| So I left you on Monday with me, in Toronto, at Costume Con, being a fairy while test driving what was to become this Amazing fit corset pattern ... albeit with the ill fitting bust cup, at this point. |
Here is a photo of how the bust cup for the corset I'm wearing was constructed. It had boning that stopped just below the bust cup and an underwire in that padded casing around the cup.
The problem, as I explained on Monday, was ... I was forced into using a regular underwire because all the "demi" wires I could find, which are best for strapless bras, were not available in all the sizes this corset was going to be made in. I was having problems but didn't really understand why, yet. I now know that a bust cup that works with a regular wire which is designed for a bra with straps does not hold close to the body (the straps do that job). So, I had to resort to stuffing the bust of my corset to fill up the cups. grrr. A regular wire is shaped in a narrower "U", which forces the breast outward for attractive curves, while a "demi" wire makes a wider and shallower "U" holding the breast closer to the body, which is what is needed for a strapless bra.
SO sometimes I am very lucky. While wearing this corset at Costume Con, I just happened to be in the exhibition hall and just happened to walk past the Farthingale's booth with the one and only Linda Sparks standing behind. If you don't know her, Linda just might be North America's best expert on corset fit and construction. Visit her site and seriously consider buying her book.
Anyway, we got talking about the corset I was wearing. I explained my goals and problems, one being the fact that I was going to have to size this up to a 44 inch bust that would then be graded up to 50 inches and she immediately set me straight saying ... first, you cannot make a pattern that uses an underwire unless you can be 100% sure the person using the pattern will use that specific underwire AND it is really best to have a bone go up and over the bust, especially for the larger sizes. SO, this is what I did. Thank you Linda!
The problem, as I explained on Monday, was ... I was forced into using a regular underwire because all the "demi" wires I could find, which are best for strapless bras, were not available in all the sizes this corset was going to be made in. I was having problems but didn't really understand why, yet. I now know that a bust cup that works with a regular wire which is designed for a bra with straps does not hold close to the body (the straps do that job). So, I had to resort to stuffing the bust of my corset to fill up the cups. grrr. A regular wire is shaped in a narrower "U", which forces the breast outward for attractive curves, while a "demi" wire makes a wider and shallower "U" holding the breast closer to the body, which is what is needed for a strapless bra.
SO sometimes I am very lucky. While wearing this corset at Costume Con, I just happened to be in the exhibition hall and just happened to walk past the Farthingale's booth with the one and only Linda Sparks standing behind. If you don't know her, Linda just might be North America's best expert on corset fit and construction. Visit her site and seriously consider buying her book.
Anyway, we got talking about the corset I was wearing. I explained my goals and problems, one being the fact that I was going to have to size this up to a 44 inch bust that would then be graded up to 50 inches and she immediately set me straight saying ... first, you cannot make a pattern that uses an underwire unless you can be 100% sure the person using the pattern will use that specific underwire AND it is really best to have a bone go up and over the bust, especially for the larger sizes. SO, this is what I did. Thank you Linda!
When I got back to my studio, I re-patterned the panels of the corset front so a long bone would be positioned to go over the bust. Then made up a new sample without an underwire and with a long piece of bone tape ...
That would just be hand sewn to the lining of the bust cup so it doesn't show on the outside. After slip stitching the tape in place I then slipped the long steel bone in.
To make this cup construction work, Linda also explained that the corset would need an under bust stay to hold the bottom of the cup close to the body, and the long bone that goes over the bust would have to be purposely bent exactly at the seam line at the bottom of the bust cup for the same reason. The under bust stay is hooked separately which takes pressure off the lacings in the back.
I'm jumping ahead a bit with this photo of a finished corset. Backing up ... I have just finished yet another mock up in a size 10 (32 1/2" bust) and now needed to turn my attention to the size 22 (44" bust).
I'm jumping ahead a bit with this photo of a finished corset. Backing up ... I have just finished yet another mock up in a size 10 (32 1/2" bust) and now needed to turn my attention to the size 22 (44" bust).
First I took all the measurement charts Simplicity has ever given me and every bra measurement chart I could find and made myself this working diagram/chart.
You can see I have the "bust points" marked in! I needed to take into consideration the bust point to waist measurement, which is tricky because as a bra cup size increases the area or arch of the cup increases which makes the distance from the bottom of the cup to the waist get smaller.
So basically, the measurement from the waist to the bottom of the bust cup for a size 10 is quite a bit longer than that same measurement for a size 22. This project was becoming more complicated now having one of the measurements LARGER for the smaller size. The point of the Simplicity brand and the Amazing Fit line of patterns is to keep it simple and clear (as much as possible).
You can see I have the "bust points" marked in! I needed to take into consideration the bust point to waist measurement, which is tricky because as a bra cup size increases the area or arch of the cup increases which makes the distance from the bottom of the cup to the waist get smaller.
So basically, the measurement from the waist to the bottom of the bust cup for a size 10 is quite a bit longer than that same measurement for a size 22. This project was becoming more complicated now having one of the measurements LARGER for the smaller size. The point of the Simplicity brand and the Amazing Fit line of patterns is to keep it simple and clear (as much as possible).
I now needed one more thing to work on the larger size ... a larger dress form. And not just any dress form, I needed a squishy foam "Uniquely Your's" form just like my size 10 that I use for corsets and boned bodices in that size.
If you remember back almost a year I wrote two blogs about buying and fitting the cover for this new form. Click on the links if you are interested in reading them.
Next time, I fit the Plus Size corset mock up on a real person and FINALLY figure out the bust cup!
If you remember back almost a year I wrote two blogs about buying and fitting the cover for this new form. Click on the links if you are interested in reading them.
Next time, I fit the Plus Size corset mock up on a real person and FINALLY figure out the bust cup!
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