Full Bust Adjustment (FBA) - making clothes fit

Full Bust Adjustments (FBA) is a way of altering a pattern to fit a larger bust.  

There are lots of different ways of doing it.  We can add darts.  change the shape of seams.  add princess seams.  Add more darts.  And probably all sorts of other methods.

Here's one tutorial that I found really helpful.

https://www.seamwork.com/issues/2019/10/four-essential-full-bust-adjustments

Let's have a thread for talking about altering sewing patterns with a FBA.  Questions, challenges, success stories...?  

r ranson wrote:Full Bust Adjustments (FBA) is a way of altering a pattern to fit a larger bust.  

There are lots of different ways of doing it.  We can add darts.  change the shape of seams.  add princess seams.  Add more darts.  And probably all sorts of other methods.

Here's one tutorial that I found really helpful.

https://www.seamwork.com/issues/2019/10/four-essential-full-bust-adjustments

Let's have a thread for talking about altering sewing patterns with a FBA.  Questions, challenges, success stories...?  

This is something I need to learn. I have not sewed and "Dress-up" clothes for decades, but I remember changing the princess seaming for the bust/waist area in dresses and tops back in the day. Darts are pretty easy to adjust by fitting the paper pattern to me etc. At the time I did not need much adjustment (ahh youth). But now, I need a bit more adjustment for fit. Living and learning...

It's such a fun rabbit hole.  Right now I'm at the top of the hole looking in.  So much to learn.

But I noticed my shape (small ribs, big bust) is somewhat common in England in the Victorian period.  So I'm learning about that kind of sewing in hope that I might find a solution.

What I'm worrying over right now is how to make this pattern fit my bust.

https://youtu.be/5keIktEF5CY

I love the apron, especially the top.  Most aprons and full busts are not ... um... they argue.  

But there's a bit of gathering at the bottom of the top so I think I could work with that.  

r ranson wrote:It's such a fun rabbit hole.  Right now I'm at the top of the hole looking in.  So much to learn.

But I noticed my shape (small ribs, big bust) is somewhat common in England in the Victorian period.  So I'm learning about that kind of sewing in hope that I might find a solution.

What I'm worrying over right now is how to make this pattern fit my bust.

https://youtu.be/5keIktEF5CY

I love the apron, especially the top.  Most aprons and full busts are not ... um... they argue.  

But there's a bit of gathering at the bottom of the top so I think I could work with that.  

The pattern could work with the gathering/elastic at the waist. Interesting about the Victorian Period for fit. I guess we are what they refer too as "hourglass". 1950s styles would be flattering also.

I make full bust aprons by cutting the below the waist part, then cutting a trapezoid that is at least 1.5 times longer than you'd think it needs to be for the top, gather it onto the bottom, and use a sliding tie in a folded over tube for the top. Works well, look nice, and gives you lot more bust room. If you need more room, make the waist tie a slide through a folded tube also.
Really quick sketch attached. Tell me if anyone really wants a better one.

My body doesn't work in flat aprons :D

Also for hourglass figure, a french dart will help shaping the mid section.