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Without further ado, here are instructions for a full bust adjustment. Read these if you're doing a small bust adjustment, since the alterations are the same, just reversed (more on that at the end of the post).
1. Start with the D cup pattern piece for your size. (I'm using the C cup in the photos below, so just ignore that). Mark in the lines shown in the picture below.
2. Slash along the lines, leaving a hinge at the top of the pattern piece. Open the slashed lines the amount you need to add to the bust. I added 1", which should gain you 1-2 cup sizes. Tape the pieces to a fresh sheet of paper.
3. Redraw the center front line.
4. Re-draw the dart legs, from their original leg points, to a new end point in your slash. Your dart will be much bigger now. When this pattern is sewn, the dart excess gets cut away, so you don't need to worry about all that excess fabric. (Another option is that you could gather the lower edge of the cup piece rather than having a dart. This is pretty common in slips.)
5. True the dart legs: close the dart as it will be sewn. Even up the bottom edge of the pattern piece if needed. Roll over the lower edge of the dart with a spiky tracing wheel.
Open up the dart and draw over the perforated marks left by the tracing wheel. This is your new cutting line.
6. That's it! Test out your new cup piece in a cheap 2-way knit fabric. To get the correct fit, it's very important that your fabric for the test and the final garment stretch in the lengthwise and crosswise directions.
For small bust adjustments: you can use these same steps, but instead of spreading the pattern piece apart, overlap the pieces, making it smaller. Your piece will get narrower and shorter, and your darts will be smaller.
Let me know if you have any questions. Next, we'll be cutting and marking our fabric!
Previous sew-along posts:
Slip Sew-Along #1: Inside the Kit, Plus Other Supplies
Slip Sew-Along #2: Pre-treating Your Fabric
Slip Sew-Along #3: Picking a Size and Making Adjustments
Thanks Gertie! Very much needed. I can't wait to get started...
ReplyDeleteNo problemo! Let me know how it works out for you. :)
DeleteDear Gertie-
ReplyDeleteDoes the diagonal slash at the top correspond with the angle of the edge that it's parallel to? Or how do you determine that angle?
Hi Cynthia, I just eyeballed a 45 degree angle to the vertical line going through the dart.
DeleteI am glad to see a standard Y- shaped FBA works for this pattern. I didn't know if it would or not. I'm also glad to see you have to add paper for the dart extensions. I never seem to leave enough room for them. I intend to make modifications this weekend.
ReplyDeletegreat tips, thanks a lot
ReplyDeleteGertie ,thanks so much for this sew a long .I'm looking forward to having beautiful and well fitting undergarments! Happy sewing!
ReplyDeleteGreat instructions - thank you very much. I'm hoping to do this tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteJust one question, in the pattern where you need to work out the difference between high and full bust measurements, mine came to 5".
Does that mean I make a gap of 5" in the FBA or 2" ?
Thanks for your help on this! x
Wonderful instructions. It always scares me to death when I see someone cutting and slicing away at a pattern. Yours seem not to make it quite so scary.
ReplyDeleteI've finally managed to order the pattern thanks to Butterick having it on sale and my husband wanting to give me a treat. Now to get some fabric once the pattern arrives in NZ. I do have some powerdry and lace dyed to match that might work though, finding it though could be a different matter!
ReplyDeleteThanks for releasing this pattern in the various bust sizes. It makes it so much easier!
ReplyDeleteOh my yes! I really struggle with fit (doesn't everybody?) and it's such a bonus to start with something a little closer to right than a pattern drafted for a much too small bust.
DeleteOmg you make FBA look so easy! ...in other news I'm SUPER thankful I don't have to do one for this pattern!
ReplyDeleteWould you mind spelling out directions for gathering instead of creating the dart in the bust? I prefer the look of the gather but the fabric is already cut out with the pointy bits at the bottom and there are no indications of where would be good to start/stop the gathering etc. Many thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for providing such clear and straight forward instructions. I never knew how to do this.
ReplyDeleteGertie -- If you were making this for a G cup, approximately how much would you add to the dart?
ReplyDelete