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Member since 12/28/15
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Re: Help fitting dress on petite! (posted on 12/28/15 4:55 PM ET)
Hi guys

In desperate need of help. Have made my dress and am now ready to do my second attempt as it needs some serious alterations. Problem is, I'm at a loss to what alterations I should be doing.

At the moment I'm thinking it might be a FBA as it is rather tight on the upper chest, and maybe a narrow shoulder adjustment (although I can't find any tutorial on how to do a strappy dress with facing). It feels quite tight already at the armholes.

There are some photos below.

Since taking the photos I have also noticed that there is some excess fabric at the lower back and a gappy upper back (the upper back I think I can fix).

My measurements are 16" shoulders, 31" upper chest, 32" full chest, 26" waist and 36" hips. I am quite petite at 4ft 11.

What do you guys think? How should I proceed? Is it even worth it with this pattern? :confused:





-- Edited on 12/28/15 at 4:56 PM --
  
Member since 1/3/10
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Posted on: 12/28/15 5:15 PM ET
This is a cute dress. I'm certain you can get the pattern to work for you with the help of some of the fitting experts here.
Does your fabric have any lycra/elastane in it?
  
Member since 3/29/14
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Posted on: 12/28/15 5:21 PM ET
Okay, my first observations is that the bodice is far too long and needs to be shortened - I know because I am short waisted and my neck to waist measurement is only 38cm. Once you get the right length, a lot of the wrinkling on the bodice will disappear. I don't think you need a FBA, as the difference between your high and full bust is only 2.5cm. You might need a narrow shoulder adjustment then again, it could just be because of the bodice. I would start by doing a toile of the bodice after you have made the necessary shortening and go from there. A narrow shoulder adjustment will make itself obvious when you have made the initial adjustment I have suggested.
-- Edited on 12/28/15 at 5:24 PM --
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'We are such stuff As dreams are made on; and our little life Is rounded with a sleep'. The Tempest - William Shakespeare
  
Member since 3/24/04
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Posted on: 12/28/15 7:15 PM ET
In reply to MissSpooky
Is the facing kicked out like that when the dress is not on your body? If so, it's been stretched, and I'd try to press it back into the correct dimensions or even run some elastic along that edge to pull it in to the pattern dimensions.

After that:

The first thing I'd do is to open the side seams, as it seems to be tight, and then look how the side seam behaves. It should sit straight up and down -- you may need a gusset in this for adjustment purposes.

Next, line up the center front and back grainlines perpendicular to the floor, and the grainline over the bust and shoulder blades, parallel to the floor. Pin out tucks horizontally around the bodice (looks like you need a smallish one above the bustline, and a larger one, or maybe two smaller ones, below. Again, keep the side seams straight and the grainlines, cross and lengthwise, at CF and CB straight. That should take care of most of the pulling you see. Now judge if the cuppage is enough for you -- most misses' sizes are drafted for a B cup.
It also looks to me like the bust dart is a little too long for you -- do you know how to back a dart off a bust point?

Finally, do you want the shoulders of the bodice that far apart? If not, I'd splice in some extra fabric (match the grainlines) and redraw the armscye and neckline position.

I suspect this is going to be a project in stages... the neckline kicking out first, then the circumference and length issues, then changing the darts.
  
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Posted on: 12/28/15 7:31 PM ET
Your posture seems a little off, which will affect the final fit. I agree with the aforementioned suggestions, but try standing straight. Tuck your butt under instead of cocking your hips back. Try for a straight line from shoulder to side seams on skirt. Good luck, it's a good first attempt.
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Absolutely loving my Janome 500e embroidery machine, very creative. Problem with all my stash for clothing!
  
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Posted on: 12/28/15 10:32 PM ET
In reply to MissSpooky
Welcome to PR! You might be happy to learn that there is an entire forum for Petites here! Join us!

Ok, now for the help.

I think you need a Narrow Shoulders adjustment and definitely to shorten the bodice length. Maybe mostly at the back. Do you have a swayback? IE short back so you always get that bunching? Looks like a good 5cm (2in).


If it's any consolation, these two things I do systematically/automatically on ALL my patterns (except maybe for SBCC patterns.

Is this a US pattern or an EU brand? It might help if we could see the line drawings better.

If you want to salvage this dress, it's going to be harder to do on the neckline, especially if you trimmed the seam allowances on the neckline edge when you put in the facing. How about gathering the front neckline a bit. Only at the center?

The length is easier to manage but that means taking out the zipper, detaching the bodice, shortening it and then reattaching everything.

You could also try taking some out of the shoulders, more towards the neck than shoulder. And maybe at CB at the upper edge zipper?

Basically, Quality Time with your seam ripper.

Going forward on your next project, I recommend finding a friend to help take your full measurements, especially the lengths. Here's a helpful Burdastyle guide with a photo tutorial imbedded.

Good luck! And feel free to ask more questions here.
  
Member since 12/16/10
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Posted on: 12/29/15 2:21 PM ET
@MissSpooky - A few months ago, I started sewing more fitted woven garments and ran into some of the same problems as you. I'm petite, too - 5 feet on the nose, with a short back, and close to your measurements. Since then, I've been experimenting with the ideal set of alterations I need to make on my fitted patterns, but I have noticed that a swayback adjustment helps me quite a bit to avoid a cascade of fabric at my lower back (which was my major fitted garment bodice fitting issue). For Halloween, I made a tight fitting Game of Thrones costume and did a swayback adjustment and just about cried with the results - such an improvement.

Palmer and Pletsch's Fit for Real People is an excellent, photo rich reference that may help as you identify the right combo of alterations for you.

I, too, am going to check out the Petites forum that @lakaribane recommends! @lakaribane - do you mind sharing your approach for doing a narrow shoulder adjustment?
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- Yasmeen

Why, yes - I do have a few sewing machines: Bernina 1030, 930, B530, 801, and FunLock 009dcc; Pfaff Coverlock 3.0, 2170, and 362; Juki TL-2000Qi and MO-51e; Baby Lock BL101 (...and counting!)

  
Member since 12/22/07
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Posted on: 12/29/15 9:59 PM ET
In reply to MissSpooky
I can't add much to the good advice already given, but that dress is going to look great on you! Don't give up :)
  
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Posted on: 12/29/15 11:49 PM ET
In reply to kayl
I am confused by this: "line up the center front and back grainlines perpendicular to the floor, and the grainline over the bust and shoulder blades, parallel to the floor." I understand perpendicular to the floor--I don't understand parallel to the floor---please explain.

Also, when you say, "pin out tucks", please explain if those tucks should be in the actual garment or just in the pattern.

Thank you,
  
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Posted on: 12/30/15 0:16 AM ET
CF Lengthwise Grainline perpendicular to the floor - yes. In other words CF line should be parallel to Lengthwise Grainline.
CB line - not. For OP's posture (and fitted nature of a dress) center back line should be off set by at least 3/4" for proper fit. CB line will not be parallel to Lengthwise Grainline.
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Irina Grace
English is my Second Language
  
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