AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY PULLMAN, WASHINGTON

EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS IN COOPERATION W ITH U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

December, 1962 E. M. 2246

GARMENT FITTING

Hazel L. Roberts Extension Specialist

In ready to wear, do not purchase garments which require a good deal of making over. Remaking darts or shortening a waist or length does not involve as much work as remodeling a shoulder line which may involve resetting both and .

The fit of a garment depends on the balance of its lines on the individual figure. This involves crosswise, lengthwise and lines.

Figure 1 Figure 2

Crosswise is parallel to the floor at bust line and hip line.

Lengthwise grain of the cap lies in the direction of the arm when it hangs straight at the sidee

Side seams are perpendicul ar to the floor. E.M. 2246 Page 2

SOME COMMON FITTING PROBLEMS

TO FIT THE BODICE, KEEP THE CROSSWISE GRAIN OF THE FABRIC STRAIGHT ACROSS THE BUSTLINE

- Shoulder line too long - in addition to being uncomfortable the too long shoulder line may pull the from the side of the neck. Rip out the sleeve and recut armhole using a as a guide. It is best to shorten the shoulder line in the pattern before the garment is .

- Shoulder line too short. If the fabric is firm, make a smaller seam at the armhole shoulder line. Lengthen the shoulder line of the pattern be­ fore cutting the garment.

- Shoulders too square for shoulder line of garment - indicated by diagonal wrinkles from shoulder tip to center front or back. The shoulder seam stands up from the shoulder line near the base of the neck and the arm­ hole appears strained at the shoulder seam. For a slender figure, rip the shoulder seam and . lift it at the neck to remove wrinkles and straighten grainline. For heavy figures let the shoulder seam out at the armhole. The sleeve cap may need to be increased slightly. (Figure 3)

Figure 3 E.M. 2246 Page J

- Shoulders too sloping for shoulder line of garment - indicated by slanting folds from the base of the neck to the underarm. Make a larger in shoulder line at armhole to remove wrinkles and raise the grain of the fabric. (Figure 4)

Figure 4

- Wrinkles across back of neck - the back of the garment is too tight across the shoulders, the neck is too high or there is a cushion of fat at the back of the neck. If too tight across the shoulders, baste in the sleeves taking a ' smaller seam from the back of the garment but not from the sleeves. Rip the shoulder seams and straighten the grainline by raising the center back bodice and recutting. Neck darts will make for a better fit if there is a cushion of fat. (Figure 5)

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Figure 5 E.M. 2246 Page 4

- Neckline too high or too tight, with crosswise wrinkles in front or back, caused by a large neck or the bodice may be too narrow near the neckline. Rip the shoulder seam and slip the front or back, as the case may be, toward the center to relieve the tension. Mark new neck and armhole lines.

-Neckline too wide and too low, the neck­ line stands away from the sides of the neck - take deeper shoulder seams or use neckline darts. It may be necessary to raise the entire front bodice, and the back neckline. Keep the crosswise grain straight. (Figure 6)

Figure 6

- Diagonal wrinkles from bust line to underarm , the lower front edge of the bodice swings out, and the underarm seam swings to the front, caused by a large bust. More length is needed in bodice front than is allowed. Rip the shoulder line and straighten grainline by lowering and lengthen­ ing the center front. Lift the lower waist front with one or two small darts at the underarm. Purchase dress patterns to fit the bust measurement otherwise the pattern needs bustline alterations before the dress is cut. (Figure 7)

Figure 7 E.M. 2246 Page 5

- Fullness at armhole in front near chest line. This figure may have prominent shoulder bone and full bust with a hollow place near the arm­ hole. The bodice may have extra fullness at this hollow place. The fullness is more prominent if the armhole seam is too high at the arm­ pit. Remove this fullness with a front shoulder dart; or rip shoulder and underarm seams and raise the shoulder front more at the armhole, tapering seam to nothing at the neck. The armhole seam may need to be lowered at the underarm. (Figure 8)

Figure 8

- Bodice sags below bust in front; these figures are shorter in front be­ tween shoulder and waistline, have a flat chest, low bust or round shoulders. Rip the shoulder seams, raise the front shoulder seams until grain is straight across the bust.

- Bodice sags between the shoulder blades and waistline, on the overly erect or swayback figure. Rip the shoulder seams and lift the back of the blouse until the grain of the goods is straight across the upper back. Repin the shoulder seams taking up more of the back shoulder seams at the neck end and tapering the seams toward the armholes. Mark a cor­ rect armhole in the back. E.M. 2246 Page 6

- Bodice back draws at underarm seam .just below armpit. Garment may be too small around at the level of the bust or the figure may have a large muscle or roll of flesh across the back at the armpit level. Rip the underarm seams and enlarge the garment back. (Figure 9)

Figure 9

- Diagonal wrinkles fall from shoulder blade to underarm - Bodice pulls up in the center back and pokes out at the bottom. Most common with round shoulders, prominent shoulder blades or a roll of flesh at the back of the neck. More length is needed between the shoulder blades and the neck. Rip shoulder and underarm seams, straighten grainline across the back. The pattern should be altered before the garment is cut. (Figure 10)

Figure 10 E.M. 2246 Page 7

- Diagonal wrinkles from top of sleeve to underarm, the lower edge of the sleeve sticks out. The crosswise grain of the fabric is pulled up in the top of the sleeve cap. Caused if the sleeve cap is too short, large muscles on the top of arm or very square shoulders. Rip out upper half of armhole seam and drop sleeve until the crosswise grain of goods is straight at armhole level, or rip the armhole seam except an inch or two at the top and lift the under part of the sleeve up in the armhole until the crosswise grain of the goods lies straight across the upper arm.

- Sleeve draws across the arm near armpit level - Wrinkles across the sleeve cap extend in from the armhole on a level with the chest. The sleeve cap is too narrow. Let out the sleeve and waist seams on each side of the arm­ hole.

- Sleeve cap twists to the front or back, the crosswise grain of the fabric in the sleeve cap needs to be straightened.

- Back of bodice pulls at armhole line, at the narrow part of the back crosswise wrinkles extend from the armhole toward the center of the back. The bodice may be too narrow across the back. Let out both the back and the sleeve. If wrinkles occur only in the back of the bodice at the armhole curve, the sleeve cap may not be deep enough. The back armhole line is too long for the depth of the sleeve cap. The sleeve may be too small for the armhole. To give more depth to the sleeve cap, rip out the sleeve from the armhole and raise the lower or under half of the sleeve cap. (Figure 11)

Figure 11 E.M. 2246 Page 8

- Armhole tight, with crosswise wrinkles in bodice from armhole and length­ wise wrinkles extending down at undersleeve, the armhole is too tight or too high or the sleeve too tight at the armpit level. Enlarge the armhole, reset the sleeve keeping the crosswise grain straight. If the armhole is too high then baste a new, lower seam line. Enlarge the sleeve if necessary. (Figure 12)

Figure 12

TO FIT THE SKIRT, KEEP THE CROSSWISE GRAIN OF THE FABRIC STRAIGHT ACROSS THE HIP LINE. Keep underarm seam line straight directly under armpit.

- Lower edge of skirt pokes out in front, the side seams swing forward and diagonal wrinkles extend from the center front of the waistline toward the hem. The bodice may be too short in front. Raise the center back of the skirt slightly at the waistline or lift the front of the skirt at the sides until the grain of the fabric is straight across the hip line (Figure 13)

Figure 13 E.M. 2246 Page 9

- Crosswise folds across the back between waist and hips - the skirt may be too tight at the hips or the figure may have a swayback.

- Lower edge of skirt swings out in back, the side seams swing back. The figure may have large hips or a sway back. Rip the waist and sid.e seams , let out extra seam allowance in order to drop the back of the skirt to straighten the crosswise grain. (Figure 14)

Figure 14

After checking the fit mark the pinned alterations the same on the right and left sides. Only marked differences on two sides of a figure will require separate adjustments, as one hip much higher than the other, should be allowed on the smaller side to give balance. Check for fit after each alteration.

A well fitted garment is comfortable when the wearer stands, sits or moves. It never feels tight or strained but snug where fashion demands.