Lengthening and Shortening a Bodice Correctly

Cutting length off the bodice hem or adding to it moves the waistline relative to the armhole and bust, throwing the whole balance off. The armhole ends up too high or too low, the bust dart points to the wrong height, and the waist no longer sits at the waist.

Printed patterns provide lengthen and shorten lines precisely to avoid this. They are placed where length can change without disturbing the surrounding shaping.

A bodice typically has a lengthen and shorten line above the waist, between the armhole and the bust, and sometimes a second one in the lower bodice. Changing the upper zone affects armhole depth and the distance to the bust; changing the lower zone affects only the distance from bust to waist.

Deciding which zone to adjust depends on where the proportion is wrong. A high or low armhole points to the upper zone; a waist sitting above or below the natural waist points to the lower zone.

1. 1.Locate the correct lengthen and shorten line for the zone you need to change.
2. 2.Draw a fold line parallel to it at half the amount you want to remove.
3. 3.Fold the pattern up to the adjustment line, tucking out the full amount.
4. 4.Tape the tuck flat and redraw the side seam, center front and any dart across it.
5. 5.Re-true the seams so the edges are smooth and continuous.

To add length, cut along the adjustment line and spread the pattern by the required amount, filling the gap with paper. The armhole, dart and waist all keep their relationships because the added length sits between them rather than beyond them.

As with shortening, redraw the side seam and center front across the inserted section so they read as continuous lines, and re-check the dart if the adjustment line passes near it.

• Apply the same length change to the front and back at the corresponding lines.
• Keep the side seam lengths equal after adjusting so the pieces still join.
• Adjust the sleeve length separately if you have changed the armhole depth.
• Re-check the waist position against a skirt or waistband if the garment has one.

Bodice length is a proportion problem, not just a measurement, which is why petite and tall figures need it adjusted so often. When a pattern is drafted to an individual's nape-to-waist and bust-height measurements, the length zones are already correct, but knowing how to adjust them by hand remains essential for working with standard patterns.