Sewing – altering patterns to fit me

I set myself the goal to find a pattern that fit well and looked flattering. I started with the bodice, taking on the problem of getting a sleeve pattern to fit so that I could move my arms comfortably in the garment. I recently purchased 6 Butterick patterns with different style elements in each, including the Butterick Fitting Pattern 5627.

I used old cotton sheets to test sew each bodice. I learned a little something from each pattern, but still even with extensive alterations all the sleeves fit too tightly.

The solution came when I looked to the purchased clothes in my closet that fit well. One shirt in particular, from the Sarah Jessica Parker clothing line Bitten – now sadly no more – had a bodice and sleeve that, once I copied it and compared it to the Butterick patterns, had the shape that fit me perfectly and worked in all the armholes of all the patterns without having to gather in ease.

The 3 changes I made to create the perfect universal armhole/sleeve pattern are:

1. On the bodice front and back pattern pieces: Shorten the shoulder seam 0.5″ at the shoulder edge, tapering out to the original sewing line before the underarm curve.

2. On the bodice back pattern piece only: Add 0.5″ to the back shoulder at the shoulder only, tapering to nothing at the neck.

3. On the sleeve pattern piece: Redesign the sleeve cap so that it has less height at the cap and adds a bit in the armhole curve before it dips into the underarm. My sleeve pattern is in yellow underneath the purchased pattern piece.