Day 11 and I've just finished the underwire casing (channelling) before I zoom ahead to a whole lot of overlocking and elastic application.
I'm making an underwire bikini top but if you are making one without underwires then you get to skip this step and proceed forth without me!
Casing (Channelling):
Here is the inside of my bikini top before adding the casing. The cups are sewn into the frame with the 6mm seam allowance.
I'm using a satin underwire in beige. Rather than pinning this in place, I just line up the inside edge of the casing with the stitch line on my cups. Using a small straight stitch and taking it slow I keep lining up the casing every few centimetres before I sew it down, sewing as close the the edge of the casing as possible.
At the underarm seam I stop sewing about 2cm from the end. This allows for turning the underarm elastic over the edge of the casing to hide and seal the cut edge.
The casing will cover over and hide the seam allowance from the cups and frame.
The outer edge of the casing will get sewn in place after the bottom band elastic is applied.
This is a quick little step but an exciting one! The underwire going in is what really gives the bra it's proper shape.
Have you gone for an underwired or non-underwired bra?