Pattern adjusting is the new trend, and tomorrow will be no different! If you’re tired of seeing the shoulders on your garment fit too tight or too loose,
Helpful tips for pattern alterations and the best tools to get the job done. Learn different techniques to alter patterns.
Learn the garment fit process including how to conduct a fit session. Identify common fit issues and how to correct them.
Alterations expert Pamela Howard walks through her go-to method of removing excess fabric from back trouser legs to improve the fit of ready-to-wear or hand-sewn pants.
How to make a sewing pattern bigger or smaller - sewing pattern grading - make a sewing pattern a different size
I’m often asked how to fit a sleeve for the greatest range of motion. I’ve discovered that baggy hip-hop pants—those dropped-crotch pants made popular by urban B-boys, DJs, and graffiti…
I long for an haute couture sleeve. That is, I crave a sleeve that is custom-fitted to my arm and shoulder and that works within the garment’s armscye. After years—or…
Another week flew by while I've been working, snapping pictures for tutorials and writing up draft posts. It's frightening how little time is left after a busy day - you just want to extend it by anot
There are a ton of reasons why you might need to shorten, or lengthen a waistline. You may have a favorite cotton shirting dress shirt that could use a little
How to do common shoulder fitting adjustments: sloped shoulders, straight shoulders, forward shoulder, narrow shoulder and broad shoulder
You might want to have a fresh pair of undies ready. Just sayin’. I was conferred my PhD last week (or fortnight, or thereabouts-which, by the way, is not the reason for the above suggestion, altho…
Achieving the perfect fit for a bodice begins with the shoulders. A shoulder template is a great way to quickly check the shoulder width and slope on a new pattern to see if any adjustments are nee…
I’m often asked how to fit a sleeve for the greatest range of motion. I’ve discovered that baggy hip-hop pants—those dropped-crotch pants made popular by urban B-boys, DJs, and graffiti…
Ease in Bodice: GeneralThese explanations on block ease are for those people new to patternmaking and sewing, and may have the same problems I did understanding ease in the bust and at the underarm level.Important: In this article, I use the term Underarm Level in place of Upper Bust. They are the same thing, but
This is a tutorial on sleeves. Specifically, it’s for anyone who sews who has had trouble with your garment feeling tight or binding ...
Make solo fitting, or fitting yourself without the help of another person, easier with seven ways I use when test fitting the clothes I make.
This tutorial will describe and provide you with solutions to some of the most common skirt and pants pattern fitting issues.
Are you guys ready for this? I am probably going to shock some of you and others will close out the window as soon as they hear what I'm talking about because you have been taught and shown one way so it must be right! I'm sure I'm in for a lot of criticism for this one.... But first, a little backstory to give you my
Make sure your dart hits in the right place by adjusting the bust apex on your sewing pattern
Bottega Veneta, AW11, Milan. Once you have altered your basic pattern blocks to fit correctly, you will want to be able to change the design of the pattern, while remaining confident that you haven’t made
Learn how to successfully fit an armhole by using a muslin. Adjust the bust, back, and shoulder—and your armhole almost takes care of itself.
Well ladies, I am about to show you a fix for one of the most annoying fitting problems ever. You ready? Pants that feel like they're crotching you to death. You know what I'm talking about. You make a new pair of pants, excitedly try them on, and find that they pull in the front, or you can't sit in them. Grrr!! It's the one thing that can really keep you from getting any fashion mileage out of your newly-sewn creation. I can tell you that there are two possible reasons for this. One: The front crotch area is improperly shaped for the body of the wearer. The rise needs to be reshaped. Two: The pants are shorter waisted than the person wearing them. The rise needs to be lowered. Let's start with the reshaping. I have a favorite pattern I use when I want to make some comfy pants or PJ's. Everything about it is perfect. Except for the part where they pull in the crotch. Not comfy at all. Here's how to fix that. Lay the pants out so that you can get at the center front seam. You will be changing the curve, or Reshaping The Rise. Measure 1 1/4" up from the leg inseam. Mark 1/4" out from the crotch seam at this point. Now draw a new curve down to the inseam, and up along the center front seam. You are making the curve deeper. Sew along the line you made, and trim off the excess fabric. Finish the new edge with your serger or a zigzag stitch. Try your pants on. Do they feel better? If so, your work is done. If they need to be adjusted a bit more, here is the next part. Lowering The Rise Measure 1/4" - 3/8" down from the crotch seam and mark. Draw a new curve, but this time carry it up along the back seam as well as the front. You can make your curve bigger than mine is if you want. I usually take it a bit at a time so that I don't do anything drastic. Not that I've done (much of) that sort of thing when I'm sewing. Stitch along your line, trim, and finish your edge. You should now be able to sit down comfortably in your pants. I marked the original curve on the pants so that you can see the difference. You have cut the rise lower, making room in your garment for movement and comfort. This alteration comes in really handy for pants, shorts, coveralls, jumpsuits, and rompers. I've used it many times. Hope it helps you, too! Till next time, keep on sewing! Val Sharing This Post At These Wonderful Parties! Say G'Day @ Natasha In Oz Worthwhile Wednesdays @ The Craftiest Allie Sew Darn Crafty @ Sew Many Ways Silhouette School @ Two It Yourself Link It Or Lump It @ Two It Yourself Friday Link Party @ The Pin Junkie DIY Sunday Showcase @ The Interior Frugalista
Hi there! This is Manda. I am going to take you along on my journey on learning how to do a Full Tummy Adjustment!! Doesn't that...
Whether sewing for ourselves or others, we all struggle with making pattern adjustments to handle fitting challenges. I use a combination of several techniques when adjusting a pattern, especially for a fitted garment. {Are You Wearing The Right-Sized Bra?, Getting To The Perfect Dress} I love this article about figuring out what proportions look best on your body, especially because it focuses on full figures. DEFINING STYLE: HOW TO DRESS FOR YOUR SHAPE. I feel a good place to start is with Nancy Zieman. Her books and videos make adjusting patterns simple to understand and do. Sewing With Nancy - Fitting Finesse Yes, this series was made in 1994 so feel free to laugh at the fashion but the techniques never go out of style! It's All About The Shoulders One key point in Nancy's videos/books is that the shoulders are the most important area to fit because everything else is easily adjustable. If we cut a pattern based on our bust measurement and that measurement is different than the average B cup then the shoulders will not fit. I've bought tops that were an XL to accommodate my bust only to have the top drown me everywhere else because I have a small frame. Nancy's method uses a unique chart that helps you choose a pattern based on your shoulder width and then helps you make any adjustments needed everywhere else (bust, waist, hips, back...). Nancy then teaches easy-to-understand techniques on how to do that. Her pivot technique is great. Full Bust Adjustment (FBA) Unless I'm missing something (and I'll admit I haven't looked at it in depth in years and mostly skimmed it for this post), Nancy's technique adds or subtracts size adjustments to all of the seams equally. In my opinion, this does not make sense. If you're adjusting for a larger/smaller bust, the changes should be made in the bust area! Adding or subtracting these adjustments from all the seams including the back ones makes no sense. The same idea applies to people with a larger belly and/or backside. For example. The bust measurement for a pattern size 14 is 36". If your bust measurement is 40" then most of the 4" difference should be added to the front, right?! Custom Fit The pattern for this dress was customized using the base pattern created through the Fast-Track Fitting Technique. For more fitted clothing, you'll need detailed measurements and adjustments. Fast-Track Fitting by Joi Mahon I found a great measurement format through Craftsy. Called Fast-Track Fitting by Joi Mahon It offers a very detailed measuring system. I'll be honest, making the customized pattern is a lot of work, but when you're done you have a base pattern that fits perfectly and you'll know how and where to use those adjustments on any patterns you use in the future. Note: I used the muslin made using this system as a cover for my mannequin. I added padding where it needed filling out and when I was done it was much more accurate than my adjustable mannequin. This gave me a better form to drape on and cut down on the number of fittings needed. I made one for each of the people I sewed for often. The Beginners Guide: Full Bust Adjustment by curvysewingcollective.com Most Big 4 patterns are drafted using a B-cup bodice and it’s rare that Indies are drafted larger than C-cups. If your bra size falls outside this range, then an FBA is for you! Even if your measurements are exactly identical to those on the pattern envelope, chances are weird fitting issues will crop up with a large cup size. It’s astounding the number of these issues a good FBA can fix, from floppy shoulders to gaping button bands and armscyes. FBA with Knits How to do an FBA on a dartless knit bodice. See this awesome tutorial at https://blog.cashmerette.com/2020/10/how-to-do-a-knit-fba.html Create a muslin (sample garment) using fabric the same weight and stretch of the knit you plan to use for your garment. Put the muslin on and measure how much the muslin's hem rides up in front. This will be your Bust Adjustment amount. Draw a horizontal line across the front pattern piece across the bust apex. Cut along the horizontal line and separate the pattern pieces by the Bust Adjustment amount. keep the pattern lined up with the front edge of the pattern. At the side seam, add a slight curve—essentially, a "boob bubble." This helps create additional width for the bust. This bit is more of an estimate, but we recommend adding about 1/2″ to 3/4″. Trace a new pattern piece. Notch the fabric at the top and bottom of the Bust Adjustment gap. Sewing Instructions 1. Pin the Front piece to the Back piece starting at the hem and going up to the bottom notch. 2. Pin from the armhole to the top notch. 3. Stitch the Front to the Back starting at the hem and going to the bottom notch. When you get to the bottom notch, gently stretch the back piece until it lines up with the front piece, and continue to sew. When you get to the top notch, stop stretching and sew the rest of the seam as you would normally. FBA with Bras/Corsets/Fitted tops One thing I found super helpful was to make/draft a pattern from a bra that fits me {Are You Wearing The Right-Sized Bra?}. I often use the underwires from my old bras that are worn out or from cheap bras that have the right size cups even though the rest of the bra is too big for me Ex. I wear a 34H, which is impossible to find cheap, but I can use the underwire from a "sister-size" bra - 34H, 36G, 38F(aka38DDD), 40DD, 42D, 44C... one of those sizes should be much more common and therefore I can find it cheaper. You can also order underwires in all different shapes and sizes online. To make my own corsets, I've adapted patterns using the techniques listed above ^. {Corsets - Vogue 9273, Wonder Woman Costume} I've also learned a lot from the free tutorials at the Corset Academy (I've never purchased any courses because as far as I can tell, they wouldn't be very useful for someone with serious curves but the sewing techniques are great. They have a lot of free stuff on their YouTube channel as well. More good articles about FBAs Curvy Sewing Collective - The Beginners Guide to Full Bust Adjustment Good articles about making large FBAs Curvy Sewing Collective - Large FBA Issues - Dealing With The Big Honkin' Dart Sew Busty - Giant Full Bust Adjustments on a Woven Bodice Sew Busty - Giant Full Bust Adjustment on a Knit Bodice - AKA Adding A Dart When You Need One ***************** Pant Pattern Adjustment (Some Notes)
You don’t need to be an expert seamstress to get your clothing to fit just how you want it. Here are three easy ways to alter clothes that any beginner can do.
Learn how to Grading Altering Sewing Pattern Sizes. Modify your patterns to use the sizes that fit your body with this easy tutorial.
Your favorite off-the-rack fashions hold the secret to perfectly shaped sleeve caps and armholes.
Often a big fault in style is fit issues. This weeks post is all about alterations for petites and what to expect from your tailor.
Learn how to use a sloper to simplify altering commercial patterns.
How to Draft the Bodice Front (Superceded, Archived) This first image is what the block looks like at the end of the step-by-step instructions below, using the measurements specified in the Example Measurements page - see the Bodice Block Instructions menu. The shape of yours may end up looking quite different. See below for how
Well, upper bust. I know this is going to sound strange, and perhaps I spend way too much time pondering the fit of the bust to arm, but I've been asked a bit about how to pick a sleeve when you are altering a garment, or if you want to change the sleeve on something new that you are making. Here is what I've concluded. It all is in the boobs. For me, when I pick a sleeve, I want one that will give me a good range of motion. To determine that, its about the upper bust/arm pit ratio and how much of you actually fills that area. Sure, we all know to adjust this when we are making a garment, but also, if you are adding a different sleeve to a garment, you will also need to take into consideration the armscye with the new sleeve. That's why some sleeve patterns came with mockup bodice pieces to test the sleeve, which I think was brilliant. Match that up to the bodice of what you want to add the sleeve to and you're golden. But a lot of times that's not the case, and a lot of times if you are adding a sleeve, you don't take this measurements into consideration. I know I didn't. This I'm sure we all know. I really, really hope these diagrams make since. Selecting the sleeve I find depends on the fullness of your upper bust. Compared to my frame, my upper bust should be fuller, but no, it's all down low, in my full bust, so I often have to compensate sleeves and the front (and sometimes back) of the bodice of a garment with a more narrow armhole, or a fuller sleeve. I've tried bust darts but it's too difficult a fit and such a pain so I just go for a different sleeve. A cap sleeve I find works best with the fullest bust. It gives ample room in the arm, and the top of the sleeve just hangs on the center of the top of the shoulder. Often this is a good fit for suits. Here are some samples. This sleeves requires a longer shoulder seam, so make sure you adjust properly for that. The darted sleeve is the one that fits me the best. My bust is kinda square, so the side angles don't lend too well to the cap sleeve. I get too much gaping because the armscye is too wide.. Also, I have mega square shoulders, so a darted sleeve cups over my arm and shoulder for a more molded fit. I like this look with dresses and even some suits. The last sleeve, the puff sleeve I think works best with a smaller bust or a much fuller arm. It sits high over the shoulder, but rarely has a lot of form to it, because of the organic gathers at the top of the shoulder. Puff sleeves are not my look, I think I'm too busty, but they can be awesome on the right frame. I don't think you have to be youthful per se to wear them, but you do have to own that look. I also find them the easiest to add to a garment. Just simple gathers. This sleeve can work at pretty much any length of the shoulder, but think it looks the most flattering higher up. So there you go. I so hope this post made since. I had a hart time articulating it. In any account, everyone have a super saturday!
Above: don’t you hate this effect? So as I mentioned in the last post a lot of commercial patterns (including butterick 5032) gape on me. There always seems to be excess fabric near the neckl…
Drafting the Sleeve Block Sleeves - General Information This page contains general information on drafting the sleeve as listed below. You will need to refer to the information below when following along with the step-by-step instructions. Click on the links to go directly to the section on this page. Ease in the Bicep Sleeve Cap
How to do common shoulder fitting adjustments: sloped shoulders, straight shoulders, forward shoulder, narrow shoulder and broad shoulder
Learn how to Grading Altering Sewing Pattern Sizes. Modify your patterns to use the sizes that fit your body with this easy tutorial.
Learn how to Grading Altering Sewing Pattern Sizes. Modify your patterns to use the sizes that fit your body with this easy tutorial.
Choosing the right pattern, and making it work for your unique proportions is really important. Today I want to share with you 6 tips to help you find the right proportions. There are some initial measurements and alterations that will help improve the proportion of your garment before you cut your
Do you want to know hot to make a sewing pattern? Learn more about the five ways you can make your own sewing patterns!
