What to do when pattern pieces don't fit
By kattghoti
@kattghoti (106)
United States
March 14, 2007 8:41pm CST
I started working on a dress from Simplicity Threads pattern 4072, but I have hit a snag. The bodice piece doesn't line up with the neck band. I've lined up all the seams and the notches, and still there are major gaps where one piece of fabric is longer than the other.
Is there any way of working around this?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@maclinda (91)
• United States
16 Mar 07
You might want to double check that you cut it correctly. If you did, then the pieces might have to be sewn together by gathering the much longer one. Does it say anything in the directions about that?
Sometimes one piece is a little longer, and they're sewn together by "easing" them. It means holding a little tension on the fabric to get them to fit.
If you just plain have a mistake, and no extra fabric to cut another piece, can you put a tuck in the longer one?
@kattghoti (106)
• United States
16 Mar 07
All my pieces seem to be pretty accurately cut--certainly not off enough to make this big of a difference. The pattern doesn't mention anything about gathering (at least not in that part) or easing. I keep going back to it hoping something has changed!
1 person likes this
@prozacrain (19)
• United States
27 Mar 07
What I do when I come across that issue, is I match up the middles of the pieces to be attatched and then start pinning them from the middle outward so I can cut off the excess. I can picture it but it's hard to explain.
@kattghoti (106)
• United States
27 Mar 07
The odd part is that both pieces are too big in different places. The part I'm working on is banding around the neckline. The band is too big on the sides, and the bodice is too big at the back of the neck. I think I'm just going to have to play around with the length of the band...
@paidreader (5143)
• United States
18 Mar 07
I was thinking the same thing, slight gathering of the longer piece to make it fit the neckband.
When all else fails, call the fabric stores in your area. I used to work in one about 20 years ago & even if the person answering the phone doesn't know, usually they will have someone with alot of sewing experience working there. Give them the pattern #, and if necessary, they can pull it and look to see where the problem is.
@kattghoti (106)
• United States
18 Mar 07
Actually, I work in a fabric store (*shamed*). I will be bringing it in when things calm down, but lately we've been to busy for me to ask anyone.
@cowgirl03051979 (918)
• United States
26 Oct 11
i love sewing my own dresses i remember when i first started sewing i was never taught how to read a pattern so i just kind of had to teach myself but it took alot of trial and error for me to learn i hit alot of snags and i still do sometimes i always just cut out more material from the fabric that i needed to cover up my mistake sometimes i would have to start all over again which was very frustrating
