Hey mates, today I'll be showing you how you can make adjustments to the fit of the bodice of the Townsend Shirt.
If you haven't already gotten your own copy, you can find it here.
As mentioned in the instructions, this shirt should easily fit an array of cup sizes due to the front bodice shape being slashed and spread open to account for the fabric of the waist wrap ties. The excess amount added is the equivalent of a huge bust dart, which then gets sewn back together at the centre front.
If you do make a toile and find that the wrap ties aren’t in the position that you like – or there is too little or too much fabric around the bust, this guide should help.
Please note - these adjustments are of the quick and dirty variety. There isn't as much of a need to be too exact because this shirt has a lot of wearable ease that won't show fit issues the way a very fitted garment would. If you'd like to be more precise, you can remove the seam allowance before making your adjustments, then add it back in once finished.
To help understand the front bodice piece, this diagram below has labelled the key parts.
To find the waist, you can draw a line between the notches as shown.
Changing the position of the wrap tie
Trace out a new copy of the front pattern piece (it’s good to keep the original as is, in case you make a mistake with the pattern alterations).
On this new copy, draw a line from the notch at the underarm to the top of the wrap extension.
Draw another line from the underarm notch to the bottom of the wrap extension.
Cut along these lines and you will now have 3 separate pieces.
Remove the wrap extension for now. Swing the remaining bodice pieces up so the cut lines meet and the centre front is a straight line.
Draw a line where you’d like the new position of the wrap tie to go. I wouldn’t recommend moving it more than a few centimetres above or below the previous cut line as this will affect the intended drape of the fabric at the waist wrap.
The following images are for lowering the tie. Keep scrolling to see how to raise the tie.
Cut along the new line and swing the pieces out, keeping the point at the underarm together like a hinge.
Fit the wrap extension into the gap. You want the points marked with the blue crosses to align. Don't worry if the point of the extension is too long or too short to reach the hinge.
Re-draw the underarm point (green line) to smooth out the seam and trim off any excess.
Raising the tie
If you are raising the position of the tie, you will need to draw an extra line to temporarily remove the grown on sleeve. Draw this line straight up from the underarm notch.
Draw another line where you’d like the new position of the wrap tie to go. I wouldn’t recommend moving it more than a few centimetres above the previous cut line as this will affect the intended drape of the fabric at the waist wrap.
Cut along the new lines. Put the sleeve to the side for now.
Swing the pieces out, keeping the point at the underarm together like a hinge.
Fit the wrap extension into the gap. You want the points marked with the blue crosses to align. Don't worry if the point of the extension is too long or too short to reach the hinge.
Put the sleeve back and smooth out any jagged sections (green dashed line).
Changing the amount of fabric in the tie
Adjusting the size of the tie may help as an equivalent to a SBA or FBA. The following images are some suggestions on what you could do.
Adding extra fabric for a fuller bust:
a) Adding length to the front bodice and making the tie extension bigger. If you do this, you will also need to add the same amount of length to the back pattern piece.
b) Making the tie extension bigger. No alterations will need to be made to other pattern pieces for this.
c) Adding length to the centre front of the bodice. The button stand will need to be altered - add the same amount of length that you added to the front.
Taking excess fabric for a smaller bust:
a) Taking away length to the front bodice and making the tie extension smaller. If you do this, you will also need to take away the same amount of length to the back pattern piece.
I wouldn't recommend taking more than a centimetre or two from either side of the tie extension as it will affect the intended drape of the shirt.
b) Making the tie extension smaller. No alterations will need to be made to other pattern pieces for this.
c) Taking away length to the centre front of the bodice but keeping the tie extension the same size. The button stand will need to be altered - Take away the same amount of length that you removed from the front.
Hope this is helpful!
x Lauren