Online Patternmaking Classes
by Don McCunn
Bust Sling Home Page   ►  Week Two

The Pattern, Sewing, & Fitting

I am including two versions for the Bust Sling Bra, the single band and the double band. The single band is designed for ease of fitting. The double band is designed to minimize projection. If it is necessary to optimize the fit of the double band Bust Sling, follow the suggestions for fitting the single band.

Contents

A Note About Fitting
One of my models came to our sessions wearing seamless, foam cup bras. She is use to putting on a bra and forgetting it. My other model, does not wear that style bra. Whenever she puts on a bra the first thing she does is to adjust her breasts so they fit correctly in the bra whether it is a commercial bra or one I have made for her.

I mention this because in one of my early attempts I was having my first model try on a Bust Sling muslin I had made and it was a complete disaster. It did not fit her at all. I was in despair. But then the image of my other model adjusting herself came to mind. The next time my first model tried on the same Bust Sling, she adjusted her breasts and it was just fine.


Create the Pattern for a Single Band Bra

The Bust Sling Mold created in Week One captures the shape of the body. This needs to be converted into a paper pattern. For step-by-step written instructions, see pages 67 and 68 in the book. There are three basic steps.

  1. Prepare the Mold
  2. Copy the Mold to Posterboard
  3. Create the Paper Pattern from the Posterboard

For the initial fitting I recommend doing an open cup bra so that you are only fitting the Bust Sling Band. Once this shape is correct, you can add the Styling Cup. The other approach is to create the Styling Cup as you are creating the initial mold.

Preparing the Mold

Copy the Mold to Poster Board

The Styling Cup Mold

The Styling Cup in Poster Board

The Minimizer Cup

The Front Pattern

The Back Pattern


Create and Fit a Muslin Mock-Up

To create an open cup fitting muslin follow the steps indicated below and as shown in the videos. For step-by-step written instructions, see pages 69 to 72 in the book.

Sewing the Muslin, Part 1

Sewing the Muslin, Part 2

The First Fitting

Fit the open cup muslin Bust Sling so that the Bust Sling Bands are snug against the body. If necessary pin any fittings so they cross from the outside edge of the Bust Sling Band to the inside edge. These adjustments can then be transfered to the paper pattern, see page 70 of the book.

Adjusting the Pattern

Sewing the Muslin, Part One

Sewing the Muslin, Part Two

The Second Fitting


Create a Double Band Bust Sling Bra

There are two descriptions of the double band Bust Sling. The first one works from a mold where the lines for the Bust Sling are drawn on the body. The second description shows how to create the design lines for the mold while it is off the body. For step-by-step written instructions, see page 74 in the book.

The Double Band Pattern

Sewing the Double Band, Part One

Sewing the Double Band, Part Two

Shaping the Mold, Part One

Shaping the Mold, Part Two


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