help adjusting a pattern or the cut material

Fabulous! :-)

Yes, and as long as you maintain the neckline curves, that should work fine. It will let the armhole rise, but leave the neckline the same as the original.

If you plan on using the pattern again, I suggest you make a new tank pattern for _her_ so you won't forget to make the adjustments when you cut them out next time.

May not work. A 3/8" seam is about the _least_ you should use for something like pajamas, which do get a certain amount of stress as you toss and turn at night. If you really want to add girth to the tank top, you might think about adding a 1 1/2" strip (the same or contrasting material) in each of the side seams. If you sew the strip into the side seams with 1/2" seam allowances, you'll gain 3/4" in each side =1 1/2" total. Be careful taking out the stitching, knits are temperamental.

Good luck,

-- Beverly

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This is what I'd do if the fabric were already cut. This will, however, shorten the body length, too. Given that you don't like the way it fits you, that's probably the easiest fix, and you can increase the ease in the next one you cut for you.

What I'd do instead of this would be to borrow the armscyes from a smaller size.

Will that change in seam allowance give you a strong enough seam? In flannel, not serged or flat-felled, 1/4" seam allowance would be kind of iffy for something that generally takes as much twisting as pjs. In something more closely woven, 1/4" may be adequate. Or you could put a panel of fabric in each side to give yourself more ease. See also:

Because you seem to be a rather logical sort, may I introduce you to a method of pattern adjustment that many logical people seem to "get" with little instruction? It's called the "moving seamline method", and it can help keep you from some common pattern alteration errors. Kay

Thanks Kay.

All great ideas, and the gusset web page is great and will help solving another dilema. A friend of mine brought my wife a "salwar kameez" from India. Its basically a short sleeved tunic top that hits Jill about knee level, with loose fitting pants. The top is just a little too snug across the bust. Since it was purchased in India, and I'm in Wisconsin, I doubt we will find any material to match the weave or color here. However, since we've noticed that quite a few of our Indian friends have these and the hem hits anywhere from mid calf to mid-thigh, I think in a few weeks, we will let down the lower hem, and cut a strip off the bottom and cut that into some gussets. Since this is to give Jill just a bit (1 in, 1.5 at most) across the bust and perhaps a half inch in the sleeve diameter, I'm thinking 4 gussets, two football or diamond shape just below where the sleeve meets the body, and a strip along the underside of the sleeves. Both cases should be almost invisible because of the placement of the gussets, and the length reduction shouldn't be a problem (although the grain of the gusset will be turned 90 degrees to the grain of the body). Or I may make the gussets sort of inverted kite shape and run it from the lower edge of the bust in one run to the end of the sleeves.

Mike

Kay Lancaster wrote:

Yep, thats what I meant...make an adjusted pattern to fit Jill, and one with the extra ease built in to fit me.

Thanks. Sharon (mamahayes) suggested I make a new seam in the middle of the seam allowance and then remove the old seam. The tank does fit now, but that little bit extra should make it a lot more comforable. The material is a very fine nylon knit. It seems to take a very small seam very well, especially the way I finished the seams. I did a very narrow zigzag, and then, instead of trimming the excess material and overcasting the edge, I folded the two parts of the seam allowance away from each other, and overcast that folded edge. Just so I make sure you (and everyone else understands that I'll describe it another way. I folded the seam allowance away from the seam on each side, covering the existing stitches, and run an overcast stitch over where the existing stitches can be seen between the two pieces. I've only done that at the top of the shoulder straps so far, but it seems to be a very strong seam. Hopefully that isn't some terrible newbie mistake...

If my description isn't good enough I do have a gif of how I did that.

Thanks again! Mike

Re: help adjusting a pattern or the cut material (FtForger) Thanks Kay. =A0=A0=A0=A0All great ideas, and the gusset web page is great and will help solving another dilema. A friend of mine brought my wife a "salwar kameez" from India. Its basically a short sleeved tunic top that hits Jill about knee level, with loose fitting pants. The top is just a little too snug across the bust. Since it was purchased in India, and I'm in Wisconsin, I doubt we will find any material to match the weave or color here. However, since we've noticed that quite a few of our Indian friends have these and the hem hits anywhere from mid calf to mid-thigh, I think in a few weeks, we will let down the lower hem, and cut a strip off the bottom and cut that into some gussets.