Bust Height Adjustment

Today, we’re talking boobies. We’ll be covering three different bust adjustments for Rue: bust height, full bust, and small bust.

We’ll start with adjusting the bust height. On a traditional full or small bust adjustment, the length of the bodice is changed to accommodate the bust size. Rue’s full/small bust adjustment is less traditional and does not add (or subtract) length to the bodice. Therefore, we need to add this length to the bodice before adding room for the bust.

In fitting, each adjustment must be made in a certain order because each adjustment affects one another. Here is the order in which the adjustments on Rue should be done.

1. Blend Sizes
2. Lengthen and shorten skirt
3. Bust height/lengthen and shorten bodice
4. Full/small bust adjustment
5. Wide/narrow shoulder adjustment

Determine adjustment length

We will use our muslins to determine how much length you need. This is the simplest way to assess where adjustments should be made and to see how the garment will actually fit, rather than basing adjustments on measurements.

1. With your muslin on, mark where your bust point/apex is on the bodice.

2. Measure the distance from the curved style line to your bust point.

3. Your bust point should land 5/8″ above the style line if you are size 0-8. If you are a size 10-26, the bust point should land 1″ above the style line.In this above photo, I am wearing my finished bodice in a size 4 after my bust height adjustment was made.

The adjustment length depends on where your bust point lands on the muslin. If you land below the style line, use this equation to determine how much length to add to the center front bodice.

On Haley’s Rue, her bust point was 1.25″ below the style line.
On my Rue, my bust point landed right on the seam.

Distance from style line + recommended bust point placement = amount needed in length.

Let’s use Haley’s measurements as an example. She is starting from a size 12, therefore her recommended bust point placement is 1″ above the style line.

1.25″ + 1″ = +2.25″ in length

For my size 4 Rue, I just needed to add 5/8″ of length, because my bust point landed on the style line.

Lengthening The Center Front Bodice

1. Draw in seamlines at the style line, armscye, side seam, and neckline. It’s not necessary to draw in the entirety of the seamline, just near the underarm and center front will do.

2. On a separate piece of pattern paper draw two parallel lines. The distance between these two lines should be the amount you would like to lengthen. Draw a third line that is perpendicular to the previous lines this will act as a continuation of your center front.

3. On the center front bodice, draw a line perpendicular to center front to the side seam. The area at the side seam is tiny, make sure your line falls between your seamline for the armscye and styleline.

4. Cut along this line.

5. Bring the scrap paper behind the bottom portion of the center front bodice piece. Align your slashed pattern piece with the bottom line on your scrap piece of paper and center front line and tape in place.

6. Align the cut edge of the center front bodice piece with the top line on your scrap piece of paper and center front line and tape in place.

7. Blend seam allowances and seamlines through the scrap paper.

Repeat this same technique on the lengthen and shorten line on the back bodice.

Lining Pieces

Rue is a fully lined dress, which is awesome but, I ain’t got time to do all these alterations on the lining pieces! Here’s a little insider tip—the lining pieces for the center front bodice, side front bodice, and back bodice are exactly the same as the main fabric pieces except that they are 1/8″ shorter in the neckline.

To save yourself some time, trace the altered pattern pieces and reduce the neckline by 1/8″.

Now that we’ve adjusted the bust height it’s time to make some room for them boobies!
Hop on over to the next lessons on full bust adjustments and small bust adjustments.