If you missed part 1 of this series, we invite you to read it here: Soft Bras, Part 1, and Soft Bras, Part 2.

Circle 'N' Spoke Bra

One retro style bra that has become very sought after by 1950’s “re-enactors” is Maidenform's “Chansonette” Circle 'n' Spoke Bra, a variant on, or inspiration for, the spiral stitched bullet bras of the time. Maidenform also licensed this design to other brands, such as Carol Brent for Wards mail order catalogue.

With its elastic insert at centre front and concentric circle and spoke stitching on the cups, the bra has definitely got that 50’s look. The basic design was filed for patent on the 17^th April 1950 by William Rosenthal for the Maiden Form Brassiere Company, USA patent No 162,691. It is interesting that the original patented design used underbust darted cups, just like your master cup block. But the production model had horizontal overbust faggoted cup seams and the “new” stretch straps.

As you can see, in old advertisements in which the bra has the “new” stretch straps, the model is always shown stretching up one of the straps. Don’t let it snap down young lady, very painful!

We can adapt the basic soft bra draft to make a copy of Maidenform’s Circle 'n' Spoke bra.

The main changes to make are: alter the cradle at centre front for the elastic insert and as well as drafting stretch wings / straps as per the production model we will draft the wings for non-stretch fabric as per the 1950 patent. We can also have a go at using Faggoting tape for the over bust seams as on the production Circle 'n' Spoke bra.

By the way, the elastic insert at the centre front is to cover up a bad bit of design. The underband / cradle is just two strips of fabric with no shaping, so the elastic was inserted to compensate for any distortion of the fabric / fit.

So, practice stretching and holding up one of your straps as we draft and make this bra.

First the overbust seamed Circle 'n' Spoke cup

Start by extending lines 2 and 6.

On line 2, put a mark 1.2cm along the line from the centre front / cup outline end.

At the 1.2 mark on line 2, draw a line at 90 degrees to line 2.

At the underarm end of line 7, draw a line at 82 degrees to line 7.

At the cup outline end of line 4, draw a line at 96 degrees to line 4.

At the cup outline end of line 5, draw a line at 96 degrees to line 5.

From where the new centre front line touches line 2, draw a line parallel to the neck hemline at 1cm distant. Then extend the underarm hemline to meet the new neck hemline.

A bit of grading

We need to put a mark on the line 4 / 96 degree line. In my size 4 cup example this mark is 4cm along the line.

For your cup size, you need to increase or decrease this measurement.

The grading increment is 6mm.

Increase the 4cm line mark by 6mm for each cup size above size 4. So if your cup size is size 8 then make 4cm line mark 6.4cm

(6mm x 4 cup size steps = 2.4cm + 4cm = 6.4cm).

For each cup size below size 4 take away 6mm, so for size 2 make the line mark 2.8cm

(6mm x 2 cup size steps = 1.2cm, 4 – 1.2 = 2.8cm).

At the 4cm +- 6mm mark, draw a line at 163 degrees to the line 4 / 96 degree line.

The 163-degree line gives us the bottom end of the centre front seam between the cups.

Divide the centre front seam line in half and draw a new line 3 from P of B (point of bust) to the centre front seam line midway mark. Label this line 3a. The 3a line will become part of the overbust seam.

Before we split the cup in half, we must draw a sewing guide circle on the cup for the concentric circular stitching. Set your compasses to 5cm and draw a circle from the P of B.

For an overbust seam cut the cup in half along lines 6 / 3a, close up “dart” lines 4, 5.

Draw in the sewing guidelines for the spokes: four spokes on the top half and three spokes on the bottom half.

Use your protractor to mark out the angles of the lines as shown.

On the bottom cup half, draw a curve for the over bust seam (on lines 3a, 6). Do an over bust seam curve on the top half of the cup. The curved line must be the same length as the bottom cups half over bust curved seam line.

You can also “smooth off” the cup's lower hem to remove the “point” of lines 5/4.

We now need to adjust the seam lines for the faggoting tape.

First measure the width of the embroidery stitching in the centre of the tape.

Divide the measurement by two and remove the half measurement from the two seam edges of the cup panels before adding seam allowance.

Next, measure the width of the plain tape edge and add this width to the cup panels' over bust seam lines as their seam allowance.

The other sides of each panel add the usual 5mm seam allowance and add sewing info.

Next, the cradle bands

The elastic I have used for my “cup size 4” examples for the centre front between the cups is 2.5cm wide garment “elasticated waist band” type elastic. You may like to go for wider elastic for larger cup sizes, 3cm to 5cm. For the fabric cradle bands we need to draft an inner band and an outer band to sandwich the elastic between. You will understand this better when you see how the bra is sewn together.

Draw a rectangle as long as the curved part of the lower cup panel hem and as wide as your chosen elastic. This is the inner cradle band.

Copy the rectangle and add a 45 degree / 45 degree “arrow” end to the rectangle.

This is the outer fabric cradle band.

Add 5mm seam allowance to both band drafts.

For the length of the elastic at centre front, measure the distance from the centre front seam line to the end of the 163-degree line (not along the line).

Now double the measurement, subtract 1.25cm for negative ease, add 1cm to give 5mm seam allowance at each end.

The numbers for my size 4 cup example:

4cm x 2 = 8cm,

8cm – 1.25cm = 6.75cm,

6.75cm + 1cm = 7.75cm.

Cut a 7.75cm length of elastic for a size 4 cup.

By the way, when you cut a short length of this type of elastic DO NOT STRETCH IT until you have sewn it because the rubber cords can “slip” inside the weave and the short length of elastic will distort.

That’s the cups and cradle drafted, now for the wings.

If you want to have stretch Powernet wings and stretch straps follow the instructions for the wing draft in the second article on soft bras. If you are making non-stretch wings you will need to get some elastic banding and a large bikini hook for the back fastening stretch elements. For my example I have used 2cm wide “elasticated waist band” type elastic.

For ridged fabric wings; place the cup parts and cradle band blocks (no seam allowance) together along their side seam line. Draw a line at 90 degrees to the parts side seam line; make this line 33% of your back measurement. For my example 50cm back measurement the wing length is 16.5cm. The maths, 50 / 100 x 33 = 16.5.

At the end of the line draw a line up at 90 degrees; make this line equal to double the width of your back fastening elastic. My example this is 4cm.

For the strap platform position, along the 33% line put a mark at 30% of your back measurement and draw a 6cm line up at 90 degrees. In my example 30% is 15cm.

Now join up the top ends of the lines to complete the wings shape and add 5mm seam / hem allowance all round.

For the stretch elastic back-fastening parts each “folded in half” length of elastic should be 10% of your back measurement plus 5mm seam allowance. For my example this is 5cm + 5mm = 5.5cm.

Sewing

The sewing for the non-stretch winged bra is quite straightforward. Even the concentric circle stitching on the cups is easer than doing spiral stitching. Just be as accurate as you can.

Start by marking out the cup parts and marking the concentric circles, 10cm guide circle and the spokes onto the fabric. Use dressmaking carbon paper and a tracing wheel. Do not be tempted to use office typing carbon paper as it does not wash out!

Stitch the spokes on the cups but do not stitch the concentric circles yet.

Sew the faggoting tape to the cup panels, place the cup panel right side up on the sewing machine then place the tape right side down along the seam allowance.

Sew along the line where the tape's embroidery stitching joins the tape's plain edge.

Repeat for the other panel.

Fold the panels' seam allowance / tape's plain edges down onto the panels and stitch down.

In my example I have used quite a wide faggoting tape so you can see the sewing process, for your bra you can use a much narrower tape.

Now for the concentric circle stitching. Sew around the first marked circle.

Sew the next circle using the previous circle as a guide.

As with the bullet bra spiral stitching, it helps if you can decrease the sewing foot pressure to help you turn the cup under the foot.

For my example size 4 cups I was able to sew seven 5mm spaced circles on each cup. Remember, the circles are not connected together.

For the cradle bands / centre front elastic, start by sewing the elastic to the inner rectangle bands, 5mm seam allowance, turn under and sew flat. Make sure the elastic is in between the 5mm seam allowances on the long edges of the bands.

Turn and sew the 5mm allowance on the “arrow” ends of the outer bands.

Place the inner and outer bands face to face and sew along one edge.

Press open seam allowance, turn right sides out and sew along other edges.

Sew down “arrow” ends to elastic.

Sew raw edges of the bands to the lower cup hems, face side to face side.

Then fold down ready for seam taping on the inside.

Tape over band to cup seam until you reach the “163 degree line” turn, fold over the 5mm hem allowance on the cup and continue to tape to the centre front seam of cup.

Turn under and seam tape the neck hem of each cup.

Sew together the cups at the centre front seam. Press open seam allowance.

Tape over seam.

Sew wings to the side of the cups / cradle bands. Note the 5mm “overhang” at the bottom of the side seam; this is the 5mm hem of the wing that will be turned under and taped.

Now make up the stretch elastic hook / tape back fastenings.

And cut two straps from fabric tape / ribbon, about 45cm long for each strap. You will also need four strap rings or four strap sliders that match the width of your strap tape.

Sew stretch elastic hook / tape back fastenings to wings, also the straps, face side to face side.

Taping seams and hems

As I always say, bra designing is not ust about drawing pretty pictures; you also need to think about how the bra would actually be made. It’s no use designing a fantastical garment in two dimensions on paper if the garment cannot be made up in three dimensions.

The main aim of taping the seams and hems are to cover up and help stabilise the raw edges of the fabrics. If you have only 5mm of seam allowance the seam / fabric edges will break down very quickly after only a few washes and wears if not taped. It is also more comfortable to have a smooth, flat, taped seam against the skin.

Try to look at as many commercially available bras as you can. Look at them from a technical standpoint: how are they constructed, are seams finished off correctly, are the seams properly covered or are there any raw fabric edges. Try to work out how the bra was put together, and in what order the parts were sewn together.

If accuracy is to be your main watchword when drafting and making bras, next should be quality.

To save thinking time working out how to tape the side seam / wing hems / underarm cup hem, start by going down the side seam, along the wing bottom hem, over the hook / eyelet fastening, along the wing top hem and strap end then up the cup underarm hem.

The first run of tape stitching should be along the “outer” edge of the tape, then the second run of stitching should be along the “inner” edge of the tape, mitring the corners as you come to them. Use your sewing machine's small screwdriver or other “flat blade” such as a metal nail file to help tuck in the tape fabric to mitre the corners. Using a blade helps keep your fingers away from the needle. I do not like to mention it but yes, I have seen a sewing machine needle go through a fingertip. BE CAREFUL, PLEASE!

For the strap adustment points on the cups, thread a length of strap tape through two strap rings or sliders and sew across to secure.

Sew strap attachments / adustments to the cup apex.

Thread the strap through both rings, then back through the front ring.

That’s it, try the bra on and it should fit you better than on my pathetic plastic display mannequin!

I think that you will agree that this bra is crying out for a 50’s suspender / garter belt to go with it, made using the same techniques of seam and hem taping sheer panels as the bra.

Imagine this bra in a semi transparent black with red stitching,

This is a very 40’s/50’s film noir “Femme fatale bad girl” bra. With your hair seductively draped over one eye,  you light a cigarette as the handsome private eye quizzes you over the sudden suspicious death of your “sugar daddy”, before he succumbs to your bad girl charms and smudges your blood red lipstick...

 

Go on to Part 4

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