Problem fitting a dress pattern

[gardengal]

I've altered many a pattern, so I don't know why this has me so stumped. I have a simple dress pattern that another tree member sent to me. I've made 2 dresses from it so far and I like the style, but I need to make it more fitted in the bodice. It buttons down the front to a gathered skirt. It's very very loose fitting. Comfortable, but looks like a sack on me. The front has darts under the bust. The back is cut on the fold of the material, no darts. I'm trying to decide if it would be better to just move the pattern off the material on an angle for the back to take it in a little or if it would be better to try and fit a dart down each side of the back. I don't want it real snug, just not like a sack.

gardengal

[Navajo]

Duct Tape....

The answer for all know problems can be solved with this.

YMMV

[momof23goats]

you can add darts to the back. try it, and see. or cut the top a bit smaller, by taking a 1/2 inch off each side, == one dress size.
I would probably put darts in the back, and make the front darts a bit bigger, and when you cut the dress out ,when putting the pattern on the fold of the material, move the pattern over so it is hanging over the edge a 1/2 inch, this takes it up also. see what I mean , in other words, put your seam allowance line on the edge of the material instead ofthe line for the edge of the pattern.
try these and see if it works for you.
I would love a copy of this pattern.
lol

[gardengal]

Nope, only half the problems are solved with duct tape. The other half require WD 40.:mrgreen: Don't know where I heard this quote from:

If it moves and isn't supposed to, use duct tape. If it won't move and it is supposed to, use WD 40.

gardengal

[Limner]

Nope, only half the problems are solved with duct tape. The other half require WD 40.:mrgreen: Don't know where I heard this quote from:

If it moves and isn't supposed to, use duct tape. If it won't move and it is supposed to, use WD 40.

gardengal

You forgot baling wire and dry wall screws....:mrgreen:

[cyberiot]

Duct Tape....

The answer for all know problems can be solved with this.

YMMV

Delete . . .

Gardengal already said it. Great minds think alike!

[SheWoff]

I was thinking along the same lines as mom was. Make the darts in the front as big as you can without making it look too busty. The try trimming 1/2" off of each side of the material to drop it down one size. If that doesn't work then add the darts to the back. I would put one on each side starting a little below the shoulder blades clear down to the waist. Try the front darts and trimming down the material first though. It should fix it.

She

[Disastercat]

You probably know about this, but I've learned sewing sort of haphazardly and one of the things I've learned about recently is the use of tacking. It stayed more popular on this side of the water than in the US, it had all but died out by the 1960's when I was taking 4H sewing lessons. But here its still used a lot and I find it very helpful when making more fitted garments (some of the newer Viking finds show the Vikings wore more tailored clothing than historians used to think).

I'd suggest tacking the darts down with bright pink or some other hideous color of thread in large stitches, then try the dress on. Keep repeating this until you have it just right and then measure (or estimate) the size of your darts so next time you don't have to do this.

If you make a lot of clothing for yourself, you might want to try picking up a dress form cheap and/or following the directions for making a bust of yourself on line. I helped a very large friend do this one weekend, and while it looked like a piece of strange modern art when we were finished, it also let her fit sized 26 dresses to her exact shape. If I recall we did use a lot of duct tape and old t-shirts, along with some body-safe plaster. I think a dress form would be simpler to use, but anyone who is a strange size like me (I'm 4'8" with a D bra and short waist) is going to have trouble using them. Ditto for someone who is a size 26 to 28.

Good luck and hope we get to see a picture of the dress...now I just need to go get a picture of the hand-woven Viking Tunic I made for DH for a magazine article..that one got a lot of tacking!

[Animal Lover]

Would love a photo. It is the style that sound pretty but sooo comfey. AL

[gardengal]

The dress turned out nice. Not too snug, but not looking like a sack either. DD took a picture of it, so I'll try to post it when I can.

gardengal

[juststartn]

I have a problem with clothes fitting me...5'4", D bra, high, but short waisted.

I think the good Lord meant me to wear Empire style clothing...lol.

Rachel

[gardengal]

I'm very overweight. Working on it, but not getting anywhere. My biggest problems is I'm not big busted for how much I weigh, but I have no waist. If I wear skirts the waist rides up under my bust, so I prefer dresses. Ones with a slightly empire waist are better and that's how this dress pattern fits.

DD took a picture of me when I was wearing the dress, but I'm not sure if that's one she quickly deleted when she needed to take pictures of the car accident, plus she's been busy dealing with getting those pictures to the insurance company. So when things settle down I'll see if I can get a picture posted.

gardengal

[SheWoff]

I will keep an eye out for the photo. Would love to see what it looks like! I have the problem of being pear shaped and most things like to ride up under my breasts too. Im 5'4, weigh 185, and have a 40DD. Nothing fits! LOL I am right between normal sized clothes and petite sized for the length. And then I am between large and XL sizes. So it either has to be hemmed or it has to be taken in. My sewing machine gets a real work out lol.

She

[gardengal]

I remember my grandmother was only 5 foot, but heavy. She weighed on average around 250. She was big busted, short waisted and small shoulders. She only wore dresses, I can not remember ever seeing her in anything other than a dress. She would find a dress pattern she liked, alter it to fit her and make all of her dresses. She laughed that when she wanted a new dress she'd just go to her cupboard that had shelves of materials and pick out what she wanted to make.

I'm almost that bad now. I have a list of sewing to do and 3 more dresses and a jumper are on that list for winter.

gardengal

[momof23goats]

yes , I too have a list!:mrgreen:several to be honest for sure.