Create a visual reference for the different stitches on your machine and how they look with different widths and length options.
My current obsession is bra making. I love the detail and the fact that all the pattern pieces are so small and functional, they each have their own job to do in making the bra fit and perform as it should. Stitch width and length is important to both the structure and the look of the finished garment!
I now use the zig zig stitch and the three step zig zag stitch a great deal for these intricate garments and I am constantly experimenting with stitch width and length.
Create your own visual guide – get to know your machine and what it can do.
To save me some time I spent a few minutes making some samples to show how the different stitch lengths and widths look on my most used stitches. I wanted to have a quick visual reference to help me decide which stitch width and length I should select for differing elastic widths etc. Of course all machines are different and have different settings.
I thought I would share this with you! Why not create your own.
I often offer help to my subscribers here on my blog, so if you have any questions about techniques or styles you would like help with then just let me know!
How to create this pattern…
One of my subscribers has asked for help in deciding the best method to create the shape at the front of this dress.
The best way to create this shape is by modelling directly onto the dress stand, that is, if you are creating this shape from scratch to your own design. Simply take your fabric and apply it to the dress stand and be as creative as you like. However there is another method you can use.
If you would like to create a shape similar to this one using a flat pattern cutting technique the the following method will help you.
This is the shape created from following the silhouette of the top half
I would create this shape in two sections and seam at the waist…
The shape below the waist…The shape created in paper…
I hope this helps you create some interesting shapes!
Here is your monthly free sewing project, it’s more complex than it looks, as the shape of the curves are quite difficult to sew, but it’s great practice and a fun way to use up odd pieces of fabric!
Free Pattern & Sewing Instructions For Subscribers!
Simply subscribe to gain access to the subscribers free content area for your free ‘Cheeky Monster’ pattern and step by step making instructions – as featured in my monthly craft project in the French Magazine DSM!
All my free pattern and information can be printed at home on your A4 printer and compiled to form a whole pattern piece – as always if you have any questions or comments then please get in touch.
Nicola X
Get Creative with the face!Make me for a girl or a boy!
Smocking is back in fashion, I can’t remember the last time I used sheering elastic to smock a piece of fabric! Since my last project giveaway I have had several requests to cover the technique, so here we go – a blast from the past.
You will need:
Some cotton fabric, gingham works well; the width can be between 1 and a half to twice your finished bust measurement. If you choose to use the technique to make a skirt then the width of the fabric needs to be approximately 1.5 to 2 X your waist measurement. The length of the fabric is up to you.
Some ribbon or fabric to make the straps, approximately 1.5 meters in length and as wide as you choose.
1 reel of matching regular sewing thread
1 reel of matching sheering elastic
1 empty spool
A tape measure
Some fabric scissors
A few pins
A ruler or a set square
Either fabric marking chalk or a fabric marking pencil (one that will disappear).
Let’s sew
Step1 – cut the cotton fabric piece as follows:
Take the measurement across the fullest part of your bust and multiply this measurement by between 1.5 to 2.
For example a bust of 90cm would need between 135cm to 180cm – my fabric is 150cm wide so I will use the full width of the piece to simplify things, now I just need to decide how long I want my top and for me this is 53cm.
Step 2 – Take the empty spool and wrap the elastic thread around the bobbin case, pulling as you go, the more you pull the more elasticated your top will be, you do need to pull a good amount and steadily, this hurts your fingers a little, but the results will be worth it!
Insert the elastic filled spool case into your machine and with normal thread at the top, pull the elastic through the machine as you would normally. The only difference is that you have elastic and not sewing thread on the spool. If you can, release the foot pressure on your machine and set the machine to the longest stitch length available.
Step 3 – Decide how far down the top neck edge of your fabric piece you would like the smocking to start, leave this amount and a little extra for the hem allowance. Mark your first line of sheering with your fabric pen or chalk pen along the piece on the right side of the fabric, you can continue to mark each sewing line if you wish, or simply mark the first sewing line and then use the width of your sewing foot to sew each subsequent line of stitching.
Step 4 – Take your fabric to the machine and with the right side facing upwards sew your first row of stitching, DO NOT BACK TACK AT THE BEGINNING OR END OF THE ROW and leave nice long elastic and thread ends so that they can be tied off to secure later. Continue to sew lines of stitching underneath until you are happy with the depth of the sheering, for my example I stopped at 17 rows of stitching.
Step 5 – Now tie each row of stitching off at the ends to secure.
Step 6 – now you can sew the vertical seam, this can be your center back seam, and neaten with your preferred method, as I used the whole width of the fabric my fabric edges are the selvedge of the fabric and don’t need to be neatened.
Step 7 – Hem the bottom of your garment, a double hem will finish off the hem edge nicely if you don’t have an overlocker!
Step 8 – Now try the top on and attach straps if you want to, you can use ribbon, or a decorative trim or even the same fabric as the top. When you are happy with the strap position and length you can sew the neckline hem, sandwiching the straps into the seam.
Adding Fabric Straps
To add fabric straps in the self fabric cut 4 strips of fabric equal to the length of strap you need and double the finished width you want with some extra for seam allowance.
The straps can be pinned to the top edge of your garment, pin so that the end of the strap is tucked under the seam allowance and catch the strap into the seam as you hem this top edge.
Now fold the strap back on itself to face upwards to the neck and top stitch from the right side to make sure the straps lie flat. You can sew all the way around the top if you wish to create some decorative top stitching if you wish, it simply secure the hems in position were you need to.
You can choose to secure the strap just where the pin is or as shown below you can top stitch all the way around the top to add some detail.
Give your top a good press, there is no need to press the sheering section, but you can give it a nice steam to relax the elastic.
Now you have mastered this method why not make yourself a skirt, or use the method to introduce sheered panels into your sewing projects.
As always, any questions at all then please get in touch.
One to One – Tailor your learning to exactly what you need !Join me at our beautiful restored farmhouse in rural France. Learn the art of pattern cutting, or improve your pattern cutting or sewing skills, in an informal and relaxed learning environment whilst enjoying the French countryside and taking in a bit of French culture.
I now offer bespoke pattern cutting or sewing days so that learners can tailor their course to their individual needs. I can cater for between one and four people per course. Book in for any number of days to suit your needs.
We understand that flights can be on different days from different parts of the world, so we arrange each course to suit your needs. Please get in touch for availability.
If you have a partner that would like to join you but does not wish to take part in the course, this can easily be arranged.
Take a look at our gite Facebook page for pictures of our accommodation for a closer look at our setting and our rooms.
Course Plan – Sample of a 1 week course outline –
Day 1 – let’s see what you know and what you need to know.
This is an opportunity for everyone to review their skills level and to formulate an individual learning plan, to ensure everyone, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pattern cutter, gets the most out of the coming week.
Day 2 – let’s push your creative pattern cutting skills to their limits
Modelling on the dress stand, learn the skills of ‘French Moulage’ and allow your creative pattern cutting skills to flourish.
Day 3 – Pattern cutting for stretch fabrics
We live in knit fabrics; let’s take a day to understand how to create patterns for stretch garments.
Day 4 – Style readings
Test your skills and test my skills as you develop patterns for a garment of your own design, there is no better way to learn!
Day 5 – The essentials you need to progress
Let’s take a look at grading and sizing and fit.
The above outline is a guide and your learning is very much tailored to suit your individual needs.
The cost of the course is £150 per day per person, for one of our private double rooms, including all meals and complimentary wine and a meal at a local restaurant for guests staying for one week. Additional non course attending guests sharing the double room can be added for a cost of £60.00 per night.
To find more details about the accommodation take a look at:
https://www.facebook.com/lapetitegite
If you would like to book a place on the course just drop me an e-mail at:
onitnotinit@mail.com and I will send you a booking form.
In this post I want to cover the methodology and the process involved in drafting a basic fitted bodice block. By breaking the process down into steps, and explaining the reason for taking those steps, I hope I can give you a better understanding of the process.
This is a complex post, and for my readers that are not ready for this amount of detail, I promise some beginners content at the weekend!
As I have discussed in earlier posts, drafting instructions
rarely explain the steps they take and the quantities they suddenly add on. Hopefully
here some of those mysteries can be solved!
Here we go…
The drafting notes below refer to my size 12 UK or 8 USA
dress stand, The measurements supplied are in centimetres and the inch
conversion is in brackets after. The general instructions are the same for
whatever size you are drafting.
One more point that is worth mentioning is that there is little point in drafting any pattern or block unless you have an accurate size chart to refer to (you can find one in my subscribers bonus content area). Even if you are taking measurements from a client you will still need to refer to a size chart as a guide and also as a safeguard to ensure the measurements you have are not too far from the expected, if they are, then you should know why. For example drafting for a very large bust and your client knows her bust is large for her skeletal frame.
Step 1 – Rectangle
Width
Let’s start with a rectangle; the width of the rectangle will be half your bust measurement and also
half the ease you would like in the block. Why half? We are working on half the
body.
You may also question why you need to incorporate ease. It
is important to note that even if you would like a tight fitting block, it is
always advisable to add in some ease in to a basic block and then take it out
via pattern cutting methods as you develop the style later. The normal expected
ease over the bust level for a basic bodice block is 7.5 to 10cm (3 to 4
inches).
Mark in point 0
and point 1 as illustrated on the
plan below
Step 2 – Rectangle depth The depth of the square will be the nape to waist measurement plus a 1.5 cm (9/16”) allowance for the neck shaping at CB (Center Back). Complete the rectangle as shown, marking a line approximately 10 cm (3 15/16”) out from a point 1.5 cm (9/16”) down from O. Mark in point 2.
Start with a rectangle.Mark in the guide lines
Mark in the CF and CB and waist guide line.
Step 3 – Marking the
Scye Line
Mark point 3 down from 0 as the total armhole depth (18 cm (7 1/16”) for a size 12UK (8 USA) with a 0.6 mm (1/4”) grade per size) plus 3.8 to 4 cm (ease), 3.8 (1 ½”) for a slightly tighter armhole and 4 (1 9/16”) for a little more room. Square a line out at 90 degrees to the CB to touch the CF, Mark this as line 3. For my size 12 draft I placed this point 22 cm (8 11/16”) down from 0. This line is known as the scye line.
Scye Line
Step 4 – Dropping the
Center Front Line
Mark point 4 between 1 to 1.5 cm (3/8 – 9/16 Inches) down from bottom right corner of the rectangle (CF Line) – drop this point for each additional size above a size 12 UK (8 USA).
Extend the CF
Let’s look a little closer at this for the different sizes you may draft.
More detail
Step 5 Locating the Side Seam
Mark point 5 half way along line 3, drop a straight line down from point 5, parallel to CF and CB and drop this point 1 cm (3/8”) below the waist guide line this point increases or decreases by 0.3cm (1/8”) per size change – call this point 5a.
Step 5
Step 6 – The cross
back line
The cross back line is an important line to mark on your
basic block, this is the line of greatest prominence and also where the back is
at its widest. The back shoulder dart cannot travel below this line and the
back waist dart cannot travel above.
The cross back line is situated half way between the back neck guide line and the scye line (line 3) square out from the center-back – square out half your across back line measurement plus 1 extra cm (3/8”) ease for now, there will be more ease added when you draw in the armhole
Cross back line
Step 7 – completing
the back neck line and also the front neckline shaping
For the back neckline planning we will use proportion. There are many different ways to plan a back neckline and it all depends on the fit you prefer, remember this is a basic block and adaptations can be made later during the pattern making process to amend fit. The back neck depth should be a minimum of 1.5 cm (9/16”) deep, and can also be calculated as a proportion of the neck base girth. The neck base girth for my set of measurements is 36 cm (14 1/8 inches).
Back neck shaping
Front neckline shaping. The width of the front neckline is the same as the back. The depth of the neckline is equivalent to the neck base girth divided by 6 plus 2 to 3 cm (13/16 to 1 3/16 inches) ease Plan the neckline as shown, mark a point 1.25 cm (½ ” ) at the corner and use as a guideline to shape a gentle curve.
Front neckline shaping
Step 8 – The armhole
Again the armhole is planned using proportions. Now double check you have added 1 cm (3/8”)
extra onto the end of your half cross back line measurement at the cross back line, square up and down
from the end of this line – up to touch the top of your rectangle and down to
touch the scye line. Where this line touches the skye line mark this as point A.
Point B is measured up from A and is the armhole girth plus
2.5 cm (1 inch) / 6
Point C is measured up from B and is the armhole girth plus
2.5 cm (1 inch) / 4
A1 from point A is the armhole
width (Scye width)
B1 and C1 are parallel to B and C – now you have another rectangle to work in.
Planning the armhole shape
Now drop point C1 by 0.5 cm (3/16”)
Continue to swing arcs from A through C and from A1 through
the point newly created by dropping C1.
The back shoulder measurement will be your intended finished
shoulder measurement, plus 1.5 cm (9/16”) for a back shoulder dart (if you want
one) and some extra allowance for ease.
On the arc you have created for through C you will touch
your required shoulder measurement, with the extra for the dart, plus a little
ease, between 0.4cm (3/16”) and 1 cm (3/8”) ease is advised, so in this case I
will add 0.4 mm (3/16”) ease to each shoulder line measurement as I like my
shoulder line to sit right on the shoulder and not go much past the shoulder
point. I have added 1.5 cm (9/16”) for a shoulder blade dart too.
Mark the back shoulder line first.
Back Shoulder
Step 9 – Planning the
bust dart width
We need to plan the front bust dart width first before we
mark in the front shoulder so leave the shoulder area for now.
Most bodice drafts you find in pattern cutting books draft
to a B cup, sometimes a C. If you have that cup size then that’s great, however
many of us don’t, myself included.
If you are a different cup size then you can go with the
1/20th proportion as explained below, and this involves you finding
1/20th of your full bust measurement. If you have a smaller bust cup
than a B then this should work well for you and you can avoid having to make a
small bust adjustment to the block after the drafting process.
If you have a very large cup size you may find that this alone is not enough and you will need to make a full bust adjustment to the block after the initial draft, and I will be explaining how to do this in a later post.
Bust Dart Width Chart
Measure across from the neckline your chosen dart width, I
selected to place 1/20th of the total bust measurement I am using (90.5
cm divided by 20 = 4.5cm)
Now draw in the shoulder line and as you did with the back, make the measurement you require hit the arc you swung through the lowered C1. The measurement for the front shoulder is the measurement for the back shoulder minus the 1.5 cm (9/16”) you added for the shoulder blade dart (if you added one)
Front Shoulder Line
Now plan the front and back armhole shaping, making a right angle at the shoulder point and touching the 2.5 cm (1 inch) points in the lower corners of the rectangle.
How to draw armhole shaping
STEP 10
BUST LEVEL AND
SUPPRESSION
If you are drafting to an individual’s body measurements it
is worth taking a little time at this point to assess where the bust level is
and the bust point, while it is difficult to plan on a flat draft with great
accuracy, you should at least have an idea of your intended wearers general
figure type, if they are a little older and have a lower bust level, this can
be planned for now to avoid huge fitting problems at your block fitting.
Remember to assess the bust level when your client is wearing a well-fitting
bra and standing straight up. When marking point 6 on the draft it is also
worth checking the clients bust point to bust point measurement and making any
adjustments. Please see my information
on bust fitting to address any bust fitting issues now, if you know you are
drafting for a client who has problems achieving a good fit in this area then
this extra time considering the fit will be very worthwhile.
If you are drafting to a size chart or to a lady who has a B cup fitting or even an A or C cup then you can proceed with the general drafting instructions and make minor adjustments on the figure or dress stand.
Here is a general guideline to bust width – i/e bust point to bust point measurement – IT DOES ALSO VERY MUCH DEPEND ON THE BRA YOU ARE WEARING TOO!
Bust Point to Bust Point Chart
We are now at a stage where we need to add in the
suppression and the bust level.
As a guide, find the central point along the Bust line
between point A1 and the Center Front.
Mark a guide point there. This is where the bust point on a regular block would be measured from, but it is not necessarily where your wearers intended bust point should be measured from; however we can use this as a starting point and make any adjustments we need.
Bust Point to BP width Bust Level Line
Now mark in the bust point (BP) and the remaining dart leg for the bust dart (sometimes called strap dart, although I don’t like that!)
Draw in the dart leg
Step 11 – completing
the suppression
We now need to complete the suppression at the waist and
also add a small shoulder blade dart.
Let’s look at the waist, measure your wearer’s waist and
then decide how much ease you would like to add in to the waistline. The waist
for this size is 70.4 cm (27 ¾”) and I will add 7 cm (2 ¾”) ease – so half
waist plus half ease
35.2 cm (13 7/8”) +3.5cm (1 3/8”) = 38.7 (15 ¼”) – The draft
waist measures 50.2cm (19 ¾”)
50.2cm (19 ¾”) –
(minus) 38.7 (15 ¼”) = 11.5cm (4 ½”) – This means 11.5 cm (4 ½”) needs to be taken out in the form of darts at
the waist level
Place the larger portion of suppression in the front block
this figure should be around 5 cm (2 inches) for a size 12
Place between 2 and 3 cm (13/16 – 1 3/16”) at the side seam
and the rest at the back waist. Use your judgement to adjust the proportions
accordingly as the sizes you draft change.
Marking in the waist
darts
Drop a line from the bust point and extend this line by 1.8
cm (11/16”) below the waist level guide
Swing an ark from the BP through the end of this line and
mark 2.75 cm (1 1/16”) each side of this central line on the arc, mark in the
dart legs.
Do the same for the side seam dart, applying half the
finished dart width each side of the side seam.
For the back dart measure along the scye line to point A – divide this measurement in 2 and add 1 cm (3/8”) extra, towards the side seam. Mark a point on the scye line. Drop a line parallel to CB and extend this line 0.5 cm (3/16”) below the waist guide. Mark in the dart as instructed previously.
Back Dart PlanningMark in the back shoulder blade dart
The only thing left to do now is to mark in the back
shoulder blade dart. We allowed 1.5 cm (9/16”) for this dart.
Extend a line from the apex of the back waist dart; straight
up to the cross back line.
Find the center of the shoulder and mark a point, connect
this point to the line you have just connected to the cross back line.
Mark half the total shoulder blade dart each side of this point 1.5 cm (9/16”) divided in 2 is 0.75 cm (5/16”) each side. Connect these points back to the cross back line and the waist dart line.
Shoulder blade dart
If you would like to shorten the shoulder blade dart, then
feel free to shorten it as needed.
Now shape the waist line with gentle curves to join the dart legs.
Shaping the bodice waist
Now trace the block and fold in the darts as you cut the block out to make the correct shaping at the dart mouth. Or see my post on shaping darts correctly to do this without having to cut out!
Cut out with dart shaping
Here is a measurement chart that is useful to fill in with your measurements before you begin the drafting process. I always find this helps speed things up when I am drafting to a new set of measurements.
In my previous post I mentioned that I would expand a little more on how to find the bust point on different pattern shapes.
As I have already mentioned, if you have 2 darts on a pattern or a basic pattern block, then the bust point is fairly easy to find, simply extend lines through the center of both darts and where these lines touch, there lies the bust point! So we know that darts should point towards the bust point, and the reason this is the case is that this is the area that requires the most fullness.
The ‘job’ of a dart is to take fabric out where we don’t need it, for example at the shoulder, and let it out where we do need it, for example the fullness of the bust. This is why darts are sometimes referred to as ‘suppression’ as they suppress fabric.
The bust dart on a basic block
If the bust point is marked on a pattern or block, you can take a compass and with the point in the bust point, draw a circle around the bust point at the distance you would like the dart to end, if you remember we mentioned in our earlier post that darts are never sewn right to the bust point.
As I covered in my previous point, our bust points are not always where the pattern bust point is and I suggested a method to measure and locate your bust point, some of you asked for more detail so here it is. If you use the center front to bp measurement, then you must be sure you can see where the center front mid waist location is on your pattern, this is easy to locate on a basic block.
2 methods of measuring
Bust Point to BP
Coming back to the pattern, some of you also asked where the bust point is likely to be when a pattern has one dart, and also how far away from the bust point are the darts on a commercial pattern likely to be. Knowing the answer to both these questions will help you a lot.
Let’s take a look at the first question. We already know that the dart will be pointing towards the bust point on a pattern, we also know that if we draw a line through the center of the dart, then the bp will be somewhere on that extended line. If the dart on a pattern aims towards your bust point, then this is perfect for your bust, and there is no need to make any changes, of course you are free to make the dart longer or shorter as you desire, but there is no need to move the dart.
If the dart points to your Bust Point there is no need to worry!
Now answering the second question will also help. As a general rule the smaller the size the closer the end of the dart will be to the bust point, the large the size the further away it will be.
Here is a chart that will act as a rough guide to help you estimate the distance a dart ‘may’ be from a bust point, the chart will also give you a guide to planning your own dart locations.
larger cup sizes can be up to 3 inches – 7.5 cm
Another useful technique to know, when placing darts, is to draw a circle, with a compass around the bust point. All darts will lie on this circle. The radius of the circle will be the distance you select from the chart above, or your own personal preference!
The average bust fullness for a B cup
The illustration above shows the planning lines I would start with if I were to plan a garment that followed the contours of the actual ‘cup’ of the breast. The illustration is exactly to scale for a size 12 pattern and a B cup.
Now hopefully armed with all this extra fitting and sizing information you can refer back to post 1 in this series and locate and place your own bust point on any pattern you choose to use. As always if you have any questions at all, I would love to hear from you! Don’t forget to go back to post 1.
My next post will look at how you can determine your own cup size.
I thought I would produce a blog post covering the adjustment of fit at the bust, both for a larger bust – full bust adjustment (FBA) and a smaller bust (SBA). I planned the post in my notebook, making sketches and notes of the pattern cutting steps I would take, and then I went to bed. When I woke up in the morning, I had changed my mind! I can’t let myself put a post of a technique on my blog, without explaining why I am directing you to following my steps, and to do that means one post suddenly becomes several.
So where do we start… there are so many factors to take into account when fitting to a bust. Of course there is cup size, bust level, the size of bust darts, bust points or bust apex and selecting the correct pattern size in the first place, that not only fits your bust but fits the rest of your body! We will look at each of these factors over this series of posts.
Let’s start with focusing on bust levels and bust point apex locations and get this right first.
Most basic blocks, and that includes my own range of basic blocks, are drafted to a standard B or sometimes a C cup size.
So what do ladies, myself included, (I am an F cup) do when they pick up a basic block that has been drafted to a standard set of size chart measurements and the cup size does not match their own? The probably put up with the less than perfect fit they have!
There are many methods out there offering techniques to adjust the bust area. If you take a moment to search FBA (Full Bust Adjustment) you can take a look at all the different methods. Some are excellent, however some are far from correct and, in themselves, will introduce more fitting problems than you had in the first place!
This is also the reason I want to be very thorough in explaining my methods and start at the beginning, so hopefully you have a little more understanding and not be simply following a set of instructions that may or may not work out well for you.
The beginning is how the block was drafted or the pattern was created in the first place. One very important POINT is to establish where the bust point (some refer to this as the bust apex) is located on the pattern or block. In this post I will refer to it as bust point apex!
If you are using a basic block, then the bust point apex is located on the bust line and if you extend the 2 bodice darts to meet at this point, this will be your bust point or the apex of your breast and the bust point lies on the bust level.
Bust Level and Bust Point
Here are my basic blocks, as you can see the bust level is marked and also the bust point.
The Bust Line or Level – The Bust Point on the Front Bodice
On a finished pattern the bust point and bust level may not be as easy to locate. The pattern cutter will have taken the darts back from the bust point by at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) if not more.
Pattern cutters do this automatically as a dart would look very unsightly sewn right up to the bust point apex.
In order to find the bust point apex on a pattern or block that does not have the bust level or bust point labelled, simply find the center of the dart mouth (opening of the dart) and extend a line from this point through the dart apex and carry it on a little, do the same for any other darts you have and where they meet will be the bust point apex.
If you only have one dart then the extended center line will touch the bust line at the bust point, you may not know where the bust line is but it will give you some idea. If this line doesn’t look as though it will touch your own bust point apex and looks as though it is aiming to hit above your bust then your bust is lower than the pattern has allowed for. The opposite is true if it hits below, then you have a higher bust than the pattern has allowed for, I have never seen this in all the garments I have fitted but I am sure someone has a very high bust.
Extend center of darts to locate the bust point
In this first post of the series I am going to look at simply establishing the location of the bust point and the bust level. After all there is little point in adjusting for a different cup size when the bust point and level are wrong. We will then look at altering the bust point to your own measurements on any pattern or block you may choose to use.
At 51 years old, having breast fed 3 (now grown up) boys, I can say that my boobs are somewhat lower that they were when I was a student! Although a good bra can do much to help. This is a very important point actually as when you are making these changes you need to be taking any measurements while wearing your best supporting bra.
Even as a student, I regularly bought clothes and found that the bust point or shaping for the bust was much higher than my own bust, and this is very annoying as it results in a nasty bump above the fullness of the bust.
Importance of the Bust Point Apex
The bust point or apex is a very distinct and important location on your body. It is one of the most important points to find in order to make your pattern fit you. It can also be in different locations on the different sides of your body!
It is crucial to determine your bust point apex in order to properly fit any garment worn over the bust. It is also important as it’s the area that requires the most fullness to be created and all darts should originate to and from this point.
If you fail to allow for the position of your apex, you may end up having fullness in an area that doesn’t need it (for example – after making a full bust adjustment without making the bust apex and bust level adjustments first) or perhaps having your garment too tight around your bust area. We want the fullness to be added in the correct area, having done all that work!
When we make our own patterns and our own clothes we have the opportunity to adjust this, thank goodness!
It is well worth taking the time to assess if the bust level and the bust point to bust point measurement are in the correct location before making any other changes – I hope I have stressed this enough!
In my posts I tend to talk about basic blocks, as my customers are using my basic blocks and they want to learn how best to adjust them, however these principals also apply to patterns, however the areas such as bust point and bust level may not be as clear on a pattern as they are on a basic block. We will look at this later in the post.
There is the option, if you are using a pattern to simply take the pattern piece and place it to your own body, this way you can see where your bust level is in relation to the pattern shape. We can measure the distance between one nipple and the other to calculate our bust point to bust point measurements. Mark these important points on the pattern and use these locations to make the adjustments.
Here is a chart that gives you an idea of standard bust point to bust point measurements
Let’s look at the changes we can make if perhaps our breasts are fuller, this will make our bust points further apart and our breast will sit lower. The pattern we are using has likely been drafted to fit a smaller cup size but if we select a pattern size to fit our bust measurement then we have an ill fitting garment everywhere else! Again we will look at this in much more detail after we have worked on bust level and bust point apex.
Your bust level and bust point to BP may be different to that on the pattern you are using
When your bust sits lower than the pattern allows for.
Your bust apex is the most prominent point of your bust. For some people, it is located at the tip of the nipple, but that’s not necessarily always the case.
Finding and measuring your bust point
To find the bust point apex, look at your bust and locate the most prominent area from the top, and the side. Measure between these 2 points and this will give you your bust point to bust point measurement.
Bust Point Apex Location
Next Steps – Measure from your neck point (where a shoulder seam would sit snugly on your neck) to the bust point apex – this measurement will help you mark the bust level.
Neck to Bust Point
How to lower the bust line and adapt the darts
wider apex to apex and lower bust level
Measure across from the Center Front (CF) half your total bust point apex to BP apex measurement. Square up and down from this line.
The Bust Level
Take your shoulder to bust point measurement and make this measurement hit the line you extended up and down from the bust point apex line.
This method works for a lower and wider bust in the same way it would work for a higher and narrower bust, simply follow the same steps, however for a higher bust you will hitting the line you extended above the original bust level. Where the purple line hits the vertical extended line is the new bust point.
Now draw in the darts to the new bust point, work on the shoulder dart first . Take all the darts back at least 2.5 cm or 1 inch for sewing.
Draw in the first dart
For the second dart extend a line parallel to the CF down from the point of the shoulder bust dart, drop this line to the waist level. Measure the original dart at waist level and distribute half the total measurement of this dart either side of the new vertical line you have extended from the new bust point. This is your new dart.
The dart is the same width as the original dart
Having established the bust point and bust level, we now need to learn how to add extra allowance for a full bust, manipulating the pattern in the bust area only and maintaining a good fit at the neck, waist, armhole etc. This is the stuff of later posts!
Full busted ladies often have no there choice than to select a pattern size to fit their bust measurement, but often the rest of her is smaller as she has a small skeletal frame.
In the next post in this series you will learn how to select the pattern size that best suits your body size and then we will learn how to manipulate the pattern to add extra in the bust area without affecting the fit in all other areas.
I know this is a complex area, one of the most complex in pattern cutting and the hardest area to fit, so please ask questions as I am delighted to answer!
As this is one of my favourite patterns and the topic of my latest magazine article, I thought I would offer the pattern free for all my readers. If you love it as much as I do you will soon have many different variations hanging in your wardrobe.
This months ‘DSM’ magazine features the ‘Japanese Bag’ project, inspired by my recent visit to Barcelona and a visit to the wonderful fabric shop called Nunoya, their web site can be found at www.nunoya.com . They will also ship fabric out to you. They stock the widest range of Japanese fabrics in Europe, what a great excuse for a weekend in Barcelona!
I was inspired to make a number of bags from this beautiful fabric, it is quite expensive but you only need a piece 55cm x 30cm for this bag!
Here is your free bag pattern and also a detailed making guide, and once the weather cools down here a little, I plan to make a video of the bag making process, as I am sure you will all love it!
Please send me your bag photos and as always I am happy for you to make as many as you like and sell the items you make from my patterns, it’s only the patterns I like to protect.
Next months free pattern is for my most used pattern, I make myself this smock top all the time, with short sleeves, long sleeves, longer hems, it’s so versatile. Make sure you are subscribed and you won’t miss out. In fact I am just off to make one for a wedding I am going to in August!
