Adjusting bust for empire dress pattern

[bevbranchParticipant]

There are plenty of instructions for adjusting bust of a shirt or dress top. But I cannot find instructions for adjusting the bust for an empire dress pattern. Made straight by the pattern, the empire waist ends up too high on a fuller bust instead of properly below the bust. Simply adding length like you would for a back waist length adjustment, works for the front but not the back. If you don’t adjust the back though, then the side seams are different lengths! I am stymied how to add more in the front for a fuller bust without creating problems with side seams and back. Please help!

[professorpincushionParticipant]

I haven’t adjusted the empire-waisted bodice but I did find this blog post: http://stitchesandseams.blogspot.com/2001/03/alterations-full-bust-alteration-on.html I don’t know if it helps you or if your pattern has a dart. I don’t believe the side seam of the front bodice is increased here because they’re actually making the dart larger and instead adding more fabric to the front of the dart.

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