Bra 101 Chapter 2 The Dress Shop Bra
This is an effort to explain the designs and the optional tools that come with these bra designs.
The designS:
First there are actually two designs in the program.. one is the regular bra with the full cup itself in two pieces with a horizontal center seam which creates the shaping and is a full cut cup.
Second is a demi style with a partial top cup with the center front line curved leaving a portion of the top side of the breast at center front exposed. This bra is used by necessity for certain shapes and by design as a �push up� bra for others. The same center seam provides shaping.
One of the important factors of the demi is that the strap is well offset towards the shoulder while the full cut bra has a more centered on shoulder strap placement.
OFTEN the demi bra CUP is canted and a small triangle is placed between the bottom of cups at center front just above the lower bra �band�. That triangle is NOT provided but can be easily accomplished and is usually of an elastic stretch fabric.
Now lets look at the optional tools which will reshape and redesign the fit for you. Please select bra and print the page with the optional tools so you can follow along.
IF you are extremely fortunate the well thought out defaults will all work.
Before you start �muslining� your first bra I suggest you go through the exercise in The Bra 101 so you KNOW the materials and placement of those materials on your best fitting shaped bra.
Don�t expect a woven to behave like a stretch and don�t expect a stretch to support you like a woven.....also if NOT using padding , poly fill, or maybe even a canvas �shelf� don�t expect the support that your commercial bra has built in.
To duplicate YOUR bra you must use similar materials , construction methods and bra accessories.
SO.. trying this design as it is designed but shaped to you may be DIFFERENT from your favorite style but may work JUST as well and as comfortably........its up to you to MODIFY it IF you WANT TO.
The TOOLS:
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Ok.. with an accurate chart and probably a double check on bust radius from apex to the channel on your lower bra cup .. the radius will determine the depths or length of the cup pieces. Measure your �good fitting� bra and check the width of the lower portion of the cup from the under cup channel to the apex point. See that the radius MATCHES this number.
Now go ahead and draft a BRA or Demi bra using all the defaults. NOTE well that the top of the lower cup is convex and the bottom of the upper cup is also slightly curved. when sewing these two pieces together you are getting the effect of a DART on either side of the cup with maximum release of fabric at the apex point.
PRINT in 25% and one in full size ( its NOT a lot of pages )
Remove the seam allowances from the full size bra pieces and lay them over your regular bra....note any differences and measure the differences.
The degree of these curves or arcs will make the dart take up larger on the outside edge and enhance the �cupping � at the apex point. You can alter this using the BUST CUP ANGLE and use a number from 0 to 20.
So now you know you can adjust the cupping you can get but you dont have a clue where to start...and I cant give you one. BUT.. you can SEE one by going back to your regular bra and taking a care full LOOK at the curve you see by 1 tracing the line of the curve if your bra has an upper or lower cup and stitch line like ours.......OR if its one of those molded , pressed cups with NO center line.. fold the cup in half right along the apex level it will shape and you can see the curve! IF you did bra 101 then you already traced this. IF not I suggest you trace it now.
The default*** pivot angle assigned to your pattern is listed on the pattern look for bra cup angle XX and side seam angle XX***..
IF you feel you are getting too shallow a dart and not enough cupping ***add 5 to the number listed on the pattern*** ( this is EXTREME and is intended to be extreme), print a new 25% pattern and compare it to your default print out.
Have you gone too far or not far enough..??
If you have gone too far reduce the 5 to 3 and try again.. once you have established a GOOD curve that appears similar to your commercial bra .MAKE A NOTE OF IT!!!
If its still not not far enough raise the 5 to 8 keep trying till you get a similar curve.
This is by far the trickiest tool in the entire program....but one well worth trying out!!!!
The other tools are easier.!!!!
The width of the bra back AT CENTER BACK ( not the closure but just center back of the band) should match what you want.. adjust this width of back band .
The length of the bra back can easily be established based on the degree of stretch you are using for the back band. The default is set so if the fabric stretches 3 inches to 5 it should work. IF you stretch is more or less adjust accordingly.
The strap offset tool: This is just like the offset tool on the shoulder you used for the tank top. IF you want the bra strap to sit further out on your shoulder all you need to do is ad the amount you want in this box. The demi bra in particular needs to move out towards the shoulder and the default for the demi is 1.5 inches. To see where this is.. place the upper cup on your commercial bra..matching center front and apex point.. if your regular bra is out towards the side seam fro your pattern strap placement measure to the middle of the commercial bra strap from the middle of your pattern strap spot.. USE that number to determine your strap offset.
Now we get to width across cup and width across bottom.. though at the bottom of the list.. these two are what I would do FIRST.....
Measure your commercial bra lower CUP along the bottom width above the elastic bra band.. then measure your default bra pattern piece. IF the rtw bra is longer lengthen the width, if shorter.. shorten it.. they probably should match if you have a good fit.
The width across the cup reflects the top edge of the LOWER cup.. overlay one to the other just as you did with the bottom edge, measure the differences and change accordingly. If you don�t have a seam on your rtw bra measure the width of the bra cup along the apex level.. it will be the widest part of the cup.
OK.. you noticed I skipped one.....the angle of the side seam of the cup to the bra band back....you can alter this angle in the side seam angle box.........once again look at what you want, or wait till you have muslined one and see how it feels......this is an add subtract number and the default is found printed out on anything with at least 25% scale.
I pretty much went in the order that tools appear......but let me put these tools in WORKING order.......
First bra width at bottom of cup then Bra width across apex, then bra back width and length, then cup angle and finally side seam angle.
As for construction..I drafted a full size pattern with project summary sheet.
I made the bra cups first sewing the center seam, carefully easing in the longer side.
The bra side back panel was then attached, and the lower edge plush back elastic attached
Thin lingerie elastic edges the back panel along the top and passed the underarm and up to the outside strap connection point.
I then attached my closures and straps..
My bra cups were made of a woven bra fabric which I�m not even sure the exact name and weight of..(its NOT similiar to what I usually wear, .. I will find out the exact particulars) the side/back panel of a stretch elastic ( lycra)
Since my RTW bra has a binding surrounding the cup along the side and lower edges.. I bound them with a very thin sheer stretchable binding before attaching the cup to side panels. In the future I may use a small amount of very thin poly fill on the lower cup for added support and make the upper cup of a strench lycra blend.
I have not yet done this in a finished bra only a toile.. but it is possible to add a channel for an under wire and change the back closure to a front closure.
In this case the demi cup was canted to the outside at about a 28 degree angle, set the bra strap offset to 3.25 inches ,(default is 1.5) inserted a triangle of elastic powernet to fill in the space between the two cups along the band , and the center front of the cup was trimmed down to be only as wide as the band and front closure I selected. I wore this extremely changed from pattern bra around the house for about 7 hrs and it was extremely comfortable.....I only wish I had used all my good stuff in constructing it and made it pretty instead of as an obvious test only make up.( white and ecru rem�s with a dark purple closure..., tan thread, cream band, and off white lingerie elastic .. in other words a scrap materials bra...)te hee
This may make up at default values for you.......and then again it may be quite a learning curve......the bra will FIT using the tools...........and if you want to know why you can�t depend on point, click and print......the program does NOT have a picture of the shape of your breast only some numbers.....and those numbers do an incredible job you have to do the finessing....I have given you but one way to start putting all this in perspective so you can use the tools.
There are NUMEROUS pages on the internet and in your libraries on lingerie construction. Don�t give up...you can consider this your challenge and if you have even intermediate skills.. trust your instincts...don�t over �thunk� it and just go for it!!!!
Its far better than listening non stop to the news of the day and far more rewarding!
Have FUN!!!
Now a mini advert... ( it had to happen SOME day....)>BR>
I will have the following supplies for sale sometime in November when I complete the inventory ; set final prices , and get back from vacation.
I promise that they will be at least 50% off retail prices if not more.
Straps, plush back elastic and lace covered elastic in white and black
Front closures in white, cream, putty, taupe, black, navy and assorted weird colors ( GGG)
Sliders and rings in white, black, ecru assorted colors and clear
Back hook and eye closures. taupe and white some colors
Plush back wide elastic for bottom of the bra bands in white, black, ecru and some other colors ( variety of widths )
Binding fabrics in various �ribbon� widths.
I will have power net for sale at first probably only in white but later adding black, ecru and possibly some colors.
� 2001 Kaaren Hoback, Dryden, New York