Hi there, can someone please help me with the adjustment I need to make on a neckline please. Whenever I make a top or dress the right front of the neckline fits perfectly but the left doesn’t. It always has a slight gape about halfway between the shoulder & bust point, it is especially noticable on knits. I realise my left shoulder is lower than the right one and is slightly more forward. Do I make a dart shaped alteration around about half way bewteen the shoulder and the bust point with the wide end towards the neckline, or should I slash the pattern piece horizontally on that side & take a bit out? Will I then need to add extra onto the back shoulder seam or front shoulder or not at all? I would love to get this alteration sorted as I can only get one side of a neckline looking good, especially if I’m putting the band on a t shirt. Hope my explanation makes sense!
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Replies
This is the perfect opportunity to point out why making a muslin is so important. Making a muslin of your garment gives you the practise garment to work out the adjustments you need to make on your garment. Since the problem is in the shoulder area, you should start with the shoulder fit.
The higher shoulder is pulling the garment askew. It fits because the garment always hangs from the highest or fullest point. You have a few options from here.
Adjust for the higher shoulder. Adjust the shoulder angle for the higher squarer shoulder so the other shoulder sits where it should. It seems counter to what is going on, but the gap and pull of the neckline fabric indicates that the garment is being pulled out of shape from somewhere else.
Adjust where the shoulder seams sit. You may have to move the shoulder seam forward a bit on the lower side to accommodate the forward shoulder, ie, shorten the front, lengthen the back.
Finally, consider shoulder pads. Shoulder pads can be made to custom depths to mininmize the differences left and right. Believe me, I know. They can also override the difference in RTW. They can fill up the difference in height between shoulders. They can be used in garments you already own. One slim pair can be switched between many garments, even jackets. Even a small padded riser can be inserted into the shoulder area on a tank top on the lower side. Makes a big difference in how the garment hangs on the body.
Hope this helps. Cathy
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