Peplum Top Pattern Adjustment Tutorial

I promised a picture of the New Look 6130 peplum top facing pattern I redrafted and here it is:

Front facing.

Back facing.

The idea of having a neckline facing and an armsyce facing flapping around inside the shirt was gross to me, so using the main body pattern pieces I drafted my own facing and I think it worked pretty great. 

Here's how I did it:

1. First, draw on the sew lines on your pattern pieces.  In commercial patterns, this is usually 5/8."  I, however, changed all my seam allowances before I cut the pattern so my seam allowances were 1/2" for most seams, and 1/4" along the neckline and armsyce.  I also left a 5/8" SA at CB where I was inserting the zipper.  
2. Match up your sew lines on the front bodice pieces.  See my pattern below.  Can you see how the armhole matches up perfectly on the CF and SF bodice pieces?
3.  Place a piece of tracing paper over the pattern and pin/tape down. 
4. Your front facing should be  2-2.5" wide at the CF neck and 2-2.5" down from the bottom of the armhole, depending on how you will finish your edges. This is 2-2.5" from the sew line, not the cut line.  
5. Make sure your facing is square (at a right angle to) the CF vertical line.  At the sides seam, square a line the distance down from the armhole that you decided upon. 
6. Trace the shape  up the armhole 2-2.5" from the armhole, until you get to where an armhole notch might be.  That is where the shape starts to get a little wonky.  (the dashed lines curving around the armhole are 2.5" away from the cut line)
7. Use a french curve and/or a hip curve to connect the two lines (one starting from CF, one from the bottom of the armscye).  The shape should look smooth and natural.  See how it didn't on the back facing and I corrected it.  
8. At the sideseam,  mark 1/8" in at the bottom of the facing. From that 1/8" mark to zero at the underarm, draw a line.  This will be done on both front and back.  this small removal of fabric tightens up the facing a bit and prevents it from creeping out of the bodice.  
9. On the back, I did everything above, except the facing is wider (or longer?) at CB.  I like (and was taught) to make wider facings in back.  4 inches is a good length down from the neck on this pattern.  The back neck drop is fairly shallow, so this will work well and it won't be too deep.  Basically you don't want the facing overlapping your scapula bone (your chicken wing!).  Just like you don't want a tight facing going over your boobage!  
10.  One thing I forgot to do, but do it all the time was to decrease the shoulder width on both sides by about 1/16 - 1/8" depending on fabric thickness.  What you will do is mark both sides of the shoulder seam (on front and back facing) and blend to zero to about 2/3 the way to CF and 2/3" down the armhole, whatever blends naturally.  It's easy to see once you are doing it.  

the first step.  

That's it!

Let me know what you think!


Thanks to my newest followers!

scherimm
Becky Ensinger
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Angie Newell

180! That's Amazing!

Here's a fun picture of Pearl:

Pearl modeling Fritz's Halloween costume...A Giant bath sponge!!! Yup, I made this one too in about an hour for $3.00.

HAHAHAHA!