Hello sewing friends! It’s Tamar from Tamar Hope Designs. I’m excited to be on the blog today to start a series on pattern adjustments. One of my favorite reasons for sewing is being able to make clothes that fit my kids and myself perfectly. I know very few people who get a perfect fit from clothing off the rack. And that’s where sewing comes in! However, if you just make a straight size in a particular pattern, it’s going to fit roughly like ready made clothing. You just need a few tips to help you custom fit your patterns to your models. Hopefully this series will help you learn to do just that! Today we are going to learn how to lengthen or shorten a pattern.
For this example, I wanted to add a little length to Alder to make a feminine version that could tie in the front.
When looking at the length of a garment, a good place to start is the finished garment measurements chart.
Measure the length of the finished garment on your model to determine whether you need to add or remove any length. You can do this for dresses, sleeves, pants, shirts, etc. I determined that I wanted the top to be 1” longer than it was drafted to be for size 14. So, I added one inch of length to the bodice.
When adding or removing length, you need to be sure not to interfere with the curves of the pattern pieces. Choose a place to add or remove length that has a relatively straight line. The best place to add or remove length to pants is at the thigh or calf.
The best place to add or remove length to a bodice or shirt is directly below the chest area
The best place to add or remove length to a sleeve is at the elbow for a long sleeve.
In order to add or remove length for a paper pattern, draw a horizontal line in one of the spots shown in the illustrations above. Cut the pattern on this line. Spread the two pieces apart by the amount you wish to add, or overlap the pieces by the amount you wish to subtract. Then smooth out the lines on the sides of the pattern piece.
If you are using a projector file, project the pattern piece on your fabric. Place a ruler along a horizontal line in the correct area for adding or removing length. (hint: turn on the 5” grid and use one of those lines). Cut the top of the pattern down to the ruler.
Now move the entire cutting mat with the fabric one inch up if you are lengthening and one inch down if you shortening. Double check that you moved the correct way. If you are lengthening the piece, the top cut line will be 1 inch above the projected top line. If you are shortening the piece, the top cut line will be 1 inch below the projected top line.
Once you have your pieces cut, follow the tutorial to sew as normal. If you are unsure of your pattern modifications, sew a muslin first to double check the fit.
My daughter loves the look of her tie Alder. Such an easy modification makes this pattern just right for her.
Hopefully you can now feel confident to add or remove length from your next pattern to make it fit just right! Check back next month for a post about blending sizes!
Happy Fitting!
-Tamar