Full Bust Adjustment – French Darts

1. If you have a tight bust area and diagonal drag lines on the side panel, cut open your sample as shown, stopping just before you get to the armhole.
2. Open the amount needed, tape, pin, and measure it.
3. Come back to the pattern and slash it open as shown, stopping just before the armhole. And on the center of the French dart line, stopping just before the Apex.
4. Allow the Apex to open the amount you measured in your sample.
5. Then, allow the side panel to drop down until it reaches a parallel line on the vertical cut line.
6. This will be the amount you add to your pattern piece. Your dart becomes deeper.
7. Your dart position may need to change to where the Apex is. Since we opened it up, this has lowered our dart. Many times, you don’t need to change the dart position.
8. If you want to keep the original waist size, you would reduce the waist at the side seam, which would angle the side seam more. Double-check your back body panel to make sure the side seams still match.

This information and more can be found in The Fitting Book. Order your book today through the link below.