Ruby Class - wires and frame

 I’m working on my fitting bra, and ordered the wires in a couple extra styles. The class materials came with Regular and Long, and I had ordered Vertical and Extra Long as well. The Vertical are narrower, so I would have to order another size up to see if they fit me. I was hoping to use Longer wires to have better side support…

The class was instructed to measure ourselves and choose a pattern accordingly. My BCD measured between the size the wire that felt best’s size and my cross cup size. So, I chose the size in  the middle, but the pattern tells us to use one size up for stable fabrics, so I did. 

The frame was very large around the small wires, and the center triangle (bridge/gore) puckered. When we were instructed to make the fitting bra, I started by going down a frame size. This frame fit me much better, no puckering of the center triangle.

I tried the Long underwires first, they had fit okay in the larger frame the first week.  But, in the smaller frame, if the wires are lined up properly to center front in the channeling, it gave me a gap on the outer lower cup. To correct that would mean that I would need to adjust the center triangle to turn the wire into the upright position. I can follow the instructions, change the center which would rotate the cups, then rotate the cups back and fix the middle to match. Or..? Then, I slipped the wire further towards the center, so it stuck up in between the cups, and it fit correctly underneath.

Or, I could set them in the correct orientation and lengthen the center triangle  and adjust the upper cups? However, in this better fitting frame, the taller wires dug into my sternum. I tried the Extra Long wires, which stick up an inch above center front, and the pain was relieved. Now I know that there is a place on my sternum where I should not aim the wires to sit.

Next, I replaced the Extra Long wires with the Regular wires. They fit fine with no messing with the structure of the frame or cups.

It turns out that from Bra Makers Supply (& others that stock her items) the length is mainly added in the center front, not at the outer edge. My pics compare the Regular and Long, then the Regular and Extra Long. I did not yet try the Super Long. 

When I asked about this, I was told that the outer side does not need to go all the way up, even if I add extra coverage on the side of the bra. 

As I did not have time to do my homework until the day before class, this update covered homework for Week 2 (the fitting bra), and feedback from Week 3 class. This week we are to finish any fitting things with the frame and start fitting the cups.