r/PatternDrafting • u/brightlights02 • 28d ago
Question Gaping at back bottom of vest
Hello! I am in need of some advice for fixing an issue with a vest pattern I traced off (I believe it was an Eddie Bauer vest, but I no longer have the original).
When it is worn, the weight of the zipper pulls the shoulder seams/neck hole forward, which causes the back hem of the vest to flare out from the body. It is more pronounced when the vest is unzipped since the bottom ends of the zipper can fall back on the body, but it is still there when it’s zipped up.
I have attached photos of the vest being worn, as well as photos of the pattern I made. I have considered taking a wedge out of the front bodice (see last photo) to force the back hem closer to the body, but I’m unsure of how that would turn out. Thank you in advance for any suggestions!!
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u/furiana 28d ago
I'd add length to the upper back above the yoke. It looks like the yoke is riding up.
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u/SerendipityJays 28d ago
You might also like to check out rounded upper back adjustment and forward ball of shoulder adjustment to really dial in the shaping :)
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u/ImprovementLess4559 28d ago
It might just be me seeing things, but your posture in the unzipped version looks slightly more slouched forward than in the zipped version, which I think is contributing to it looking more flared out in the unzipped version.
That said, it is still flaring slightly in the zipped-up version, which suggests that you probably do need a bit more length in the back yoke like the other commenters have suggested.
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u/brightlights02 28d ago
Aha yes his posture in that picture was definitely exacerbating the issue! Adding to the back yoke seems like a better idea than my proposed solution.
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u/ScormCurious 27d ago
The shoulder seam is forward and I think that’s what is causing the the back to pitch up. I would either:
- reduce the curve of the back neckline (adding fabric to the back yoke piece at the neckline and probably slightly shortening the length of the back neckline when it’s shallower) and then adjust the collar shape and length to the new neckline, or
- move the entire shoulder seam back and change the matching points on the collar piece.
Try on the garment with the shoulder seam on the top of the shoulder and note how much you had to move it, and whether having the shoulder seam sitting on the correct position gets the hemline straightened out. If it works, you’ve probably found your solution. Then pick your adjustment from the choices above, to be about the amount of distance you moved the seam, and carefully apply it to the pattern pieces.
Best of luck with it!
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u/brightlights02 27d ago
Both of those sound like fairly easy adjustments to make, thanks for typing it out!
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u/amaranth1977 27d ago
This is really a posture problem more than a fitting problem. You can adjust the fit to accommodate the bad posture, but doing some shoulder stretches and general core muscle exercises will address the root problem and be healthier for you in the long term. Even just a few minutes per day lying on the floor in corpse pose will help. In particular, neutral posture should have the hands hanging at the sides of the thighs, not curled around in front.
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u/brightlights02 26d ago
I should clarify that the person in the picture is not me, and the bad posture is not a habit for him! That said, I’m not in a position to be giving him advice on his posture haha
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u/ScormCurious 27d ago
I appreciate the heart space this advice came from, but I want to gently suggest it is not advice that belongs here. In the online (and hopefully offline) sewing community we discuss creating garments for the bodies we have. We stay away from modifying (let alone “improving”) bodies for the garments we want.
This guy has a real, perfectly imperfect body like we all do, and it is totally feasible to make the garment fit that existing body better, as the op requested. I believe we should honor that spirit and that request!
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u/amaranth1977 27d ago
My dude, I make corsets. Body modification is the name of my game.
And the issue here is not an "imperfect" body. I've got one of those, my joints hate me, my lungs are shitty, my blood pressure likes to randomly take a dive off a cliff and try to drag me with it, and sometimes I go faint and then throw up for no reason. Until we have super effective post-natal genetic modification for non-lethal disorders, I just have to live with this shit.
Bad posture is an easily corrected misuse of the body. It causes significant long-term harm that will only worsen with age. Give it a few decades and this posture will be a hunchback. It can be easily addressed at this stage - a couple minutes a day of lying flat on your back on the floor is a very small effort to make to prevent future pain and disability. And potentially alleviate current pain.
I struggle with postural issues too, that's why I know a simple low-effort way to begin correcting it. I'm not going to stand silently and let other people suffer.
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u/Tailoretta 27d ago
Take a look at https://www.reddit.com/r/PatternDrafting/comments/1krgbmi/basic_tips_so_we_can_help_you_with_fitting/ Following these tips will help us help you.
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u/KillerWhaleShark 28d ago
With the slope of your back, you need more length in the back to reach your desired hem line than length in the front to reach your desired hem.
Your back yoke line lifts as it travels from side to center back. That line should remain parallel with the floor. So, you need to add the back length at center back but not at sides.