How to Alter Any Pattern to Fit Miss Petite

If you are usually a size 0 or 2 in off-the-rack sizes and have a petite frame (particularly if you are narrow through the shoulders with a measurement of less than 15” from shoulder to shoulder), you will need to make some adjustments to your pattern pieces to obtain a perfect fit. If you go by your bust measurement when choosing a size, you are likely to end up with a garment that either gapes badly or that slips off one shoulder. This article will help you alter any blouse or dress pattern to give you a beautiful fit every time. [Note: Illustrations in this article show an empire waist bodice with gathers below the bust, but the steps given will work on any bodice. If you're making a bodice with darts rather than gathers, you'll just check the fit by pinning in the darts rather than pulling up basting stitches to gather.]

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• The pattern you want to work with
• One yard of muslin
• Scissors
• Pins
• Thread
• Sewing Machine
• Mirror

1. Before I even begin, I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of making a toile for a try-on before you cut out your fashion fabric. A toile is simply a garment or partial garment constructed from muslin or another inexpensive material. If you're creating a dress or blouse as shown in this example, you’ll need to make the bodice for your fitting—no need to add sleeves or anything else. At this point, you're using the pattern pieces as-is. You're going to make any needed changes during the fitting process.

2. "But What About My Size?" My general rule of thumb for Miss Petite is this: If your bust measurement indicates that you need a size 10, you should make your toile in a size 8. Just go a size down from whatever your bust measurement indicates and create your toile from that size. Then you can proceed to the step-by-step instructions for fitting your toile. This will help you circumvent many narrow shoulder fitting issues from the get-go.

3. Cut out the bodice pieces, then baste together the front and back at the side seams and shoulder seams (if the bodice comes in multiple pieces like side back and back, baste those together first, of course).

4. Now try on the bodice and pin it closed in back or front (following the overlap guidelines given in the pattern). Do note that it is vital that you try on your toile over the undergarments you intend to wear beneath your garment! Now you're ready to move on to fitting and making adjustments.

5. Standing in front of a mirror, check to make sure the side seams of the bodice come directly below the underarm. Also check to make sure the armholes are comfortable (keeping in mind they’ll be larger once the sleeves are sewn in). Going down a size may mean you need to trim out a wee bit at the bottom of your armhole. If you do cut down the armholes, be sure to use a sleeve in the next size up.

6. 

   Now take a good look at the shoulders of the bodice. The outside edge should extend past your shoulders by 5/8” (the seam allowance for the sleeve). If the shoulders are drooping or falling down, you’ll need to adjust them by bringing them in closer to the neckline. For now, just write down how far toward your neck the shoulders need to move. When you are ready to make the change to your master pattern, you will create an “L”-shaped slash like the one shown in step “A” of the drawing, then move the entire armhole area in toward the neckline to take up the amount you’ve noted (“B”). Repeat this step for the bodice back piece. (Making these changes will also take up any slack in the neckline if you have gaping issues there.)

7. 

   Before you check the fit of the bust area, it is best to go ahead and make a new toile with the changed shoulder area. If you didn’t have to make any changes to the shoulder, then just continue on. For an empire-waist blouse or dress with gathers below the bust, you will pull up the basting stitches on each side to take in the fullness that will be gathered into the skirt front when you make your dress (or the "skirt" of the blouse if you're making a blouse). Now check to make sure there is room enough in the bodice to accommodate your bosom. Essentially, there should be no pulling horizontally across the bust, and the bodice should be long enough so that the bottom hits you below the bra band, leaving enough room for your seam allowance and a comfortable fit. If there is any pulling or binding horizontally, you will add to your side seam as shown in step “A” in the drawing. If the bodice seems too short, note down how much length you need to add to it (this is also true for ladies with a low bust point, by the way). Change your master pattern as shown in step “B” in the drawing.

8. 

   With these adjustments made, take a good look at your neckline to make sure you like where it is hitting you. Do keep in mind the seam allowance around the neckline (or collar, if applicable). You can make changes to the neckline of your master pattern by simply following the curve line indicated, marking it either higher or lower, depending on your own needs.

9. Once you’ve got your master pattern marked and adjusted, go ahead and cut a final toile and baste it together to check the fit one last time. If you’re happy with what you see, congratulations! You’re ready to start on your garment. If you find you’re still running into some fitting concerns, be sure to see my upcoming article on common fitting issues. This will provide additional fitting helps for ladies of all shapes and sizes. No one has a “standard” body, so fitting a toile to create a master pattern is a big accomplishment that will guarantee success in all your sewing endeavors!

Tips & Warnings

• If your garment fastens in the back, find a helper to pin it closed rather than trying to do gymnastics to do it yourself!
• If you have a friend with a good eye for fashion and fit, get her opinion on the final fit of your toile before you cut into your beautiful material.

Resources

• Sense & Sensibility Patterns Sewing Tips

[racheltexas]

on 11/7/2009 If you are petite it can sometimes be trying to find clothes that fit right, but with this info you can just fix it yourself!