Initializing Size

 I started the fitting course with the mind to try each of the patterns I fit within the range of sizes. The course had five suggestions, and only one did not size me to begin with. The fitters asked us not to do anything without their instruction! The first thing was to verify the starting wire with them. This is done on bare skin, with the arm overhead in order to bring the inframammary crease into its optimal shape. I fit the 40 Vertical or 40 Bliss best. 

The next stop was to make a fitting bra. If you haven’t heard of a fitting band before, it is a bra made without the cups. These work well for those who are self supporting. The idea of a fitting bra is to have the cups basted or pinned on so that the wearer can test it while actually having the weight of the breasts lifted into place. The drawback is if the cups are too small, the breast will be pushed out into the wireline and cause poor fit. But, if you shift your breast tissue into the cup, it should show any inconsistency in size.

Before I cut and sewed the patterns, I printed or copied each out. I cut out the cups with no seam allowances and taped them together to check the size. 

My family gave me the go ahead to sew, and got into a game, while I made an assembly line to cut out and sew the four patterns. I sewed up the MakeBra DL03, AFI Elegance, and from Pin Up Girls patterns , both Freja and Ruby -but with adaptations for Ruby to become the Amethyst.

The MakeBra DL03 was sewn in size 85C. The band is entirely powernet or can be split at the side (but add seam allowances!) for a different look. The lower band was snug even in the powernet. I was asked to try the next cup size down, so I sewed the second one with the stable front in 90A (up one band in number and down one in letters, 90B would be the same cups). This cup size was too small, and the band was too tight. Back to the original cup size. Did not need that side quest except to realize the band was too small. Over the course of that first week, my measurements increased! The next one I chose to make was 95B. This or 95A will be my size on this pattern.

AFI Elegance measured in size 85C. After the surprise increase on the DL03, I sewed up size 90B. With my vertical wires, the cups looked too small, so I sewed up the 90C. These cups fit well with my wires, so it became my starting size.

PUG Amethyst (Ruby) was copied  in 4.0, but the cross cup dimension did not meet my size. So, I copied the 4.25, which also wasn’t large enough.  I verified with the fitters that I was allowed to go up one more size. This one seemed to measure better on the paper cup, so I sewed both 4.25 and 4.5 to figure out my starting size. It seems 4.5 works better

PUG Freja 4.0 also seemed a bit small on the paper cup, and so I verified with the fitters and sewed up both 4.0 and 4.25. Surprisingly, 4.25 fit better.

Hurry up, wait. Verify everything. Will we be allowed to change anything in the next time together with the fitters?