Last year I made a jacket from one of the Kana’s Standard books, and made a dartless FBA, a technique I used again this year when I added a FBA to my LB Pullover. I’ve been asked for a tutorial on how to accomplish this on a couple of occasions now, but I really lacked the time to do it. However, I needed to trace the pullover pattern again and reinstate the bust adjustment, so I figured that was as good a time as any to photograph the process and do a little tutorial. Bear in mind though, that this technique works for me, it might not for you! This is just my way, and I’m sure there are other methods out there.
Start by figuring out how much you need to add. With this pattern I didn’t need to add excess width, just depth to avoid the drag lines. So I cut the front piece from just under the shaping for the sleeves and angled upwards to roughtly the bust point and then went across the front, perpendicular to the centre front line. I added a piece of paper to the top piece, measured 3cm down (the depth I’d figured out I needed) and drew a line parallel to the line I’d initially cut, then taped the bottom pattern piece to that line, ensuring the centre front line was straight. The next step was to draw a line from the bust point, which in my case was 12cm from the CF line & halfway through the added 3cm, to the hemline. Then draw a dart from the bust point to encompass the added width at the side seam. Cut up one of the dart legs and down the line you’ve just drawn to the hemline.
Now close the dart in the paper by pivoting at the apex, this opens a dart from the bustpoint to the hem. Tape a piece of paper in that gap. Measure along the hemline to establish the width of the dart. This will need to be removed at the side seam. Mark the same measurement in from the side seam, along the hemline. Draw a line from the now closed side-seam dart to the mark on the hemline. This will be your new side seam.
Check the length of the new side seam by placing the back side seam along it, the side seams need to be the same length! Chances are the new side seam will be a little longer than the back. So mark where the back hemline comes to on the front and join that to the existing front hemline with a slow curve. Cut off the old side seam along with any hem, this is basically the dart you added. And that’s it! Remember that if you’re lengthening anything that has a front opening and facings to that opening, to lengthen the facings too!!
I hope that’s all as clear as mud! 🙂 Happy sewing people, now I need to get cracking, I leave in a week and have LOADS to still get done before that!
THE COMPULSIVE SEAMSTRESS 