Moving Apex in Bare Essentials Drafting Method

by - January 24, 2021

When you're Drafting with Bare Essentials Drafting Method, a common alteration that needs to be done is moving the apex toward the center front so the breast doesn't appear to be pointing towards the arms.  In the bra-making world, this is often called "East-West" pointing and is not generally an appealing look under clothing since the seams are usually designed in clothing to be more front facing.  

The following tutorial (and photos) are the work of Dale Hoffman and this tutorial is a post that I had intended to feature a year ago.  (Such is life.) 

Step 1 

Complete page 166, 167 and 168 in  Chapter 16 of Bare Essentials.  

Place top and bottom facing each other so  you don’t get confused

as to which way to  move your apex. Ask me how I know this.

Step 2 

Mark how far to move your apex and mark  with a pencil.

I also mark my upper and  lower cups with the same amount.

I have  used pens to make it easier to see. 

If you are only moving your apex a small  amount,

you won’t need this mark on your  lower cups as you would join

to the original  vertical point. If I used the original vertical  point

for my lower cups it makes them  very misshapen

because of how big my apex  move is.



Step 3

True your new apex point to the centre  front and side seam points on your circle. True your new apex point to the centre  front and side seam points on your circle. 



Step 4 

Now mark your new upper cup centre line. 

And on the lower cups I mark a new centre  line, or you can join

to the original vertical  point. (Kristen's Note: On the Lower cups,

Dale uses the red line for her vertical split on her bras,

where I use the blue line. The red line made my boobs look crosseyed

which is as abnormal as east-west facing. Sometimes you just have to experiment)


Step 5

Erase your original apex pencil marks.  Now you can follow page 170

and complete  your torso shape adjustment if you need  any.

You can split your lower cups at  this stage as well.



You May Also Like

0 comments

Please be kind, y'all!