How to Fix a Gaping Back Armhole

[@nanatrish7771]

Thank you for this video. I had spent several days trying to fix this gaping armhole. This fix worked perfectly. I had overlooked it in my Palmer Pletsch Book.

[@jimkoss3318]

Probably too late, but I really would like to have seen the ‘gaping armhole’, an explanation of how a shoulder dart fixes it, and the final result.

[@ccrichbourg]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@janenebendrick1632]

In order to do this alteration correctly, you must make a muslin, find the exact size of the armhole dart needed, draw the armhole dart in on the pattern and connect it to the the shoulder seam line. The size of the dart should be marked on seam line not cutting line.

[@maureenhopper5720]

Good walk through of the Palmer Pletsch explanations on that fitting question.❤ I noticed you mentioned you also have a high round back issue. I do as well, so I am wondering how and in what order you would correct both of these fitting problems as they will intersect near the shoulder line? Thanks

[@anngrodzicka814]

A lovely clear video with great information.

[@SewEssential]

Thank you so much for your comments Ann, much appreciated.

[@MsZzzipper]

Thank you for your really clear instruction video. I especially appreciated the summary at the end of what you did. Now here’s a rookie question: if you’re adding fabric back to keep the shoulder seam and armhole true, doesn’t that mean that your 1/2” dart is no longer a true 1/2”?

[@margarethill1137]

Thank you so much a really easy explanation of a problem

[@SewEssential]

Thank you for your lovely feedback Margaret, much appreciated.

[@ppuyle1]

I love seeing fix issues! Thanks! 👍🏼

[@SewEssential]

It's a pleasure, I am a fit obsessive so I love sharing my findings.

[@ruthl8437]

Thank you so much! I have this fitting issue and am going to try your fix right away☺️

[@SewEssential]

It's a pleasure Ruth, I hope it works as well for you as it does for me. It is really a revelation!

[@silvercloudm7394]

If you were also doing a forward shoulder adjustment, I presume you would do that first before adding the dart?

[@joannjacquin4983]

Thank you for a great tutorial!

[@SewEssential]

It's a pleasure, so glad it was useful.

[@nikkinhu4292]

Thank you thank you thank you so much!!! You’ve just saved my life lol. I have a vintage pattern and it only show a single “o line” at back shoulder dart. I have no idea how to sew that kind of dart. After watching your video I found out that “o line” was the crease. Now I have to mark 1/4 inch on both sides of it to actually create the back shoulder darts 😍😍😍

[@lizzyt6791]

Can you add the number of the page in the book? 🙏🏻

[@valeriemeare8629]

I used this fix on a sleeveless vest and the gape disappeared. I am wondering if I should do the same on a dress with sleeves?

[@archanan7784]

Can you tell us How do I avoid gathers of fabric near the sleeve and body joint on both sleeve and body part ?

[@adedayo25hassan30]

S fs you xg

[@sewingforfun7378]

Sorry dont understand...you have put a dart in to remove 0.5" and then added it again?

[@plf67]

She added the dart to give more room to the back for shoulder blades and round back like you would for the front then she made the shoulder seam and arm hole match the original pattern length....it gives that little extra moving room in the back...but removes that back arm hole gapping you get when you do fit your back side....Very good tutorial btw!

[@SewEssential]

Yes I can see why it might seem confusing and thanks for the excellent explanation Paula F. Adding a dart actually creates ease - although you are taking away fabric where you fold the pattern over at the shoulder seam end, the triangle you create lower down the pattern piece creates ease. Think of it like a bust dart and how that works. However, you don't want to take away from the length of the shoulder seam because it won't match up with the front shoulder seam so you add back on at the armhole edge so they match. Hope that helps.

[@jimkoss3318]

@@SewEssential I don’t see it either. I’d like to see it actually working. Show the problem on a muslin. Incorporate the fix. Show the fixed muslin.

[@sabrinatscha2554]

Don’t see what this has to do with the armhole

[@jimkoss3318]

I agree. I’d like to see it actually working. Show the problem on a muslin. Incorporate the fix. Show the fixed muslin.

[@just_cade]

It effectively swings the armhole up and forwards by shaping the back panel. With the dart at the shoulder in the back, the armhole can lie more smoothly along the body instead of gaping open.

[@kathleenwoods8416]

Well, its the same with most patterning when it comes to darts. When fitting a flat material to a 3D object, like a shoulder, butt or teapot, you need to make darts(or seams) to force a pattern piece into a contouring shape around an object. That is at least if you care about gaping, which is just the fabric projecting from the body in an unappealing way, which happens because the fabric must be large enough to go around the larger parts of an object or body in the first place. In the case of the armhole & how darts are meant to change that, its mostly because the armhole will gape less if it is smaller but you still need to accommodate the shoulder blade & its movement. This way Measurements like shoulder width & bust apex stay mostly right, but the armhole is more closed and a bit better shaped to the body, which is in essence why the gape is there at all. Grain is also a factor, but its not as big of one as simply accommodating both the natural projection of some body parts & the narrowness of others.

[@kathleenwoods8416]

​@@jimkoss3318 the discussion of these kinds of things could be made more clearly with the use of how-tos in the manner described. Shoulder darts are very hard to draft blind on account of them usually being behind you, its the same reason that pants drafts look kind cruddy for the first few attempts.