FBA on Collette Oolong pattern And Hideous Pictures!

This is one of a few posts about my adventures or misadventures in sewing and fitting the Collette Oolong pattern.

I sewed up the size 4 bodice. It was too tight in the bust . Once the center front is gathered up it would  be way too short.This is one of the reasons I started sewing for myself. Dresses never fit me in the bust.

 I probably should have just tried a size 6 but I had the bright idea to go and do a Full Bust Adjustment on the pattern. Here is how I did it:

Take your upper bust measurement then your full bust measurement. The difference between the two is your cup size. My upper bust is 33 and my full bust is 37, giving a 4 inch difference : A D cup Pattern adjustment.

Here is how you determine your cup size.

1" or less: A cup

around 2": B cup

around 3": C cup

around 4": D cup

around 5": DD cup

Here is the amount you will have to slash and spread your pattern at the apex to allow more room for an ahem, ample bust.

These measurements are based on altering your average size B sewing pattern.

 For a C cup - 1/2", for a D cup - 3/4", for a DD cup - 1".

Now Collette patterns are drafted for a C cup instead of the usual B so I may be making this a bit too big. But it felt pretty tight so I am going to follow the chart recommendations.

Creating the new pattern:

On your muslin you tried on mark your apex.

Now trace your muslin onto paper .

With a ruler mark a straight line from the waist to the apex, then from the apex to the armhole.

Cut the lines and open up your pattern. I opened mine till the apex cut was seperated by 3/4 of an inch.

Tape paper under the cut part of the pattern.

Your waist will be longer on the altered side to give more room for a full bust.

Take your original muslin trace the waist and redraw it on the unaltered part of the pattern. it will be longer now. But not longer in the side seam.

Do you see how my new, altered, pattern is longer and wider now?

Now before I cut out the new pattern I have to figure out what I am going to do with the extra fabric I now have at the bottom of my bodice pattern. It won't match the width of the skirt because it's wider now. I am going to have to lose that extra inch and a quarter that was create by the FBA.I will create small gathers under the bust line.I think that would match the pattern better than a dart.

Now I have to cut two new muslin fronts. I mustn't forget to lay them out on the bias.

I will sew them to my original back muslin piece.

This is bigger now. It's going to be gathered up the front so it will be shorter but I can see I'm going to have to scoop out some excess length from the bottom. 

Next post : Fitting my altered muslin.