Who here is planning to do a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA) on their Minoru Jacket? I am thrilled to share this fantastic photo-illustrated FBA demonstration from Alana at Lazy Stitching. Alana was kind enough to let me borrow her photos from her tutorial! Which is great. It’s awesome to get pattern adjustment tips from someone who regularly adjusts their patterns, and who’s going to test her theories in a muslin or finished garment.
Here’s how to do a FBA for a dartless, gathered-neckline bodice like the Minoru Jacket:
(click to enlarge the photos)
For more details, check out the original blog post on Lazy Stitching. (On her site the ‘click to enlarge’ feature brings up larger diagrams!)
Want to learn more about Full Bust Adjustments in general? Check out this post from the Lonsdale Sew-Along – Lonsdale Sew-Along: FBA for a Dartless Bodice and Loads of FBA Links. At the end of the post, there are a ton of FBA links to other tutorials around the web. Whenever I’m trying to figure something out, I like to read as much as possible about it and then decide the best method to use.
this is pretty much what i did to add extra room at the bust on my minoru jacket, except i left the side bust dart so it would still be a little fitted.
those pictures are definitely prettier than anything i would have come up with, tutorial-wise, though! lol :)
YES! I am so excited about this post! It’s just what I needed!
Oh, quick question, Tasia, are you planning on including the muslin for the Minoru Jacket in the sew-along? Just wondering if I should start it now or wait until the sew-along starts. From this post it looks like maybe we should be doing the muslin and adjustments ahead of time.
Thanks!
This is so wonderful of you and of Alana, and a million thanks for the additional links, as well.
Thank you for pointing this little help out! I am bookmarking her post to refer to when I sew up this pattern.
Hi Tasia!
Thanks for posting this! I’m wondering – would the cuts in the pattern be the same for a small bust adjustment, and then you would just overlap the pieces in the opposite direction that Alana spread?
It seems pretty intuitive but just wanted to check with you first. ;)
I like Alana’s idea of making a muslin ahead of time! I have the same question as Cassandra – will you allow time in the Sewalong schedule to include fitting tips before starting up, or do you recommend we whip up a muslin beforehand? :)
Thanks so much!
Amanda
Thanks so much for hte FBA directions – they will definitely come in handy!
I have another fitting question… I am about to make a muslin for the jacket for my mother, but her measurements are WACKY (39, 50, 49). As this is a fitted jacket, what should I do about size? Should I cut to her waist size and make the top smaller, or should I cut to her bust size and grade the pattern at the bottom? Any thoughts? I’m going to consult my ‘Fit for Real People’ book tonight…
Hey Noreen! Ok, for your mother I would suggest cutting either a 14 or 16. A 14 is closest to her bust measurement, so the shoulders won’t be massive, and you can add at the hip and waist. The finished jacket may look quite different, because it’s the waistline elastic that gives it shape, and in your case the waist measurement is larger than the hips. Just something to think about if you’re wanting it to look like the original design! You could also start with the 16 if you want it to look closer to the original -it’ll be slightly roomier up top, but that way there’s less of a steep grade between bust and hips/waist.
I hope this helps – consider her shoulder width, too, as going larger will also give you larger shoulders. I hope Fit for Real People gives you some good suggestions too!
Thanks. I just cut a muslin in 14 to see how that looks and what/where/how much i will need to adjust. I may end up leaving the waist elastic out entirely, and have it be a non-fitted jacket, if that means fewer alterations to the pattern.
I’ll let you know how it goes!
So, for those who have done a FBA on the Minoru: The FBA as shown above also adds width to the waist and hip. Did you find that this was negated by the handy dandy waist elastic, or did you end up bringing in the pattern a bit at the side seam in those areas to compensate?
WOW, sad that no one responded to you, Jessica for that sounds like a good question. Especially for someone like me who is embarking on this pattern within a week or so.
Cheers,
Lyric
That’s a good question, I agree! I haven’t done a FBA myself or known someone personally who has, but if it were me I think I’d do the FBA normally, and use the waist elastic to pull in the extra at the waist. I think that would give you a more even look than adjusting at the side seam. (And sorry that we missed the original question, Jessica!)
Okay, I have read this a gazillion times and think I’ve got the principal, LOL. It helps that I have done one before though with a princess seam. Truly, when you do it, going step-by-step, it is not too difficult. I simply take it slow.
Finally, I have my own Minoru pdf and can not wait for my fabric to arrive. This jacket is ridiculously cute, Miss Tasia. Thank you for creating it.
Keep ’em coming. Oh, and if you want to venture into vintagey patterns; i.e., 1930s-1950s I won’t be mad.
Cheers,
Lyric
https://www.sewlyricallyvintage.wordpress.com
Glad it makes sense! Let us know if you need help and we’ll do our best. Also so glad you like the jacket!
I love vintage patterns myself, and I think a lot of people that sew do as well! Will keep that in mind. :)
Tasia