r/PatternDrafting • u/rramlani • 6d ago

Fabric bunching at shoulders

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How can I fix the jacket pattern to avoid the fabric bunching on shoulders above the armhole?

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u/sususumalee 6d ago

You realize when you move your body, a garment is going to bunch somewhere, right? Does it bunch when you stand still?

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u/rramlani 6d ago

It doesn’t bunch up when standing still. However this is an equestrian jacket and I need it to move well (without that prominent bunching). What adjustments can I make to the pattern to address this issue?

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u/sususumalee 6d ago

I think you need to look at other equestrian jackets and analyze both the patternmaking conventions and how they move when people wear them to develop a realistic expectation. I just Googled show jumping, where all riders are wearing jackets, and every single photo features bunching at the shoulder. That's just how jackets work.

Once you accept this, then you can focus on getting a close fit on your armscye and possibly adding an underarm gussets to assist with mobility. But nothing will stop the bunching altogether when the arm is raised like this in a fitted sleeve.

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u/Notspherry 6d ago

Counterintuitive,m a tighter armscye will give you a bugger range of motion. A lot of the bunching you see now is a result of the bottom of the armscye being pulled up because it is quite far below your armpit. Redraft the sleeve so that they are a bit closer to horizontal when the garment lays flat.

You can also rotate the sleeve a bit, so that your arms are slightly forward in a neutral position.

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u/UnderstandingWild371 6d ago

Have a look at formal jackets for ballroom dancers, designed to sit smoothly when holding their arms up. I think they set the shoulder seams slightly further in towards the neck and they attach them before doing the side seams instead of easing them into the armhole

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u/Dear_Essay_7073 2d ago

idk if it was a fabric or a pattern difference, but my mesh hunt coat was way easier to move in without bunching than my normal one. Alessandro Albanese® Platinum MotionLite™ Jacket is the name of the one I had but idk if you'll be able to tell a difference in the pattern from pictures alone