Don McCunn's Blog

Marking for DIY Fittings

Back in the 1970s I wrote in my book How to Make Sewing Patterns about how you could fit yourself using typewriter ribbon to mark those hard to reach places. Who would know back then that typewriter ribbon would become so hard to obtain.

Fortunately I have found a product that works as a wonderful substitute for typewriter ribbon. It is called Chaco Liner from Clover Products. This product comes in a dispenser that allows you to draw lines on fabric using a device with a spoked wheel. The video below shows how to use the Chaco Liner Refill to mark the hard to reach locations such as the top of back darts and seams like the neck curve.

My Online Classes

I have been getting emails asking about how my online Patternmaking classes work. So I thought I’d post the information here and direct people to this information.

Registering for the School:
To take a class you first need to register at the school. This is a one time process that simply confirms your email address. You can do this at the Sign Up page.

Enrolling in a Class
Once you have registered with the school, you can then enroll in a class. You enroll in a class by paying the enrollment fee through PayPal. You do not need to have a PayPal account. You can use a credit card to pay the fee. People who do not want to do that should contact me at Don@deofsf.com for alternate means of paying for the class.

Time Commitment
One of the biggest questions people have is about the time commitment for the classes. People want to know how they can work the class into their schedule. My classes are a combination of running on a schedule and being self paced.

Once you have enrolled and before I start a class when you go to the classroom you will see a “Welcome” section. Then as per the schedule I open up the class one week at a time. Each week contains videos and other information. There is a forum where people enrolled in the class can ask questions about the material. Everyone has a chance to see these questions.

There is a once weekly interactive one hour chat that is at a specific time. As people take my classes from all around the world, not everybody participates in the chats. I always post a transcript afterward. This is the only time sensitive part of the class.

Once a week is opened, I leave the information available until the class starts again which is usually a year later. You can visit the classroom at any time 24 hours a day 7 days a week. You can download the videos to your computer as a permanent reference. So because I never close the doors, if your schedule does not permit you to keep up with each week, you can always come to the material when you are ready for it. For information about repeating a class at no charge, see my Class Scheduling post.

For the sloper classes I do fitting critiques from pictures people in the class submit. To my mind the videos which show the procedures in real time and the fitting critiques are the most valuable aspect of these classes. Basically it is like having a private one-on-one class to help you create the various patterns and garments. And you can watch the videos as often as you want. I am happy to help you almost 365 days a year–even I need an occasional day off.

My Online Classes Compared to Bricks-and-Mortar Classes
I have a classroom where I compare my approach to online classes to bricks-and-mortar classes. It is The Sandbox classroom. You do not need to be registered with the school to go to this free classroom. You can use the “Log in as a guest” feature.

Beginning Sewers:
I have another free classroom for people who are beginning sewers. This classroom has examples of the videos I use and provides basic techniques that you will need to assemble garments. You are welcome to use this free Sewing Room classroom with the “Log in as a guest” feature.

If you have additional questions, do not hesitate to contact me at Don@dceofsf.com.

Custom Bra Sizing

I was working with a new model, Bonnie, to make a custom-fit bra mold the other day. To see this process, view my Overview. Bonnie said she never wears an underwire bra. The pain threshold becomes unbearable after two hours max. She was told she should wear a “B” cup. That one had me rolling on the floor laughing.

Out of curiosity I compared her measurements to the charts in Beverly Johnson’s “The Bra-makers Manual.” For those of you who don’t know this is one of the major reference books for custom bra makers.

The chart said she should be wearing a 32D bra. She does have a small rib cage and a good size bust. I never go by cup size as I find it rather meaningless for custom-fit bras. So okay I’ll believe Beverly on that one. I warned my model Bonnie that not all bra manufacturers would necessarily use that standard.

We had found Bonnie’s underwire size using the approach I recommend in my eBook, How to Make Custom-Fit Bras, and show in the video on my Bra-Making Resource website. You need to scroll down to the bottom of the page to see it.

When I compared the copper wire I shaped on Bonnie to my chart I discovered she needs a 42 underwire. I pulled out my underwire stash for the 42 size and tried one on her. It was a perfect fit if a little long.

So then I took a look at what Beverly’s book said she should be wearing based on the measurements. According to Beverly the correct underwire size for a 32D bra is a 36. This is 4 sizes smaller than the one that actually fits Bonnie.

So now ask me why I have such an inherent distrust of standardized measurements and mass produced bras?

I firmly believe the only way you are going to truly have a bra that fits is to rely on getting the shape from the actual body.

About Underwire Sizing:
The standard way most suppliers refer to underwire size is by the underwire size for a “B” cup. I developed my chart for underwires by ordering underwires from 7 different suppliers for sizes from 30 to 60 including all the different lengths from demi to extra long. I recorded the results including the necessary order number for each supplier. This is the free Bra Underwire Chart.