Play with a pattern...

So, you get a pattern. And the pattern is the 'right' size. So, as it is a special dress, you make it up in some spare fabric you have left over from another project... and look at the fit.

Does the 'right' size pattern fit nicely?

NO.

My subject has a bust. And the pattern has the same size bust- but not the same shape bust. Perhaps the bust on the pattern has developed a strange bulge at the front roughly at the level of the armpit, but maybe there are busts out there which do work like that. I am happy that my subject ( victim?) does not have a natural bulge just there!


What did we do?

This is the original side front, which I took out again. You can see a line drawn on it near the top, which is the line I drew, while it was being worn, as a guide for altering things. I then redrew that pattern piece,

The pattern I ended up with is shown below, sitting on top of that original piece.

Quite a difference. In shape as well as size.

Other alterations we made included, taking an inch out of the front, which was cut on the fold, adding darts in the back so it lay nicely, and taking a lump out of the back armholes,. having done all this, we think we shall have a really good fit!  Good job the original pattern was the RIGHT size to start! Much harder to upsize or downsize it!

The dress is now being made. I hope we can show you soon!