[cybele727]

Hello All:

Long time no see! The baby girl who brought me here is now 16! I might have to update that picture. I am not sure how that profile picture happened!

I have a gelato DRESS question.

I purchased the 16-30 range. I am petite and round!~. 🙂

I made a 16 with a slight lowering of neckline.

Here are my fit issues:
1) the extra fabric in the center neckline gaping. (this is common for me and usually I scoop or lower it a bit and that takes care of that- because that gape is between my generous curves and I have little real estate between bust and shoulders, being petite!). That did not work this time- which means it is more of a shoulder fit issue for me.

2) The dart apex is about an inch lower than it should be.

3) The pockets sit low.

4) If I pick up the shoulders, the bust and pockets hit in the right place! The neck line chokes me as a result.

All this fit issues combined tell me… I need a smaller size through the shoulders and a shorter size. (note that the 16 is the smallest in this range). I thought to buy the smaller range as I probably need a 14 or 12 for my petite shoulders.

BUT! When I compare size ranges and finished measurements, I need the plus ease on the 16-30.

So looking for advice:

1) Do I buy the smaller range for the shoulder measurement? Then do an FBA and try to Frankenstein the 16-30 size below the bust for the greater ease for my vuluptuous curves? I mean the 16-30 block is entirely different than the 0-14 block!

2) Do I (can I even??!) try to take out the center at bust/neckline to narrow the shoulder sizing, then do an FBA on the bust and add back in below the bust the ease I need for my chubbiness? But will this address the bust apex being too low?

3) Do I shorten the 16 pattern from bust apex up and add the length back into the hem/bottom? How the 16’s shoulders sit on me is a hair big, but not so wide that you say…wow that’s the wrong size! And once the sleeve is inset, that little extra will disappear into the ease.

How I wish I had a block for a woven for a chubby busty petite woman!

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Liesl Gibson]

Uff, I feel your pain! It’s really difficult to visualize your questions without a photo–can you possibly upload one to help me? We have several tutorials that I think can help, like this one: https://oliverands.com/community/blog/2018/08/how-to-raise-or-lower-a-dart.html

Yes, the two size blocks are different, but that doesn’t mean you can’t back into the alterations you need, I’m guessing with a narrow shoulder adjustment? https://oliverands.com/community/blog/2020/02/how-to-do-a-narrow-shoulder-adjustment.html

Or narrowing the front to eliminate the gaping?