Making your own clothes is challenging, but it can be a lot of fun and very rewarding, especially if you are able to fit clothes correctly to your body type. Guest Sandra Betzina shares her tricks of the trade for altering clothes to fit.
Materials:
pattern
pencil
scissors
tape
tape measure
Steps:
Princess seam bust alteration
1. To secure a better fit for a larger bust, measure vertically from the shoulder to the center of the bust and also horizontally from the center of one bust to the center of the other.
2. Mark the shoulder to bust measurement with a small dot on the front of the pattern. Draw a horizontal line through the dot across the width of the front piece of the pattern and onto the side front piece. Cut along this line on the front piece.
3. Add a 1/2-inch strip of paper between the two parts of the front piece (figure A) and tape the parts together.
4. Cut along the line on the side front piece, leaving the outer edge hinged ( figure B). Situate the pattern so that the gap gradually increases toward the inside edge of the pattern.
5. To adjust for a smaller bust, repeat step 1 and decrease the length of the pattern by 1/2 inch.
6. To alter the pattern for a lower bust, draw a horizontal line across the side front piece where the center of the bust would rest (figure C). Trim off about 3/8 inch at the protruding area at the armhole.
Altering the bust without a princess seam
1. Repeat step 1 from above.
2. On the center front piece, measure in half of the distance between each breast and make a dot.
3. Draw a vertical line through the dot, covering the length of the pattern piece (figure D).
4. Draw three horizontal lines about an inch apart from the line radiating out toward the armhole (figure E).
5. Cut along the vertical line, starting at the bottom of the pattern piece and leaving the pattern barely hinged together at the top.
6. Cut along the horizontal lines, starting from the inside of the pattern and leaving the pattern hinged at all three lines at the armhole (figure F).
7. To adjust the pattern at the bust only, tape the pattern together at the bottom edge. Pull the pattern apart at the center as far as needed for extra room in the bust (figure G).
8. To adjust the pattern for both the bust and stomach area, leave the pattern untaped at the bottom edge and pull apart as needed for extra room.
Fixing a gaping neckline
1. Draw lines on the pattern from the side of the neckline out.
2. Cut along the line, leaving it hinged at the neckline and overlap the pattern as needed for adjustments.
Adjusting for narrow shoulders
1. Create a template for the armhole area.
2. Place the top edge of the template in according to the amount you wish to take up in the shoulder.
3. Pivot the bottom of the armhole so that it meets the bottom of the pattern's armhole (figure H).
4. Trim off the extra edge of the pattern from the armhole.
5. Repeat for the back sides of the pattern as well.
Altering for sloping shoulders
1. Measure and mark the appropriate length down from the top of the armhole. Draw a line from that point to the top of the shoulder. Cut this area from the pattern (figure I).
2. Lower the bottom of the armhole 1/2 inch to compensate.
Adjusting for a rounded back
1. Measure the back to determine how far down the rounded area begins.
2. Measure this length on the pattern and mark. Draw a horizontal line through the mark across the length of the back pattern piece.
3. Cut along the line from the center of the piece out toward the armhole, leaving the pattern hinged at the armhole.
4. Raise the pattern to add room as needed.
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