Canadian Jane
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Date: 7/24/12 7:17 PM So I am making this cute little easy top... uh-huh...
I said I would not buy this pattern b/c I thought the FBA might be tricky but it was the only one Fabricland had in my size. It is Butterick 5644 , View C.
I made a muslin and low an behold the width seams fine but as per usual, my GG boobs need more material from the shoulder to the bottom of my boobs in order for the underbust to sit under my bust instead of riding up and sitting accross my bust. The pattern is such that their is no side dart, but two darts under each breast.
I am not sure how to add more height from the area from my shoulders to under my breasts without making the armhole bigger - which I don't need.
I found a website that said I could just alter by adding a straight band of extra material under the armhole but then I would have to do the same to the back peice. I am thinking that will give me extra length of material in the back that I don't need. (My backside is a lot smaller than my front.) I can't think of a way of lengthening the front without doing the same adjustment to the back peice.
What to do?? Any ideas out there?
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Courtney Ostaff
 
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Date: 7/24/12 7:50 PM Go ahead and make the armhole bigger and then make it the right length again by inserting a dart. ;) |
tinflutterby
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Date: 7/25/12 1:02 AM I don't know if this will work for you but I add the length along the bottom of the bodice piece tapering to nothing at the side. You will have more gathers/darts or deeper ones but it works for my DD boobs.
Now I look I would also add at the shoulders. Those pleats are also darts so you can get some space for the girls there too
-- Edited on 7/25/12 1:05 AM -- |
Canadian Jane
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In reply to tinflutterby <<
Date: 7/25/12 10:56 AM I did decide to add 1.0 inch at the top of the shoulders, and I am going to add another 1.5 inches at either the bottom or the section below the armhole.
I was thiking the tapered line might work - even more of a curved line to add more depth over the actual boobs and less over the center front.
Regardless, I wonder if I need to sew the darts and the shoulder pleats deeper/ longer or adjust the line that crosses over so I don't get "gap"?
Anyone know?
I will fiddle some more with the muslin today and see what I can figure out. Might have this done in time for NEXT summer! Actually, as long as I am learning something new - it's all good!
FYI - I already found two other adjustments with this pattern - at least I think this should be done. It doesn't have any neck or armhold facings - just supposed to sew with single fold bias tape and fold over to the inside. I don't think this treatment will want to lie flat and smooth over time so I am going to make small facings with the same material, maybe secure them down with fusible tape. Or else I will line with the same fabric.
Second, where the front and back shoulder seams join are different widths and it is not because the pleats at the top are different sizes!
Yikes... and "easy" pattern alright!
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tinflutterby
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In reply to Canadian Jane <<
Date: 7/25/12 4:09 PM I was thinking the tapered line might work - even more of a curved line to add more depth over the actual boobs and less over the center front. Regardless, I wonder if I need to sew the darts and the shoulder pleats deeper/ longer or adjust the line that crosses over so I don't get "gap.
I adjust wrap type tops for fit before I sew the under bust seam. I usually end up with larger seam allowances in the center front. I also stay the V with twill or elastic easing it a bit across the bust to help with the gap.
The bias binding works well if you stretch it in to a curve and press in the curve before sewing so the binding will match the armhole.
This last is just a guess but I would look at the way they say to finish the front and back neck for an explanation as to the shoulder seams.
Hope all this is clearer than mud, words don't seem to be working for me today |
Kathelaine
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Date: 7/25/12 4:24 PM I make this adjustment all the time, and it is much easier to do than explain. You need to add at least an inch in both length and width. Add a dart to the side and then fold it out, which will move it to the pleats at the top and the darts at the bottom. You probably won't need as much length where the seams lap over. Adjust your muslin by trimming at the shoulder or shortening the pattern by making little tucks where the seams overlap at the bustline.
I use a combination of Nancy Zieman's pivot and slide method and Shirley Adams' method of cutting almost to the bust point and moving darts around. |
CM_Sews
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Date: 7/25/12 4:31 PM This may be useful:
Take a look at Fantastic Fit for Every Body - Amazon Look Inside Feature and enter "halter" in the search field. This should show you page 40.
You can see how Gale Hazen altered a halter top pattern (very similar to your pattern, I think) by measuring from the shoulder seam to under the bust and from the center front over the bust to the side seam. You can see that she tilted out the side seam to provide enough fabric horizontally -- the arm hole has not been touched.
Notice that quite a bit of fabric was added to the pattern from the shoulder seam to the empire waist seam, in a big curve. This provides enough fabric to cover the breast completely.
CMC
**This book is out of print, but it's one of my favorite fitting books because it really explains the whole concept of "more fabric for more body" in a way that makes sense to me. As always, YMMV. |
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