Full Bust Adjustment Tutorial

[@juliehewson5467]

This video is the best I have seen for explaining a complicated sewing process. I have been baffled for years! This video has inspired me to have another go, taking things one step at a time and I am sure that I will succeed this time. Thank you for such excellent and aware teaching.

[@brendabijak7171]

I COMPLETLY AGREE!

[@susanfreeman6350]

For anyone watching this excellent tutorial in the future, one critical detail was omitted. In this example, she determined that 1 inch extra was needed. The 3 inch difference between full bust and high bust, minus the standard 2 inches already drafted into the pattern by the manufacturer. However, the bodice has 2 sides, right and left. So, you must HALVE that difference so that the total adjustment is an extra inch. A half inch on each bodice side would make one inch total. Doing it as shown would add a total of 2 inches.

[@asharp6591]

Thank you for this excellent tutorial. It’s very helpful. I wish pattern companies would put the high bust measurements on their patterns.

[@norahsouthwell2241]

Thank you. This is very clear to understand every step in the process

[@dailydedication2663]

Wow. I’m just learning to sew andI’ve been intimidated by the idea of an FBA. Most resources I’ve looked at are not thus clear in the step by step instructions. This video is great. Thank you!!

[@georgielewis4180]

Genius! Thank you so much! This is invaluable stuff!

[@nnewsome338]

Thank you, this is the best FBA video I have seen. The only one that has made me feel confident in giving it a go! Thank you so much. X

[@NationalSewingCircle]

You can do it! Glad we could help.

[@shannonfranklin8636]

I appreciate you so much, thank you for this video. I’ve been trying to read guides and I just couldn’t make heads or tails of any of them

[@lesleyswan7816]

Excellent... now i need how to adjust a princess line seam. I have difficulty getting the seam over the apex of my bust.

[@DawnGregory-l4c]

this is so helpful have read numous books and watched a lot of videos but i must say you have explained this so user friendly its great. I feel this demo has gave me a more understandable way of doing this process. THANK YOU

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Glad it was helpful!

[@victoriahunte9769]

Thank you - this video has helped tremendously in making tops for my daughter who has a very full bust

[@sewitseams5632]

Thank you so much! I struggle making adjustments for a larger bust. This was very helpful.

[@juliejayne27]

You make this look amazingly simple! Will give it a go today, thank you for brilliant tutorial 😁

[@NationalSewingCircle]

You’re welcome 😊

[@irismuller74]

Thank you for this wonderful tutorial. I gonna try this !!

[@remeaiseirish]

Thank you so much for the video demo its clear and easy to follow. this has helped me big time with having a go at a bust adjustment bodice as my figure changed after having my kids at age 40, I used to make my own clothes and all my patterns and since my mum died I had no one to fit me or measure the measurements I needed. now I will have a go and let you know if I managed to do it. I'm desperate for some home made to fit clothes. thanks a bunch. (: so happy for this info

[@merindymorgenson3184]

This is really helpful to see. I have tried these slash and spreading methods, but had trouble getting the paper to “hinge.” Seeing you do it, helps me see why what I’ve been doing hasn’t been working so well. I just did a similar adjustment on a pattern, and I finally got it to work, but this method would have been so much easier.

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Glad it helped!

[@aichamuhammad5904]

Is there a video that also shows stitching of this adjustment

[@turkeybeak]

Thank you for this video! I've been scared to make clothes for myself but you explained this adjustment soo well. I've not got my own bodice pattern and I'm excited to try to make a dress!

[@pcfdenise3576]

Thank you, that was really useful and well explained.

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Glad it was helpful!

[@gypsygirl731]

A very thorough tutorial nice and easy slow. Enough for me to follow.very good👍now in feel I can do it

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Glad it was helpful!

[@somaryrivera7369]

Gracias. Muy buen video. Excelente información

[@gehanawad8967]

Excellellent explanation

[@lindakeeley1334]

This is a very clear tutorial! Thank you. Where would you add the full bust adjustment if the pattern has no darts? Also, do you add darts or leave it dartless?

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Great question! The 'Ask an Expert’ section is for members of our online community. I would be happy to send your question off to the experts. To get started, please provide the email associated with your paid membership. Thanks!

[@thedayday1]

So helpful! Thank you

[@breannadavis1581]

can you explain how you got the 1 inch adjustment from a 3.5 in difference from the full bust and high bust?

[@suavementeebi]

I was wondering the same thing. She mentions in the beginning that you need a FBA for a difference of over 2.5 inch between full and high bust. She then measured 3.5 inch on the mannequin, which would require 1 inch adjustment to get back within the the 2.5 inch range between high and full bust .. I just wonder how to calculate if the difference between the to is less than 2.5 inch and you still need an FBA due to a gaping armhole 🤔

[@cruelcimmcia859]

So I recently made a shirt tighter since the armhole was 2 sizes bigger, but my chest was perfect as is. When I fixed the armholes by sewing the sides my shirt got so tight in my chest but everything else fit great. Now I want to fix this issue for my 3rd mock up to finally have a good pattern.

[@sewndebisdream6953]

Wonderful. I finally get it🤗

[@lynnblindell9730]

Thanks - this is really nice and through 🙂

[@carissahernandez4101]

I appreciate the explanation of how to use this technique, but I have some things I think would make the video more helpful as I tried to follow, but because I had to do guess work my pattern turned out wrong. Explaining exactly where a dart should be made using measurements. I had to do guess work based on the image of where the darts were in the video and it was not good on my pattern. I also need a 6 inch adjustment and seeing an example of how a large and small adjustment should be done would be more helpful. My adjustment attempt was a large one and the pattern looked completely different than the 1 inch example. I would appreciate more examples in larger adjustments since the patterns look very different in change. Also for the re drawing of the new darts, I was hoping for a more exact measurement of new dart locations, as my old darts were so spread apart I wasn’t exactly sure what to do because I just don’t. I know that it was said to redraw in kind of the center, but as I said, my pattern looked completely different than the 1 inch example and wasn’t sure where my new darts should be. So I guessed where the new center was and it turned out very badly 😕

[@PR4Neshia]

Thank you.

[@griengrass]

Thank you for step at 13:10! All of the other videos that I watched skipped that step. I've been stuck trying to figure iut why pattern was mishaped.

[@arlenemurphy804]

Very easy to understand..thank you🥰

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Glad it was helpful!

[@leisongivangomo5656]

Brilliantly explained!

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Glad it was helpful!

[@barbarakushner5718]

Thank you for the instructions, I need to make this adjustment on all my patterns too. I am a little confused about how you determined the one inch space….could you explain that again. Thank you so much, what a difference in the pattern. 😊

[@NationalSewingCircle]

You’re welcome 😊 Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is for members of our online community. I would be happy to send your question off to the experts. To get started, please provide the email associated with your paid membership. Thanks!

[@1lyqt1]

Thank you! Very well explained.

[@NationalSewingCircle]

You are welcome!

[@lizzymurray6590]

Excellent, thanks for this xx

[@NationalSewingCircle]

You are so welcome!

[@audreysmom32]

How is this different when you are using a pattern w/o any darts? I have a VERY simple jacket pattern that I need to upsize thru the bust & tummy for a dear friend. It doesn’t have any darts, I did a mock up in the largest size of the pattern, the sleeves fit fine, so I don’t want to mess with them. Also don’t need to add any length, she’s’ “vertically challenged.”😉 Also wondering about adding a bit of fullness into the back piece?

[@kimberlyhashagen5621]

Is this crazy question? Do you have to adjust the back too? I’m a beginner.

[@tweetybyrd755]

This was very helpful, but all my slopers come out too short in the front. 😢 I wish you could show how to make a sloper for a full bust.

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Great suggestion!

[@mkrekeler2]

How do you know how many inches to add for full bust adjustment. If I heard correctly, in your example the full bust was 3 inches larger than the high bust, however, you only added an inch. I was a little confused at that.

[@MirandaL_]

Hi! Did you figure out the answer to this question? I'm also wondering.

[@MirandaL_]

Ok I figured it out in case anyone reading this in the future is wondering: Standard patterns are drafted based on a B or C cup, and if you would have a B cup the full bust would be 2 inches larger than the upper bust measurement. Since in this example the full bust is 3 inches bigger than the upper bust, she had to add 1 inch, since the pattern was drafted for a 2 inch difference (standard measurements for a B cup). She is actually explaining this in the video but it still took me a while and some calculations to understand 😅Math is hard sometimes! Great video overall!

[@mkrekeler2]

@@MirandaL_ Thank you. This makes complete sense.

[@Fattiapples]

Is this mainly for woven patterns? What about knits?

[@claudiaharlow9713]

Does this technique apply to all bodice patterns, regardless of their shape/style?

[@Fattiapples]

How much do you need to add based on your measurements?

[@aichamuhammad5904]

Is there a video where someone also shows how they are stitching this??? Anyone?

[@churpina]

But how would you know the exact amount to add to the bust point? How do you get that value?

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members of our online community. I would be happy to send your question off to the experts. To get started, please send the email associated with your paid membership account. Thanks!

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Here is a great resource with additional information on that: www.seamwork.com/magazine/2019/10/four-essential-full-bust-adjustments

[@Heather-and-Lilacs]

From that resource, it looks like it is 1/2 the difference between your upper bust and full bust measurements.

[@anniestewart6266]

Hi , I need to do a FBA and this is helpful BUT don’t want to increase the waist size! Please can you help me ?

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is for members of our online community. I would be happy to send your question off to the experts. To get started, please provide the email associated with your paid membership. Thanks!

[@anniestewart6266]

@@NationalSewingCircle how do I join please ( not v good on techie stuff!)

[@shellococo]

Does this make the bust point lower?

[@bernadettemitchell1872]

When you added 1" that seems to have affected the bust spam as it looks like the apex is further away for making dart point. . Am I understanding correctly?

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Hello, Yes, we are opening up some extra space for the bust, so we are increasing the circumference at the bustline. Best, Nicki

[@shawnspaulding5416]

The shape of the armhole is odd after the adjustment. Seems like I would need to redraw it?!?!?

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is for members of our online community. I would be happy to send your question off to the experts. To get started, please provide the email associated with your paid membership. Thanks!

[@margiebrincheski4293]

I have had very little success doing this adjustment b/c the side seams dont match. The front piece and the back piece at the sides are a different length. The side dart is so large. Can you advise please.

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Hello I have sent your question to our expert. We will get a response for you soon. Thank you. #44776

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Hello, This method doesn't add any length to the side seam. However, it does add length to the center front area. At the side, all we are doing is creating a larger dart, to allow more fullness in the bust, but it will get sewn out with the dart. This way, the side seam will be exactly as long as it was before the adjustment. For more in-depth troubleshooting on the full bust adjustment, including how to deal with an overly large side dart, I recommend checking out CurvySewingCollective.com (curvysewingcollective.com/the-beginners-guide-full-bust-adjustment/) . Search FBA or full bust adjustment in the search bar to find some great tutorials. Best, Nicki

[@sandraobrien8705]

What if you don't have waist darts? I've never had a dress or bodice with waist darts.

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Great question! The '‘Ask an Expert’ section for members of our online community. I would be happy to send your question off to the experts. To get started, please send the email associated with your paid membership. Thanks!

[@curious8890]

Two points confused me. I hope you can help. First, you used a 1" increase arbitrarily and quickly said that's 3.5" increase. What if my bust is 5" larger than my upper bust. How do I calculate the dart increase? Second, when drawing the red lines on the side dart, I didn't understand. What were you lining up to? The opening with the craft paper was so much smaller. Last, ok third, my darts don't true correctly. When I form the dart and trim the side mine come out the opposite direction, nothing toward the seam allowance. Also maybe mention that the process you describe is on a pattern without seam allowances.

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members of our online community. I would be happy to send your question off to the experts. To get started, please send the email associated with your paid membership account. Thanks!

[@curious8890]

@@NationalSewingCircle oh. Sorry I can't afford to subscribed. I watched some more videos and think I got it now. Thanks for your time. Best wishes

[@barbaralawrence7360]

I’m totally confused about drawing the new darts in. You went too fast and I don’t get it

[@sandraobrien8705]

As I understood it, move the centre point of your dart across in a straight line, repositioning it in the middle of the extra width you have gained through slashing and spreading. So halfway in to the paper insert you have taped in. Use the original dart legs and redraw from the dart legs to this new apex point.

[@aichamuhammad5904]

5:54 she lost me there because I didn't understand the existing lines and shape of the pattern

[@NationalSewingCircle]

Thank you for your feedback. I have forwarded your comment to the proper department. We value your opinion, and it will help with the development of our online streaming community. We will continue to listen and work hard for your complete satisfaction.

[@treasureloc]

Thank you. Explained really well.

[@NationalSewingCircle]

You are welcome!