CREATING A PRINCESS SEAM BODICE

To create a "Classic Princess" seam (seam from the shoulder through the bust point, to the waist, do the following:

Go back to the directions on how to enlarge a dart, and follow it through and including step 10. You have enlarged the pattern, have moved and created the
side and waist dart, but have not drawn them in yet. Your pattern should be taped down and flat. Trace a new copy of the pattern, without seam allowances,
only seam lines, and also drawing the darts in as sloper darts (remember sloper darts are darts that end at the bust point.). You should have a bodice
which has two darts, one from the side seam (points "S" to the bust point, and from point "H" to the bust point) Lets take these two darts and move them into
one dart at the shoulder.

Place the bodice on a larger piece of paper, and tape down the center front as we will not be moving this around, and it makes life a whole lot easier than
having things floating around!!

P1. Find a point which is 1/2 way along the shoulder. Mark this point "P"

P2. Draw a line from Point "P" to the bust point. Cut along the line to, BUT NOT THROUGH the bust point. You will be leaving a small (1/16") "hinge" for
the dart to pivot on. The fullness of the side dart ONLY will be transferred to this shoulder dart.

P3. Cut along the dart legs from the side seam ("S") to BUT NOT THROUGH the bust point. You will be leaving a small (1/16") "hinge" for the dart to pivot
on.

P4. Take out your tape, and move the legs of the waistline "S" dart together, so the legs, (remember legs are the stitching lines) meet each other. Tape
them together. Notice how when you close up this dart, the shoulder dart naturally open up more, thereby controlling and "taking up" more fabric.

P5. Take a good look at what you now have: The two darts meet in the middle at the bust point, one from the shoulder, and one from the waist. Does it look
remotely like a princess line? Mark a grain line on the side panel which is parallel to the center front. Make a vertical snip through the bust point, and
separate the two pieces - Now slightly round the lines (this is called trueing the lines) so that they are smooth. Add seam allowances, and stitch away!!!

Any ????? do you get the idea? Start over with a fresh copy, and try pivoting the side dart to the armscye, does it look like another princess style? Yup!!!

Have fun -- try pivotting to the neckline, to the centerfront, or anywhere!!!

Any????? Let me know.

Quick and easy way to alter a princess line bodice to enlarge bust area.  To increase the bust cup size in a princess line style do the following: (the
3/8 inch measure is for a b to a "C" cup size. from a "B" to a D cup size, use 3/4 inch.

You need to lengthen the front piece about 3/8 of an inch at the bust point.  Split the piece horizontally and tape in a piece of tissue. Measure the length
of this adjusted piece ON THE PRINCESS STITCHING line (not the cutting line pattern piece). You must now bump out the side piece to match this measurement
(think of this piece as a silouette of your bust) Do not lengthen this piece, simply make it a larger curve.

Colleen L. Jones   
Fancy Threads, 57 South Main Street, Newton, New Hampshire, USA 03858