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Member since 8/26/05
Posts: 1249
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Posted on: 7/11/11 2:59 PM ET
I hate doing FBA's. They never come out right and the bust dart always looks terrible....I measure an 18 in the neck and bust, a 20 in waist and hips, but a size 8 in the front and back shoulder width. I've tried buying smaller sizes and going up, but it never looks good.

So, I bought an 18. I slashed from mid shoulder point to bust point, and then from the hem to the bust point, with the bust point being the hinge. I overlapped the the upper portion about 1-1/4 inches, making the shoulder width and upper chest fit perfect. The spread from the bust point down gives me enough room for the tummy. I do the same on the back, slashing from mid shoulder to the top of the waist dart, and then from the hem up to the dart point and then overlap just as in the front....it really works...

I know I can't be the only one who has figured this out...or do I just have a strange shape?
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Deb: www.thinkingcouture.blogspot.com
  
Member since 8/14/05
Posts: 25292
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Posted on: 7/11/11 3:06 PM ET
In reply to Deb Fox
What a good idea. I do what is probably a like thing, but here is how it works. First, in Shannon's class on Making a Muslin we made shoulder templates of ourselves front and back. I just lay that thing over a pattern and slice off what isn't under the template - takes some tricky moves on patterns of different styles, but it has never failed me yet. I have to hack off about 2-3 sizes at least that way in the shoulders and upper back and front. Make sure the sleeves and arm holes still are functional.

I liked this so much I made my daughter templates as well. She is tiny but always needs a bit more in the shoulder width and no more anywhere else - same thing only now you add lines and tissue, instead of hacking off tissue.

Seems to make more sense, as you say, to work from larger to smaller. ;)
-- Edited on 7/11/11 3:08 PM --
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"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." --Dalai Lama
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Member since 7/16/07
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Posted on: 7/11/11 3:31 PM ET
In reply to Deb Fox
That sounds pretty clever, and no, you don't have a strange shape -- if you do, then a lot of us do.

I measure (Burda) size 12 in the neck and at least two sizes less in the shoulder width. The rest of me is quite a bit bigger (not a consistent size, but mostly 18-20). I don't do an FBA either -- I taper from one size to the next, and so far it's worked fine. I also do something similar to what you do to adjust the shoulders (going from a 12 to a 6 or 8 or whatever).

I described my process on here once and some people asked why I didn't just do an FBA. Someone else (who shall remain nameless but let's just say herknowledge of fitting is very well respected on here) piped up and said my process was simply another way to arrive at the same end. ...Whatever works most intuitively for you.

If my neck size weren't so different from my bodice size I'd definitely try your method. It sounds like it could really work for some people.


-- Edited on 7/11/11 3:33 PM --
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Member since 4/1/08
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Posted on: 7/11/11 4:03 PM ET
In reply to Deb Fox
This is what I did for my grandmother for the very first jacket and pant set I made for her when I was 18. Grandma was so pleased with her outfit that she sent it to the dry cleaners, and that was 40 years ago! That was the ultimate compliment as it could have been washed. Grandma was very, very petite with an FF cup. I usually used a pattern to fit her bust and then took everything down around it. Fabric choice was up to me and I opted for fabrics that could discreetly withstand the inclusion of a dart at the front mid shoulder. My mind runs more on the conceptual graphics side and this just seemed natural. I remember reading somewhere, could it have been Sandra Betzina, that in fitting pants you should go with the biggest pattern size required for either the hip or the waist and work down from there. The idea being that if you had a size 14 hip and a size 10 waist that you would get the 14 pattern to use as your starting point. It does seem easier to pare down than size up. And yes, I did need to scale back on the rest of the garment for grandma, sleeves, sleeve hole, back width, overall neck size, etc. Thanks for posting the reminder, I sometimes forget that often sizing down is much easier than sizing up.
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Each fallen petal reveals a life pollinated by a colony
and nurtured by The Master Gardener.
  
Member since 4/20/08
Posts: 7015
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Posted on: 7/11/11 4:15 PM ET
In reply to Deb Fox
Deb this is really interesting and would work for my narrow shoulders. My only question: Where does the extra length come from most of us need, to go over the "girls"?
  
Member since 4/12/05
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Posted on: 7/11/11 5:19 PM ET
In reply to Deb Fox
I'd love to see pictures of what you are talking about.
If I understand your post, you are 18 in the neck/bust, 20 in aist /hips and an 8 in from the neck to the shoulder point. Did I understand this correctly?

No, I do not think you have that strange a shape, but a very challenging one instead. I believe I understand most of what you are saying. I've never seen or heard of this being done, but why ever not? Most of us are several sizes in different places. I think you have a great idea there.

As for bust darts, mine seem to like to point to the sky for some reason...

Learn
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Currently working on a boys quilt. Sized 40 x 40 inches. It has chickens, chicken eggs, cows, fish, sea life, afield with water, Dachshunds, mini sailboats, and many colorful other fabrics. The blocks are a 4 x 4 finished size, so many of them are needed.
This my 4th quilt in 7 months.

Bernina 630, Bernina embroidery module, Pfaff 2036, Bernina 1200DA serger, Unique Sewing Cabinet 450L

Gardening info: zone 8 standard map and zone 6 Sunset map
  
Member since 7/3/10
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Posted on: 7/11/11 5:50 PM ET
I end up doing the opposite. I have a size B bust (size 12 top) but my waist is a 16. Some of the patterns I have made have that (size 16) in the next size envelope up (it goes up to a size 14 in the packet I have bought) so I just add round the waist area.

I don't really fancy having to redraw all the darts round my bust to get it back down to a size 12/B cup. I guess it depends where you don't meet the "standard" sizing. Hats off to all you ladies who have to alter for the bust. I count myself truly lucky that is area I don't have to worry about.

Adding at the waist has been fairly straight forward so far. I am not looking forward to learning how to adjust for fitted skirts and pants though......I think that could be "interesting" as they say.
  
Member since 4/27/11
Posts: 441
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Posted on: 7/11/11 5:59 PM ET
In reply to Deb Fox
You do not have a strange shape. I do something like your method, only in reverse. My bust is bigger than my shoulder size, so I split the pattern from shoulder to hem (shirt pattern) and spread the pieces from the shoulder seam downward. I pin it in place and straighten the shoulder seam a bit. It works for me because I am only one or two sizes bigger in the bust.

I need to keep the neckline down to a size 12 also, or the shirt looks to big for me, so I have to make sure it lays flat and then fold a bit of the pattern under just below the front neck and straightening the front opening line a bit.

Good for you for finding this method to get a good fit. Now I don't feel like the strange loaner with my unorthadox method.
  
Member since 4/27/11
Posts: 441
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Posted on: 7/11/11 6:08 PM ET
In reply to JTink
The extra length was a problem for me at first. I noticed my blouses and shirts would look a little short in the front and long in the back.

So I started tapering from the center back all around the hem of the pattern, so that I was shortening the hem in the center back by 1/2" and gradually lengthening the hem line as I traced around to the front, so that I would end up with 1" or so extra length on the front of the pattern. I look better in my shirts with my hems adjusted that way.

And I sort of flatten the line out across the front so I don't end up with a hem line that looks like a V in the center front.
  
Member since 4/20/08
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Posted on: 7/11/11 6:24 PM ET
In reply to cinca
Cinca, that's sounds like the adjustment I would have to do...I am short in the back, but need the extra in the front. Next time I have a fairly straight forward pattern to work with, I just may give this technique a try.
  
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