[Rosette]

My preference for a lingerie bra to "harvest" the cups from is the kind with molded cups and built-in padding that enhances the cleavage by pushing up and in. If you're going to cover the bra with fabric, this can end up slightly shrinking the cups, so try not to select a bra with cups that are just barely big enough. You can always add a little more padding when you're done.

A couple of ideas for bra covering: If you want to shape the fabric over the cup by making a dart or darts (which you would place on the underside or towards the outside of the cup), try shaping and marking or basting with the right side of the fabric against the cup, then after sewing, turn that piece right side out and put it on the OTHER cup, and vice versa. It can be helpful to use some stuff called "Tack it Over and Over Glue" which you can buy at the fabric store. You paint the outside of the cup with this and let it dry. Fabric will stick to it while you're positioning it, but you can easily re-position it as many times as you want, and the glue will not come off on the fabric. Just be SURE the glue has dried COMPLETELY before you start (which can take a little patience). If you sew through this glue it can gook up your needle, but if you keep a bottle of isopropyl alcohol and some tissues or cotton balls handy, the alcohol will take the goop right off the needle.

Rosette