Problem: Arm Length
Arm length varies greatly from person to person. This small detail can make or break the fit of the jacket, but it’s a very easy fix.
1. Locate the “lengthen or shorten here” line on the upper sleeve (N) and lower sleeve (M).
2. Slash the pattern across these lines.
3. To lengthen, spread the pattern apart by the amount of length you’d like to add. To shorten, overlap the pieces. Tape and retrace.
Problem: Overall Length
1. Locate the “lengthen or shorten here” line on the front body (B) and back body (C) pieces.
2. Slash the pattern across these lines.
3. To lengthen, spread the pattern apart by the amount of length you’d like to add. To shorten, overlap the pieces. Tape and retrace.
4. For version 1, adjust the lining in the same way.
When You’re Finished
Now that you’ve altered your fit and pattern, you may feel like creating another test version. This is entirely up to you and how severe the changes you’ve made are. For minor changes, you may feel confident moving on to cut your real fabric. For big changes, you may want to give it another test.
Up Next
Now we’ve gone over a couple adjustments that anyone can use. Tomorrow, we’ll cover three more adjustments that are specifically useful for the ladies.