Don't stress over the tension dials on your sewing machine. Find out when and how to set and adjust thread tension.

Okay guys, this post has turned into a pretty long and reasonably epic one and that's because there's not actually a lot of information out there on doing Full Bust Adjustments on fitted knit patterns. There are lots of tutorials for FBA's on wovens, but not knits - which I suppose comes down to the fact that knits are much more forgiving. That being said, I completely understand that for some of you, an FBA may be needed, even on a stretchy knit like Bronte. I would always do a muslin to check if you can get away without doing one first though, and one thing you may want to consider trying first is cheating the extra room you need in the front by grading up a size or two in the bust on the front pattern piece only, and then adding length at the 'Lengthen/shorten' line on both pattern pieces. If you don't think that this is going to work for you though, then please read on... Doing an FBA (Full Bust Adjustment) The goal of an FBA is to add width and length to the front pattern piece to accommodate a bust that is larger than a B or C cup (most often a B cup in commercial patterns), without messing with the neckline. To do this, you generally slash and spread your pattern. (Note - you will end up creating a bust dart with a standard FBA, but don't worry, we'll talk about that in a moment). I'm not going to go into detail about how to do a standard FBA, mostly because there are so many great tutorials out there already (I love how clear this one is, but as I said, there are lots of great ones). What I would like to point out though is that when you take your high bust measurement and bust measurement to get how much you should be adding to your bust line, remember that you are dealing with a fitted knit pattern that is meant to have some negative ease (i.e it's deliberately smaller than your measurements and that's where the stretch comes in, to skim and hug your body). For this reason, I wouldn't add in the normal amount you would on a woven. Perhaps try adding half your normal amount to Bronte first, and then see if you need more. For example, if you have a 1 inch difference, try adding in 1/2 an inch first. One other thing you'll need to consider is where your apex actually sits on the pattern. Due to the fact that Bronte is a knit with negative ease, you can't necessarily hold the pattern up to you to find it (as you would on a woven). I honestly don't really have any scientific way of finding this either. All I can suggest is that you try on some other similar tops, locate your apex on them, and then transfer this to your Bronte pattern piece. Alternatively, make up a muslin without the FBA and locate it once you've got it on, then do an FBA on the pattern piece. I can't think of an easier way, but if you have one, do let us know! What to do with that dart you've now created... Now that you've done your standard FBA, you're going to be left with a side bust dart, and that's because you've added length to the side seam of the front and not to the back. That dart takes care of the extra length you've added so that your front and back pattern pieces will match along the side seam. Below is my 'faux' FBA on my mini Bronte pattern piece - I've just guessed where the apex may be and then have slashed and spread my pattern piece to create the imaginary extra room needed and therefore the side dart... Do you see that pesky dart we created on the side seam underneath the arm pit? Bronte (and most knit t-shirts) are dart-less, so how do you deal with this extra side length in a knit t-shirt? Below are three options, but there are probably more, so do let us know if you have one. 1 - Ease the dart into the side seam If you don't want to sew in a side seam dart, then you could think about rounding out the dart and then easing the excess into your side seam. I would approach this in much the same way I would when easing a sleeve cap into a set-in sleeve. Put some basting stitches into the seam allowance, gather them lightly into a 'cup' and sew up the side seam. If you have a length-wise stretch in your fabric, you could also think about stretching your back piece down a little to help accommodate any excess side ease from the front. Be careful when doing this though as you don't want to stretch your fabric so much that you end up with wrinkles and ripples in the final garment. 2 - Dart Manipulation 1. Once you've performed your FBA, you'll be left with a pattern piece that looks something like the below. You'll have a 'dart' at the side bust that you might want to rotate that dart out, so... Does this picture look like half a Transformer to anyone else? 2. Transfer the straight line of your bottom left pattern piece (the red dashed line below) onto the paper below your pattern, you'll use this as a guide in the next few steps. 3. At the pivot point circled below, bring your bottom left bodice section back up and tape in place. Below is what that'll look like, with the grey dashed line indicating the line you drew in step 2. 4. Cut back along that old 'dart' leg indicated by the red dashed line (yes, the one you just joined back up in step 3) BUT leave a pivot point at the side seam (indicated by the circle below). Using your pivot point, bring your bottom left section back up and align it with your original, dashed line. 5. True up your bottom hem. And you're done!! The honey coloured outline below is the original piece - you can see that you've kept the additional length and width that came from doing the FBA, but you've eliminated the dart at the same time. So that, Ladies, is how it's done. Let me know if you have any questions or have any success with this method! I'd love to hear about it. 3 - Sew the dart in For some people, sewing the dart into the t-shirt might just be the best option, particularly if you have a large cup size. This might seem like a strange thing to have in a knit t-shirt, but it's only strange because it's uncommon, and uncommon doesn't mean it's a bad thing. It will mean you will have a beautifully fitting top, and if you have a busy print, you probably won't even notice that little dart line. Two issues you may come across with sewing a dart in however are - if you have a lightweight knit, the dart may move around underneath, and with a heavier knit, you may see the outline from the right side. To combat both of these issues, you could cut the dart out close to the seam once it's been sewn in. Do you have any tricks for doing an FBA with knits? xx J

I couldn’t resist this photo, especially with the naming of the bobbin “arc reactor.” Having taught in various classes both in the community, for friends and at church, one of the…

A couple of days ago, I clicked through to a tutorial about all-in-one facings on Crafterhours. Although I knew how I line a bodice, I'm always interested in how other people do things. And it turns out we do it differently! After a very pleasant exchange of emails and ideas, I was encouraged to share my way of doing it so here we go... By fully lining a bodice, not only is it a neater finish and a way of hiding your seams but it's possible to encorporate it a fully reversible dress. Personally, I find it quicker than facings or bindings. This method of works if your back piece has a centre seam that makes it two pieces (so you can put in a zipper or a slit or a button placket). If you have a single front and back piece, this is not the way for you... You will have a front bodice and two back bodice pieces, and identical pieces cut out of your lining. Sew the shoulder seams like so: Repeat for lining pieces. Right sides facing, place the shell bodice on top of the lining bodice, match up all the edges and pin in place. Sew them together along the neck curve and armhole curve. In this picture, I am making a slit with a button so I've also sewn partially down the centre back seam. Don't do this if you're not making a slit! Clip into the seam allowances around the neck and arm curves so they can be pressed flatter. Push each side of the bodice right side out through the front bottom hole. Manipulate with your fingers so all seams lie flat and corners are sharp. Press into position with the iron. Bring one of your back pieces down onto the front piece, matching up the four raw edges from the armpit down to where the bodice ends. It should be a sandwich of shell, lining, lining, shell. Right sides facing, pinch the two bottom corners of lining together, leaving the two shell pieces hanging loose (I've flipped a shell piece up so you can see better). Pull the shell corners up (rigth sides facing) and pin along both raw edges, up and over the seam line where the fabric changes (pic on right below). Right sides facing, you have now pinned together lining to lining, shell to shell. Stitch along this edge. While you are stitching, pull and manipulate the fabric so it is a straight line. Clip into seam allowance where the two fabrics meet, and then flip it open again and your side seam is created. Press in place. Repeat this process for the other side seams of the bodice, and you will have this: If you're doing a slit and button closure (as I am in these pictures), repeat the same process as you did to the side seams to the centre back seam.You're done! Now you have a nice and neat fully lined bodice. Pin It Tweet

AFTERTHOUGHT HEEL TUTORIAL Pattern example: Star-Edged Socks by Anna Maliszewski "Oh The Woe!" Sock Knitter Scenarios For Favoring...

Does today’s post title sound like a hot mess? Yeah, that’s my brain lately. Jumping from one thing to another….and can’t focus on one thing l

I used a totally unprofessional sewing hack when sewing a jersey patch on a sleeve to make it easier. I’m still a bit ashamed of it. But it was totally worth it!

Yay! Here's a little tutorial on how I make my needlebooks. They're super easy, fast, and fun... so let's get started. You'll need: 12- 1.5" fabric squares in assorted prints for patchwork back 1- base fabric for front: 3.5" x 4.5", appliqued/embroidered any way you like 1- strip of fabric...

What's that red ball for? Best seam rippers.

how to do a dartless full bust adjustment FBA for sewing patterns using knit fabrics

Hello sew-friends! Today we're talking about how to make a shoulder slope adjustment to your sewing pattern. This is a simple adjustment that makes a BIG difference in the fit of tops, blouses and dresses with a shoulder seam. I didn't discover this fitting adjustment until many years into my sewing

Did you ever wonder how to make a cover for a dressform? I did, and every idea I found was more complicated than the other. This is as easy as it can get.

'Etui \['E]`tui"\ ([asl]`tw[-e]"), n. [F.] A case for one or several small articles; esp., a box in which scissors, tweezers, and other articles of toilet or of daily use are carried. Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) Isn't this wonderful???...

I discovered a neat, little trick for gathering tulle the other day. It starts with zig-zagging over dental floss. I positioned the dental floss in the loop of my narrow-hemming foot to keep it centred as I was sewing. I used a fairly wide zig-zag, so as not to get the dental floss caught. Then, because I knew I was short of dental floss, I kept the floss under tension. This had the added bonus of gathering the tulle evenly as I went, saving the tedious hand gathering step. You can see it gathering behind the foot in the photo above. Pull the floss tighter to increase the gathering. The amount of gathering can still be adjusted after you have finished, as long as you have not cut the floss off too short.

So, thought I would share with you my secret to success! My mom did the same thing...and I know why now! I went to the store to buy some th...

Some fun things to share. First this sign made me laugh out loud. You can print your own for free here. Speaking of fabric, this is my new favorite collection. Old New Fabric by Lecien. I LOVE it. So very vintage-y and Cath Kidstonish. Plans – I definitely have plans for this little pile. I...Read More