moonthirty
 
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Date: 5/27/11 12:09 PM Hi all! I could sure use some help. I am trying to figure out my standard pattern alterations for a top. I use the pivot-and-slide method, and my size based on my shoulders is a 14. My actual bust is 46", so I do quite a substantial increase. I've figured out lately that I need a sloping shoulders adjustment, and I can't get my mind around how to do both, namely regarding the armhole of the bodice. After redrawing the shoulder seam to reflect the sloping, what then? If I just pivot out for the bust increase, then the lower armhole which is needed due to the sloping, isn't reflected. I have looked at a few options and they all produce drastically different results, so I'm hoping someone can save me. :)
I have the books Pattern Fitting with Confidence, Fitting Finesse, and The Sew/Fit Manual, and haven't been able to find this particular combo in any of them. (As a note, I do know that I can't pivot the full amount needed for my bust increase... A block extension is also needed afterwards. But it's the pivoting for the combination of sloping shoulders AND bust increase that I'm struggling with.)
Many, many thanks for any help you can provide! |
frame
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In reply to moonthirty
Date: 5/27/11 3:00 PM Do them separately. Do your sloping shoulder first, then your bust increase. You may have to readjust your bust point. ------
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lca
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Date: 5/27/11 4:06 PM Don't forget to lower the armhole the same amount as the amount you take for the slope. |
moonthirty
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Date: 5/27/11 4:25 PM Thanks to you both for the replies. I understand what you're both saying, but I must be dense because I still seem to be missing something. I'm looking at my working pattern right now. Sloped shoulder seam has been traced. Pin is in the intersection between the shoulder and armhole, ready to do the next pivot. If I pivot to the original side seam, as I would if I were just doing the sloping shoulder change, then the armhole would be lowered the right amount, same as the shoulder seam. But, since I would actually pivot out another inch for my bust increase, it is no longer lower. Does that make sense? That's where I'm getting confused. I can't draft the bottom of the armhole lower AND increase the side seam by an inch, at least not by pivoting from the same spot. I'm sure I'm just looking at this wrong, but I can't figure out how...
-- Edited on 5/27/11 6:59 PM -- |
lca
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Date: 5/27/11 4:52 PM When you do a sloping shoulder adjustment, you are making the armhole smaller by cutting some off. You counteract this by dropping the armhole to keep the length of the armhole. On your Pattern the armhole is going to look higher after the bust adjustment, but when the pattern is made up, your bust will pull the armhole into place. Just keep the length (the seamline distance between the shoulder and armhole intersection the same.) I hope this makes sense, Maybe someone else can explain it better. It will be fine. |
frame
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In reply to moonthirty
Date: 5/27/11 5:27 PM These are two different adjustments. One (the sloping shoulder) is really length. The bust adjustment is width. You can't combine them. Well, maybe somebody could, but I don't know how. ;)
After you do the sloping shoulder adjustment, start again with your "new sloping shoulder pattern" and do your bust width from there. Just like you were starting from scratch. Does that make sense? ------
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moonthirty
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Date: 5/27/11 6:54 PM Okay, I think I get it. I will try it and report back - thanks to you both for your help! |
moonthirty
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Date: 5/28/11 8:38 PM Okay, it worked... Thanks for talking me off the cliff. Now it's just moving the dart that's about to make me crazy! I just keep reminding myself that once I get this figured out, future tops will be so much easier. Thanks to you both; the help was much appreciated. |
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