Fitting help...strapless bodice
The Cow Goddess
> I'm trying to fit a strapless bodice with princess seams. It's
> supposed to fit close to the breastbone, but it doesn't want to. I
> did adjust the over-bust seams so that the cups fit properly, but
> there is still a gap between the bodice and my breastbone. I've tried
> letting out the center front seam (thinking that it was gapping
> because there wasn't enough fabric between the cups), but that only
> makes the gap worse.
>
> Any ideas?
well, in my handy, dandy book Bridal Couture by Susan Khalje,
she writes about strapless bodice construction:
Adequate boning, firm underlining, a secure waistline stay, and
shaping at the top bodice edge will guarantee a comfortable,
flattering strapless bodice. Eliminating any of these elements
will compromise the success of the bodice. Extend the twill tape
shaping all the way to the side seams, tightening it as much as
3/4 inc per side.
HTH.
angela
--
Breed of the Month - Alentejana!
Jenn or John Ridley
supposed to fit close to the breastbone, but it doesn't want to. I
did adjust the over-bust seams so that the cups fit properly, but
there is still a gap between the bodice and my breastbone. I've tried
letting out the center front seam (thinking that it was gapping
because there wasn't enough fabric between the cups), but that only
makes the gap worse.
Any ideas?
TIA
jenn
Jenn or John Ridley
>well, in my handy, dandy book Bridal Couture by Susan Khalje,
>she writes about strapless bodice construction:
>
>Adequate boning, firm underlining, a secure waistline stay, and
>shaping at the top bodice edge will guarantee a comfortable,
>flattering strapless bodice.
Hmmm...that doesn't help a whole lot. I was hoping that someone would
have a solution for my problem, and while the above is generally
useful, it doesn't give any specifics.
The bodice fits fine everywhere *except* between the breasts, where it
gaps away from my breastbone. The bodice has a scalloped top edge,
and there is a dip at the center front seam. This is where it gaps
away from my body rather than following the contours, as it's supposed
to. I've got it boned, interfaced, underlined and lined. The pattern
doesn't call for a waist stay, and I don't really see how a waist stay
will make the top line of the bodice fit better.
jenn
pc...@vms.cis.pitt.edu
to your high bust front where the top of the dress hits. If there bodice
measurement is bigger, maybe this will give you something to go with. There
should be NO EASE.
gael...@my-dejanews.com
thankful when someone takes the time to help us with a question we have
asked, rather than complaining about the inadequacy of the advice
received. I'm sure we will all be happier posters and readers if we
remember this rule of thumb!
Gaelen
In article <36d9f4e9...@enews.newsguy.com>,
> Hmmm...that doesn't help a whole lot. I was hoping that someone would
> have a solution for my problem, and while the above is generally
> useful, it doesn't give any specifics.
>
> The bodice fits fine everywhere *except* between the breasts, where it
> gaps away from my breastbone. The bodice has a scalloped top edge,
> and there is a dip at the center front seam. This is where it gaps
> away from my body rather than following the contours, as it's supposed
> to. I've got it boned, interfaced, underlined and lined. The pattern
> doesn't call for a waist stay, and I don't really see how a waist stay
> will make the top line of the bodice fit better.
>
> jenn
>
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Jenn or John Ridley
>I don't mean to offend anyone, but let's remember to be gracious and
>thankful when someone takes the time to help us with a question we have
>asked, rather than complaining about the inadequacy of the advice
>received. I'm sure we will all be happier posters and readers if we
>remember this rule of thumb!
In the general way, this is true, but when someone asks a fairly
specific question, it's rather annoying to get answers that don't
really address the problem. I appreciate the time that people take to
answer questions, don't get me wrong,...I just think it could be
better applied to useful answers, not stuff that is readily available.
I had a very *specific* question, and all I got was a *very* general
response. And nothing that I didn't already know.
It's a waste of my time to read these general answers when what I need
is specific answers. I was kind of hoping that *somebody* on this
group would be able to help me.
>Gaelen
Jean Mahavier
>> gaps away from my breastbone. The bodice has a scalloped top edge,
>> and there is a dip at the center front seam. This is where it gaps
might be that your body and the dress really are not made for each
other, although my experience with strapless princess tops was that I
could make mine fit. I did have one that I purposely cut a bit lower
in the front, and used the "gap" there as a design feature. Perhaps
your problem is that the top front is cut a bit low for you not to
have a gap. I hope this makes sense to you.
ks...@my-dejanews.com
1/8- 1/4 off of the shoulder edges from the original shape in order to make
it "hug" the body a bit more, to keep things from gaping. Not having taken
the second or third semester of pattern drafting, where we'd go into more
detail about strapless or fitted bodices, I can still assume the principle is
the same.
You have too much fabric in the area right between the breasts, or it may have
stretched a bit in handling (which is very common). If you were using a
facing, you would trim about 1/8 or 1/4 (depends on fabric and how much its
gaping...you'd just have to try and see) off of the center front seam of the
facing pieces, and ease the bodice front to the facing (should not be gathered
or puckered). You mentioned that the bodice is lined, so you could either use
the same procedure for the lining pieces, or cut a piece of twill tape to the
bodice top edge length minus a little bit, and ease the bodice front into the
tape. Then apply the lining. The twill tape should be short enough to hug
your body a bit at the top of the bodice, but the front should not be gathered
or puckered looking.
If neither of these suggestions works for you, you could try applying some
elastic along the top edge of the bodice--perhaps just in the back. It would
be sewn into the top seam between the fashion fabric and the lining, and be
short enough to help the bodice stay next to the body without being so short
that it is obviously elastic when the dress is on (unless you don't care
about that)--I've seen this technique in a rtw strapless, princess line dress
I had several years ago--the elastic in the back held it up in front, but was
covered by a matching bolero jacket, so no one could have seen it.
I hope one of these suggestions is helpful. Let us know how it turns out!
BTW, I didn't pay too much attention to how far apart your posts appeared, but
they were pretty close together in the list on my newsreader. Make sure you
give at least 2 or 3 days before you give up on someone having a solution for
you. Remember that the newsgroups are not a machine dedicated to answering
questions--they are made up of real people with different knowledge and
schedules, and it just may take a couple of days (or more) before the right
person or people read your question :)
--Kristi
In article <36dedcf0...@enews.newsguy.com>,
jri...@newsguy.com (Jenn or John Ridley) wrote:
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
Jenn or John Ridley
>You have too much fabric in the area right between the breasts, or it may have
>stretched a bit in handling (which is very common). If you were using a
>facing, you would trim about 1/8 or 1/4 (depends on fabric and how much its
>gaping...you'd just have to try and see) off of the center front seam of the
>facing pieces, and ease the bodice front to the facing (should not be gathered
>or puckered).
>If neither of these suggestions works for you, you could try applying some
>elastic along the top edge of the bodice--perhaps just in the back. It would
>be sewn into the top seam between the fashion fabric and the lining,
That's the kind of information I was looking for....Thanks!!
jenn
The Cow Goddess
> gael...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
>
> >I don't mean to offend anyone, but let's remember to be gracious and
> >thankful when someone takes the time to help us with a question we have
> >asked, rather than complaining about the inadequacy of the advice
> >received. I'm sure we will all be happier posters and readers if we
> >remember this rule of thumb!
well, i didn't have any problem with what jenn wrote, gaelen.
> In the general way, this is true, but when someone asks a fairly
> specific question, it's rather annoying to get answers that don't
> really address the problem. I appreciate the time that people take to
> answer questions, don't get me wrong [snip] It's a waste of my time
> to read these general answers
i do think you're contradicting yourself here, since i *never* find
it a waste of time to read anything someone has said. any information
is precious.
that aside, i have no idea how many strapless tops/dresses you've made,
so speaking in general terms is easiest. i've made over 2 dozen, for
myself and other people.
there are any number of variables that could affect the fit of a strap-
less item: is it a pattern from a company that you usually don't have
success with? you might have just loved that particular item and bought
it anyway, even though other patterns from that same company might
not have given you the best fit. is it your first pattern from a company
and you're not used to sewing their stuff?
at the risk of being personal: are you wider or smaller across the shoulders
than the pattern is drafted? are your breasts lop-sided [believe me, it is
NOT easy to fit strapless on a woman who is very lop-sided!]?
and, at the risk of repeating what Kristi said, the Khalje book does say
"Extend the twill tape shaping all the way to the side seams, tightening it
as much as 3/4 inch per side."
and i did quote that.
many, many people don't know that twill tape along the top edge of a strap-
less bodice makes it fit better. *i* didn't know that until i started singing
in the opera and saw how the gowns were constructed.
maybe i should be plugging duct-tape doubles here, because fitting onto
something with your exact measurements is the most helpful thing going.
Bob
wrote:
You got a very thorough reply from one reader who seems to have
training in pattern designing. I am self taught and this is what I
have to share:
From the book: "Patternmaking for fashion design" by Helen Joseph
Armstrong, when a strapless dress is designed the designer calculates
the extra amount that the pattern has to be taken in to cup the
garment around the bust. She calles this "contouring". There are at
least three positions that would effect the top of the bodice in a
strapless dress; thinking of a clock face they would be at 11 o'clock,
12 o'clock and 1 o'clock. The amount that is taken in is done by
measurement on the person for whom the pattern is designed, but for a
B-cup would be in the region of 5/8 inch for the 11 o'clock area, and
1/4inch in the other two. A bigger bust would require bigger "darts"
taken out of the pattern. You may like to try and get hold of the
book for a better explanation than I am giving.
Another thought: if the garment is not too big in this area but rather
that it falls away from the body when you wear it
you may like to try a trick I read about in Claire Schafer's book on
couture sewing. She suggests covering a collar stay (you know, one of
those plastic strips that some men's collars have in the points) with
matching fabic. The top of this is then sewn onto the bodice just
below the edge of the garment leaving the end free. When the garment
is worn the covered plasic is slipped between the bra and the body,
which holds the garment close to the body in that area.
Hope one of these two bits of information is helpful to you.
Veronica
Mangub22
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