It’s enough to make you feel like you’ve just won the lottery, and you can’t help but return the smile.

“Thanks” you murmur as you sit down in front of her, trying to steady your pulse. It’s been ages since your heart raced like this, and you can’t decide if it’s because you’re getting older or if it’s simply her presence that has you feeling this way. She seems engrossed in her book, and you wonder if it’s too soon to strike up a conversation. But, then again, when will someone like this come around again? You figure there’s no harm in trying.

“What’s the book about?” you ask, glancing at the cover, "The Art of Not Giving a Fck*". She lifts an eyebrow, her lips curving into an amused smile, and you immediately wonder if you’ve asked the wrong question.

She chuckles lightly. “It’s about learning to pick and choose where and how you invest your energy” she explains, her voice warm with just the right amount of wit.

You nod thoughtfully. “That sounds like a really good read.”

“It is,” she agrees, setting the book down with a quiet thud. “Do you enjoy reading?” she asks, taking a slow sip of her tea. Her eyes flicker with genuine curiosity, and it makes you feel like she’s really interested in hearing your answer.

“I do,” you reply, finding your own rhythm. “But lately, it’s been mostly kids’ stories.” You let out a small hum as you think of your daughter’s favorite books.

Her interest piqued, she leans in slightly. “What kind of kids’ stories?”

You chuckle, delighted by her curiosity. “Oh, you know, the classics like Samuel Spoon, Big Blue Hood, and The Thirsty Crow. My daughter won’t go to sleep until I read at least one of them. She’s obsessed.” You say it with a fond smile, but your heart swells a little at the thought of your little one.

She offers a genuine smile while leaning forward, fully focused on the conversation. “How old is she?”

“She’s 5. She’s an angel, but a very energetic one. If you take your eyes off her, she’ll end up everywhere she shouldn’t be” you giggle, replaying moments when Y/D/N would run around. “She loves to draw too” you add, thinking about the time when your daughter brought home a drawing of the two of you from the daycare’s family portrait session. “Don’t get me started on her singing and dancing skills, though. She’s a born performer” you say with a wink, taking a sip of your drink.

Sophia watches you, smiling as you talk about your daughter for what feels like hours. Neither of you notices the cafe getting quieter until suddenly, your alarm goes off, pulling you back to reality. You glance at the time and your eyes widen. “Oh no, I’m so sorry, I must have talked too much.”

She laughs, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “It’s fine, I had fun.”

“I’m Y/N” you say, smiling as you extend your hand, realizing she knows everything about your daughter but not your name.

Sophia shakes your hand with a thoughtful smile. “I’m Sophia. Nice to meet you, Y/N.” You feel a little silly for not introducing yourself sooner.

“Nice to meet you too, Sophia” you say, not trying to be too cheesy, but her name just feels right as it rolls off your tongue. You let out a quiet sigh, realizing this little escape with a stranger is coming to an end. Offering a small smile, you add, “Well, I’ve got to pick up Y/D/N now. Thanks for listening to me talk so much about my daughter, Sophia.”

Sophia looks at you thoughtfully, then grins. “You’re welcome. She sounds like a sweetheart. And since I don’t think it’s fair that I know everything about your daughter and you don’t know anything about me or my dog, can I have your number?” She asks with a playful smile.

You can’t help but smile back, a little amused by her boldness. “Sure” you reply softly, your heart skipping a beat. It really is a good morning.

THE END

[salmon-vive]

Aaah i loved the sunflower drawing, it gave me huge this energy:

Ford: "Look Will, I'm showing you my world like I promised!" :D

Will: "haha yeah cool how about you let me out of the cage so I can interact with it for a bit?"

Ford:

Will:

Ford: "And over here we have some roses!" :D

Will: *internal suffering*

Bro thinks he's like, the world's best caregiver or something. What a guy, what a delusional guy.

Glad you liked the drawing and, HELP THIS MADE MY DAY I HAD TO DRAW IT- (hope I could capture a bit of the energy). hey, at least In this scenario Will is not in the boring basement! If ford was reAaally evil he wouldn't show this kindness (for legal reasons this last phrase is Ford possesing me with his delusional thoughts)

[zu-is-here]

i reallllyyyy want to know more about actor ink!! Does he live in Japan? (or he was born there?)

I'm pretty sure he was born and lived there before! ☆

This is someone you can call "big in Japan" (but vice versa heh), meaning that he didn't find recognition in his home but gained fame abroad.

He might be a traditional theatre actor, but with (because of) this experience, he has a hard time in a foreign place with another rules. That's why he's quite shy and awkward, especially in publicヾ(ówò")

UPD:

"Big in Japan" is what they call Western musical groups who achieve success and are well-known in Japan but not really famous in their place and other parts of the world (*´∀｀*)

Here, we can ironically call him "small in Japan" because he never got fame as a theatre actor in his homeland, but became popular for the other part of the world as Ink Sans :D

[silverquillsideas]

in the palm of your hands

[tradingjack]

nothing quite like hyperfixation for improvement huh

[duckzz]

i would DIE for cumulus and cirrus with 3 or 5 for the mistletoe thing 🧡🧡🧡🧡 my lesbian heart would be so happy

our sweet girls 🩷

prompts <3

[kaelidascope]

Blake dreams of a carousel. 

Animals dance around her with painted wings and fantastic golden saddles. She stands among them – watching them go by. Such an elegant contraption decorated with jewels and lights. A skin of paint meant to disguise a skeletal contraption of iron poles and chain-work shackles. It creaks and groans as the gears twist and turn, moving it round and round and round. It doesn't sleep. It never stops. It just keeps turning, and turning, and turning, playing the same lively tune as animals leap and pounce over and under, over and under, over and under.

From upcoming chapter 18 - Moment of Peace, dropping this week!

Read Midnight Menagerie on AO3!

[veinsfullofstars]

🪞 Fallen angel... who do you see staring back from the Mirror? 🪞

(ID: Kirby series fanart of Galacta Knight and my personal interpretation of his Mirror World counterpart. GK hovers above facing slightly to our left, his feathery wings spread wide, shaded in lilac and tipped with gilded wing talons, a swallow-like tail visible. He holds his shield forward in his left hand (our right) and his lance to the side in his right (our left), a single magenta eye leering at the viewer through the visor of his mask. A halo of heart spears floats and shines angelically behind his horns. Below him, M!GK hovers in the same pose but flipped horizontally and without the halo. Visually, M!GK has mostly the same features as GK, with his color palette being darker and less saturated (dusty purple body, dark gray armor, gray mask, maroon lance, rose-gold horns and weapons accents). His eyes are not visible in the shadow of his mask, but there are signs of erosion running down the metal surface in rusty orange lines, almost like tear tracks. Instead of feathery wings, M!GK has wings composed of jagged shards of pink crystal, glittering and lit from within by a luminous glow. A few pale feathers can still be seen peeking out from his back. END ID.)

Hey, so... what if... I went a little insane for a minute? What if I just... concepted a character... for the sequel... to an AU... I've told no one about... and haven't even finished writing yet? What if I then... pulled the salt shaker labeled "ANGST" out of the pantry and just... unscrewed the cap all over this poor lad? Oh, and Galacta Knight's here, too, I guess.

Sketch started 02/21/24, render started 03/01/24, finished 03/06/24, updated for color correction 11/02/24. | Kintsugi AU Masterpost

[mitamicah]

Combined two more prompts of @kaarija-inktober so here's day 22+23 being AU and leather

Trans!Käärijä at his first pride parade after top surgery proudly showing his scars in a leather harness :D

[purpleponder]

I redesigned his spear :D

[yuriyuruandyuraart]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY @zu-is-here 🎉

I'm so happy I had the opportunity to join in a collab for once hhh xD especially when it's something as sweet as a hug bomb for one of the kindest souls I ever interacted with online waa have a great day zuuu >:'Dc <3333

[amyupup47art]

Here's your thank you gift @yuriyuruandyuraart

Your skelesona was really fun to draw >:D

bonus Fem!killer sketch under the cut:

>:D

[sysig]

Ooo requestober eh? Something I've been curious to see a bit more of maybe is Jake interracting with Scriabin. Edgar wondering about what the two of them talk about together alone got me curious too 👀

(Resending to the main for you :3)

Day 3 - Definitely not kissing! If that's what you think!

Meanwhile, Jake:

[captainhysunstuff]

A reactionary comic about rereading a fic that I recently recommended that was way darker than I remembered, lol. I still love it for how they pretty much drive each other crazy, but that word choice and the consent issues... *cringes* At least there are valid warnings beforehand, and the first fic was pretty PG. Sorry. *laughs sheepishly*