A Puppy & More About Bras

This is Chloe, my new grandbaby puppy. Isn't she the sweetest? My daughter and her husband picked her up last weekend. She's eight weeks old and a BIG job to train. Howard and I have never had a puppy. Our one and only dog arrived already potty trained and obedient. So much easier.




With the test bra, I was able to take out the lower cup and insert a new one. What a difference that extra width and depth made. I used black fabric so I could see what was going on. The ripples along the top are because the upper cup is too wide. You can just see a 1/4" tuck pinned near the bridge. I couldn't pin the elastic tightly because of the angle which is why the ripples are still there. As well, the lower edge of the bridge needs to be curved to eliminate the wrinkle that forms there. Other than that, it's good to go. YES YES.




I compared underwires and discovered that while Wonderbra calls the bra that I've been buying a 34D, the underwires match the 34DD sizing which is the equivalent of a 36D which was the size I sewed in the bra workshop. Interesting and another example of the a 40B is a 38C is a 36D is a 34DD sizing that I mentioned yesterday. I tried the test bra with both the 34D and the 34DD underwires, and the DDs worked best. I wouldn't have thought to do that except...




... the Elan 520 pattern instructions had this interesting paragraph on sizing. It says... Band too tight, but the cup seems to fit. Move up one size in the band and down one size in the cup. If the band is loose but the cup fits, do the opposite; down one band size, up one cup size. If the band fits but the cup doesn't, adjust the cup size up or down accordingly. If the circumference of the cup seems right, but there is too much fabric at the bust points, carefully pin out the excess and re-sew the seam. Underwires stand away from the chest at center front? You need more cup depth. Either go up to the next larger cup size or re-draw the cutting lines of the upper and lower cup pattern to add more depth to the bust point. Taper down to the original cutting line at the ends.




Working from my original attempt of the RTW bra, the band size was correct, the bridge needed narrowing, the cup size was deepened, and somehow - due to something in that Elan instruction paragraph which could use some major editing - I knew to compare the wires and determined to use the wider ones. Does that mean I'm really a 34DD? I'm not sure but it worked.

After adjusting the pattern, I started on a black and green printed bra. I can't finish it until I get more band elastic and strapping. My order from SewSassy will take at least three weeks. By then, I should know if Jessica's bra fits and can schedule a bra making session. They'd be easy to assembly line.




Meanwhile... my latest BMV club pattern purchases arrived yesterday. Included was Butterick 5498. This jacket - which looks more like a cardigan to me - is fabulous, especially the three quarter sleeve version. This will be my next project. Something quick and easy and moving on. Hopefully, I can start today.

This morning, Liz, one of the waitresses from my favourite breakfast restaurant, is coming over to meet Millicent (my dressform). Liz loves to sew and wants to see my studio and talk fabric. How fun. This evening at knitting, we're having a surprise bridal shower for one of the women who is getting married this summer. I need to make myself some "cake" to eat while everyone else is having strawberry torte - from one of my used to be favourite lunch places. Darn, I'd have loved some of that. I remember it fondly. Oh well.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - getting the bra pattern to fit AND finding someone to do the outside work. Two good things.

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Personal Growth - Between the yard work, house maintenance, holidays, special occasions, and continued personal interests, this time of year rivals Christmas. It feels like I'm spending way too much money - a feeling I hate. Every time I think about being firmer, staying on budget, or cutting back, something comes up that just has to be done. It's like being on a diet with visions of cake. I also know that if there's no cake, you can't eat it and that discipline is a really good idea especially heading toward retirement. It be better to learn now what I'll need to know which gives me about thirteen years to get it together only that doesn't seem long enough considering Howard and I have been together twenty-nine already. Hmm...