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Ready to wear alterations

Nanilani | Posted in Fitting on

Can anyone tell me how to reduce the size of the shoulder on a purchased blouse?  I think I can figure it out, but if anyone has actually done it I’d love to hear your experience.  Many thanks,  Nanilani

Replies

  1. starzoe | | #1

    The shoulder of any garment is the most difficult to alter. A person almost has to take it all apart and recut, and then of course the sleeves have to be altered as well. I give anything away that does not fit on the shoulder, but otherwise I alter almost everything purchased that comes into my closet.

    1. Nanilani | | #6

      Many Many Mahalos to all who answered my request  for info on how to alter a RTW blouse shoulder.  I now have lots to think about and lots of info. What a wonderful resource this is.  Thanks ladies,  Nancy, Nanilani   

  2. Teaf5 | | #2

    A coat or jacket is nearly impossible, but most blouse shoulders can be re-worked because there is usually some ease to work with in the sleeve cap. 

     I carefully take out the seam of the top half of the sleeve. I trim the armhole of the bodice gradually from the middle front, to about 1/2" at the shoulder, back gradually to the middle of the back of the armhole, allowing a 1/4" seam allowance and then re-stitch the sleeve cap back along the new seam line.  The ease in the sleeve cap can be adjusted slightly to fit the slightly bigger armhole and can be eased forward or backward to accommodate a different shoulder point.

    If this process seems too risky or complicated, you can always add a pair of well-shaped shoulder pads to fill out the oversized shoulder and make the blouse hang better.

    1. KathleenFasanella | | #5

      "... but most blouse shoulders can be re-worked because there is usually some ease to work with in the sleeve cap.":)
      At the risk of making myself unpopular, ease in sleeve caps of RTW is quite rare altho it seems to be ubiquitous (a sacred cow) in home sewing. See these two articles called _sleeve cap ease is bogus_.
      http://www.fashion-incubator.com/mt/archives/sleeve_cap_ease_is_bogus.html
      http://www.fashion-incubator.com/mt/archives/sleeve_cap_ease_is_bogus_pt2.htmlAbout ease in general, see _Lazy pattern making_
      http://www.fashion-incubator.com/mt/archives/lazy_pattern_making.htmlIn spite of the mythinformation perpetuated in the (mostly American) enthusiast press, a RTW pattern maker wouldn't last long if their patterns don't "walk". This is but one of many differences btwn industry and home sewing. In pattern books from any other nation, ease is only but rarely used. The Japanese drafting books are most accessible (and respected for accuracy). Look at those sometime. Here's more: http:tamyu.net/vanilla/comments.php?DiscussionID=23&page=1

      1. scrubble4 | | #7

        KathleenFasanella:  Okay I have ordered your book.  This is info I have been looking for, forever.  I hope you have info similar to your princess fitting and sleeve fitting on crotch seam fitting.  I agree about the blocks but I swear I still have challenges. 

        The information on your blogs seems to come a bit closer to another Threads discussion request for the Science of Sewing.  This is a request to look at how the body is shaped and moves to provide the why for pattern shapes so we understand the need for pattern shapes and alterations. 

        A huge big thank you for taking your time to answer these questions with such substantial information.  Scrubble4

        1. KathleenFasanella | | #8

          Hi Scrubble
          I've been out of the country, hence my tardy response. You wrote:"The information on your blog seems to come a bit closer to another Threads discussion request for the Science of Sewing. This is a request to look at how the body is shaped and moves to provide the why for pattern shapes so we understand the need for pattern shapes and alterations."I searched for a thread on the "science of sewing" but couldn't find it here. Do you have a link? I think this is what I (and others) would call applied anthropometry. Iow, the application of PROM/ROM (primary/range of motion) to bodily dimensions. Definitely a topic that fascinates me, endlessly. So much so that I rarely discuss it, otherwise I don't shut up and bore others to tears. For example, this explains why the back pant, adjusting for bifurcation, and altho actual dimensions are smaller than the front of the body (yes it is, YES it IS! lol) is actually cut larger than the front to allow for body expansion and movement (sitting position) etc.

          1. scrubble4 | | #9

            Kathleen:  You are so right about the pants pattern / body measurement interface.   The idea of the science of pattern making or body/pattern connection came up as a side discussion in another thread.  When I get a minute I will try to find it. 

            "applied anthropometry" is a completely new term for me.  I checked it out on the web and discovered it is related to but not synonymous with something I know as ergonomics.  The super thing is the way you are thinking of applied anthropmetry as it relates to pattern making .... it isn't just the measurement but also how the body moves that directs the pattern making.

            This absolutely fascinates me.  As a cyclist I have the luxury of time to think while I am cycling.  I spend some of that thinking time on how my biking clothes are different from regular clothes because of the angle of my body on a bike and movements I make.

            Are these ideas explored in your book, which I have just ordered?  I have spent a bit of time on your website which I love, but I haven't discovered anything that relates to the topic of applied anthropometry.  I am probably not asking the right search questions and I sure didn't know to search this term.

            I would love you to talk more about it here on Threads or on your blog.  At the time I responded here to your previous comment, I also took the liberty of suggesting to Amber that it might be a neat topic for a Threads article.  You seem to have the writing skill as well as technical knowledge to pull off such an article.  The areas of measurement/movement/pattern shaping that I am particularly interested in with applied anthropometry (I may not be using the term correctly) are: neckline (including for example a funnel collar), armsyce, waist, back pant, knee.  Those are all challenges for me in fitting.  I do muslins, I use Garment Designer for pattern drafting, I have built a "My Twin" dress form and still I think I am not getting the whole BIG picture.  When a Thread Gatherings participant talked about the Science of the Body/Pattern connection - how body shape and movement makes demands on pattern shapes - I thought RIGHT!!!! Thats the other piece because in a way by taking enough measurments you can start to get the posture as well as where the bumps and dips are on the body.  It is when I walk and the front of my pants bunch up a bit, or when I stand up and the back waist stays down that I think .... there is a missing piece. 

            I will see if I can find the reference from these discussions.  It was about 3 weeks or a month ago, I think.  Maybe the Gathering writer of the comment will remember where it was originally posted and tell us more about her/his thinking.  You would absolutely not bore any of us on this site by talking about applied anthropometry.  We are all constantly talking about our shapes and how to fit them, whether we feel too tall, too short, too wide, too slim, short or long legs, arms, body, or shoulders etc.  I think our lack of understanding about applied anthropometry is part of our frustration. 

            Thanks so much for your response.  I am really excited about this next leg of learning. 

            Scrubble4

          2. KathleenFasanella | | #10

            You wrote:
            As a cyclist I have the luxury of time to think while I am cycling. I spend some of that thinking time on how my biking clothes are different from regular clothes because of the angle of my body on a bike and movements I make.Are these ideas explored in your book, which I have just ordered? I have spent a bit of time on your website which I love, but I haven't discovered anything that relates to the topic of applied anthropometry. I am probably not asking the right search questions and I sure didn't know to search this term.
            -------
            I've worked a lot with western/equestrian apparel manufacturers and as a casual cyclist myself (I bike to work), there's a lot of similarities btwn the two. Unfortunately, it tends to be a process of iteration. There is no set standard that will tell you to do "x" or whatever. It boils down to a higher and better shaped armscye, lower front neckline, longer sleeves and a longer back length. Other than the armhole/sleeves/back neckline, this isn't in the book. For topics related to anthropometry on my site, you'll have to select the category "fit and sizing" and wade through those. ... still I think I am not getting the whole BIG picture. When a Thread Gatherings participant talked about the Science of the Body/Pattern connection - how body shape and movement makes demands on pattern shapes - I thought RIGHT!!!! Thats the other piece because in a way by taking enough measurments you can start to get the posture as well as where the bumps and dips are on the body. It is when I walk and the front of my pants bunch up a bit, or when I stand up and the back waist stays down that I think .... there is a missing piece...All of this is usually resolved via iteration and experience. It's not in any books. The way professionals do it is to examine competing products they like to discern the salient features. There's no reason you can't do this too.

  3. Gloriasews | | #3

    Starzoe & Teaf have good suggestions.  For a quick solution, I have also just taken a tuck on the shoulder to bring the sleeve up (like a pleat, where the shoulder meets the sleeve or mid-shoulder - whichever is more flattering).  I have seen magazine articles stating the you can also gather the shoulder (make a casing on each side of the shoulder seam & run a ribbon through it to tie at the shoulder/sleeve seam - or not) - if you don't want to take the garment apart.

    Gloria

  4. starzoe | | #4

    Is this a recently purchased blouse? Blouses are much more fitted than they were in the past (80s, 90s) where the shoulders were big to allow for large shoulder pads and the armscyes were deep and roomy, the sleeves floppy. These are the ones I wouldn't bother altering.

    If the blouse is a new one, try shoulder pads, even a thin shoulder pad can bring the blouse up enough to make it look like it has gone through an alteration.

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