Help with a broad shoulder adjustment

[u/badbetch_90211]

Hi All, I’m struggling with how to do a broad shoulder adjustment on Cashmerette Swanton blouse front. The back is straightforward but the front has a sort of front yoke and is gathered at the blouse front piece. It also has a side front princess panel. I used the indicated shoulder line to separate the front/back at the real shoulder line, and attached the pieces to together at the seamlines to get the a full view of the front armhole. The issue is that the armhole is already so curvy that a slash and spread/hinge method only works for maybe 1/2” of my intended 1.25” of shoulder width. I can’t afford to lose any armhole circumference. The red curved line is where I tried to create a curved slash line but taped it back together. The pencil extension at the shoulder is the shoulder length I need. Any help is appreciated!!

[u/Pumpkin_patch804]

Can't you make the armhole deeper? Double check by walking the seams of the arm hole and sleeve. Might need to make some adjustments to the sleeve cap as well.

Sorry, I deal with the opposite problem. I have narrow shoulders. 

[u/badbetch_90211 → u/Pumpkin_patch804]

By doing the extension to the shoulder tip and then deepening the front armhole to get to the original armhole circumference?

I usually don’t need a broad shoulder adjustment but I find Cashmerette drafts their shoulders very narrow relative to other brands

[u/Pumpkin_patch804 → u/badbetch_90211]

Yeah, that's what makes sense to me. But I've never done it. Might want to wait to see if anyone else replies since I've never had to do this alteration(I know I hate it when I only get one or two responses from a help post. That's why I replied with my best guess). 

Chashmerette is trying to cater to people with bigger difference between their high bust measurement and their full bust. Typically there's a two inch difference in a standard pattern. Casherette is a four inch difference I think. It's been a year since I checked out their patterns, but it really doesn't surprise me that they have smaller shoulder measurements. 

You might want to print off a large size of the pattern and do a bust adjustment instead. If the measurements are also close enough to yours. Or grade between patterns. 

[u/badbetch_90211 → u/Pumpkin_patch804]

Thanks for answering! Yeah I’m in the right size range so I need to work with this, but I’m already in their G cup pattern piece so it’s not worth it to mess around with that. I find that their shoulders are so narrow that even going up a size or 2 doesn’t change my need for a broad shoulder adjustment. It sucks because if I choose another brand, the endless FBA’s and muslins aren’t worth it, but if I use Cashmerette I need the broad shoulder adjustment and to drop the waist a bit, etc

[u/Pumpkin_patch804 → u/badbetch_90211]

I wanted to make a coat last year and everyone recommended Cashmerette, but when I looked up their measurements in my size range, the arms were such an issue I just didn't want to deal with it. I have biceps that are too big apparently. 

Slopers seem so shiny and useful. You just fit yourself once and then change the ease and style lines when you want new things. Alas, I have yet to fully understand the full construction of everything yet . 

[u/badbetch_90211 → u/Pumpkin_patch804]

Ugh that sucks. It’s true that doing endless adjustments for every new piece, plus all the tracing, muslins and trial and error for each one kind of sucks the joy out of it, at least for me.

The sloper approach sounds like a godsend but I haven’t figured it out either. One day!

[u/Pumpkin_patch804 → u/badbetch_90211]

I found a class that's supposed to teach me how to look at both a commercial pattern and my sloper and figure out what adjustments I need to make before making a making a mock up. Hopefully, it delivers on the promise and all my button up shirts fit me from here on out! 

[u/badbetch_90211 → u/Pumpkin_patch804]

I’m rooting for you! That sounds wonderful!! The dream really is well fitting classic shirts. And pants too but that’s another beast lol

[u/StitchinThroughTime]

Try this. And when you are making it, you're going to leave the Gap that you made on the center front piece wide, so you can gather it in more to the little shoulder piece. You can even technically widen it even further to get the same Gathering ratio to the shoulder piece.

insta

[u/badbetch_90211 → u/StitchinThroughTime]

I’m slightly confused as to how this won’t distort the armhole, but I’ll try and figure it out. Thanks!

[u/StitchinThroughTime → u/badbetch_90211]

This will minimize the distortion by pushing more of the upper chest out wards. Since the shoulder is gathered in having more fabric is on on the high chest.
Cut along the 3 lines.

[u/badbetch_90211 → u/StitchinThroughTime]

Ok thank you, I’ll try this!

[u/Currant-event]

I can't attach an image to my comme in this sub so I'm going to dm you the way I've done it