Brassiere Enflammé for Phat Quarter Swap

So, my piece for the Phat Quarter 1970s-themed Swap arrived in doaflip's hot little hands, deep in the wilds of England. And she said she likes it and has it hanging in her home. Dy-no-mite!

Brassiere Enflamme, 2012.

I decided to continue on my imaginary prohibition sign series and designed a sort of "burn your bra" or "no bra" symbol, to riff on the 1960s and 70s mythology about bra-burning radical women who weren't going to take it anymore.

With good old Do Not Enter, 2010, my 1st stitched prohibition sign.

Now, we all know this "burn your bra" idea is a fabrication in and of itself and statements by feminists of that error were far more subtle than that. I'm playing with the myths. imagery and ideas about "women's lib" from my 1970s childhood. As a 2012 feminist, I'm proud of what 19th and 20th Century feminists worked so hard for.

Detail of thick backstitch. 

A couple of notes about this piece: The bra that I used for the design is somewhat anachronistic. It's not the pointy bra of the 1970s. It's based on my bra -- that sort of foamy, push-up, rounded style made popular by Victoria's Secret.

Sketch of my bra, early in the process. 

I'm also one of the few women I know who likes wearing my bra! I remember my abuelita encouraged it and said that Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor (her ideals of femininity) always wore theirs, even to sleep. Now, I have a much less sexualized ideal of female beauty than my abuelita, but I retained her passion for the benefits of the well-fitted bra. (And yes, I sleep in mine.)

Instagram!

Check out more fabulous work from the Phat Quarter 1970s Swap on flickr. I'm hosting a new swap for Mr X Stitch that opens at the end of August. Fun new theme! Stay tuned...