Reply To: Shortening the shoulder of commercial pattern

[the_professors_assistantKeymaster]

We don’t currently have a tutorial on this but it’s on my list. If you’re just shortening the width of the shoulder, it shouldn’t affect your sleeve, as the length of the armcycle should remain the same. Basically, what you’ll do is make an outline of your bodice pattern, (similar to other alteration demonstrations), at the shoulder/armhole line, measure over how much you want to decrease and mark on the shoulder line. Slide your pattern so that the pattern’s shoulder/armhole line meets the new mark. Place a pin at the seamline of the shoulder/armhole of the pattern and pivot the bottom of the pattern to meet with your original side seam line on the paper. Retrace the armhole in this position. Return the pattern back to it’s original position, but fold the armhole side seam back so you can see the new armhole line that you just created. So everything remains the same but the armhole has been shifted inward, shortening the shoulder width. Hope this helps.