It all started in 1996, in response to students who wanted the same top-quality fabrics, elastics, and underwires that Beverly was using in her bra industry work. Throughout most of Canada and the USA, there simply wasn’t anywhere to buy supplies. If you could manage to find a few elastics, they weren’t the professional quality we were used to seeing in ready-to-wear. Professional instruction in this fascinating field was also little to non-existent.

This is when Beverly Johnson had a “brilliant” idea – she would seek out and supply top-quality supplies for the home sewist, independent custom bra-makers, and ready-to-wear manufacturers. Really – how hard could it be? She soon learned how difficult it truly was! Sourcing has been and continues to be a huge challenge, especially due to the closure of most domestic mills. Nonetheless, 20 titillating years later, we have our own retail store, wonderful classroom on-site, and a series of online Craftsy classes. We also have the privilege of teaching the elements of bra design, draft, fit, and construction, to students from all over the world.

Our students have used our instruction to sew for their daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and friends. Others sew for their mothers, sisters, or other family members, along with those hard to fit or with special needs.

Many of our students have turned a love of sewing into a made-to-measure bra business, or even ready-to-wear lines. Isn’t it great to be working and still doing something you love?

The made-to-measure bra-maker is in demand all over the world, making it a viable choice for those who want a second career or one to round out their current sewing business. We have students making swimwear, specialising in medical brassieres, some who are doing showgirl and dance costumes, and some who specialise in corsetry. Every student we teach brings her or his own unique personality to our classes – and they all leave bursting with ideas for their own individual futures.

Along the way, our staff has grown as well, from “only Beverly” then to now 6 full-time women on staff. These ladies are the friendly voices on the phone, always happy to answer questions about products we carry. Yes, we are woman owned and operated!

We welcome you to visit our store on beautiful Ottawa Street in Hamilton, in the heart of the fabric district. We are nestled among antique shops, fabric shops, and trendy restaurants, so why not come and spend some time in the “bra-making capital of the world”!

Sign up for our E-mail Newsletters, which features new products and other news pertinent to our industry. In addition, Beverly now posts to her blog, The Fairy Bra Mother, which can be found here.

We hope you enjoy our online offering of professional quality bra-making and corset supplies. We are constantly adding to our already extensive collection. We have worked hard to bring you the best bra making supplies and educational material around. We sincerely hope you find our website and our people informative and helpful.