I am sewing a dress for my adult daughter to wear to a wedding tomorrow and she is heavily busted. I was really stressing out on the proper way to increase the commercial pattern when in desperation, I turned to UA-cam this morning at 3:00 AM. YOU ARE AN ANGEL WHO SAVED ME FROM A MAJOR PANIC ATTACK!!! Thanks to you she will have a beautiful dress to wear tomorrow!!! God bless you for your generosity in sharing your gifts, talents, and knowledge with those of us still learning!
This is the technique taught by Nancy Zieman back in 1999 in her "Fitting Finesse" and "Pattern Fitting With Confidence" books and shows. The episodes from her shows are still online and it's a great technique. Nancy Zieman also has books that accompany her shows which are very good -- she shows how to alter tops, pants, skirts and move darts, all without cutting the pattern.
It depends on how much you're adding. If you're adding less than 4 inches total, you can probably just ease the sleeve in as sleeves are usually eased in normally. If you're doing something more extreme than you'll have to add an extension to the sleeve. We'll eventually have a tutorial showing sleeve alterations.
This is terrific! I've been sewing for (ack!) 45 years, and I've been doing pattern alterations for 35 years. Your information is spot on, and I really love how you explain WHY you do it, as opposed to just doing it. I've used the slash and spread method, but I'm always ready to learn easier ways! i.e. you *CAN* adjust a princess bust line if you measure the bust point in addition to everything else. Please keep up the excellent work for our fellow neophytes.
So glad I found,this. I had previously tried the slash method and almost ruined my pattern. I put it back together and tried your method and so glad I did the blouse fits and I will be able to make many more thanks so much.
wow, I'm impressed you go through that extra step. yes, you can iron it, just make sure the iron is only warm (not hot) and not to leave it on too long. It won't come out completely smooth but it does help.
This was the easiest one I've seen. Commercial pattern designers should think about us curvy girls Bc they NEVER fit and we always need to make an adjustment. Thank you so much
LaTonya Moody you can use BURDA désignés they are much easier for beginners are old school but train them is like labirint. I will be doing my sewing room thus week so if 8 found few what still are at home so wear I will make video for you and post here.
Glad we were able to help out. Just make sure you do a muslin first so you can test your alteration first. I'd love to see a picture of your vintage dress when you finish. :)
hi there. Is it like a princess seam? I googled it and can only find a tiny image of a pattern with a pink top. You can just do an increase on the side seam pieces only and then you don't have to worry about the other piece. If you increase by a lot, be sure to also see our increase sleeve width tutorial. We show you what to do if you increase by more than 4". You can also divide by # of seams and increase using all the pieces, pivoting on each side but we don't have that tutorial yet.
Yes, you can use this technique. It'll deepen the dart a bit but should work. Just make sure you do a muslin to test your alterations before using your more expensive fabric.
@professorpincushion Hi, I just found this method. I'm new to sewing. I'm wondering how to go about using this method for adjustments when the back is cut on the fold. Would one only adjust the two front pieces?
you can do this! I actually think it's better to fit the bust and then make adjustments to the waist. That way you know the shoulder area will fit well and you don't have to worry about the armholes and then doing added alterations to the sleeves. Increasing the waist using the pivot method is less of a big deal. Also, don't forget to make a quick muslin so you can make sure your alterations work. good luck! :)
omg you have saved my mental health (no more frustrations) with these easy instructions. It worked! Maybe you have saved as well my love life with that lol
Thanks for your quick reply! I sew them into the shoulder seam too. They still flip out at the top of the bodice. I've taken to cutting the facings larger, say double the width so I can sew them deeper into the other seams. Since I don't know what else to do, I completely line the bodices wherever possible, but the lining is still visible, turning out. AAARGH! If you think of any thing else, let me in on it!
nice! be sure to watch our tutorial on increasing the sleeve width (if you have sleeves) as this needs to be done if you're increasing more than 1" and really affecting the armhole size.
Thank you for explaining this in such an easy to understand way, I've added this teaching session to my favourites and will be sure to reference back each time I need to do a FBA. thank you
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I recently bought a vintage pattern I love. I couldn't figure how to add to the bust size. This makes so much sense to me.
Beautiful dress. Since you don't have any straps, try pivoting from the waistline out to your increase at the bustline. Just realize that you can't pivot more than 1" per side seam without doing an extra extension. Be sure to make a muslin after your alterations so you can test to see if this alteration works before using more expensive fabric
Are you using a pattern for a cup C or you already did an alteration to the pattern? You could add the two inches alteration but I suggest sewing a muslin after doing your alterations. It just means using a cheap fabric, and basting the bodice together enough so you can try it on and test the fit. That way you can tell if it fits before using more expensive fabric.
The waistline does not have a maximum pivot restriction so you're fine just doing a 1" pivot on the bustline and a 1 3/4" pivot on the waist without having to do any extensions.
So are you looking to adjust the whole pattern up a size or two? That's called pattern grading. I do have it on my list to do a video on this, just don't know when that will be yet. In the meantime, I'll send you a link and maybe it can help you out.
This was such a fantastic and easy to follow tutorial! Many thanks for sharing in addition to the sleeve pattern alteration. I achieved the perfect fit following your instructions! Cheers from London :-)
I would check the finished bust measurements. It looks pretty loose fitting so you might not have to adjust as much as you think. You'll still want to pivot back towards the side seam just so you can make sure that is a nice continuous line. I'd love to see a picture when you finish. It's a cute look!
Oh dear. I did all of this and it appears to be correct. One problem. My pattern (Butterick 5646) has a side bust dart which extends down to a point on the side seam. I redrew the side seam with the new point but how would I now draw the dart? Do I use the old end point and draw the dart lines to meet the new side point OR do I measure the end point out the same amount I extended the side seam thereby moving the entire dart?
Are you referring to one of the Simplicity patterns? You can buy them directly on the Simplicity pattern website. I'm unsure if they ship to Mexico though so you would have to ask them.
Easy to see and understand ...Nancy’s notions from pic channel talked about this method but you explained and showed so smoothly.. looking for more other adjustments we need to make middle area and hips pants thank you
The reason the bustline has it is because you'll start distorting the armhole. Your situation is a little different since your dress doesn't have an armhole to worry about. You can see me doing an extension on a bustline in our increase sleeve width alteration tutorial which is also on our channel. It's in the second part of the video, around the 19:30 timecode I think.
great video, This is how nancy zeeman use to do it but she had seam allowances printed on pattern, I needed to know how to add these so I could use the pivot method. thank you!!!
It was a pattern for cup B. I couldn't find any muslin in Malaysia but I used other cheap fabrics. Thank you so much! Looking forward to see your next video. ;)
When you do your facing, you're finishing it with an understitch and then a topstitch, right? I've also gotten in the habit of stitching down the facing right at the shoulder seams. And I mean I'm stitching in the ditch (right in the center of the seam) of the shoulder seam. By doing this, you're not going to see any of your stitches. :)
Yes. Although, if you're increasing both, you may want to move up to the next size pattern. It doesn't the matter the order but I usually do bust and then waist or you can do both at the same time and just pivot to your new marks. :)
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I love your smarting the info you have. Please consider doing a video for this kind of alteration. In the mean time I will Google it as you suggested.
I can see what you're saying, especially if someone has a small back and is really busty, but not everyone has the same shape. We're also dealing with full body measurements that are printed on the commercial pattern and pattern companies don't break down these measurements for front and back nor how much ease is going to be added to each section. I can only recommend doing a muslin of any alteration you make and then making adjustments if you need to.
Sorry bout that, computer glitch. As I was saying, so I have discovered that the pattern size that I thought I would be able to wear is actually smaller then the commercial sizes. I like this method, but I don't think it will work for a full figured girl. Can you please show some videos on how to alter patterns to fit full figured girls? I have this pattern from Simplicity, it's a dress, and I want to make it, but I have found that my measurement don't come close to theirs. Can you please help?
I would say it depends on how much you're increasing it by. If it's just a little I would just stick to adding to the side seams. If it's a lot, you can distribute the measurement to all your seams, that way you don't have to worry about the armhole getting too out of shape.
Not yet, but I hope to some day. We're going to be releasing a tutorial soon for those that need to pivot more than 4". It's a little different because you have to also alter the sleeves since you're changing the armhole size
thank you for your reply it was very helpful but in the end what I did was go and find a pattern similar to the dress I was making and used the bodice and fitted it to the skirt of the dress that way I didn't have to alter anything other than the waist which is easier I feel
This seems fine for very small adjustments but it does not add any extra length thru the centre front neither does it provide any extra shaping by making the darts bigger - both of which you need to fit a full bust. Unless I'm missing something?
Sorry, I have a follow up question concerning the darts I asked about below. Should I follow the markings of the darts for my full bust size or my upper bust size? Thank you.
I think Zieman's chart is based on your front width measurement which is still measuring the area of the high bust, but just the front of the body instead of the whole circumference. This system may work better for someone with a small back, but they both are working from the idea that you're finding a pattern that will first fit your shoulders and then just increasing the bustline. Zeiman is great so I would never go against her. :)
hi there! yes, this technique only affects the bustline and the waistline will remain the same. If you increase the bustline by more than 4" total, check out our tutorial Increase Sleeve Width. The second half of the tutorial shows you what to do for large increases since you are changing the size of the armhole. Also, after you do your alteration, make a test run with inexpensive fabric so you can make sure it works.
Hi, I have a low bust, which is always lower than the pattern marking, it can be as much as 3" lower. How do you alter this at the same time of making a larger bust measurement? My full bust is 44", with an upper bust measurement of 36". Thank you.
Professor Pincushion I have watched all you videos on the pivot and slide method and they are great. I just wanted to know how exactly this method would work on garments with princess seams specifically waist increases. Would love to see a video on how pivot and slide technique work for princess seam.
For some reason it seems I need to shorten the center back at least 4 inches! It never works. Even in rtw I have unsightly wrinkles at the back waist. Help! Please!
Ah, I finally understand how to pivot correctly, thank you! I hope I'm wrong but I suspect this method won't work for a large bust, DD or bigger. Do you have a tutorial for the pattern-slashing method? I will look for some others' but I find your videos very easy to follow.
Hi, I love all of your videos related to commercial patterns. Thank you for your effort. Could you please show a video on how to reduce a wide ,deeper neckline of a commercial pattern to our own choice? I am very beginner in sewing. Thank you.
How do you do this on a bodice without a shoulder like in a strapless bodice, a halter top or a bodice with straps? Where would the first pin be placed before I pivot. Thank you for helping
sure. If I were you I would pin the bodice you want to adjust to a standard bodice pattern. That way it gives you a familiar jumping off point on where you should pivot but you only make the changes to the bodice you want.
Finally, thank you, just adding material where I need it, without adding a dart! making simple, airy tips for summer, I don't want to add a dart, because it's just loose and airy! This ought to work for knits, as well as wovens, right
If it was me, fit according to the bust and not your waist. That way we know that the shoulders of the garment is going to fit well. The waist is an easy adjustment to make. Also, be sure to look at the finished garment measurements. Sometimes that helps in your decision making as well. And don't forget to make a muslin first to test the fit. I'd love to see a picture when you finish :)
Thank you so much for making this video. Can you answer a query for me please? What if there is a dart just below the arm pit on the front and at the shoulder at the back? Do I mark those darts in at the original position of the pattern piece or the pivoted position?
Im adjusting a dress pattern from a very small size to a xl. The side and waist dart worries me cause the apex has changed. This pattern does not have armholes and starts close to the upper bust. Do i just extend the side dart to the newly adjusted size and make the side dart longer and then figure out the new center dart placement should be at the extended length? Im alittle lost with how to change the bust and waist dart so that the apex lines up correctly after increasing beyond 4" on both sides. Thank you!
increasing that much may cause pattern distortion. Are you just increasing the bust or increasing the over all size of the pattern. If it's the latter, you might want to look up pattern grading. We don't have a tutorial on this but it might work out better for you
This was a great refresher. I have a very full bust and small back and find that when I alter patterns to fit, or ease between two sizes, I still have trouble with neckline facings flipping to the outside of the garment, or at the least being visible. I must be doing something wrong I've had some luck blindstiching them down, but what about necklines with gathers? Is there an alteration to the facings one can do to encourage them to stay in place? Thanks for your help.
OMG!! Thank you so much!! I was buying the wrong size pattern. So I tried to adjust the bust as well as waist. Hopefully all will come out ok. Thanks, jean,,
Your videos are fantastic. I have McCalls M6746 do I only need to do step one of you bust increase video. I ask because as you can see it is a smock fit.
would you use this same principle to enlarge the chest area on a patteren for a mens hawainn shirt, my husband is barrell chested and he needs a good inch more across the chest and would I need to change any other part of the pattern? Thanks sso much
I have a question. I need to enlarge the bust in a kimono sleeved pattern. Its an empire waisted dress with the sleeve and bodice all in one. I just cannot figure it out. Love your tutorials..
Hi I want to increasing the bust to a dress with one sleeve. On the side were there is no sleeve do I use the same rotate method? The pattern piece does not have the fold line like yours its one piece.
Hmm...that is tricky! What I would do is make a copy of the pattern that way you can experiment and not ruin the original. Take your copy and fold in half so that the side seams line up. This should give you an idea on where the armhole line is on side of the bodice with the sleeve. Cut the sleeve off at that armhole line and then you can use the technique to extend the bustline. Once it's extended, fit the armhole back on. Obviously, it's not going to fit perfectly so you might have to blend your lines to make it work. Definitely make a muslin using the new pattern copy to test the fit. You can do it! :)
Hi. I am trying to adjust a pattern that is for a 36" full bust. I want to use the pattern for a full bust that is 47". I don't have the upper bust measurement and the pattern envelope does not go up to this size. Can I use this same method?
J Sweet Are you also making alterations to other sections, like also increasing the waistline? If so, then I recommend doing pattern grading which means you're increase (or decreasing) the pattern from one size to another. It might make things a little easier. We don't have a tutorial for this, but you can read a pretty good article on it here: www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4368/making-sense-of-pattern-grading/page/all
Hi, this video is excellent. I was wondering about the back piece, do I do the adjustment with the pattern facing up or do I turn the pattern backwards and make the adjustments that way. Thank you.
Hi this is wonderful but I would like to do this to a pants pattern for the waist for example: I am a very full figure and most patterns that fit my hips dont fit my waist bc I really dont have a waist. my hips are 60 and my waist is 58, how do I fix a solid waist band pattern? and do I do the same for a dress pattern that needs to be bigger at the waist? Thanks for your help!!
I need some help with the sizing on this pattern. My upper bust is 38 1/2, but my waist is 35". According to the chart on the pattern with the 38 1/2 in upper bust, my waist should be like 30". But for the 35" waist, my bust should be 42" or 43" (It's inbetween a size, the actual measurment is 34" waist to a 42" bust). My full bust is about 41 1/2" . Should I go with the size for the full bust since it is closer to the correct size? I don't want the dress to be too small for my waist.
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I am sewing a dress for my adult daughter to wear to a wedding tomorrow and she is heavily busted. I was really stressing out on the proper way to increase the commercial pattern when in desperation, I turned to UA-cam this morning at 3:00 AM. YOU ARE AN ANGEL WHO SAVED ME FROM A MAJOR PANIC ATTACK!!! Thanks to you she will have a beautiful dress to wear tomorrow!!! God bless you for your generosity in sharing your gifts, talents, and knowledge with those of us still learning!
This is the technique taught by Nancy Zieman back in 1999 in her "Fitting Finesse" and "Pattern Fitting With Confidence" books and shows. The episodes from her shows are still online and it's a great technique. Nancy Zieman also has books that accompany her shows which are very good -- she shows how to alter tops, pants, skirts and move darts, all without cutting the pattern.
Thank you! So much easier and understandable than the other 15 I watched today!
Five years later and I'm still feeling this comment
It depends on how much you're adding. If you're adding less than 4 inches total, you can probably just ease the sleeve in as sleeves are usually eased in normally. If you're doing something more extreme than you'll have to add an extension to the sleeve. We'll eventually have a tutorial showing sleeve alterations.
This is terrific! I've been sewing for (ack!) 45 years, and I've been doing pattern alterations for 35 years. Your information is spot on, and I really love how you explain WHY you do it, as opposed to just doing it. I've used the slash and spread method, but I'm always ready to learn easier ways! i.e. you *CAN* adjust a princess bust line if you measure the bust point in addition to everything else. Please keep up the excellent work for our fellow neophytes.
Thank you so much for the kind words! You have made my day :)
WHY HAVE I NOT DISCOVERED YOUR SERIES BEFORE!!!!!!!ugh i would have saved myself hours of tears and heartache...
aw...better late than never. :) Thanks for watching
So glad we were able to help you out and your daughter had a lovely dress to wear. :D
Would love to see a FBA for princess seams. I have a 6" difference between my upper bust and full bust. I have no idea where to begin.
this is absolutely the best FBA I have ever done. Excellent fit first try. Thank you so much!!
So glad I found,this. I had previously tried the slash method and almost ruined my pattern. I put it back together and tried your method and so glad I did the blouse fits and I will be able to make many more thanks so much.
wow, I'm impressed you go through that extra step. yes, you can iron it, just make sure the iron is only warm (not hot) and not to leave it on too long. It won't come out completely smooth but it does help.
This was the easiest one I've seen. Commercial pattern designers should think about us curvy girls Bc they NEVER fit and we always need to make an adjustment. Thank you so much
LaTonya Moody you can use BURDA désignés they are much easier for beginners are old school but train them is like labirint. I will be doing my sewing room thus week so if 8 found few what still are at home so wear I will make video for you and post here.
como cortar patron
Thanks for sharing all this information. Whenever I need help I normally turn to your videos. Easy to follow and answer all my question.
Glad we were able to help out. Just make sure you do a muslin first so you can test your alteration first. I'd love to see a picture of your vintage dress when you finish. :)
hi there. Is it like a princess seam? I googled it and can only find a tiny image of a pattern with a pink top. You can just do an increase on the side seam pieces only and then you don't have to worry about the other piece. If you increase by a lot, be sure to also see our increase sleeve width tutorial. We show you what to do if you increase by more than 4". You can also divide by # of seams and increase using all the pieces, pivoting on each side but we don't have that tutorial yet.
Yes, you can use this technique. It'll deepen the dart a bit but should work. Just make sure you do a muslin to test your alterations before using your more expensive fabric.
This is your first tute that I can’t seem to follow. I will keep trying.
Very good tutorial. Short sweet and to the point. Easy to follow and understand
I just answered you on the site about the 4" difference but you would extend the side dart from it's original point. so the dart would be longer.
@professorpincushion Hi, I just found this method. I'm new to sewing. I'm wondering how to go about using this method for adjustments when the back is cut on the fold. Would one only adjust the two front pieces?
Thank you Professor Pincushion, you have made life a bit easier when it comes to adjustments
you can do this! I actually think it's better to fit the bust and then make adjustments to the waist. That way you know the shoulder area will fit well and you don't have to worry about the armholes and then doing added alterations to the sleeves. Increasing the waist using the pivot method is less of a big deal. Also, don't forget to make a quick muslin so you can make sure your alterations work. good luck! :)
Thankyou so much.....I have adjusted my pattern and can’t wait to sew. You are so clear with your instructions. Thankyou again
omg you have saved my mental health (no more frustrations) with these easy instructions. It worked! Maybe you have saved as well my love life with that lol
So glad you found out video helpful. :) I'd love to see how your costume turns out.
Best step by step video. Thank you. I am big busted and need to make adjustments in this area. Much appreciated
Thanks for your quick reply! I sew them into the shoulder seam too. They still flip out at the top of the bodice. I've taken to cutting the facings larger, say double the width so I can sew them deeper into the other seams. Since I don't know what else to do, I completely line the bodices wherever possible, but the lining is still visible, turning out. AAARGH! If you think of any thing else, let me in on it!
nice! be sure to watch our tutorial on increasing the sleeve width (if you have sleeves) as this needs to be done if you're increasing more than 1" and really affecting the armhole size.
Watch “sewing with Nancy” “fitting with finesse”. Her bust measurement to select pattern size has worked with every pattern I’ve ever purchased.
Does this technique from Nancy accommodate large bust?
Thank you for explaining this in such an easy to understand way, I've added this teaching session to my favourites and will be sure to reference back each time I need to do a FBA. thank you
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I recently bought a vintage pattern I love. I couldn't figure how to add to the bust size. This makes so much sense to me.
Beautiful dress. Since you don't have any straps, try pivoting from the waistline out to your increase at the bustline. Just realize that you can't pivot more than 1" per side seam without doing an extra extension. Be sure to make a muslin after your alterations so you can test to see if this alteration works before using more expensive fabric
Are you using a pattern for a cup C or you already did an alteration to the pattern? You could add the two inches alteration but I suggest sewing a muslin after doing your alterations. It just means using a cheap fabric, and basting the bodice together enough so you can try it on and test the fit. That way you can tell if it fits before using more expensive fabric.
The waistline does not have a maximum pivot restriction so you're fine just doing a 1" pivot on the bustline and a 1 3/4" pivot on the waist without having to do any extensions.
So are you looking to adjust the whole pattern up a size or two? That's called pattern grading. I do have it on my list to do a video on this, just don't know when that will be yet. In the meantime, I'll send you a link and maybe it can help you out.
This was such a fantastic and easy to follow tutorial! Many thanks for sharing in addition to the sleeve pattern alteration. I achieved the perfect fit following your instructions! Cheers from London :-)
yay! I'm so glad to hear that :)
I would check the finished bust measurements. It looks pretty loose fitting so you might not have to adjust as much as you think. You'll still want to pivot back towards the side seam just so you can make sure that is a nice continuous line. I'd love to see a picture when you finish. It's a cute look!
I also found another video on pattern grading which explains easily how to do it. But I look forward to yours. Many thanks again.
oh good. I hope it works out for you.
Oh dear. I did all of this and it appears to be correct. One problem. My pattern (Butterick 5646) has a side bust dart which extends down to a point on the side seam. I redrew the side seam with the new point but how would I now draw the dart? Do I use the old end point and draw the dart lines to meet the new side point OR do I measure the end point out the same amount I extended the side seam thereby moving the entire dart?
Are you referring to one of the Simplicity patterns? You can buy them directly on the Simplicity pattern website. I'm unsure if they ship to Mexico though so you would have to ask them.
Easy to see and understand ...Nancy’s notions from pic channel talked about this method but you explained and showed so smoothly.. looking for more other adjustments we need to make middle area and hips pants thank you
This site is so freaking awesome! Now I can finish my pajama top
So glad to hear it worked out for you! :)
The reason the bustline has it is because you'll start distorting the armhole. Your situation is a little different since your dress doesn't have an armhole to worry about. You can see me doing an extension on a bustline in our increase sleeve width alteration tutorial which is also on our channel. It's in the second part of the video, around the 19:30 timecode I think.
A little confusing in inches so I’ll follow the procedure in the metric system. Much easier for me . Thanks 🙏 Great video
great video, This is how nancy zeeman use to do it but she had seam allowances printed on pattern, I needed to know how to add these so I could use the pivot method. thank you!!!
It was a pattern for cup B. I couldn't find any muslin in Malaysia but I used other cheap fabrics. Thank you so much! Looking forward to see your next video. ;)
Excellent tutorial. Demystified the method. thank you.
We hope to have a tutorial on this soon
When you do your facing, you're finishing it with an understitch and then a topstitch, right? I've also gotten in the habit of stitching down the facing right at the shoulder seams. And I mean I'm stitching in the ditch (right in the center of the seam) of the shoulder seam. By doing this, you're not going to see any of your stitches. :)
Yes. Although, if you're increasing both, you may want to move up to the next size pattern. It doesn't the matter the order but I usually do bust and then waist or you can do both at the same time and just pivot to your new marks. :)
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I love your smarting the info you have. Please consider doing a video for this kind of alteration. In the mean time I will Google it as you suggested.
I can see what you're saying, especially if someone has a small back and is really busty, but not everyone has the same shape. We're also dealing with full body measurements that are printed on the commercial pattern and pattern companies don't break down these measurements for front and back nor how much ease is going to be added to each section. I can only recommend doing a muslin of any alteration you make and then making adjustments if you need to.
Sorry bout that, computer glitch. As I was saying, so I have discovered that the pattern size that I thought I would be able to wear is actually smaller then the commercial sizes. I like this method, but I don't think it will work for a full figured girl. Can you please show some videos on how to alter patterns to fit full figured girls? I have this pattern from Simplicity, it's a dress, and I want to make it, but I have found that my measurement don't come close to theirs. Can you please help?
I would say it depends on how much you're increasing it by. If it's just a little I would just stick to adding to the side seams. If it's a lot, you can distribute the measurement to all your seams, that way you don't have to worry about the armhole getting too out of shape.
Thank you! :) Professor Pincushion keeps me pretty busy but who knows, maybe some day
Not yet, but I hope to some day. We're going to be releasing a tutorial soon for those that need to pivot more than 4". It's a little different because you have to also alter the sleeves since you're changing the armhole size
I've never seen ths approach...im use to the slash&spread method. I'll try ths now & see if it really works.
thank you for your reply it was very helpful but in the end what I did was go and find a pattern similar to the dress I was making and used the bodice and fitted it to the skirt of the dress that way I didn't have to alter anything other than the waist which is easier I feel
yes, you do the front and back on the side seam. You have two side seams on the back and two on the front and that's where the number 4 comes from.
This seems fine for very small adjustments but it does not add any extra length thru the centre front neither does it provide any extra shaping by making the darts bigger - both of which you need to fit a full bust. Unless I'm missing something?
Have you ever considered becoming a Craftsy teacher? You have a real knack for teaching!
Excellent video Prof Pincushion
Just to be clear I would transfer my circles and dots as well right
Sorry, I have a follow up question concerning the darts I asked about below. Should I follow the markings of the darts for my full bust size or my upper bust size? Thank you.
I think Zieman's chart is based on your front width measurement which is still measuring the area of the high bust, but just the front of the body instead of the whole circumference. This system may work better for someone with a small back, but they both are working from the idea that you're finding a pattern that will first fit your shoulders and then just increasing the bustline. Zeiman is great so I would never go against her. :)
hi there! yes, this technique only affects the bustline and the waistline will remain the same. If you increase the bustline by more than 4" total, check out our tutorial Increase Sleeve Width. The second half of the tutorial shows you what to do for large increases since you are changing the size of the armhole. Also, after you do your alteration, make a test run with inexpensive fabric so you can make sure it works.
What do you think is better, Nancy Zieman's bust measurement chart or just using the high bust measurement?
Hi, I have a low bust, which is always lower than the pattern marking, it can be as much as 3" lower. How do you alter this at the same time of making a larger bust measurement? My full bust is 44", with an upper bust measurement of 36". Thank you.
Professor Pincushion I have watched all you videos on the pivot and slide method and they are great. I just wanted to know how exactly this method would work on garments with princess seams specifically waist increases. Would love to see a video on how pivot and slide technique work for princess seam.
If you're not increasing by very much, you can just pivot/add to the side bodice pieces only and just keep it simple.
It's great if your apex/bust point is at the arm hole height & don't mind the side seam shifting to the front--but great option for some situations!
For some reason it seems I need to shorten the center back at least 4 inches! It never works. Even in rtw I have unsightly wrinkles at the back waist. Help! Please!
Ah, I finally understand how to pivot correctly, thank you! I hope I'm wrong but I suspect this method won't work for a large bust, DD or bigger. Do you have a tutorial for the pattern-slashing method? I will look for some others' but I find your videos very easy to follow.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!! This helped me so much! I have a pretty full bust and always need to add to patterns. Go bless you!
Thanks for the kind words! so glad you found our tutorial helpful :)
Hi, I love all of your videos related to commercial patterns.
Thank you for your effort.
Could you please show a video on how to reduce a wide ,deeper neckline of a commercial pattern to our own choice? I am very beginner in sewing.
Thank you.
How do you do this on a bodice without a shoulder like in a strapless bodice, a halter top or a bodice with straps? Where would the first pin be placed before I pivot. Thank you for helping
sure. If I were you I would pin the bodice you want to adjust to a standard bodice pattern. That way it gives you a familiar jumping off point on where you should pivot but you only make the changes to the bodice you want.
Excdllent and straight forward tutorial. Many thanks.
Finally, thank you, just adding material where I need it, without adding a dart! making simple, airy tips for summer, I don't want to add a dart, because it's just loose and airy! This ought to work for knits, as well as wovens, right
Great tutorial! Looking forward to apply this to a blouse pattern I recently purchased.
If it was me, fit according to the bust and not your waist. That way we know that the shoulders of the garment is going to fit well. The waist is an easy adjustment to make. Also, be sure to look at the finished garment measurements. Sometimes that helps in your decision making as well. And don't forget to make a muslin first to test the fit. I'd love to see a picture when you finish :)
Thank you so much for making this video. Can you answer a query for me please? What if there is a dart just below the arm pit on the front and at the shoulder at the back? Do I mark those darts in at the original position of the pattern piece or the pivoted position?
I have Simplicity 0363, how do you apply increase? the front has two pieces. I have a 40" Bust. Help if you can. Thank you
Im adjusting a dress pattern from a very small size to a xl. The side and waist dart worries me cause the apex has changed.
This pattern does not have armholes and starts close to the upper bust.
Do i just extend the side dart to the newly adjusted size and make the side dart longer and then figure out the new center dart placement should be at the extended length?
Im alittle lost with how to change the bust and waist dart so that the apex lines up correctly after increasing beyond 4" on both sides. Thank you!
increasing that much may cause pattern distortion. Are you just increasing the bust or increasing the over all size of the pattern. If it's the latter, you might want to look up pattern grading. We don't have a tutorial on this but it might work out better for you
This was a great refresher. I have a very full bust and small back and find that when I alter patterns to fit, or ease between two sizes, I still have trouble with neckline facings flipping to the outside of the garment, or at the least being visible. I must be doing something wrong I've had some luck blindstiching them down, but what about necklines with gathers? Is there an alteration to the facings one can do to encourage them to stay in place? Thanks for your help.
OMG!! Thank you so much!! I was buying the wrong size pattern. So I tried to adjust the bust as well as waist. Hopefully all will come out ok. Thanks, jean,,
Excellent! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer. I really appreciate that.
Your videos are fantastic. I have McCalls M6746 do I only need to do step one of you bust increase video. I ask because as you can see it is a smock fit.
Which size would you use if you’re between sizes smaller or larger
When doing this, do I need to increase the sleeve pattern as well.
Hello great tutorial why did you take an upper bust measurement?
upper bust measurement is used to pick your bodice size so that the shoulder area will fit.
would you use this same principle to enlarge the chest area on a patteren for a mens hawainn shirt, my husband is barrell chested and he needs a good inch more across the chest and would I need to change any other part of the pattern? Thanks sso much
I have a question. I need to enlarge the bust in a kimono sleeved pattern. Its an empire waisted dress with the sleeve and bodice all in one. I just cannot figure it out. Love your tutorials..
Can you explain when it is best to do the pivot method vs the slash and spread method? Thanks,
you can do either one for making alterations, they're just different methods.
I don't add to the back.. i only adjust for the front????
Hi I want to increasing the bust to a dress with one sleeve. On the side were there is no sleeve do I use the same rotate method? The pattern piece does not have the fold line like yours its one piece.
Hmm...that is tricky! What I would do is make a copy of the pattern that way you can experiment and not ruin the original. Take your copy and fold in half so that the side seams line up. This should give you an idea on where the armhole line is on side of the bodice with the sleeve. Cut the sleeve off at that armhole line and then you can use the technique to extend the bustline. Once it's extended, fit the armhole back on. Obviously, it's not going to fit perfectly so you might have to blend your lines to make it work. Definitely make a muslin using the new pattern copy to test the fit. You can do it! :)
will this adjustment help with gaping armholes in the front? I am sewing a t-shirt and need to add for my bust without darts.
this technique will expand the armhole so it might not work in your situation
Hi. I am trying to adjust a pattern that is for a 36" full bust. I want to use the pattern for a full bust that is 47". I don't have the upper bust measurement and the pattern envelope does not go up to this size. Can I use this same method?
J Sweet Are you also making alterations to other sections, like also increasing the waistline? If so, then I recommend doing pattern grading which means you're increase (or decreasing) the pattern from one size to another. It might make things a little easier. We don't have a tutorial for this, but you can read a pretty good article on it here: www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4368/making-sense-of-pattern-grading/page/all
Hi, this video is excellent. I was wondering about the back piece, do I do the adjustment with the pattern facing up or do I turn the pattern backwards and make the adjustments that way. Thank you.
Thank you!! That is my exact issue and I appreciate your great tutorial!
Hi this is wonderful but I would like to do this to a pants pattern for the waist for example: I am a very full figure and most patterns that fit my hips dont fit my waist bc I really dont have a waist. my hips are 60 and my waist is 58, how do I fix a solid waist band pattern? and do I do the same for a dress pattern that needs to be bigger at the waist? Thanks for your help!!
I need some help with the sizing on this pattern. My upper bust is 38 1/2, but my waist is 35". According to the chart on the pattern with the 38 1/2 in upper bust, my waist should be like 30". But for the 35" waist, my bust should be 42" or 43" (It's inbetween a size, the actual measurment is 34" waist to a 42" bust). My full bust is about 41 1/2" . Should I go with the size for the full bust since it is closer to the correct size? I don't want the dress to be too small for my waist.