Hi all
I have bought Vogue 8120 – a princess blouse with tucks at the shoulder line and no bust darts. As a double D cup, I need to make the inevitable alterations. I’ve been to the Palmer Pletsch classes so I know the basic methods for adding width across the bust and I also have their Fit for Real People book but nothing seems to apply to shoulder tucks. I have the feeling that I just need to add width to the shoulder tuck but am not sure so don’t want to cut up the pattern into little pieces trying something that won’t work.
Any and all guidance much appreciated.
Replies
I have the opposite problem(nothing up top) but my advice is this: always copy your pattern pieces onto tissue paper or something and make your changes there, then if it is a "goof" you can go back to the untouched original and start again!
Becky
Thanks, Becky-book. I usually do this but even then one ends up with so many different bits and pieces, it becomes more like a jigsaw puzzle!
When you do the other alteration that you know how to do - adding length and width to the middle of the pattern, do you know how much width you add? It seems to me you would add this much to the tuck (or actually half that width because the tuck will give you double whatever amount you tuck. You will still have to add to the length.
Thanks, Suesew. That's what I thought would be required but take a look at Andrea's reply to me. Seems to be a whole lot more complicated than either of us thought.
I have made 2 blouses with vogue 8120, and I can see why you're hesitant to get started! With a side panel and then 2 overlapping center panels, treatment of the bust is certainly not cook-book. I left out the snaps and used buttons and kimono-ties instead, but the blouse still calls for something to hold the two center front panels together for modesty. I think those side panels should be wider at the top, so that the front side seams are more to the front--with a fuller bust, they would appear to be in your armpits, and the front panels would have a lot more work to do to carry the shape. I think the overlapping front panels would also need to be wider through the bust--slash & spread vertically at mid-shoulder and horizontally at mid-bust. The extra roundness that you will add to the front side panels will take up the extra length from the horizontal slash & spread. What I found unfortunate about this pattern (like all princess alterations) was that you really can't make significant alterations without tossing the original muslin and starting all over. The new shape rarely allows for re-cutting. I really would do a muslin on this one to make a bust adjustment on this.
Many thanks, Andrea for your advice. This is just what I was afraid of! It looks such a great top but the fiddling required to get it to fit make me question whether I should make it right now. I wanted it for a trip overseas in the near future but it sounds like a project to be tackled when I am not under pressure.
hello i have the same problem as you and I recently did a full bust adjustment on a princess line . It is in the book Fit for Every Body . I would ignore the tuck and work on the making the curve on the side panel near the bust point a little more convex by widening it . You may also need to lower the bust point a bit. The degree that you add to the curve is explained in the book . It will take you a while to do and DEFINITELY do a muslin or two. The changes that you make will set you up with a great pattern though!!
Many thanks, Mem. As I said in a previous reply, I think I'll wait till I have more time to use this pattern but I appreciate your guidance.
Hello
I have just looked at that patten at the vogue site,and I think the best way to add to the bust (I have the same problem) is to fold down the dart from top to bottom, do not think of the dart as bust room but as the style of the blouse,and then work on the princess seams both sides to get the size you want .You will find out how to do this in the book you have fit for real people . Open up the dart before you cut out. Good luck
Thanks Ladyelfreda. I take it that when you say dart you mean the shoulder tuck?
Sorry yes the tuck. I added to a blouse once by addeing to the tucks and ,and I ended up with so much fabric at the bust I looked twice the size. all that fabric right where I do not want it. It fitted but look all wrong I did not wear it . O well we live and learn right.
We sure do. Very thankful to learn from your experience.
This post is archived.