How to Enlarge a Dress Pattern
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- Опубліковано 23 лип 2024
- I made this video in response to a reader who wanted to add a bit of extra room to the A-line dress pattern in my Absolutely A-Line book and my Shirt Off Daddy's Back pattern collection. It's a really simple method that lets you add more room to a girl's dress that's a little too tight - but fits otherwise. You can use it for any pattern with a straight line for the center front and back. Heads up - this is to adapt a pattern that ALMOST fits. Adding too much to the center can eventually throw off the other proportions.
Find the book Absolutely A-Line and the Shirt Off Daddy's Back pattern collection in my shop at www.shinyhappyworld.com/store. Both are designed for girls size 3-8. - Навчання та стиль
![Enlarging a Pattern Using a Grid [Woodworkers Institute]](/img/n.gif)
Thank you for this. Most dress patterns although they say my size, don't actually fit my body shape, so to be able to use the patterns on magazines and make them fit me is great
Of course you can grade the entire pattern to a new size - but that is considerably more involved than adding a bit to the center and I made this video in response to a reader request for a very simple way to add just a bit more room around the middle to a child's dress pattern that otherwise fit well. I tried to be clear in the video description that this is NOT intended for a significant alteration because if you add too much it will (as you pointed out) throw off the other proportions.
Thank you so much for this simple explanation for a complicated problem!!! You’ve made my life easier
Still amazing 6 years later 💕 Thank You!
I love this! Thank you. And the name Shiny Happy World is just what I wanted to hear today. :-) It's a beautiful world for sure!
thanks you the size I have is a twenty and the dress bust was too small I needed to add two inches this helps a lot
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Very helpful!
I actually graded a dress pattern from size 16 to size 20 and I graded along the lines of the existing pattern using the parts that you indicated would be a nitemare. Using the center front and back to add a bit of size works if the pattern is very close to what you need. Otherwise, it distorts the design. To maintain design integrity, it is best to grade the pattern along the already set lines. Vogue has a good article on how to do this and using multisize patterns it makes it easier.
Thank you so I'm using exactly the same sizes as you did and the video was a bit distressing because I'm dozing much larger
Yes. Well said. Thank you.
Thank you. Very helpful information.
Thank you Wendy, excellent tutorial. Quick question... what’s is the recommended maximum you can add to the centre front and centre back seam before the pattern, specifically the neckline, starts to distort? Thank you 😊
Really useful, thank you 🙏🏼
thank you
Hi, Can someone help me. How would I increase the "armhole" parts of the pattern. I understand increasing the width area and the neckline, but I think I am not fully understanding something. Thanks!
Thanks good info
Thank you..can i add also to shoulder and armhole?
Question is once you figure that out how do you know how much fabric to add for the increase?
What I also am not understanding is on the video, there are a lot of lines (increasing/decreasing) on the neckline and arm areas. How do you draw these lines the correct size and angle. I had thought this was going to be explained, or maybe I missed it?
Thank You ! You most likely saved me a lot of trouble. Also my maiden last name is Gratz - it is a small world after all :-)
This is ingenious! Can this be done likewise with a bodice pattern? also, if I go up in size from 16 to an 18, how many total inches need I add?
kfreasstudio Sorry. This kind of quick and dirty modification really only works with young kids - they have no curves. :-) There are lots of videos out there, though, showing the "real" way to modify adult patterns. This is just a quick and dirty cheat to modify a favorite pattern up a size or two as kids grow.
You're welcome. :-)
I always add extra on the side seam, never ever on the centre line. What about the neck? It will "gape"?
Depending on the size increase. If you increase 3 sizes only on side seams the neck area will look uncemetrical. Especially in an adult pattern increase or grading
Can I get like this Pattern
so i'm enlarging a skirt that has godets in it, when i add the however many inches i'm going to need to add,.. am i going to need to add in a godet or 2 depending on the inches i'm adding? Thanks a lot!
Yes, depending on how much you're adding you may need to add additional godets, but I'd really recommend a different tutorial. This one is really for a VERY simple girl's A-line dress with no darts, godets, or shaping of any kind.
What about darts? Won't the bust darts be off using this method?
how big is the tracing paper you are using?
I'm not sure. It's just the pattern tissue that came in the book - but I don't have a copy anymore.
how would I decrease a pattern in its size? Is it the same concept?
+Nancy Lewis Yes - just remember that this is kind of a "cheater" method that works best for kids because they have no curves. If you're modifying patterns for adults you'll want to Google some more proper techniques. :-)
+Wendi Gratz Thank you! It's for my little girl, so that's perfect. She's such a little bitty thing.
Thank you sewwwwwwwwww much!!!!
This is not a great way to make a pattern bigger because it distorts the neckline and shoulders too much. there is a reason why patterns are graded to the side, you should follow that line.