Tobias' Amazing Pillowcase Binder Thread!

[Syr_SwitchyGQ]

Because ever since I posted on Mae's thread (http://crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76083) I've gotten some requests for how I accomplished this:


You could do what I did for about half a year, which is wear two sports bras and a pillowcase pinned with safety pins. It actually worked about as well as my (real/current) binder, but has the disadvantage of running the risk of stabbing yourself. :heehee:

So.... I decided to make a how-to thread. Hope this helps!

Okay, Step #1:

Put on both sports bras, and adjust them so that the top one rides higher than the one beneath it, and set the straps apart. This helps to pull your chest higher, which helps spread them out more, thus making them flatter.(Apologies in advance for the copious amounts of armpit hair...)

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Step #2:

Find a pillowcase that is ugly and you don't care about putting holes in. I recommend one that is made out of cotten (slightly stiffer than t-shirt fabric cotton) so that it is slightly stretchable but still good, thick fabric.

Step #3:

Do whatever you have to folding-wise so that it fits nicely around your midsection. You want it to fit comfortably and slightly loose around your stomach so that it will be tight around your chest.

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Step #4:

Put in safety pins all along the sides of it, putting most of them at the top to help keep you flat, and then just a few more extraneous ones to keep the bottom from flapping around. Make sure to use really strong, largeish safetey pins so that they don't pop open and stab you.

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Step #5:

Put it around your midsection to pin up the front, then turn it sidewards and pull it up over your sports bras. I tried to pin it shut over the sports bras for awhile, but that takes forever and it's easy to stab yourself that way. Turning the pins to the side also helps minimize the likelihood of them showing through.

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Step #6:

Make sure you wear an undershirt or a shirt made out of some stiff fabric. That way the binding won't show through. Also, take into account obvious things like color and straps showing through. I also made a white one to wear underneath my white shirts.

Edit: This tends to work best if you are somewhat flat-chested and slim like I am. However, if you do have a larger chest size, you might want to find similar fabric to a pillowcase, but that gives you more to work with.

[keaton]

Man does that ever work!! I am so excited to try it out, out in public. And thanks for the advice in the PM you sent. I will post some pics....soon as I can figure out how to upload them.:happy:

[Kieron Andrew]

bah i hate small chested boys lol:heehee:

[Taylor105]

This post right here proves my point that we don't CHOOSE to be trans. There is someone right now who is probably reading this who thinks we PRETEND to be boys. Whatever. You put a lot of hard work into this Tobias. I'm one of the fortunate small chested guys who can get away with just a tight sports bra and a tight undershirt before putting on my overshirt. But this is going to help a lot of guys out. Kieron, I know not being small chested must totally suck for you. But if it makes you feel any better, you pass very very well regardless. Hugs!!

[Kieron Andrew]

Kieron, I know not being small chested must totally suck for you. But if it makes you feel any better, you pass very very well regardless. Hugs!!
awww :hugs: Taylor you really know how to make a guy feel good :D

[CaptLex]

bah i hate small chested boys lol:heehee:
I know what you mean - forget the pillowcase, I need a whole sheet! :p

Well said, Taylor! :^5:

Tobias, thanks for the instructions and the pics, I'm sure it will help some guys. One question though, wouldn't it be possible (and easier) to sew a zipper on the pillowcase instead of risking all those pins sticking you? :raisedeyebrow:

[Kieron Andrew]

One question though, wouldn't it be possible (and easier) to sew a zipper on the pillowcase instead of risking all those pins sticking you? :raisedeyebrow:

or when you get the right measurement, a hook and eye thing would work too

[Syr_SwitchyGQ]

One question though, wouldn't it be possible (and easier) to sew a zipper on the pillowcase instead of risking all those pins sticking you? :raisedeyebrow:

o.O Er.... well, probably yes. But that would involve sewing... have you ever put in a zipper before? :p

[CaptLex]

o.O Er.... well, probably yes. But that would involve sewing... have you ever put in a zipper before? :p
Don't look at me, hon, I can barely sew on a button. Don't you know anyone that's handy with a needle and thread? :happy:

[Kieron Andrew]

Don't you know anyone that's handy with a needle and thread? :happy:Ask a certain soon to be military man, they are meant to be able to sew arent they lol, or if in doubt find one of the girls you hang out with lol Tobias

[John]

it's easy. you put the thread on the needle, put the needle through the cloth pointy end first, and be sure not to put the pointy end into you. :D

[ZenFrost]

it's easy. you put the thread on the needle, put the needle through the cloth pointy end first, and be sure not to put the pointy end into you. :D

Exactly. Very simple. You just move the needle up and down until you're done, it's easy as cake.

[waspookie6]

Sewing zippers for a side or back is hard! The hook and eye thing may work and it isn't difficult, a thought would be large snaps too, they have a magnetic kind as well that really hold! Again its just a needle and thread to put them in place where the pins would be but great idea overall! :happy:

[Tristan]

Don't look at me, hon, I can barely sew on a button. Don't you know anyone that's handy with a needle and thread? :happy:

hehe I barely can sew, but a little sewing kit is very handy for when the binder got holes right under the arm pit and I could just stitch it back up. Once I reinforced the spot with needle and thread I've never gotten another hole there.

[Syr_SwitchyGQ]

Sewing zippers for a side or back is hard! The hook and eye thing may work and it isn't difficult, a thought would be large snaps too, they have a magnetic kind as well that really hold! Again its just a needle and thread to put them in place where the pins would be but great idea overall! :happy:

For the record, I actually can sew, I have my own sewing machine (because I asked for it, not because someone thought I should learn. :p) Thus, I know that putting in zippers isn't particularly easy for an amateur (Lex.) Hook and eyes aren't bad, but if you didn't have any experience sewing, you'd probably want someone to show you how (Spookie.)

And uh, I'd be a little leery of sewing something that big by hand (Zen, John.) :raisedeyebrow:

[Kieron Andrew]

For the record, I actually can sew, I have my own sewing machine (because I asked for it, not because someone thought I should learn. :p)

well get experimenting we are all curious :heehee:

[waspookie6]

well get experimenting we are all curious :heehee:
You are a meanie! :heehee:

It could be me but I hate putting in zippers, for something like that you'd want one that brings the fabric togther from the inside, not showing through to the outside. Fabric will bunch up then you would have a bunchy tank top.
I don't think that is the look you are going for here :p

Tobias, my son begged me for my older Singer, when I got a new one I gave him my old one. He just learned to sew on his own and does a pretty darn good job of it too. His friends poked fun at him at first until they noticed his clothes never looked old. Ha!

I really wonder if the larger magnetic snaps would work - if I get time and you'd like me to try it out I can but warning: only have 36A to work with from the start. Maybe try with some breast forms underneath? Its a thought...

[Kieron Andrew]

You are a meanie! :heehee:

ah he knows im playing :p:tongueout

[ZenFrost]

And uh, I'd be a little leery of sewing something that big by hand (Zen, John.) :raisedeyebrow:

It's not that big. Sewing machines hate me so I always end up sewing by hand, even on really big stuff.

[Syr_SwitchyGQ]

well get experimenting we are all curious :heehee:

:( I don't have it here... I don't have room in my dorm for all my sewing crap, so I didn't bring it. When I go home for a weekend or a break or something I may have to mess around with that.


Tobias, my son begged me for my older Singer, when I got a new one I gave him my old one. He just learned to sew on his own and does a pretty darn good job of it too. His friends poked fun at him at first until they noticed his clothes never looked old. Ha!

:D One of the things my mother flipped out about when I came out to her as trans was whether or not I would still sew/like sewing. I essentially said, "Hey - if the metalhead at the the Singer shop can do it, so can I!"


I really wonder if the larger magnetic snaps would work - if I get time and you'd like me to try it out I can but warning: only have 36A to work with from the start. Maybe try with some breast forms underneath? Its a thought...

I'm only a 34B-36A, so no worries on that front. If ya want to give it a shot, go for it. I'd be interested to see how that worked.


ah he knows im playing :p:tongueout

Yup. :bg:


It's not that big. Sewing machines hate me so I always end up sewing by hand, even on really big stuff.

Hmm... I can do either, but it's far less tedious for me to use my machine.

[waspookie6]

I know Kieron was goofing, just had to poke fun :heehee: Wait, is that a bulldog in the avatar? :o

Tomorrow is a visit with a friend who used to make all vintage clothing, I'll ask and see if we can come up with something easy and quick to do. She is about a 36C dress size 16 so tween the two of us I think we could find how well it works for all sizes. There are a few pillow cases and other fabric we can try that are odds n' ends so no big deal.

It might take a couple of visits but I'll make sure we get pictures as we go along to get some feedback.

Is that okay with you Tobias? I don't want to take *your* idea from you!

[Syr_SwitchyGQ]

That is perfectly 100% acceptible... in fact I'm thrilled ya want to help us out! :hugs:

[waspookie6]

We will give it a go then, talked a bit about it tonight (sort of "what do we have handy") and while it might take a few tries we'll most certainly make it a step by step to so-so results or hopefully great results. :happy:

[C.J.]

Hey guys,

This seems like a really good idea but does it work on really big chests? (Bigger than a C?)

My unwanted female objects are huge >< (40D and some of my family said I'd actually fit in a DD bra) and NOTHING seems to work all that well...

The closest I've come to getting a decent bind is to take a sports bra a size smaller than what i'd wear in regular bras - for me, 40C - and putting it on via the tightest clasp, then putting a muscle shirt over the bra, then putting a tight (but not so tight i can't breathe) compression shirt over that and FINALLY putting my shirt on top, which is a bit big.

I know with big chests you can't realistically expect to be completely flat with binding, but I wish there was another alternative that didn't involve so many layers of clothing.

- C.J.

[Kieron Andrew]

My unwanted female objects are huge >< (40D and some of my family said I'd actually fit in a DD bra) and NOTHING seems to work all that well...

I have a 40 F, so i know where you are coming from!

[Flameboy]

Arriving a bit late here, but how about trying velcro as a fastening?

Dave

[Syr_SwitchyGQ]

Well C.J., I've never tried it on anyone besides myself. So..... honestly I don't know if it works on larger-chested people or not. Wanna experiment and tell the rest of us? :D

Dave, I thought about velcro, but even with the pins it would sometimes come undone if you moved very much or twisted the trunk of your body... I think velcro would be even worse in that regard. :idontknow:

[ZenFrost]

What about those little snappy things? Whatchamacallits...

[Flameboy]

Dave, I thought about velcro, but even with the pins it would sometimes come undone if you moved very much or twisted the trunk of your body... I think velcro would be even worse in that regard. :idontknow:
D'you reckon? Before I bought a binder from Underworks, I used to use one of these (http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0102908/Trail/searchtext%3EWAIST+NIKE.htm) which fastens with velcro. Never had a problem with it coming undone at all. Maybe a big enough piece of velcro would work?

Dave

[Samson]

D'you reckon? Before I bought a binder from Underworks, I used to use one of these (http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0102908/Trail/searchtext%3EWAIST+NIKE.htm) which fastens with velcro. Never had a problem with it coming undone at all. Maybe a big enough piece of velcro would work?

Dave

That's exactly what I use :thumbsup: Never had a problem with it

[waspookie6]

Just an update - Grace and I tried twice to get a good binder anyone could make but just couldn't get it to look right. It either bunched at the closure or would bunch up after just putzing around the house :(

We have a good model though as she gained some weight (36D-33-38) but decided against pictures unless it was "How NOT to make a binder" :heehee:
Sorry but we will try again soon, ideas on it are still being thrown back and forth.

Oh! Forgot to mention her old roommate was a FTM and she used to sew for him. Probably why we are so embarrassed we couldn't get it right! :o