This tutorial will guide you through a technique for doing a Broad Back Adjustment of greater than 2" (5cm) on a garment with set-in sleeves. Use this adjustment if you find that more space is needed between the shoulder blades for fit and comfort. Signs of needing a broad back adjustment include a garment feeling tight across the upper back (which may produce horizontal wrinkles across the back) and restricted movement when reaching forward.
A Broad Back Adjustment method for a difference of less than 5cm can be found here.
This adjustment technique works for garments with a set-in sleeve such as the Breeze Shirt, Ridgeway Top, Fable Dress, Scenic Top, Vista Top, and Plains Dress.
This adjustment technique works for garments with a set-in sleeve such as the Breeze Shirt, Ridgeway Top, Fable Dress, Scenic Top, Vista Top, and Plains Dress.
Materials
Gather some basic materials to adjust the pattern pieces:- Garment Back pattern piece
- Scrap paper
- Tape
- Pen/pencil
- Ruler
Measure
To determine the amount you will need to adjust the pattern piece, compare the 'shoulder width' measurement from the Finished Garment Measurement Chart in the pattern tutorial to your actual shoulder width measurement.
Measure across the top of your back from the crease where the top of your arm joins your back, from one side to the other. This is easiest if you get someone to help you measure.
The amount that needs to be added to the flat back pattern piece will be half the difference between the two measurements.
For this example, the finished garment measurement width is 17 3/4" (45cm), and the intended body's measurement is 21" (53cm). The total difference is 3 1/4" (8cm). Divided by two, the amount that will need to be added to the the Back bodice piece is 1 5/8" (4cm).
For this example, the finished garment measurement width is 17 3/4" (45cm), and the intended body's measurement is 21" (53cm). The total difference is 3 1/4" (8cm). Divided by two, the amount that will need to be added to the the Back bodice piece is 1 5/8" (4cm).
Adjust pattern piece
1. Draw cut lines on the pattern piece as shown in the illustration below. The lower, angled line should be parallel to the pattern's shoulder slope. Cut along those lines, and slide another piece of paper underneath.
2. Slide the cut out pattern piece down along the angled cut line by the measurement determined above. In our sample, we're sliding the piece 4cm down the angled cut line. Tape it in place.
3. True up and re-draw the shoulder and the side seam lines.
4. Draw a dart to close up the gap at the shoulder, to maintain your shoulder seam length. This sometimes takes a little bit of trial and error, but I get the best results by using the vertical slash line as one of the dart legs. I then draw the second dart leg by drawing a line perpendicular to the shoulder from the top of the section that was slid over so that it meets the vertical line.
The final pattern piece, with broad back adjustment and dart:
Your pattern pieces are now ready to use!
Remember, we always recommend sewing a muslin to test out your pattern adjustment before cutting into your fancy fabric.
Read more Twig + Tale sewing tutorials here:
- How to do an FBA or SBA for the Fable Dress
- How to do a Broad Shoulder Adjustment for the Fable Dress
- How to a Forward Head Adjustment
- How to do a High Rounded Back Adjustment
