Vera Olkhovskaya
This question, sooner or later, always arises before a novice couturier and immediately gives rise to many small questions.
Maybe it's a bad (inaccurate) pattern? Maybe the figure is non-standard? What is the best way to do this? Will I damage the product? Maybe better not? How to make armholes symmetrical? And so on…
But it is impossible to bypass the trimming of the armhole, and this operation is important not only when sewing, but also in altering clothes.
People often ask how to alter a blouse or dress if the shoulders are hanging? how to make a big one small? how to alter a coat that is tight under the arms?...
There is only one answer to all these questions: cut the armhole to fit.
We cut the armhole according to the figure step by step
Let's try to understand the issue of trimming the armhole thoroughly.
Let's start with the fact that an accurate pattern is obtained only if the measurements are accurately taken and the drawing is accurately built.
But after constructing the drawing, you still need to accurately cut out and accurately assemble the product.
That is, “fourfold accuracy” is needed to “fit the suit”.
Not all professionals are capable of such accuracy.
Therefore, we carry out a fitting, the most important element of which is the trimming of the armhole.
In order to be accurate in this matter, pay attention to picture 1.
Points are marked with crosses on it, the position of which should be taken into account when correcting the contour of the armhole.
It is a shoulder point, which was used when measuring the figure, and the points of the axillary fold in front and behind.
To find the location of the latter, take a ruler under your arm.
Both points (in front and behind) will be located along its upper edge.
The underarm crease points are extremely important in custom tailoring, as they are where we determine the depth of the armhole.
And by the shoulder points we determine the width of the shoulder and, accordingly, the highest point of the armhole.
pay attention to picture 2: the borders of the armhole along the shoulder point are indicated by multi-colored lines.
The red line is suitable for a sleeveless jacket, blue for a light dress, green for a coat.
In a word, the more “serious” the clothes, the wider the shoulder.
This is important for freedom of movement and for a beautiful fit.
Go to figure 3, which shows the approximate outline of the armhole. Let's analyze the sequence of operations.
The product is worn on the figure. If this is a dress, underwear should be worn under it, in which the measurements were taken and with which the lady will wear this dress.
This is very important: exactly THAT bra!
If there are sides or fasteners, we pin them with tailor's pins, combining the top of the side and the half-skid.
If the product has a shoulder pad, place the prepared shoulder pads and pin them to the shoulder seams.
We proceed from the fact that the figure is symmetrical, and on the right side along the shoulder seam we outline with one stroke the width of the shoulder, a couple of strokes on the right half of the back, indicating the width of the armhole and a couple of strokes along the right shelf, indicating the width of the shelf.
Then, we put a ruler under the arm and mark the depth of the armhole in front and behind along the upper edge.
This is for a sleeveless dress or for a blouse, top, tank top.
For a dress with a sleeve, the armhole should be a couple of centimeters lower than the top edge of the line, and for a coat that we measure on a sweater or a dress with which we will wear it, the depth of the armhole is adjusted according to the clothes worn by the customer (customer) (picture 4).
Another important point: too low an armhole can limit freedom of movement.
For freedom of movement in a product with sleeves, the width of the upper rim of the sleeve (sleeve head), the width of the back in the area of the shoulder blades and, to a lesser extent, the width of the front are also important.
So, we have put all the necessary labels on the right side. I hope you set them with sharpened tailor's chalk or soap? Otherwise, accuracy will not be achieved.
We continue our work.
We remove the product and fold it in half, laying the left armhole in the right armhole.
Thus, the product will fold along the middle seam, and the shoulder and side sections will be combined.
Carefully chop off the shoulder and side sections of the product, the sides, the neck and, of course, the armholes with tailor's pins.
And now, according to the existing marks on the right half of the product, draw the line of the armhole smoothly.
It must be oval. Cut off the excess, leaving a stroke line.
After that, the product can be put on the customer again, put on a shoulder pad and prick the sleeve prepared for fitting.
See also articles about fitting and about tucking in the sleeves.
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