Step 3 : first cup quick test

The cup pattern being drawn I will have to make a test to see if it will actually tursn out as expected. Of course I could make a complete bra from lovely fabrics hoping for the best. But I’m developing patterns for many years and know by now it rarely is completely right the first time.

I always start to test a cup with interfacing fleece, ideal for this purpose.
It’s rigid, I can sew it like a fabric, I can write notes on it like on paper and it’s a little sheer. No need to trace and cut the pattern on paper first, I can just trace the whole thing directly on the fleece itself. And of course I add information on each part, which part – which size – which test

For sewing each pattern part needs a seam of 0,75mm. Merckwaerdigh is based in Holland where we use the metric system, not inches. Recently I discovered a need trick to make this process less time consuming, no painstaking measuring involved. I just tape 2 regular pencils together and the space between the sharp points happens to be exactly 0,75cm. HURRAY!!

I only add the seam to the lines I’m actually going to sew now + the line where the underwire will be so I can still attach it to a band if needed. In this case it means no seams at the top edge and arm pit, they would only confuse the view.

A sewing pattern is always for the left side of the body and each part has to be doubled in fabric. But for a quick test there’s no need for that, just the left cup will do fine to see what it will be like. Once sewn the cup will be kind of a 3D version of the drawing. Well, sewing it is .. I use a simple straight stitch since the fleece doesn’t stretch and sew through the underwire line as well to make clear where the cup itself will end.

Not quite what I was looking for … the cups seems a bit pointy to me. This could be caused by the almost vertical seam in the under cup since cups with vertical coupe always are a bit pointy. An aslant coupe will usually flatten the cup so next step will be to make a test this way.

 

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