The Perfect Bias Cut
Linen Shell
Full Bust Adjustment
My favorite summer top of all time is a bias-cut
shell,
from the September 1999 issue of Burda magazine, style
111.
When I first made it, around 10 years ago,
using light-weight
linen, the possibility
of having firm, durable fabric
that molds itself to my body was an epiphany.
It pulls on over the head, eliminating any buttons or
zips
and looks good
with any shirt I wear open over it.
I’ve since made blouses with sleeves
cut on the bias in linen with
similar success.
My body has changed considerably 10 years.
I noticed
the hem getting shorter with the end
of the dart way above my bust. It
was time
to alter the pattern and make a bunch
of them in
different colors.
To understand above-the-waist darts,
be aware that darts pivot from the largest point of the upper
torso.
This translates to the bust apex on most people.
Other body types, pregnancy or a medical condition may cause
the stomach to protrude more than the bust,
requiring a different procedure for altering the pattern.
My formula for adjusting
for a full bust is:
Body Measurement Plus Ease
Minus Pattern Measurement
= Amount to Add
The basic parameters are: Linen fabric
- Bias Cut
This procedure may not be suitable for other fabrics
or straight of grain cutting.
It might work, I just have not tried it.
I
will have established the pattern shoulder ends
at 7-5/8” from center front.
My
body measures 7-1/2” –
an acceptable difference – no change.
Apex
of the bust is 4-1/2” from center front, and 11-1/2”
from mid shoulder.
It’s
indicated by the small cross labeled AB.
The Apex Line is drawn perpendicular to
the center front line.
The
shell is often worn under a shirt or cardigan and the
bias
cut provides flexibility; therefore,
I will allow only 1” wearing ease.
My
bust: 43” plus ease = 44”
Figure 1. Shell Pattern ready to alter
Horizontal lines from top:
Center Front to Shoulder Joint, Apex
and Waist
Side
seam lines are only drawn from the waist
to the hem and
the underarm to the apex line.
Calculate:
Pattern
back width* 21.25
Plus Apex to Apex 9.00
Total 30.25
My
bust: 42" or 43” (depending on the day) plus ease.
Needed: 44.00
Less: 30.25
Total 13.75”
13-3/4” divided by 2 = 6-7/8”
Pattern front from apex to side is 6”.
I need to add approximately 1".
and I spread my pattern by that
amount.
Slash from hem to apex line, up to but not through the armhole.
Slash on the the apex line from the side to, but not through the apex.
The dart legs, that have opened by spreading, measure 1-1/8”
I made sure the legs of the dart are equal length.
I covered the dart with clean paper on the illustration,
but made my adjustments on
the tracing paper
and drew the new lines on the illustration.
The post of Wednesday, June 26 covers
folding in the dart.
I'll end the dart with the point 3” from my bust apex.
You will
need to determine where your side bust dart will end.
Consider a cone, if you start sewing at the widest part,
it ends at the
point of the cone, which lies somewhere
between the
side seam, and the apex of your bust.
Sarah
Veblen explains
how to find
where your dart should end in the
I extend my apex line, and make a new dart
that is balanced on the apex line.
The pattern is folded from the new dart end to the hem.
The dart is folded closed with the upper half
of the dart folded down.
The pattern is smoothed flat putting a fold from the
dart end to the shoulder.
The side seam line is drawn, connecting the line
from the underarm to the waist.
Now to cut it out and sew it up…
Back in a bit to report the results!
