Perfectly Fitted Shirt Workshop How to use this workbook: • Choose the pattern size that fits your bust. • Sew a Fit Muslin • Use the fit muslin to identify the adjustments you need. • Record the adjustments on the Fit Muslin Worksheet. • Follow the detailed instructions and adjust your pattern as needed. • Use the adjusted pattern to cut out your customized fit muslin. • Evaluate the fit and make any additional adjustments that are necessary. Perfectly Fitted Shirt Workshop Front Back Slope of shoulder Shorten/lengthen armhole* Adjust upper back if needed Raise/lower bust fullness/ Adjust upper back if needed Raise/lower for waistline Lengthen/shorten hem Horizontal Adjustments Shoulder length Across chest/back Ease at side seams at hip Forward Shoulder Sleeve Adjustments: (Slash sleeve above notches *Lengthen/shorten Sleeve to adjust cap) Cap (The same amount you raised (shorten) or low- ered (lengthen) the armhole Increase the bicep Measurement Decrease Fullness in Sleeve Copyright © 2013 Jennifer Stern Hasemann jsterndesigns.com Perfectly Fitted Shirt Workshop How to Adjust Your Pattern for a Better Fit Order of Pattern Adjustments: • Adjust pattern so that all key areas are in the correct spot vertically (slope of shoulder, bust, waist, hip) • Adjust shoulder (length of shoulder, forward shoulder) • Adjust the muslin for fit in the bust and across chest/back • Adjust for ease across back • Adjust for ease in mid drift, waist and hip After these adjustments have been completed, sew a custom fit muslin to test the fit. Adjust fit muslin to smooth wrinkles (Wrinkles generally point to the problem.) For example if you have wrinkles from the armhole to the bust, you may need to fine tune the fit. The Fit Muslin Refer to the pattern instructions for information about choosing the best size to start with. To con- struct a fit muslin, you will need the following pattern pieces: • Front • Button placket • Back • Sleeve Use a 3/4” seam allowance to sew the button placket to the front edges of the shirt, shoulder and side seams. Use a 1/2” seam allowance to sew underarm seam on sleeve. Use 1/2” seam allowance to set sleeves into armholes. Stay stitch 1/2” along neck opening. Copyright © 2013 Jennifer Stern Hasemann jsterndesigns.com Perfectly Fitted Shirt Workshop • How to adjust the slope of the shoulder seam Shoulder slope is the angle of your shoulder from the base of your neck to the tip of your shoulder. The angle of the shoulder seam on the pattern can be significantly different from the slope of your shoulder. If the shoulder seams do not agree with the slope of your shoulders, your shirt will not hang properly from your shoulders. The first step is to determine which end of the shoulder seam needs to be adjusted. 1. The shoulder seam is peaking up above your shoulder at the base of the neck. • Pin out the excess fabric under the seam at the neck. • Blend to the original seam where it sits flat against your shoulder. • Mark the new shoulder seam. • Stitch along new seam line. • Test fit for accuracy before cutting off excess fabric. • The correct shoulder slope is illustrated in red. 2. The shoulder seam is peaking up above the tip of your shoulder. • Pin out the excess fabric under the seam at the tip of the shoulder. • Blend to the original seam where it sits flat against your shoulder. • Mark the new shoulder seam. • Stitch along new seam line. • Test fit for accuracy before cutting off excess fabric. • The correct shoulder slope is illustrated in red. Perfectly Fitted Shirt Workshop • How to adjust a shoulder seam that is too far forward The shoulder seam is really a “style line”. Traditionally it sits centered along the top of your shoulder. Unlike the slope of the shoulder seam, the actual position of the shoulder seam does not affect the fit of the shirt, just the appearance. If the shoulder seam looks like it is sitting too far forward at the neck edge you can straighten it by adding to the front shoulder edge and taking a like amount away from the back shoulder edge. 1. To the Front Shoulder Seam. Add the amount needed to push the shoulder seam back. (For example 1/2”.) • Measure up from the original edge at the neckline the amount you need to add. • Draw the new shoulder edge by as shown. 2. To the Back Shoulder Seam. Trim off the like amount that was added to the Front. • Measure down from the original edge at the neckline the amount you added to the front (1/2”). • Draw the new shoulder edge (dashed line). Trim off the excess. Perfectly Fitted Shirt Workshop • How to shorten the armhole If you typically need to petit your pattern pieces, you may need to shorten your armhole. Adjusting the armhole can accomplish two fitting challenges. First, I can make the sleeve fit better. Secondly, it will also raise the fullness of the bust. If the fullness in the bust is in the correct position before you shorten the armhole, you may need to lower the bust fullness after shortening the armhole. 1. Shorten the front armhole. • Pin out the excess length across the front of your fit muslin. • Stitch along the pins to pleat out the excess length. • Test fit for accuracy before adjusting pattern pieces. • The excess fabric pleated out in this example is illustrated in red. • Adjust the sleeve cap by pleating out EQUAL AMOUNTS. 2. Shorten the back armhole. (If may not be necessary to shorten both the front and back armholes.) • Pin out the excess length across the back of your fit muslin. • Stitch along the pins to pleat out the excess length. • Test fit for accuracy before adjusting pattern pieces. • The excess fabric pleated out in this example is illustrated in red. • Adjust the sleeve cap by pleating out EQUAL AMOUNTS. Perfectly Fitted Shirt Workshop • How to raise/lower the fullness in the bust Getting the fullness of the bust in the correct position is very im- portant. Essentially that means positioning the bust dart approxi- mately an inch below the apex. If the dart is too low or too high, it’s impossible to determine if you need to adjust the bust for more or less ease. To raise or lower the dart, cut along guideline and slide the dart up or down as needed. (There is a guideline printed on the pattern for moving the dart.) To raise the bust fullness: To lower the bust full- • Cut along the guide- ness: line and slide the dart • Cut along the guide- up the amount you line and slide the dart need. down the amount you • If you’re working with need. a fit muslin, patch the • If you’re working with space under the dart a fit muslin, patch the with a strip of fabric. space above the dart • To make this adjust- with a strip of fabric. ment to your pattern, • To make this adjust- fill the space under ment to your pattern, the dart with pattern fill the space above paper. Blend the side the dart with pattern seam. paper. Blend the side seam. Perfectly Fitted Shirt Workshop • How lengthen or shorten the position of the waistline and hem The waistline is the most narrow feature on the front and back shirt pattern. It’s important to get the position of the waistline printed on the pattern to agree with where your waistline is. (Where your smallest waistline measurement is.) To raise the waistline: • Pin up the excess length above the waistline. (There is a lengthen/shorten line printed on the pattern.) • Sew along pins to pleat out the excess length. • To transfer this adjustment to your pattern, pleat out the excess along the lengthen/shorten line and tape in place. Waist To lower the waistline: • Cut through the muslin above the waistline. • Sew a strip of muslin to the upper section of the muslin. • Mark a guideline (parallel to the slash) on the strip that adds the amount needed to position the waistline correctly. • Sew the lower section of the muslin along the guideline. Waist • To transfer this adjustment to your pattern, slash along the lengthen/shorten line. • Anchor the top section of the pattern on a piece of pattern paper. • Mark the amount necessary to lower the waistline to the correct position. • Anchor the lower portion of the pattern along the marked guideline. Perfectly Fitted Shirt Workshop • How to lengthen the shoulder There is a 1/2” seam allowance along the armhole. The fit muslin should extend 1/2” past the tip of your shoulder. If you need to adjust the shoulder, check the fit across the upper back before using this pattern adjustment. If you need to adjust the upper back too, you can accomplish both in one adjustment. (See “how to adjust the upper back.”) To lengthen shoulder: • Draw a guideline that starts in the center of the shoulder seam, extends down to the upper back and ends in the armhole as shown to the left. • Draw a matching guideline on the front of the fit muslin. Connect them at the shoulder. • Cut muslin along guideline. • Sew a strip of muslin to the cut edge of the out- side shoulder piece. • Mark the amount needed on the strip. • Sew the strip onto the inside shoulder along the guideline. To transfer this adjustment to your pattern. • Draw guidelines on front and back pattern pieces. Cut on guideline. • Tape a strip of pattern paper to the outside shoulder. • Mark the amount needed along the strip • Anchor the inside shoulder along guideline.