Once you have everything ready, let's begin.
Start by extending the grainline up to the waistline. This is shown as the blue line in the diagram above.
Next, draw a horizontal line across the front leg from the crotch to the side seam, perpendicular to the grainline. Position this line at roughly the fullest part of your tummy. If you are unsure where that falls, hold the pattern piece up against you in front of a mirror. This is the pink line in the diagram.
Draw a vertical line connecting the waistline down to the horizontal line. In this example, the extended grainline serves as the vertical line.
Finally, draw a diagonal line from the point where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect to the top corner where the side seam meets the waistline. Mark the seam allowance point at that corner. These are the green and orange lines shown above.
Now pick up your scissors.
Starting at the crotch, cut along the horizontal line and stop where it meets the vertical line. Pivot and cut up the diagonal line, stopping at the seam allowance marking. From the outer edge, snip in from the top corner, stopping just a few millimetres (about 1/16 inch) before the seam allowance line.
From the waistline, cut down the vertical line and stop just before the cut lines.
You have now created two hinges in the pattern. These allow you to open up the piece and add exactly the length and width needed where it matters most.
Place your pattern piece onto the spare sheet of paper and secure the lower section down with tape.
Lift and spread the top of the front leg until you have added the desired width and length to the tummy area. Keep in mind that this is half the pattern piece, so adding 15mm of width will result in 30mm of ease across the full front. Once you are happy with the adjustment, tape it in place.
Now tidy up the seams and redraw the crotch curve. These corrections are shown in dark blue in the diagram.
Draw a smooth curved line connecting the new and original crotch positions. You will notice the front crotch is now longer and more curved.
Smooth out the waistline by drawing a new line to bridge the gap. The waistline will also have a slightly more curved shape than before.
If your pattern includes an elastic waistline channel, such as the
shorts or trousers or Safiya from
Make It Simple, square off the corner where the waistline meets the side seam so it folds back on itself cleanly.
The last step is to redraw the grainline. Because the top of the leg has shifted, use the grainline on the lower section as your guide and extend it up toward the waistline. This is your new grainline.
And that is all there is to it. A full tummy adjustment is one of those small changes that makes a significant difference to fit and comfort. If you are new to this alteration, start by adding 15mm (5/8 in) of width and see how it feels before going further.
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