SBA on a swimsuit top pattern

[lyra]

Help, I need a smidge of SBA assistance!  This pattern piece has me totally stumped.  

This is Kwik Sew 3330, which is a bikini top.  I was doubtful that it was going to fit me, so I made a bra out of it as a bit of a trial run. I was right, there's too much fabric in the top to fit me.  I'm barely an A cup, and I'd guess that this drafted for more a B-C, so at the tip of the dart, there's a whole bunch of extra fabric.  It extends upwards to where the strap attaches.  

picture on me, with the extra fabric circled

And here is the pattern piece.


My thoughts so far:  make the dart narrower?  Less deep?  Bit of both?  Slash it above the dart and overlap a bit? Throw the pattern out the window?  

[simonfreep]

If the width of the cup (along the bottom of the triangle) is good, I would just draw in a smaller dart.  If the width of the cup is too wide I would slash up through the dart to the "point" at the top and overlap, thereby reducing the dart.  Either way, it would be easy to check with a small bit of scrap fabric.

Let us know how it turns out.  This looks like a very cute pattern.

[jodiwell]

Lyra,

I think I'd start by splitting the pattern piece from the top of the dart to the notch and overlap.  That would take out some fullness and lower the dart point.  And I might be tempted to replace the dart with gathers.  Good luck!

jodi

[lyra]

You guys are genius 

I snipped the pattern in half upwards from the dart, overlapped, and made up a new top, and it worked wonderfully.  So now I have a slightly better fitting bra, and I think I'm set to cut out the bathing suit!  Thank you so much   

[simonfreep]

Glad to hear it worked out - as a full fledged member of the IBTC I believe in sticking together!

[artsyfartsystitchwitch]

I've had this really neat little gizmo for years now, but it works like a dream!!!  It's called Adjust-A-Dart & was a Fashionetics product & the copyright on the instructions is 1977!!!  However, any time I encounter a dart in a top of ANY kind, I use this little gizzy & it never fails to be correct!!!  I'm most DEFINITELY a card-carrying member of the IBTC!!!  My best suggestion would be to search one out - e-Bay, yard sales, flea markets, resale shops - any of those would be good places to look for one.

Shannon - I LOVE the suit you're wearing in your picture!!! 

Abbie

[stashpanache]

What is IBTC?  Duh??

[simonfreep]

IBTC = itty bitty titty committee

[Ann]

Is this the Adjust a Dart you were talking about?

http://shapeadart.com/

Ann

[stashpanache]

IBTC = itty bitty titty committee

AHA!

[artsyfartsystitchwitch]

Is this the Adjust a Dart you were talking about?

http://shapeadart.com/

Ann

It would probably work the same way, but mine actually has a little piece that moves to shape the dart correctly for your cupsize.  You line up the pattern size on the moving arm with your cup size & then put the top point on the original upper line of the dart on your pattern & the lower point is where the bottom line of the dart SHOULD be, & you draw it in the correct place!!!

Abbie