Better Fit Friday -- The Too Erect Figure

Apparently it's possible to have posture that is just too good -- or maybe I'm just jealous.  Today's fitting problem is that of the Too Erect figure.  This causes the waistline to be too long at center back, and create fabric pools or wrinkles between the shoulder blades.

It is a quick fix as well, with just a single dart across the shoulders.

Start by making a cut across the back where the fabric pools are the greatest, leaving a hinge in the pattern at the arm scythe.  Then overlap the two sides, creating a dart that tapers to nothing at the arm scythe.  This will shorten the waist at center back, without adjusting the fit at the sides.

And there we have it, all of the fitting problems for the back bodice are fixed.  Next week we'll move on to second form of Full Bust Adjustment.  If you need a refresher on the first type we did, you can find it here.

As always, if you have any questions leave them in the comments below.  And if you have any types of fitting adjustment for the back bodice you'd like me to cover, leave that in the comments as well!

Better Fit Friday -- The Round Back

Today for Better Fit Friday, we're going to look at the Round Back adjustment.  You can find all of the previous Better Fit Friday editions here.

A round back will cause drooping towards the armhole and the center back to be too short at the waist.  Measure how much length needs to be added at the center back.

At the bottom of the shoulder dart, make a slit from the center back to the arm scythe, leaving a hinge.  Make a slit through the shoulder dart leaving a hinge.  Spread the bodice back the amount that the center back was short.  This will widen the dart, creating a better fit through the back and arm scythe.

So, there we have it.  A nice simple alteration for today.  If you have any questions, leave them in the comments.  And stay tuned next week for the 'Too Erect Figure', our last bodice back adjustment.

Better Fit Friday: Broad Back, Narrow Waist

This adjustment is similar to the adjustment made last week.  Last week, we broadened the back and the waist.  This week, we will be adjusting the back across the shoulders, but leaving it at the waist as is.  It is recommended for the 'young figure'.

To make this adjustment, slash the Bodice Back under the arm scythe and through the shoulder dart.  The piece with the arm scythe is then moved out to provide the necessary space at the shoulder blades.  Increase the shoulder dart by the amount of the adjustment.  This insures that when you attach the shoulders, the bodice front and back are the same size.  Redraw the line from the arm scythe down to the waist.  It will be a sharper angle thee previously to accommodate the width added.

 The rest of the Better Fit Friday series can be found here.  Thanks for tuning in, and stay tuned next week for the Round Back!

Better Fit Friday - The Full Back

Today is the first Better Fit Friday from the Better Homes and Gardens Sewing Book.  As I mentioned in the last episode, we're going to start at the beginning and just run through all of their fitting changes.  I'm using the quarter scale slopers from Adele Margolis' book Making Your Own Dress Patterns.

Better Homes and Gardens begins alterations with the bodice back.  First they lengthen the bodice back so that the side seams are long enough.  This is done with a slash and spread just above the tip of the waist dart.  The first thing they look at then is the full back, which is what we are going to fit for today.

A Full Back adjustment may be required if the Bodice Back appears to be tight across the shoulders and there are pulls in the fabric under the arm scythe.  This fitting issue is caused primarily by rounded shoulders, which means that the shoulder darts need increased shaping to fit properly.

Deepened Dart (Orange)

The first thing that must be changed is the shoulder darts.  Start by deepening and lengthening the dart.  This may mean that the shoulder back is smaller than the shoulder front.  We'll adjust for that next.  However, for now, adjust the darts until they fit comfortably.

Next, determine how much width needs to be added at the shoulders.  Reach your arms forward and around to insure that you will have a full range of motion.  Then, check your side seams at the waist.  If they also pull to the back then you need to add width to the waist.  The amount required may be different.

Slash the Bodice Back from shoulder to waist, close the the arm scythe.  Make sure you leave both of the darts intact. Spread the two pieces based of the measurements you took above.  If the amount to be added is not the same at the waist and shoulder, angle the pieces so that more or less is added at the waist.  However, they must be gently angled lines, not a curve, or sharp angles.

Equal Adjustments (Left), Less Added to Waist (Right)

And there we have it!  Stay tuned next week for the Broad Back, Narrow Waist Adjustment.  (The people at Better Homes and Gardens had such creative names!)

Better Fit Friday: Gertie Edition

Hello, and welcome to the first edition of Better Fit Friday!

For the first edition, I'm going to go through the Full Bust Adjustment Method that Gertie outlined in her book, Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing.  In future installments, I'm going to go through the Better Homes and Garden's Sewing Book.

I've cut out quarter scale sloper pieces, from Making Your Own Sewing Patterns (my review), and I'll be preforming all of the adjustments on these small patterns.

Onward!

New lines in Orange!

The Gertie FBA

Step 1:  Identify the bust point.  This is usually half and inch, to an inch about the tip of the dart.

Step 2:  Draw a line from the waist dart, through the bust point to the arm scythe.  Draw another line from the bust point, through the bust dart.  And a third line across the bodice from the first line.  Your bodice should look like the one to the right.

Step 3:  Cut up the first line, leaving a hinge at the arm scythe.  Cut across the second line leaving a hinge at the bust point.  And cut all the way across your third line.

Step 4:  Tape some paper behind your pattern so that you can fill in the gaps you're about to make.

My lines is in blue.  And a little short...

Step 5:  Now we add the width.  In this example, I'm going to add 1/4 inch.  So, measure over 1/4" (or however much you need to add) from the line through your waist dart, and make a parallel line.

Step 6:  Open your waist dart, from the hinge at the arm scythe, until you are on the line you drew in the last step.  The tip of your bust dart will have shifted over and down.  Tape it down.  Your waist and bust darts will both be larger now.

Step 7:  Shift the other piece of your pattern down until it is level with the section you just moved.

You will need to true your darts, redrawing them so that they still go to the bust point.  And voila!

The finished pattern is to the left.  All of the space we just added is coloured in to make it easier to see.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below, and I'll do my best to clarify. And I hope you enjoyed today's edition of Better Fit Friday!