Torso Length Purpose: To lengthen or shorten the bodice. You know you need this particular alteration if your top is too short, or too long. Bodice Front 1. You will need a bodice front for this alteration. (You will also need to do the same with the bodice back). 2. Draw a horizontal line perpendicular to the lengthwise grainline, halfway between the apex and the bottom of the sloper. 3. You will also want to draw control lines parallel to the lengthwise grain line on both sides of the waistline dart. (These control lines will ensure that you can put the pieces back on straight.) 4. Cut across the horizontal line so that it separates the bottom pieces from the rest of the bodice. 5. For this particular sloper, we are lengthening (1/2 ). Mount the main bodice piece on contrasting paper. 6. Measure from the bodice down (1/2 ) and mark it. Mount the remaining pieces at these marks and also line them up with the control lines. 7. True up the side from the bottom of the underarm dart to the bottom of the piece you just mounted. 8. You will also need to adjust the dart. Note: The same process can be used to shorten the length, just move the pieces from step 6 up ½ (or needed length) instead of down.
Necklines: Pinch an Inch Purpose: To snug a neckline that may be gaping or drooping open at the front. 1. Measure along the neckline ¼ inch (½ inch full scale) in from the bodice center front and make a mark. 2. Using a straight edge, draw an angled line from the mark on the neckline down towards the waistline of the bodice, ending at center front on the waistline. So it will be a diagonal line from ¼ inch at the top of the neckline, to center front at the waist line. 3. Cut along the new line, removing a narrow wedge from the center front. The new line becomes the new center front. Because we took from the neckline, we will also need to snug the shoulders because it will now be too loose. 4. Mark down ¼ inch at the neckline shoulder seam. 5. Draw an angled line, as was done with at center front, from the mark at the neckline shoulder seam to the edge of the armscye shoulder seam. 6. Cut along this line and remove the wedge from the shoulder.
Dart Lengths Purpose: To adjust a dart a needed amount to help fit the body better. Back Bodice 1. To adjust the dart lengths on the back bodice, draw a line from the neck edge through the armhole. 2. Cut the line from the neck to the shoulder, but don t cut all the way through. You will be cutting through the shoulder dart. 3. Hinge up from the shoulder and extend the dart ½ -1/4. (You can also shorten the dart by hinging it down.) 4. Mount on contrasting paper. *Because you are hinging at the armhole and opening the neck edge, this will affect the sleeve, which can be very challenging, and it will also affect the neckpiece.* Skirt Front or Back 1. To adjust the dart lengths on the skirt, you will need to draw 3 control lines parallel to the lengthwise grain line in the middle of the two darts, and on either side of the darts. You will be cutting off some smaller pieces and these control lines will help to put them back on the right spot. Make sure to number these as well. 2. Draw a line perpendicular to the lengthwise grain line, halfway between the top of the sloper and the hipline. Now is when you will want to number the pieces. 3. Cut along the line to separate the pieces. Mount the main part of the sloper. 4. If you want to extend the darts, move the pieces up, following the control lines you drew at first. If you want to shorten the darts, move the pieces down. The amount to extend or shorten is ½ - ¼. 5. True up your darts.
Dart Lengths Continued Bust 1. Pin the existing dart wider so that the dart fits appropriately to your body. 2. Rub the chalk along the pins while the dart is still together- creating a new line for sewing. 3. Draw a horizontal line through the middle of the original bust dart continuing the line so that is perpendicular to the grainline across the front. 4. Cut along that line and spread the two pattern pieces apart the amount that you added with the new chalked dart lines. Tape it down and redraw the end of the dart. If you need to add a whole cup size, the standard is adding half an inch. For making the dart length smaller, do steps 1-4 the same but make the dart smaller instead of wider. The standard for that is to fold the dart ¼ making it a ½ smaller for each cup size.
Dowager Hump Purpose: To eliminate the pull lines that are typical in a garment that must stretch over a prominent hump on the shoulder-blade, known as a Dowager Hump. This problem usually occurs only on one side of the bodice back. 1. Draw a vertical line from the shoulder seam on the bodice back sloper down to the point of greatest bulge over the hump. Draw a connecting horizontal line from the point of greatest bulge over to center back. 2. Cut along the two lines, hinging at center back. This should nearly detach a squareshaped piece including the neckline from the pattern. 3. Pivot the detached piece from the hinge point up, so that a gap appears between it and the rest of the garment. Move it until you have enough space to cover the hump. 4. True up the shoulder seam by drawing a straight line from the raised tip of the neckline to the edge of the shoulder dart. Draw a new center back, as well, connecting the center back point of the neckline to the center back point of the waistline. You will need to lengthen the line past the waistline a little so that it remains the same length as the unchanged bodice back side.
Another Method Dowager Hump Continued 1. Cut the Pattern up center back and add a 1" seam allowance. 2. Measure from you natural neckline down to wear your neckline on your shirt is on the back and take this measurement. For our practice, let s say it is 1. 3. On the pattern measure about 2/3 down in the armscye. 4. Draw a horizontal line perpendicular to the grain line from Center back to 3/8" away from armscye this is to leave a hinge 5. Spread the pieces apart 1".
Swayback Purpose: To remove the excess fabric that is found in the lower back area of a garment due to the shape of the back. Most people have somewhat of a sway back, though for some it is more prominent. Back Bodice 1. Close the waist dart and move it to the armhole. This move is temporary, so make sure to use removable tape. 2. On the back bodice, in the middle of the waist-fitting dart, draw a horizontal line. 3. Cut from Center Back along the line, hinging from the side with the arm hole. 4. Hinge both sides up ¼. 5. Move the dart from the armhole back to the waist and mount on contrasting paper. 6. True up dart. You will need to mark a new grainline as well. *It may seem like the side seams won t match up, but since you are making the alteration in the pattern work stage, the side seams will match up when sewing.
Swayback continued Pants 1. 1. Start by figuring out how much you need removed. To determine this pinch out the center back of the pants (or skirt) and measure it. This measurement may be around ½ inch. 2. 2. Mark your measurement at center back from the waistline. For example if it was ½ inch then you would measure ½ inch down from the waistline. To make the new waistline, taper from the ½ inch mark on center back to the original waist cutting line at the side seam. 3. 3. By raising the back, the crotch will be raised as well. To fix this problem you will scoop out the crotch ¼ of an inch. You can also add a ¼ of an inch at the inner leg hook. This all should make the pants fit more comfortable. 4. 4. The same thing can be done for a skirt. The only thing different you have to do is for the hem you will just add length to make even.
Sloping Shoulders Purpose: To eliminate the extra fullness that occurs under the shoulder seams when the shoulders slope at a lower angle than the pattern. 1. Measure the amount of extra room above the shoulders in the pattern compared to the body. This is the fullness you will want to eliminate. 2. Draw a new angle, matching the real slope of the shoulders, from the neck edge to the armscye, creating a wedge-shape. 3. Draw a vertical line down from the shoulder seam, extending it below the bottom of the armscye. Draw a connecting horizontal line at a right angle to the first line, extending below the armscye to the side seam. 4. Cut along the adjoining lines. This should detach the armscye from the rest of the pattern piece. 5. Move the detached piece straight down until the top edge of the detached piece lines up with the sloping line previously drawn. 6. Tape the moved piece in place. The sloping line becomes your new shoulder seam. If you find it necessary, true up the side seam where the detached piece overlapped with the rest of the pattern piece.
High Hip Purpose: to eliminate the diagonal wrinkles across the front and back pant or skirt, starting from the hip and pointing to the opposite knee; this is caused by having one hip higher than the other. Skirt Front/Skirt Back/Pant Front/Pant Back 1. Start by combining the darts. This will be temporary so be sure to use removable tape. 2. Measure in ½ on the hipline on the side that is not center front or back. 3. Draw a line up to ½ below the waistline. Taper from this point to the tip of the center front waistline. 4. This point on center front will be the hinge point. Cut along the line from the hip, up and around to center front. Don t cut all the way through. 5. Mount on contrasting paper, and hinge the amount that you need for the hip. 6. Put the darts back in.
Full Hips Purpose: To widen the hipline of a skirt without altering the measurement of the waist. 1. Measure the circumference of the hips and determine how widely it varies from the measurements on the pattern. Let s say we need to add two inches to the hip measurement on the skirt. 2. From the tip of the darts, draw vertical lines downward, perpendicular to the grainline. You will want to do this on the pattern pieces for both the front and the back of the skirt. 3. Cut along the lines, separating each pattern piece into three pieces. 4. Because there are eight darts in our finished skirt, we will want to divide the total amount we want to add to the measurement by eight. If we are adding two inches, then two inches divided by eight is on quarter-inch. This is the amount we will be adding to each dart. 5. Spread each piece apart from the next by one quarter inch, being careful to keep the hipline perfectly straight. Mount the pieces in place. 6. Draw in new darts, since the old are now spread apart. Be careful to keep the points of the dart at the same length and the ends of the dart at the same width, so as not to alter the waistline measurement.
Waistline Adjustments Purpose: To adjust the waistline either smaller or larger to fit the waist. This is done by adjusting the waistline dart size. Bigger Waist (Skirt/Pant Front and Back) To fit a bigger waist, you will make the darts smaller. Measure the amount of room the person needs in the waist to know how much to take from the darts. 1. For this one, we will measure to the middle of the waistline dart, and then find ¼ of it and make a mark. 2. With these marks, true up the darts. 3. Mark out the lines from the original dart. Smaller Waist (Skirt/Pant Front and Back) 1. For this you will make the darts bigger. 2. Follow the same steps above, only move the darts out instead of in.
Pant Length Purpose: To lengthen or shorten the length of the pant legs. 1. Determine where the length needs to be added or taken out. If the excess length is above the knee, then the pattern should be altered above the knee. If the excess length is below the knee, then the pattern should be altered below the knee. Do not add length at the hem line, unless the pants are of a perfectly straight design. 2. Draw a horizontal line from the inner seam of the pants leg to the outer seam, making sure that it is perpendicular to the grainline. 3. Cut along this line, separating the pants leg into two pieces. 4. If lengthening the pants, spread the two pieces apart until the desired length is added. If shortening the pants, overlap the two pieces until the desired length is eliminated. Make sure that the pieces are moved directly along the grainline. Lengthened 5. True up the side seams. You will want to do this alteration to both the front and the back of the pants. Shortened
Thigh Adjustments Purpose: To eliminate the horizontal wrinkles which appear between the thighs due to fullness in the thighs. Pants 1. To fix this problem on pants, you will need to add to the front inseam. 2. Start from the cutting line at the crotch tip and extend it the needed amount. From this, add lines ½ apart. 3. Taper to the top of the knee. If you have fullness in your knees, extend to the bottom of the knees. If you have full calves, extend all the way to the bottom of the leg. 4. If you add more than ½ to the inseam, you have to add half of the amount to the side seam. 5. Mount on contrasting paper. This process is done so that you don t have to take the extra fabric from the back and end up overfitting the back of the pants. Skirts It will help to measure across the front of the thighs in order to know how much to add. 1. This process is similar to the pants; you are just extending the pattern in the front to provide the room needed for thighs. 2. If the pattern is cut on the fold or cut two, all you have to do is double the measurement. Compare this measurement to the measurement of the thighs. 3. The difference between these two is what you add to the side seams. Make the necessary additions to the center front and the side seams and mount on contrasting paper.
Knock-Knees/Bowed Legs Purpose: To eliminate the pull lines which occur on the outside or inside of the leg when an individual has knock-knees or bowed legs. 1. Draw a line horizontally along the leg of the pants pattern to mark the high thigh point (about two inches below the crotch line). For knock-knees, mark with an X a point two thirds of the way in along the high thigh line from the inner seam. For bowed legs, mark with an X a point two thirds of the way in along the high thigh line from the outer seam. 2. Cut in along the high thigh line from both sides, leaving a small hinge where you have marked the X. For knock-knees, tilt the top of the pants towards the outer seam. The high thigh line should overlap at the outer seam and spread at the inner seam. For bowed legs, tilt the top of the pants towards the inner seam. The high thigh line should overlap at the inner seam and spread at the outer seam. Bowed Knees 3. Tilt the top of the pants until you have added the desired amount. Mount the pattern pieces and true up the inner and outer seams that have been changed. Knock Knees
Crotch Circumference Purpose: This alteration is made when more room is needed. The key thing to remember on this is that you add where you need it. So if you have a big abdomen, you add to the front. If you have a big derriere, you add to the back. Pant Back 1. Draw a horizontal line above the crotch line. 2. Cut along this line from crotch to center back, not cutting all the way through. 3. Hinge at center back the amount needed. Don t add more than ¾ or you will end up with too much fullness beneath the seat. 4. Mount on contrasting paper. Follow the same steps to add to the front.
Crotch Depth/Length Purpose: To lengthen the distance between the waist and the crotch. 1. To add length to the crotch depth, simply draw a horizontal line perpendicular to the grain line from the side seam of the pattern to the crotch seam. Be careful to draw this line well above the crotch line, but below the darts. 2. Cut along this line, detaching the top of the pants, including darts, from the bottom of the pants. 3. Move this piece up until you have added the desired amount at the slashed line, then mount the pattern. You will want to do this same alteration to both the front and the back pant pattern pieces. Another Method 1. If the seat is low, you will drop the curve of the crotch in the back about 1/4 to 1/2 inch 2. If you have a protruding derriere you can add crotch depth at the crotch extension. Also by adding hinges at the hips that then open up at center back seam. Lengthening the crotch.
High Bust Purpose: To eliminate the horizontal wrinkles that appear below your bust because of a higher bust line than what is on the pattern. 1- To know if the bodice needs to be adjusted, measure on the person from middle of the shoulder to the bust point. Then on the pattern do the same, measuring across the bodice front piece through the center of the dart, and from the center of the shoulder seam through the apex mark. The difference between the measurements on the body and the pattern is the amount dart needs to be raised. Mark on the pattern the desired height. 2- Draw a 3-sided box around the dart. The box should be slightly longer than the dart, going through the apex. 3- Cut out the box completely, so you can slide dart up to where it is needed. 4- Slide the box up to the needed height; do not slide it into the arm hole. If it needs to be higher than the arm hole, tilt the box so that the dart points up until it reaches the desired height. 5- Now tape in place and true up the edges.
Low bust Purpose: To eliminate the horizontal wrinkles that appear above your bust because of a lower bust line than what is on the pattern. 1. To know if the bodice needs to be adjusted, measure on the person from middle of the shoulder to the bust point. Then on the pattern do the same, measuring across the bodice front piece through the center of the dart, and from the center of the shoulder seam through the apex mark. The difference between the measurements on the body and the pattern is the amount dart needs to be lowered. Mark on the pattern the desired height. 2. Draw a 3-sided box around the dart. The box should be slightly longer than the dart, going through the apex. 3. Cut out the box completely, so you can slide dart down to where it is needed. 4. Slide the box down to the needed height. 5. Now tape in place and true up the edges.
Full Bust Purpose: To length the front bodice so that it does not appear shorter than the back due to a full bust. 1. Trace off bodice front sloper. 2. Draw 3 lines, beginning at the bust point, one to top center front, and the other two to the edges of the shoulder line. 3. Cut through the waistline dart to the bust point. 4. Cut along the three lines from the bust point to, not thru, center front and the shoulder-line edges. Using the points at center front and shoulders, pivot the sloper outward, spreading apart evenly, to achieve desired fullness. 5. Mount to backing paper, and redraw waistline dart, truing up waistline. 6. Add all markings and seam allowances to complete pattern. If a greater amount of fullness is needed, another line can be drawn and cut from BP to side seam, between armhole and armhole dart.
Thick/Thin Neck Purpose: To adjust the neckline of a garment that may be too small or too big that will help the neckline fit better. 1. Trace and cut out two bodice front and bodice back slopers. 2. Move the shoulder dart on the bodice back sloper to the arm hole. 3. Tape the two bodice front slopers together at center front. 4. Tape the bodice back slopers to the bodice front at the shoulder seams. 5. Mount the sloper onto contrasting colored paper. 6. Draw in the seam allowance around the neckline. Thick Neck 7. For a thin neckline, draw ½ in full scale from the cutting line of the neckline. 8. If the neckline is still too big then move in the line by 1/8 inch intervals until the neckline fits. 9. For a thick neckline, position the line ¾ in full scale from the cutting line of the neckline. 10. If the neckline is still too small, then move in the line by 1/8 inch intervals until the neckline fits.
Erect Upper Back Purpose: To add fullness to the bodice back to eliminate the uncomfortably snug fit that accompanies an erect upper back. 1 st Method: 1. If using a sloper, trace the bodice back onto a piece of paper. 2. Leaving the bottom right corner of the sloper (which is the bottom of the side seam) in place, pivot the sloper slightly to the right so that the shoulder rises above the already traced bodice back by about ½ inch full scale. 3. Retrace the shoulder seam (with the shoulder dart), the armscye, and the side seam over the original tracing. 4. True the neckline from the new tracing into the neckline of the old tracing, so that the new tracing shares a center back seam and waist seam with the original tracing. 5. Eliminate the original shoulder seam (with dart), armscye, and side seam. The resulting bodice back is the newly altered pattern with added fullness for the erect upper back.
Erect Upper Back Continued 2 nd Method 1. Draw a vertical line, parallel with the grain line, from the shoulder seam to the bottom of the armscye on the bodice back. Draw an adjoining horizontal line from the bottom of the first line over to the side seam, below the armscye. 2. Cut along both lines. This should detach the armscye. 3. Move the detached piece out, not up, until you have achieved the correct width for the broader shoulders. Mount in place and true up the side seam, drawing a diagonal line from the bottom of the armscye to the waistline. True up the shoulder seam as well.
Forward Thrusting Neck Purpose: To lower the neckline so it doesn t ride too high as a result of a forward thrusting neck. 1. Decide how much you want to lower the neckline. Usually 1/4" - 1/2" is sufficient. 2. Mark this position on the center front of the neckline on bodice front and taper back to the original cut line meeting at the shoulder. 3. If your pattern has a facing or a collar, you will also want to make the necessary adjustments. Remember the notches will not fit anymore.
Large or Heavy Upper Arms Purpose: to add room in the sleeve to accommodate for large of heavy upper arms. There are three ways that width can be added to the sleeve to accommodate wider arms, and you can choose the method that works best for your project. Splitting the sleeve vertically: 1. Measure your arm in the following three places and compare to the measurements on the pattern or sloper: right under the armhole, about three inches below the armhole on your upper arm, and about ten inches below your armhole on your forearm. Determine how much you will need to add to the pattern for the right fit. 2. Draw a straight line from the dot at the top of the sleeve cap down to the edge of the sleeve, parallel to the grain line. This should split the sleeve evenly in half. 3. Cut along this line, dividing the sleeve into two pieces. Keeping the pieces level, spread the sleeve apart until you have the desired width, but spread no more than ¾ inch. If you need more width in the top of the arm than the bottom, you can taper it. 4. Mount the spread pieces on a piece of paper and cut out the new pattern. 5. When sewing this altered sleeve, ease the added fullness in the cap into the garment shoulder by running your gathering stitch all the way across the cap, not just between the notches.
Through Design Splitting the sleeve in four directions: (Use this method to add more than ¾ inch.) 1. Take your measurements in the same way as the previous method and determine how much you will need to add for the proper fit. 2. Draw a line parallel to the grain the same as in step two of the previous method, dividing the sleeve evenly. 3. Draw a straight line at the bottom of the cap, perpendicular to the previous line. 4. Cut along both lines, leaving the pattern attached at each edge. This should divide the sleeve into four pieces attached at the corners. 5. Draw the sleeve apart along the vertical line to the appropriate amount. This will cause some overlap on the horizontal line. 6. Tape this spread pattern in place and then add the amount of overlap to the top and bottom of the sleeve. For example, if the horizontal lines overlap a half inch on each side, add a half inch to the cap height and a half inch to the sleeve length. Gradually taper in the added height. Adding to sleeve width through design: 1. Once again, compare measurements from your arm to those of the pattern or sloper. 2. Draw a line from the dot at the top of the cap parallel to the grain line to the edge of the sleeve. Divide the pattern in two. 3. After mounting the pieces, divide the total desired amount by two and add the result to each severed edge. Taper the amount back into the sleeve so as not to add anything to the cap or to the hem. 4. Add seam allowances so that the sleeve can be sewn together. The finished sleeve will have a seam running along the top as well as the bottom.
Forward Tilting Arms Purpose: Forward tilting arms will cause the sleeve to be tight in the front and have extra in the back. The cap on a normal sleeve sloper will not be in the right place on forward tilting arms. 1. Start with a sleeve sloper. 2. Take the dot on the cap and move it forward. This will make it so that there is not as much fabric in the front and more in the back. *If the tilt of the shoulders is extreme, it is necessary to add to the back. (See below)
Sleeve Length Purpose: to lengthen or shorten a sleeve to fit. 1. First determine where lengthening or shortening needs to take place, whether above or below the elbow dart. Lengthened 2. Add in or take out the amount needed to the pattern piece by overlapping the amount to shorten, or by adding the amount by cutting at a horizontal line either above or below the elbow dart and spreading the pieces apart that far. Dolman Sleeves: The dolman sleeve is where the sleeve and the bodice are combined into one. The under arm seam can easily be raised if it is too deep for your taste. 1. Start by continuing the side seam up 1-2 inches into the sleeve. 2. Then curve the new side seam line back out for the sleeve. Shortened 3. So the same to bodice back making sure to keep the same measurements as the front.
Cap height Purpose: To help the sleeve fit better by lowering or raising the cap. 1. Trace a sleeve sloper. 2. Move dart to the cuff. 3. Beginning right above the cap line, use the hip ruler to draw lines up to the top middle point (above the dot) on both sides. 4. Cut these lines from the cap line up to but not through this point. 5. Hinge these two sections upward (3/4)". 6. Mount. 7. Draw a new cap line, connecting the outside points of the two sections you just moved upward. 8. Draw a line connecting the front end of the cap line to the bottom front point. 9. Draw a line connecting the back end of the cap line to the bottom back point. 10. Connect the lines from steps 8 & 9 with a line parallel to the cap line (perpendicular to the lengthwise grainline). 11. Move the dart back to the original position if needed. The same process can be done to raise cap height just raise the mustache rather than overlap it.
Reducing Ease in a Sleeve Purpose: Too much ease in a sleeve causes the cap of the sleeve to look sloppy and scream to the world "this is homemade". 1. Measuring the entire armhole (armscye) of your pattern piece. If there are two pieces to the front and two pieces to the back (such as for princess cut) then match the armscye pieces together without the seam allowance included. Overlap the seam allowance. Measure this with a ruler that has great flexibility, or use your tape-measure and measure inch by inch-placing pins, or marking it with a pencil or removable marker. 2. Measure the sleeve without seam allowance included. Again use a very flexible ruler or your tape measure to do this. 3. Compare both measurements. The sleeve measurement should exceed the armhole measurement by anywhere from 3/4 inch to 1 1/4 inch, if the measurement exceeds 1 1/4 inch the sleeve ease should be decreased. Whatever the difference divide this number by 6. Set this aside. 4. Take the sleeve pattern and locate the area where the elbow would be located. Mark this. At the top of the sleeve cap draw three vertical lines to the elbow area mark: One from the center of the sleep cap and one on each side 1 1/2 inches away. Cut the sleeve pattern apart along all three lines to the elbow mark. (This will pivot the pattern). 5. The difference that was divided by 6-reduce each side of the cut lines by this amount and tape these in place. The pivot area should remain smooth. Smooth out any jogs in the sleeve cap with a hip ruler, but do not reduce sleeve cap height.