Just a General Update

I have literally been swamped lately. I brought on a new teacher, a new manager, a new part-timer and turned my part-time patternmaker into full time. Between the training of everything, I am exhausted.

As the owner who once did everything, it is really difficult to train as many people as I have simultaneously, but I’m trying to manage. I am glad I’m taking a vacation at the end of this week, even if it is only for 5 days, it is something!

We are well on our way to starting our own factory. Crazy, isn’t it? But it is what I want. I want to create jobs and bring manufacturing back home to the USA.

To slingshot us there, we have applied for the Chase Mission Street Grant and need your vote to help us get to the next level. Here is the link. https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/business/detail/1697

I would love it if you could send a vote our way. We need 250 votes to get to the next level of review.

Anyway, Emily is getting giant and even though it has been over 110 degrees at the store, we have been preparing for the winter snows up at our house. I will post some pics of our vacation very soon.

Altering the Patterns

I have been working on making a few bras with my patterns and its come to my attention that I need to add a little clarity to the specifics of the pattern. First, the seam between the lower and upper cup falls above the apex. I did this to help with lift for those of us who need it. Second, the pattern may not be suited to be sewn with a woven fabric without alterations. Because I raised the seam, it leaves some of the lower cup shaping out.

My conclusions are that to use the pattern as is, I would recommend using a stretch fabric (preferable 2 layers and crossing the grainlines – meaning one on the straight grain and one on the cross grain). Smaller busted individuals can get away with one layer if the fabric is stable.

To use this pattern successfully with a woven fabric, one can either lower the top seam or one can add a dart. I chose to add a dart and I’ve chronicled my journey to do so.

First draw a line from the notch through the cup. This line can vary a bit, but only a test cup will tell you if you have an appropriate line through the apex.

Next I cut off the top line of the cup and slashed up from the bottom of the cup to the notch, but not cutting through it.

Now you want to open up the cup to create the dart. This amount varies based on the cup size. If you are an A cup, open it 1/4″. B cup 1/2″, etc. Increasing the amount by 1/4″ for each cup. For my cup, I’m the I cup, so its 9 sizes up, making it 2 1/4″.

Next you need to round out the top of the cup to be a smooth curve.

From the notch point on the new outside edge, mark in 1/4″ for the seam allowance, then measure down the center of the dart 1/8″ for each cup size. I moved it 1 1/8″. This marks the bust point.

Draw in the dart from that point to both sides of the original pattern.

Draw in your 1/4″ seam allowance.

Cut out the dart and the remaining pattern piece and voila- a darted cup that is appropriate for the bust size.

I may add this cup to the downloadables, but it takes a bit to grade all the patterns.