Using preformed cups – cut to size and covering

I was surprised that some of you were interested in my rant. It was about Burda asking for input so that they could make their product better, but in fact they wanted information to be able to please their advertisers more. Questions about what I do for a living, what I earn, what I spend on clothes, accessories, beauty products ….None of their business and not information to improve their magazine or site. The mood to rant is over and I’m looking forward to a fun season of sewing.
It’s been a very hot week here in which not a lot of sewing happened. We are not used to this weather and I am glad it will get back to more normal (agreeable warm) temperatures next week.

There was one thing done however: covering the next pair of cups for my daughter. Preformed cups are not always available in the right shape or color. The colors available (when you are lucky) are off-white, black or brown. When you want to use lace to cover, it might be necessary to cover the cups with lycra in a matching color first.
My daughter liked the bra I made, but found the center front a bit high and asked for a lower center front in the next one. I thought the best way to achieve what she wants was to copy the shape of her favorite rtw bra as much as possible.  Below how I did that. The cups are once again from Kantje Boord in another shape this time. I wanted to try both versions so that my daughter can decide which she likes best.

I pinned the cup int the rtw bra and traced the line of the cups




For future reference I noted the cup size on the part I will take off and keep. If this bra is ok I can use the top part as pattern to mark the next pair of cups.


After cutting the cup at the traced line the top was a bit thick. The cups are pressed very flat at the edges, but that part is now removed.


My solution: use a narrow zigzag stitch to thin it. Below you see the difference on one of the top pieces (only for the photo, no need to do this on the part you cut off of course)


The result on the cup.

A piece of lycra a bit bigger than the cup is used to cover it. Pin from the center and pull the fabric a little. Not too much, the shape of the cup should remain. Use a lot of pins where necessary. I found this easier to do on the smaller cup for my daughter than on my own larger cups. Less round makes a difference ;)

A little trick at the edge. I used a glue stick I found recently at a notions store. It’s my gadget find of the year, I have used it often already. It will wash out.
I glued the edges and pulled the lycra over it and pressed firmly with my fingers. If you don’t have a glue for this you can use pins, but this makes this step so easy.




The next step is to cut off the fabric at the edge and cover with fold over elastic.
I pin just the first part with one or two pins and then stitch and pull it over the edge with a zigzag stitch. The trick is sew a little bit, pull the elastic a bit and place it around the edge, sew a few centimeters…. Apart from the first pin(s) no pins are used any more. Slow and sewing short distances at a time are what is important here.

Whether you cut off the lycra from the other seams depends on the style of bra you’re making.  I trimmed all lycra to the shape of the cup apart from the armhole. I’m not sure yet what I will do with the band and cutting off can always be done.

Artificial light makes the color champagne instead of grey all of a sudden.