Replies

1. 
   Theodora | Apr 06, 2003 06:54am | #1

   You can put a tiny discreet dart in the front armhole, pointing toward the bust and take a bit of the fullness in that way. Or, you can run an easeline along the armhole curves both front and back, which is a wonderful way of treating this problem!

1. 
   mini | Apr 06, 2003 10:20am | #2

   Thank you... I particularly like the armhole idea.

   Mini in Australia

1. 
   sanderson | Apr 06, 2003 07:47pm | #3

   This is kind of a math thing here and I'm more of a cooking person but I had this explained to me and I'll try to give you my take on this kind of alteration.  When you see a gap, this first solution that comes to my mind is a dart or tuck.  Sometimes that's okay but sometimes you don't want that pleat thing there;  it would make more sense someplace else on the shape of the item you're making.  Think of a bust dart since they're darts were all familiar with.  The end of the dart should fall within a two inch or so diameter circle that is the actual highest elevation your fitting is trying to accommodate.  Think of that point being the top of a triangle with two of its sides being the sewing lines, the third side the edge of the fabric.  So now let's say you don't want that dart pointing out under your arm but would rather have the dart on the lower edge of the front...sort of princess style.  If you keep the point of the top of your triangle the same you can redraw that dart to the bottom of your pattern piece and achieve the same fit. Just remember that the distance on the base of your triangle, i.e. the edge of the fabric, needs to be the same for the new dart as it was for the old dart.  Or if you're going to release the dart you add the moved wedge of fabric to the bottom from the side in order to keep the outer dimensions the same (the pattern piece lies flat.)   Here's where I needed paper to play with.  Diane Ericson, an absolutely magical teacher and frequent contributor to Threads, walked me through this.  I never thought I could think three dimensionally until she got me used to this method and another dimension of thought is a wonderful gift, indeed.  A  bright lightbulb came on in my head when she explained that the basic difference between a very well fitted sloper and the pattern I was struggling to fit which was quite boxy and unfitted, was that the darts in the sloper had been released.  The fitting article in the last Threads was great in identifying the main fitting points.   I now have great confidence in moving darts all over the place to accommodate the fabric I'm using and the shape of the person I'm fitting.