This is the first time I’ve seen this addressed! I have the loose fabric even with no FBA and on RTW. I do often have to do a 2” FBA. I’ve fiddled with fisheye darts in high bust and tweaking Princess seams but this is much better. Thank you! -Addie
This is exactly the video that I needed. I've been busy doing a full bust adjustment for the first time on a raglan top and was getting frustrated about all the lose fabric that suddenly appeared above my bust. I thought I was doing something wrong. Thank you for showing us how to deal with it, and that it's not an abnormal thing to happen. Subscribed!
This video is so very helpful. That is so clever how you are reducing that ease. I am going to give this a try. I think this method will work for me. Wonderful information! Your efforts and videos are greatly appreciated. 😊
I have a 4" difference between high bust and full bust and have struggled with the excess across the high bust area. Sometimes in frustration I just took in the side seams right at the underarm seam which somewhat gets rid of that diagonal pull from the bust to the middle of the armseye, but this really only works for sleeveless tops. It makes the opening too small for a sleeve otherwise. Thanks for this method. I can't wait to try it! Also, loved the giggles between you and your daughter at the end! 😂
This is a great tutorial. I knew how to make a full bust adjustment but not the high bust. I usually have too much fabric in the high bust area. Will try this on my next top. Thank you.
Hi, Thank you for all you do to help us, I have a question for you whenever I purchased a garment that fits my bust there's always a few inches of looseness underarm, I understand that adjustment in the pattern but can I do with an already made garment?it's very unpleasant for me to look at in my garment, thank you very much for all you do.
My Pleasure! ...and Good News, that's an easy one to fix.... Turn your top inside out and put it back on. Then you can pin out the excess along the side seam and possibly the very top of the underarm seam. Check in the mirror to see if you pinned out the right amount. Then sew along your pins to remove the excess ease. If you use your serger, you can take in the seam and finish the edge in one step, Hope this helps!
@@JSternDesigns thank you very much for your response, my problem is that am big busted,if I do what you said it will have a curve in the seam.thank you have a wonderful evening
I have quite a difference between upper and full bust. Watching you do this adjustment got me to wondering if a princess seam might be an easier answer for me. I like the look of princess seams anyway. 🤔 (Good vid....never seen adjustment done this way!) LOVE the giggles at the end. 😂😂😂
Hi J, Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year! Could the whole problem with the gaping at the high bust originate because there was too much ease added to the pattern just above the high bust in the first place? Every adjustment we make after that point is going to affect the shoulder slope. Dimensions, dimensions, dimensions. Gee I would like to pick the brains of Dolly Parton's seamstress! Could you maybe see if he/she would consider being a guest on your program??? Dolly's heart of gold would really shine through to the breast, of her sisters! Much love Master!
It is true, if you started out with a size that is too big in the high bust, this would create excess ease there... You can make these adjustments and then check the slope of the shoulder using one of your TNT shirt pattern that hangs off your shoulders properly... & Dolly is one of my heros!!
@@JSternDesigns The more I learn, the more I see how everything circles back to the high point shoulder and the knob at the back of the neck. LOL Mess with those points on a real body, and you need a Chiropractor! I don't know whether it is true, I heard Dolly had the bottom ribs removed. Imagine how that changed the profile to an itsy bitsy waist. Yes, Dolly's seamstress would be the greatest guest imaginable! Think! P.S. I saw Dolly then Olivia Newton John on two consecutive nights, way back in the early 80s. Dolly's rendition of Jolene was breathtaking!
Thank you! My upper chest just swims with extra material. I’ve got a computerized pattern printing program that uses size charts. They ask for full bust measurement but don’t have an upper chest measurement. This will be a big help.
Thank you so much for showing how to remove excess upper bust width! I'm working on a sloper (finally!) And I thought I knew how I might do it, but the control slashes will make it so much more accurate. Come on mock up #3, be the one....
Hi, thank you very much for this. Your videos are so good- I have just discovered you while I fret over a ‘Mother of the Bride outfit I am going to make myself after months of fruitless shopping. I used to do a lot of sewing but not for about 25 years. I have a similar problem with Butterick 6868 (coat)- the bust apex is about an inch and a half too high and a bit tight; and I have too much ease in the upper bust. On my toile I have tried to adjust for this just by increasing and decreasing the side front seam allowances with moderate success. Is this a reasonable solution? There is no side dart. The shoulders are also just a teeny bit wide and looking at where the top shoulder seam is sitting I think I could do with just a tad more length in the back shoulder (forward shoulder?). My question is, can I manage this the bust problems with side front seam adjustments? Also, if I increase the back shoulder length, how can I do that without lowering the armholes? Any help at all greatly appreciated. Kind regards.
:) My Pleasure. It sounds like you can "lower" the fullness in the front to agree with your bust apex. Check this video out to see how to lower a bust dart... Then draw a rectangle around this area on your pattern (pretend there's a bust dart :) .... Then slide it down 1 1/2" and true up the side seam. You may need to let out the side seam a little more too! If you need more length in the back shoulder, you can add to it to bring it more forward... but you can't lengthen the back shoulder length without also lengthening the front shoulder length because they sew together :) You can do both of these things without adjusting the base of the armhole. I hope this helps! Thanks for fitting along with me... Also Congratulations!
Oh i really wanted this, i have a 4” difference with upper and full bust. I also have to do narrow shoulder adjustment Would this method still work after the narrow shoulder? And will this affect anyhow the armhole seam. I also have to always lower the armhole
If you've already done a narrow shoulder adjustment, you've already removed some of the excess ease, this adjustment can take out some more of the ease, and it will bring in the rest of the armhole to agree with the shortened shoulder adjustment. After you fit the high bust, you can lower the armhole. Hope this helps!
Thanks for this video but could you do a series for petite size in the length & full bust tutorial? I’m following along but I have worked hard on the lenth adj & full bust theusing the length wise slash& it’s putting to much width in the front also. I know that the big 4 pattern companys are about 2” in length.
Brand new subscriber, great content and very easy to understand! I loved your interaction with your daughter at the end too! As women age, they become narrower above the bust, so this is very helpful. I have a question about the FBA specifically. I’ve never seen an FBA done without fullness added vertically under the bust, down into the waist point. Your method only adds fullness from the apex and upwards. If you have very large breasts, you need room underneath that bust point, more so than above it, as the fullness of your breasts are resting in a cup underneath that apex (for instance, mine is 4½” deep). Can you explain your choice of FBA method, or link me to where you explain this? Thanks again!
Hi Chris... So sorry for the delayed response (I'm so embarrassed over the number of comments that get by me)... The Full Bust Adjustment I do adds vertical length at the apex. If you try adding it a little lower just below the apex, you'll see that the final shape of the front bodice is very similar. Adding length across the fullness of the bust spreads the pattern to make the vertical room you need. It's interesting to note that if you compare the overall shape of the pattern with an pattern that had a FBA with the vertical length added lower near the hem... The shape of these patterns will also be very similar. Hope this helps!
Some brands of patterns do give the high bust measurements... if you're in doubt, find the pattern with the size range you think you'll be included in... Then measure from CF to the armhole right below your neck to see what size agrees with your high bust (You can't get a full high bust measurement off of the pattern pieces because the armhole is in the way). Since this video I've finished a new series "Efficient Work Flow for Bodice Fitting"... It may be helpful for you to check out... Here's a link to part 1: th-cam.com/video/gNsFm8t_F8o/w-d-xo.html
Do you have tips for rapidly changing bodies! I git my bust right, but now my belly grew. Not pregnant. I had surgery. Being in active. My weight goes up and down quickly, and by the time I get a pattern fitting, it might not fit in another area. I'm just not a fast sewist.
I have a summer/slimmer & a winter/wider set of patterns to deal with my seasonal weight shift :)))) I think the easiest thing to do is to allow for extra seam allowances so you can let things out if you need to. You can also organize your patterns like I did... Have a larger size section for when your weight goes up and a smaller section for when it goes back down. Hope this helps! Thanks for fitting along with me
@JSternDesigns I'm off to a good start then. I think I have 2 sizes of 1 top and 3 sizes of another. Most of the changes are bottom, so I haven't tackled very many pants yet. I was just thinking that by the time I finished a muslin, I could be another size! Tops are faster with less body changes. Mainly length for waist increases.
That's a great question! if you need to reduce the ease more than 1/2"... I would go down one size. It gets difficult to true things up if you push that armhole in significantly more than 1/2" ... Hope that helps! Thanks for fitting along with me
When I buy ready to wear I have to choose between too tight in the bust or too big in the upper chest/shoulders/armholes area. And if the armholes fit the biceps are too small. I try to do alterations but there is little information out there on how.
That is frustrating... If you buy the size that fits upper chest/shoulders/armhole area... You can add small gussets to the side seams to add room for your bust... I'm going to add this to my upcoming tutorial list! Thanks for watching
I’m sorry this is probably a dumb question….Just to clarify if I need to add 6 inches … 3 inches on each side …. Is the adjustment giving me one inch at each dart and another from the centre? Or do I need 1 and 1/2 at each dart? My mind just isn’t wrapping around the calculation … my concentration isn’t what it normally is…
Hi Catherine, I think if you have to add a total of 6" you may want to blend between sizes through the armhole (Trace the smaller size through the neckline and upper armhole, then blend to the next size in the middle and lower armhole and sides seam/dart.) This will reduce the amount you need to add a little bit. Then I would make this adjustment spreading 1 1/4". True up the pattern and do a second adjustment spreading again. Let me know if this helps. Thanks Jen
I wish Hollywood/television costume designer's would share the secret to how they make clothes for busty starlets. I found a picture of Dolly Parton in a plaid shirt the plaid showed it had a 45 degree dart picture a quarter slice of pie in addition to a yoke dart.
That would be interesting to see inside the world of costume design! I'm going to be sharing some large bust dart strategies in upcoming Fit Tip Tuesdays... Stay tuned & thanks for watching
Thank you for asking me that! (I should have mentioned it in the video)... For Cup sizes A-C... yes, fold bust dart down. For larger cup sizes, try folding the intake up, it minimizes the look of the bulky dart from the right side. Based on the actual shape of your bust, it may make a difference or not. :)
Thank you for your video. Your guidance for adjusting the high bust area, after doing an FBA, was so important for me. I’ve never seen that method before and I will absolutely be putting your method to use in the near future. 😁💖👍🧵🧵🧵🧵
so glad I found you! after about half a dozen failed attempts, I managed to make an FBA thanks to your very detailed explanations.
I'm so happy this helped!! Thanks for fitting along with me
This is the first time I’ve seen this addressed! I have the loose fabric even with no FBA and on RTW. I do often have to do a 2” FBA. I’ve fiddled with fisheye darts in high bust and tweaking Princess seams but this is much better. Thank you!
-Addie
So happy to hear this is helpful for you! Thanks for fitting along with me!
This is exactly the video that I needed. I've been busy doing a full bust adjustment for the first time on a raglan top and was getting frustrated about all the lose fabric that suddenly appeared above my bust. I thought I was doing something wrong. Thank you for showing us how to deal with it, and that it's not an abnormal thing to happen. Subscribed!
So happy to help... and thank you for subscribing! Keep me posted if you have an specific questions, they may show up in a Q&A video :)
Thank you so much for this detailed information! Hoping this will help with my future pattern adjustments.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for fitting along with me, Happy Holidays
You did a great job illustrating this rather complicated adjustment. You're very easy to watch and listen to as well. Thank you so much
Thank you for the kind words... and thanks for fitting along with me
Thank you. I've been doing the high bust adjustment a different way. I look forward to trying your adjustment out.
You are so welcome! Hope this works great for you! Thanks for fitting along with me
Never would have thought of doing this. Thanks. I’m basically Dolly at her heaviest. Have always struggled to get blouses to fit.
Happy to help... Thanks for watching!
This video is so very helpful. That is so clever how you are reducing that ease. I am going to give this a try. I think this method will work for me. Wonderful information! Your efforts and videos are greatly appreciated. 😊
:) Yay... .Keep me posted if you need more help!
@@JSternDesigns Will do. I’m cutting and taping today
I have a 4" difference between high bust and full bust and have struggled with the excess across the high bust area. Sometimes in frustration I just took in the side seams right at the underarm seam which somewhat gets rid of that diagonal pull from the bust to the middle of the armseye, but this really only works for sleeveless tops. It makes the opening too small for a sleeve otherwise. Thanks for this method. I can't wait to try it!
Also, loved the giggles between you and your daughter at the end! 😂
:) Thanks for watching (all the way to the end!)... Keep me posted if you need more help with this fitting issue.
Thanks Girls for the laughter! I was giggling right along with You! Gotta have Fun!
:)))) Thanks so much! and thanks for watching
This is a great tutorial. I knew how to make a full bust adjustment but not the high bust. I usually have too much fabric in the high bust area. Will try this on my next top. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for fitting along with me!
Thank you! This answers and solve all my self taught sewing questions and fitting problems.
I'm so happy to hear! Keep me posted if you have questions!
Excellent!!! Thank you so very much for sharing your knowledge so generosly!
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for fitting along with me!
Hi, Thank you for all you do to help us, I have a question for you whenever I purchased a garment that fits my bust there's always a few inches of looseness underarm, I understand that adjustment in the pattern but can I do with an already made garment?it's very unpleasant for me to look at in my garment, thank you very much for all you do.
My Pleasure! ...and Good News, that's an easy one to fix.... Turn your top inside out and put it back on. Then you can pin out the excess along the side seam and possibly the very top of the underarm seam. Check in the mirror to see if you pinned out the right amount. Then sew along your pins to remove the excess ease. If you use your serger, you can take in the seam and finish the edge in one step, Hope this helps!
@@JSternDesigns thank you very much for your response, my problem is that am big busted,if I do what you said it will have a curve in the seam.thank you have a wonderful evening
this one is definitely a keeper. so cleaver!!!!! One I will definitely use.
Thanks so much, and thank you for fitting along with me
Thats awesome, both great instruction and a little levity. Made me smile.
So sorry I didn't see your comment until now. Happy to help! Thank you for following along with me ...Happy it made you smile too!
This is a brilliant adjustment! I've definitely been doing this the hard way. Thank you for sharing your expertise.
So sorry I didn't see your comment until now. Happy to help! Thank you for following along with me
I have quite a difference between upper and full bust. Watching you do this adjustment got me to wondering if a princess seam might be an easier answer for me. I like the look of princess seams anyway. 🤔 (Good vid....never seen adjustment done this way!) LOVE the giggles at the end. 😂😂😂
Princess seams are definitely large bust/small high bust friendly! ...Thanks for watching :)
Hi J,
Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!
Could the whole problem with the gaping at the high bust originate because there was too much ease added to the pattern just above the high bust in the first place? Every adjustment we make after that point is going to affect the shoulder slope.
Dimensions, dimensions, dimensions. Gee I would like to pick the brains of Dolly Parton's seamstress! Could you maybe see if he/she would consider being a guest on your program??? Dolly's heart of gold would really shine through to the breast, of her sisters!
Much love Master!
It is true, if you started out with a size that is too big in the high bust, this would create excess ease there... You can make these adjustments and then check the slope of the shoulder using one of your TNT shirt pattern that hangs off your shoulders properly... & Dolly is one of my heros!!
@@JSternDesigns The more I learn, the more I see how everything circles back to the high point shoulder and the knob at the back of the neck. LOL Mess with those points on a real body, and you need a Chiropractor!
I don't know whether it is true, I heard Dolly had the bottom ribs removed. Imagine how that changed the profile to an itsy bitsy waist.
Yes, Dolly's seamstress would be the greatest guest imaginable! Think!
P.S. I saw Dolly then Olivia Newton John on two consecutive nights, way back in the early 80s. Dolly's rendition of Jolene was breathtaking!
Thank you! My upper chest just swims with extra material. I’ve got a computerized pattern printing program that uses size charts. They ask for full bust measurement but don’t have an upper chest measurement. This will be a big help.
I'm so happy to hear this helps you!! Thank you for letting me know & Thank you for fitting along with me
Thank you so much for showing how to remove excess upper bust width! I'm working on a sloper (finally!) And I thought I knew how I might do it, but the control slashes will make it so much more accurate. Come on mock up #3, be the one....
Fingers crossed! Keep me posted if you need help with mock up #3!
Great tutorial, Jenn!
Thanks so much! ...and thank you for fitting along with me
Thanks from Sweden!
My Pleasure! Thanks for watching... all the way from Sweden!
Hi, thank you very much for this. Your videos are so good- I have just discovered you while I fret over a ‘Mother of the Bride outfit I am going to make myself after months of fruitless shopping. I used to do a lot of sewing but not for about 25 years. I have a similar problem with Butterick 6868 (coat)- the bust apex is about an inch and a half too high and a bit tight; and I have too much ease in the upper bust. On my toile I have tried to adjust for this just by increasing and decreasing the side front seam allowances with moderate success. Is this a reasonable solution? There is no side dart. The shoulders are also just a teeny bit wide and looking at where the top shoulder seam is sitting I think I could do with just a tad more length in the back shoulder (forward shoulder?).
My question is, can I manage this the bust problems with side front seam adjustments? Also, if I increase the back shoulder length, how can I do that without lowering the armholes? Any help at all greatly appreciated. Kind regards.
:) My Pleasure. It sounds like you can "lower" the fullness in the front to agree with your bust apex. Check this video out to see how to lower a bust dart... Then draw a rectangle around this area on your pattern (pretend there's a bust dart :) .... Then slide it down 1 1/2" and true up the side seam. You may need to let out the side seam a little more too! If you need more length in the back shoulder, you can add to it to bring it more forward... but you can't lengthen the back shoulder length without also lengthening the front shoulder length because they sew together :) You can do both of these things without adjusting the base of the armhole. I hope this helps! Thanks for fitting along with me... Also Congratulations!
@@JSternDesigns Thank you so much for taking the time to reply- it’s so good of you. I will give it a go. I feel a bit more confident now.
You are so generous with your knowledge thank you x
You are so welcome! Thank you for fitting along with me
What a very helpful explanation keep up these great videos thank you
So sorry I didn't see your comment until now. Happy to help! Thank you for following along with me
Oh i really wanted this, i have a 4” difference with upper and full bust.
I also have to do narrow shoulder adjustment
Would this method still work after the narrow shoulder?
And will this affect anyhow the armhole seam.
I also have to always lower the armhole
If you've already done a narrow shoulder adjustment, you've already removed some of the excess ease, this adjustment can take out some more of the ease, and it will bring in the rest of the armhole to agree with the shortened shoulder adjustment. After you fit the high bust, you can lower the armhole. Hope this helps!
This is exactly the information I needed, how can I translate that for a Ragland?
That's a good question! Stay Tuned, I'll add this topic to my list of upcoming Subscriber Q&A schedule Thanks for following along with me
Thanks for this video but could you do a series for petite size in the length & full bust tutorial? I’m following along but I have worked hard on the lenth adj & full bust theusing the length wise slash& it’s putting to much width in the front also. I know that the big 4 pattern companys are about 2” in length.
I meant 2” to long for petitesizes.
That's an excellent topic. I'm adding it to my list of upcoming topics! Stay tuned :)
@@JSternDesigns thanks, can’t wait.
Thank you very much for sharing!
My pleasure! Thanks for watching
Excellent info!! Thank You!
Glad it was helpful!
Brand new subscriber, great content and very easy to understand! I loved your interaction with your daughter at the end too! As women age, they become narrower above the bust, so this is very helpful. I have a question about the FBA specifically. I’ve never seen an FBA done without fullness added vertically under the bust, down into the waist point. Your method only adds fullness from the apex and upwards. If you have very large breasts, you need room underneath that bust point, more so than above it, as the fullness of your breasts are resting in a cup underneath that apex (for instance, mine is 4½” deep). Can you explain your choice of FBA method, or link me to where you explain this? Thanks again!
Hi Chris... So sorry for the delayed response (I'm so embarrassed over the number of comments that get by me)... The Full Bust Adjustment I do adds vertical length at the apex. If you try adding it a little lower just below the apex, you'll see that the final shape of the front bodice is very similar. Adding length across the fullness of the bust spreads the pattern to make the vertical room you need. It's interesting to note that if you compare the overall shape of the pattern with an pattern that had a FBA with the vertical length added lower near the hem... The shape of these patterns will also be very similar. Hope this helps!
How do you know how to pick out a pattern by the high bust measurement? I've never seen high bust listed on a pattern envelope.
Some brands of patterns do give the high bust measurements... if you're in doubt, find the pattern with the size range you think you'll be included in... Then measure from CF to the armhole right below your neck to see what size agrees with your high bust (You can't get a full high bust measurement off of the pattern pieces because the armhole is in the way). Since this video I've finished a new series "Efficient Work Flow for Bodice Fitting"... It may be helpful for you to check out... Here's a link to part 1: th-cam.com/video/gNsFm8t_F8o/w-d-xo.html
Do you have tips for rapidly changing bodies! I git my bust right, but now my belly grew. Not pregnant. I had surgery. Being in active. My weight goes up and down quickly, and by the time I get a pattern fitting, it might not fit in another area. I'm just not a fast sewist.
I have a summer/slimmer & a winter/wider set of patterns to deal with my seasonal weight shift :)))) I think the easiest thing to do is to allow for extra seam allowances so you can let things out if you need to. You can also organize your patterns like I did... Have a larger size section for when your weight goes up and a smaller section for when it goes back down. Hope this helps! Thanks for fitting along with me
@JSternDesigns I'm off to a good start then. I think I have 2 sizes of 1 top and 3 sizes of another. Most of the changes are bottom, so I haven't tackled very many pants yet. I was just thinking that by the time I finished a muslin, I could be another size! Tops are faster with less body changes. Mainly length for waist increases.
What would be the maximum reduction you would recommend at the high bust area please?
That's a great question! if you need to reduce the ease more than 1/2"... I would go down one size. It gets difficult to true things up if you push that armhole in significantly more than 1/2" ... Hope that helps! Thanks for fitting along with me
@@JSternDesigns yes. Thank you so much
This was great thank you x
You're so welcome! Thanks for fitting along with me
Thanks
Thank you so much Diane!
When I buy ready to wear I have to choose between too tight in the bust or too big in the upper chest/shoulders/armholes area. And if the armholes fit the biceps are too small. I try to do alterations but there is little information out there on how.
That is frustrating... If you buy the size that fits upper chest/shoulders/armhole area... You can add small gussets to the side seams to add room for your bust... I'm going to add this to my upcoming tutorial list! Thanks for watching
This is exactly my problem
:) Happy to help! Thanks for following along with me
I’m sorry this is probably a dumb question….Just to clarify if I need to add 6 inches …
3 inches on each side ….
Is the adjustment giving me one inch at each dart and another from the centre?
Or do I need 1 and 1/2 at each dart?
My mind just isn’t wrapping around the calculation … my concentration isn’t what it normally is…
Hi Catherine, I think if you have to add a total of 6" you may want to blend between sizes through the armhole (Trace the smaller size through the neckline and upper armhole, then blend to the next size in the middle and lower armhole and sides seam/dart.) This will reduce the amount you need to add a little bit. Then I would make this adjustment spreading 1 1/4". True up the pattern and do a second adjustment spreading again. Let me know if this helps. Thanks Jen
@@JSternDesigns Your response applies to me as well. I have a 6" difference too. Catherine, thanks for asking the question.
I wish Hollywood/television costume designer's would share the secret to how they make clothes for busty starlets. I found a picture of Dolly Parton in a plaid shirt the plaid showed it had a 45 degree dart picture a quarter slice of pie in addition to a yoke dart.
That would be interesting to see inside the world of costume design! I'm going to be sharing some large bust dart strategies in upcoming Fit Tip Tuesdays... Stay tuned & thanks for watching
Don't bust darts usually get folded down instead of up?
Thank you for asking me that! (I should have mentioned it in the video)... For Cup sizes A-C... yes, fold bust dart down. For larger cup sizes, try folding the intake up, it minimizes the look of the bulky dart from the right side. Based on the actual shape of your bust, it may make a difference or not. :)
Thank you for your video. Your guidance for adjusting the high bust area, after doing an FBA, was so important for me. I’ve never seen that method before and I will absolutely be putting your method to use in the near future. 😁💖👍🧵🧵🧵🧵
I am so happy this was helpful for you... Thank you for fitting along with me
Girl, you nailed it! I kept asking myself why is there so much material above my bust? Very narrow square shoulders, but big boobs! Help!
...Yay! Did I solve your fitting problem, or do we have more work to do?
Please introduce Anna
oooh... I'll see if I can get her to make an on-camera into!
Told FB that the "new" FB had problems r/t intellectual property. Don't know if that will help or hurt. I am upset with what happened to you.
Thank you! I keep reporting the page too... we'll see!