Thursday, March 1, 2001

Alterations: Cheater FBA

With knits lately I've been "cheating." Instead of doing a regular slash/spread FBA, I've just been blending between sizes as I trace or cut, like this:


I'll start with the size that corresponds to my upper bust measurement. For this drawing, that would be the Gray size inside the black outline. Then I move out at armhole level to the size that corresponds to my full bust. Here, it's the Blue size. And then I gradually morph downward to the size that corresponds to my hips. Here, it's the Purple size. I end up with a pattern that resembles the Gray plus Red outline.

This cheating method works for me because I also usually also have to increase the bicep width in sleeves and the morphing shown above does increase the sleeve size needed. But now, instead of actually slash/spreading the sleeve, I just use a similar morph between the sleeve size that matches the Gray size I started with and I extend the underarm seams to the Blue size, like this:


As I said, I use these cheaters mostly for knits. (And before you ask, No, I don't find that the front bottom hem rides up. Your mileage may vary.) I will also sometimes use these morphs as a starting point for wovens too, because then I'll need a much smaller dart/spread when doing a traditional FBA.

5 comments:

  1. That's how I remember my mother adjusting patterns years ago.. for herself and my sisters!

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  2. i find your idea very brilliant. simple and concise. can't wait to try it.

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  3. Debbie I know you already know it - you are a genius! Thank you for sharing this. I hope all is going well - we certainly miss hearing from you - for real!

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  4. Do you find you need to add length at the center front? Can't wait to try this method!

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