Is Your Shoulder Blade Causing Your Armhole Issue???

Today on Fit Tip Tuesday I'm super excited to share something that happened in one of my Efficient Work Flow for Bodice Fitting Classes! I was working with a student to fix the shape of her armhole. At first glance, it looked like the back armhole was too long, causing a bubble of extra fabric near the shoulder seam... You can get a good look at this during the tutorial. First we tried to pick up the "extra length" at the tip of the shoulder. This did smooth the armhole... but it also made the armhole too snug when the sleeve when in. So, back to the drawing board... carefully examining her back view, I noticed that her shoulder blades were prominent because I could see them poking at the fabric. So I suggested adding a shoulder dart to add shape + a Prominent Shoulder adjustment. This did the trick! I'll share the before and after photos as well as how to fix it!
00:00 Intro
01:57 How the armhole can be affected by prominent shoulder blades - Before Photo
03:52 How to create a back shoulder dart to create shaping for a prominent shoulder blade
10:21 How to add more room for a prominent shoulder blade
14:46 How the armhole looks after a back shoulder dart and prominent shoulder blade adjustment
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Efficient Work Flow in Bodice Fitting - Shoulders, Neck & Upper Back PDF Companion
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Efficient Work Flow for Bodice Fitting - The Pink Zone PDF Companion
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Efficient Work Flow for Sleeve Fitting PDF Companion:
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Efficient Work Flow for Bodice Fitting: Complete Series
Prep Pattern and Sew Half Muslin: • Efficient Work Flow fo...
Tips for Solo Bodice Fitting: • Efficient Work Flow Fo...
Pink Zone - Armhole Depth & Position and Ease of Bust Dart: • Efficient Work Flow fo...
Pink Zone - Waistline, Hem and Ease: • Efficient Work Flow fo...
Efficient Work Flow for Sleeve Fitting: • Efficient Work Flow fo...
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[@jemmajane5032]

Thanks! This solved a mystery problem I've had for all the years with commercial patterns and that flapping back shoulder. I have very prominent shoulder blades. Never could understand what was wrong.

[@JSternDesigns]

My pleasure, so happy to hear this helps you, thanks for fitting along with me!

[@marga5117]

Great video! This came at the right time, whilst having the issue of gaping tissue over my shoulder. Luckily, this time, there is no sleave to deal with. Your lessons are the best!

[@JSternDesigns]

Glad it was helpful! (and on time)!! Thanks for fitting along with me

[@aliciadixon6678]

I’m so pleased I found this tutorial! I have scoliosis so I have a prominent shoulder on one side. This is alteration is great as it doesn’t affect the sleeve fitting. On that side of my body the shoulder is lower. Do you have a tutorial to show lowering a shoulder and adjusting the sleeve to fit? These asymmetrical adjustments are common with people who have scoliosis, so I’m sure others will find it useful too. Thanks for your great tutorials.

[@JSternDesigns]

So happy this helps you! Here's a tutorial for asymmetrical slope of shoulder. You can use this technique to lower the shoulder and adjust sleeve on your lower side. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIW0pJawm9eiis0 Thanks for fitting along with me

[@jericarroll6500]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This has been an issue for me. You’re the best!

[@JSternDesigns]

So happy this helps you! Thank you for fitting along with me

[@barbaradempsey1262]

Thanks for this information. That’s one of my fitting needs.

[@JSternDesigns]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for fitting along with me

[@kimhandy1861]

Wow this is one of those mysterious fitting problems. Thanks for the terrific tutorial Jen!

[@JSternDesigns]

My Pleasure!! Thanks for fitting along with me

[@ellenredsax]

A way to get better armhole shaping without affecting the sleeve - I will have to give this a try.

[@JSternDesigns]

:))) keep me posted, I'd love to know how it works out for you! Thanks for fitting along with me

[@marthanlaurinitis824]

yikes thru 6 shoulder surgeries i also have a shoulder bone issue. im glad you are adding this to your videos as i will have to watch many times to try it. for me it looks difficult as im still learning but being able to watch you i hope i can do it.

[@JSternDesigns]

Sorry about all of that! ... Take it step-by-step & keep me posted if you have questions, thanks for watching

[@eileenfb1948]

Excellent information. I have seen this problem on myself and found a small back shoulder dart was helpful but not quite enough. Thank you I can try this.

[@JSternDesigns]

Yay, I'm happy to hear! Thanks for fitting along with me

[@janicek6399]

Really a great fix for me, i had no idea...thanks!!!

[@JSternDesigns]

So happy to hear, thanks for fitting along with me

[@kayphuff]

So clever

[@JSternDesigns]

Thanks Kay!

[@tanathurgaland6708]

Yes! I’ll say what jemmajane said!

[@JSternDesigns]

:) & Thanks for watching!!

[@mazurfamily3647]

What a beautiful armhole! I'm wondering if this new armhole shape affects the curve of the sleeve cap, or any other detail of the sleeve.

[@JSternDesigns]

:) It doesn't affect the sleeve... The length is the same and the shape that is made is taken up by the prominent shoulder blade... If you make this adjustment and you don't need the room you created, it may push the armhole edge out farther than ideal! Hope this helps, thanks for fitting along with me

[@debbiewilkes8951]

Great tutorial and very useful to know! Because I have scoliosis, my right shoulder blade sticks out further down (around the base of the armhole), so I usually need the shaping further down. Is there a way I can do this adjustment for this? I usually have to increase the side seam at the armhole to accommodate my shoulder blade, but then that affects the sleeve.

[@JSternDesigns]

Thanks... Try moving the slash lines down lower so the spread it where you need the shaping. I'm also wondering about possibly moving the shoulder dart to the armhole edge (pointing down to where you need it). Hope this helps!! Thanks for fitting along with me

[@1wholovestrees]

After seeing this again, I now have a question. If my upper armhole gapes 1/2”, could I use this amount in my shoulder dart? I’m thinking it is transferring the fullness, but I need to know how much fullness to transfer to the dart.

[@JSternDesigns]

If the sleeve fits properly in the armhole, then it's likely that it's not excess ease, it's the fabric being distorted by the shape of your upper back (shoulder blades). You can close the gap and rotate it to a shoulder dart... which would add shape to the upper back... but removing the ease may make the armhole too tight (that was the first thing I tried when I saw the gaping on this student's armhole - and it made the armhole too snug. Hope this helps! Thanks for fitting along with me

[@dgammelg]

If this affects the back armhole length in relation to front arm hole length. (no longer that 1/2” longer length) do we change the front arm to maintain that 1/2” difference? I’ve created a back yoke to form a dart (due to roundness) (maybe another issue?) and it makes front AH length longer than back.

[@JSternDesigns]

:) This does not affect the length of the armhole. The shoulder dart creates shape for prominent shoulder blade... and the additional adjustment adds more room... without affecting the length of the armhole :) Hope this helps! Thanks for watching

[@suesullivan8745]

My right shoulder is 2.5 inches lower than my left shoulder. This causes all kinds of drag lines in both the front and the back. I have all the other shoulder problems as well. My whole shoulder and back is a mess. Do you have any ideas how to "fix" the 2.5" lower shoulder? Thank you.

[@JSternDesigns]

With a significant difference like this, I would make a left an right half muslin and fit the slope of the shoulder differently for each. This fits right in with the Efficient Work Flow for Bodice Fitting process that I added this tutorial to. Here's a link to part 1 of the series for you to check out! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nX_Wd6BuqcR5btE Hope this helps! Thanks for watching

[@suesullivan8745]

@@JSternDesigns I take this to mean fitting a left side and then the right side. Thank you.

[@ernestineromero4374]

So because you added a dart to remove the extra space at shoulder, you are sewing in that dart on finish project?

[@avdm196]

It makes sense because often shaping is created through darts. The issue and great lesson from Jennifer is where to create the dart and place the hinges to have all work

[@1wholovestrees]

Yes.

[@JSternDesigns]

:) Yes, you sew the dart in your garment to add shaping to the back for a prominent shoulder blade :) Thanks for fitting along with me

[@trixie877]

Hi! I'm a beginner on sewing, and your videos have been very helpful! I don't know if you have made a video about this already, but could you make a video on how to operate a mini sewing machine? Mine keeps stopping and kind of blocking mid-sewing.

[@JSternDesigns]

I'm so happy my content is useful to you!! I worked for a sewing machine dealer for over 10 years before starting J Stern Designs... and I have experience with those mini sewing machines. Those mini sewing machines are really cute to look at but, sadly, they are not very reliable. They tend to do exactly what you're describing. Plus, because of their size, there's little room to manage your fabric when you're working on bigger projects. If you live near a good sewing machine store, they may have a basic machine that's used and not very costly. I really wish I had something more helpful to tell you!