#and I have a 10 inch difference between bust and underbust

[sheliesshattered]

pattern matching on curved seams because I’m just wacky like that 🤪

[orphancookie69]

9/15-10/15: 30 Day Waist Training Challenge

I am an old soul, and have always been drawn to things like corsets and waist trainers. I did some research, after stumbling onto a corset sale and being an owner of them. If one wears a waist trainer for 30 days, it should rearrange where the fat in that area of your body sits-and if you can lose fat while rearranging it-you can get your own version of a hour glass figure! Not to mention lose some inches! And who doesn’t feel like empowered woman with it on? Maybe its just me. To start: I gathered the supplies, did a pre experiment measurement, and made a plan. 

Supplies: I plan on adding Waist Trainers from Luxx Curves, but for now I have a Corset, Underbust Corset, High Back Corset, Vintage Corset, and Classic Underbust Corset from Corset Story. They had an amazing buy 5 for the price of 1 sale. There is a difference between Waist Trainers and Corsets, similar in design but you can work out more in a Waist Trainer. A proper waist trainer, holds all the fat in so that all the fat can be worked on. A slip to wear under, or a tank top is not a bad idea either. Also, it should be tight (to be effective) but not painful. I also have a weight loss belt for the stomach area for work out days or break days. Easily found in person or on Amazon. The waist trainers from Luxx Curves are going to be an underbust and highback. 

Measurements: I did a measurement using tape, a weigh in with renpho, and a scan with me360. I measured: Underbust 40″, Waist 39″, Abdomen 47″, Hip 49″. I saw a video that measured (looking from the side) the bulge of the belly, and that was 14″. 

Plan: I planned to wear a waist trainer or corset every day, for as long as I could in 2,4,6, or 8 hour increments during the week. During the weekend I plan to wear the workout one to have a break (of sorts) but stay on track. I will feel out what days I should not wear anything, and on those days I need to strengthen the muscles with stretches. 

Challenge: I measured on 9/14 and planned to start 9/15-10/13, measuring again on 10/14 for the after results. When wearing it, it is best to wear it with a sports bra. 

Week 1: 9/15-9/22: Latex underbust, high back, classic underbust, waist belt; I was traveling this week and altered my weekday/weekend schedule a bit. Taking one day off. 

Week 2: 9/22-9/29: Class underbust, waist belt; I had my cycle this week, complete with cramps so I am adjusting course to half days with the non corset option in leu of taking all my break days for the month this week. 

Week 3: 9/29-10/6: Classic Under Bust, Sauna Jacket, Waist Belt. I had a break day to use but did not use it this week. I purchased my waist trainers from Luxx and am waiting for those to come in, as I found myself being more active than I should be in a corset this week. 

Week 4: 10/6-10/13: Luxx and Amazon stuff arrived this week. Waist Belt, Luxx Waist Trainer, High Back Exercise Vest, Exercise Waist Vest. Having the variety I can sweat in definitely helps. 

Results: I originally measured before the challenge, in the morning before I had eaten or drank anything. This is the ideal time to measure up. 

BEFORE: Underbust (40″), Natural Waist (39″), Abdomen (47″), Hip (49″), Semi Circumference (14″)

MIDWAY: Beginning  of Week 3 (UB 39″, NW 38″, A 47″, H 48″, SC 13″) and seeing the progress/lack there of, decided to adjust course a bit to burn more fat. End of week 3 (UB 39″, NW 38″, A 45″, H 48″, SC 12″). 

AFTER: UB 38″, NW 37″, A 45″, H 47″, SC 11″ - with lower values (Fat, Stomach, Hip) and higher values (lean body mass). Before is left and After is Right: 

Results show that 30 days of waist training, or sweating combination, had mem lose 2 inches on all measurements, with changes in internal measurements regarding body. Weight did not change, but as that was not the focus I don’t mind, and muscle weighs more than fat so as I replace one with the other, the number will change. I went down a size in my shorts during this month too! 

As strange as it is that a corset should be secondhand nature, it is for me. But if you can, please have someone help you with it. The first time wearing any corset is tough, but like a pair of shoes it molds to you and is easier over time. I found it is easier to start at the bottom and work your way up, using a mirror. To maintain and increase your results-one must continue to do this but I am excited for the day that I need a smaller size because I am finally a petite woman! (Well, as much as my DNA will let me be LOL). 

[20dollarlolita]

Id like to use the new simplicity jsk pattern, but it only goes up to a size 20. I'm size 24-26 in simplicity sizes. Do you think it's possible to edit a pattern by that much without losing its shape completely?

)

(The process of making a pattern bigger or smaller is called grading, and it’s one of my favorite things to do, actually. It’s a really good job skill to have if you’re looking to get into fashion patterning, costume design and tech, or working for a small studio. Just throwing that out there. It’s a real skill, and it’s somewhat complex, but once you get good at it, definitely put it on your resume! And yes, you can make almost any pattern into almost any size!)

According to Simplicity’s questionably helpful technical drawings, it looks like the bodices of those pieces are princess seamed.Who’s up for 20dollarlolita attempts to teach an entire 10-week term of pattern grading in one ask using MSPaint and a trackpad that breaks when you try to click-and-drag? That’s what we’re about to attempt:

So here we have the back of the only princess-seamed pattern that I already have on my computer. Yours will be a little different in the piece on the top, since the JSK doesn’t have an armhole, but the process is the same.

I suggest tracing your pattern pieces onto a sturdier piece of paper. You’re going to be drawing all over them, so having clear lines is nice. Since you’re making the paper bigger, make sure to leave a border of several inches around the edges of each piece.

You’re going to want to hold your pieces close together, match notches and measure where the biggest part of the bustline is. Since you have that border around your pattern pieces, you might need to get creative with the folding of the edges. I think it really helps visualization to get all four pieces of the bodice(half) lined up, so imagine this picture, but with the side front and front pieces lined up too.

Draw a line across all four pieces at the bustline Measure how big your waist and bust pieces on the pattern are (red lines) and write it down. I like to find the under-bust (teal line) too. This is usually 3-4″ lower than the bust point. It may be more or less for you. Just measure from your bust point (that means nipple, but the word nipple makes me uncomfortable to say) to your bra band or underwire on one of your busts, and mark in that spot. You don’t need to worry about industry conventions here, because you’re sewing for you.

Now measure your bust, waist, and underbust, and write it down next to the measurements from the pattern. Subtract the pattern measurements from your measurements to figure out the difference between each. Write those numbers down and circle them. Then, since you’re working with four pattern pieces, divide that number by four. Write these numbers down and double circle them or put them in a box.

For example, the bust on a Simplicity size 20 is 40″, and the bust on a size 26 is 48″. 8″ / 4 is 2″, so each piece of the pattern needs to be 2″ bigger at the bust line. 

This was the part that blew my mind the first time I did a pattern: you just mark out the distances on the pattern piece. I had assumed there was a formula and a secret and everything, but you just draw the new distances out.

One tip: It’s a lot easier to redraw a straight line than a curved line, so I’d probably add 1/2″ onto the curved pieces, and make up the difference by adding 1+1/2″ onto the side, back, and front seams.

Then you just connect the dots. If they look very choppy, you can smooth them a little bit. It doesn’t hurt anything when you do that.

Keep drawing things bigger and connecting dots as you go. If your armhole’s bigger, you draw it bigger on both pieces. (the gray line is me aproxxing in what the sleeveless pattern is more likely to look. Should have done that 4 pictures ago, but oh well).

Seam allowance all around the outside, and you can cut out your patterns. Then you’re going to want to get some muslin (or any cheap woven fabric. Check walmart’s 50cents a yard bin when they have it) and make a mock up. This is especially important for the bodice, which can be a bit tricky due to all the curves. Adjust your mockup as you need to (good tutorial here) and you should be able to get a better fit.

And, seriously, once you’ve done this, take some good pictures of your work, how it fits, and make a note that you graded it from a 20 to a 26. In the professional industry, grading is a serious job skill to have. You can get jobs as a professional grader. Even if all you’re doing is trying to get someone to let them make their prom dress, and even if you don’t feel like you’re very good at it yet, it doesn’t hurt to have documentation of your skill. I really wish I’d done this when I was starting out, so I remind folks to do it when I can.

[smallest-bunny-blog]

progress 10/9

5′5″, 153-159 lbs 

(the scale i bought is broken and gives me multiple different numbers lmao fml)

↓ neck / 12.5″ ↓ bust / 37″ underbust / 31″ ↑ waist / 29.75″ ↓ stomach / 34″ ↑ hips / 38.5″ butt / 42″ upper arm / 11″ ↓ thigh / 23.75″

finally a few of my measurements went down a little!!!!! my hips have been hovering between 37 and 39 for like 800 years and my waist is bigger by maybe half an inch but all in all happy to see some progress <3