Merckwaerdigh – BHS1- Construction, part 3

A very picture-heavy post. Difficult to break it in two posts in a logical way, so I’ll make it one long post.

First the cups are stitched in the band. I’ve used 1cm seam allowances. Be careful at the top of the bridt to match the cups at center of the bridge. I usually try to have the lowest point of the scallop of the upper cup to be at the top of the bridge.

The next step is to sew in the first step of the wire channelling. After this step the elastic is attached first.

As you can see in the picture the wire chanelling is sewn at the very edge, with a normal length straight stitch. It’s pinned on the side of cup. It will be folded down to the band.

 

Important: leave about 2 cm unstitched at the side of the cup. This is needed to sew the elastic in.

A picture where you can see clearly on which side the wire channel is attached.

 

Measure the length of elastic needed. I always use 20% less than the length of the pattern piece.

Check the width of your hook and eye closure. the picot edge of the elastic must be at the end of the closing.

Stitch the elastic with zigzag stitches tot the band and the side of the cup. The pluche side of the elastic is on top, the picot edge pointing to the lace.

 

Detail, and I agree if you think I should have used a better color thread ;)

Trim the seam allowance, turn the elastic and topstitch with a triple zigzag. Be careful not to sew the wire channel while topstitching (how I know this is a risk?)

 

Topstitching on the inside

And on the outside, hardly to be seen in the lace.

At the bottom of the band I used the elastic with the picot edge pointing to the inside. The scallop needs all attention, the picot edge shouldn’t be seen. (In other bra’s I do it the same as described above, it’s only this pattern with the straight scallop that calls for this).

It’s only sewn with a triple zigzag stitch.

Now it’s time to finish the wire channel: trim the seam allowances and grade them so that it’s not one thick layer.

Pin and topstitch from the right side. I do this once as an edgestitch very close to the cup, and once at the outside of the wire channel.

The wire channel is on top of the elastic at the bottom of the cup.

I need a very narrow bridge, the wire channel is crossing here. At this point the second row of topstitching stops at the point where the channels meet. This way the wires can go to the top of the channeld. Whether this is necessary depends comletely on your shape.

Here you can see the wire channel going over the elastic on top of the band. Both ends of the channel are closed with a small, narrow zigzag stitch (the second side after putting the wire in!). I always cut my wire channels a bit too long and trim later.

The hook and eye closing is attached with the eyes on the left and the hooks on the right.

And now the bra is almost finished, Pictures in the next post.