HOW TO CREATE THOSE Nighttime Dazzlers .sx The prettiest evening fashions are simple styles with delightfully feminine touches - lace , pearls , dazzling buttons , suits with dressmaker details and dresses with off-the-shoulder necklines .sx LATE-DAY LOVELIES .sx For after-five , show-stopping entrances , the look is a body-shaping princess style , flared or straight , in a knee or above-knee length .sx The shoulder-baring bodice enhanced by soft draping , a sweetheart neckline or a delicate frosting of lace .sx Inner construction details include boning , underlining and some clever magic with elastic to keep everything comfortable and in place .sx For those with a more conservative bent , the cocktail suit is a wonderful , fashionable alternative .sx These beauties feature slim skirts and gently shaped , princess-seamed jackets that flare out below the waist , creating a peplum effect .sx Buttons are either elegantly matched to the fabric or have a jewel-like quality .sx The latter , paired with the simplest of jewellery , is all the accessorizing you'll need .sx An equally smart alternative to the suit , but with all the same exquisite touches , is the coat dress .sx Fabrics for both looks are soft , but slightly crisp .sx Look for a bevy of beautiful silks , moir e s , taffetas , failles , damasks and subtle brocades .sx GUIDELINES FOR GOOD FIT .sx Start at the Top .sx For off-shoulder looks , the fitting focus is on the upper body .sx Since adjustments in this area are much more complicated than adjustments at the waist or hip , it is important to choose the pattern size that corresponds to your upper body measurements .sx To do that , you will need to compare your bust and chest measurements .sx Take the BUST measurement around the fullest part of the bust .sx Make sure that the tape measure is straight across the back .sx Take the CHEST measurement around the body , at the underarm ( A) .sx Now subtract the chest measurement from the bust measurement .sx If the difference is 2'' ( 5cm ) or less , select your pattern size according to your bust measurement .sx If the difference is more than 2'' ( 5cm ) , select the size by your chest measurement .sx Use the chart below to determine your size .sx TIP If your measurements fall between two sizes , let your bone structure be your guide .sx If you are small-boned , select the smaller size pattern ; if you are medium or large-boned , then select the larger size pattern .sx .sx Consider Waist and Hips .sx Now locate your waist and hip measurements on the chart .sx Do they match the ones given for your pattern ( bust or chest ) size ?sx If not , you - like many other people - are really a combination of sizes .sx If that is the case , then multi-size patterns are an easy way to circumvent the need for time-consuming adjustments .sx As you move from bust to waist to hip , simply use the cutting line that matches your pattern size .sx Taper the lines gradually as you go from one size to the another sic !sx ( B) .sx If the pattern you choose is not available in multi-sizes , then adjust the waist and/or hip measurement by increasing or decreasing the necessary amount .sx Note that the vast majority of evening dresses and suits ( primarily the newest off-the-shoulder fashions ) achieve their shapely fit through the use of princess seaming .sx Therefore , all of the fitting adjustments that follow will be shown for princess seamed garments .sx When adjusting a princess seam garment , consider whether you are making a major circumference adjustment or a minor one .sx Minor adjustments of 1'' ( 2.5cm ) or less can be accomplished by adding or subtracting the necessary amount at the side seams ( C) .sx Major adjustments of up to 2'' ( 5cm ) should be divided between the side seams AND the front and back princess seams ( D) .sx Adjust for a Large Bust .sx A 2'' plus ( 5cm plus ) difference between bust and chest indicates that you are larger than a B cup .sx Since most Butterick patterns are designed for the B cup figure , you will probably want to increase the cup size on your tissue pattern .sx Doing this will improve the look and fit of your garments .sx TIP If your garment has a waistline seam , and you do not anticipate any waistline or hipline adjustments , save time by test - fitting only the bodice in muslin .sx .sx Use the Bust Adjustment Chart to determine your cup size and the amount you will need to add to the pattern .sx chart For a C cup adjustment , you can divide the total amount of the increase by the number of seams , and then by 2 .sx The resulting amount can be added to each seam at the bust level - indicated by the printed bust symbol .sx When adjusting a princess seamed garment , the amount added to each seam will be relatively small .sx You can decide whether most of the amount should be added to the bodice front or equally to all the seams , based on your body shape .sx Make a mark the distance required outside the cut edge and draw a new cutting line , tapering the line back to the original ( E) .sx Or , if you feel you want to fine - tune the fit , make a muslin and use the 'slash and spread' method of fitting described below .sx For a D cup or larger , the only way to make a bust adjustment and achieve a good fit , is by making a muslin and using the 'slash and spread' method of fitting .sx Start by doing the following on your pattern tissue :sx On the side front pattern piece , extend the lengthwise grainline the length of the pattern .sx On the front pattern piece , draw a line across the pattern piece that is perpendicular to the center front grainline or foldline and intersecting the bust point .sx This is your crosswise grainline .sx Draw another line at the same level on the side front pattern piece ( F) .sx Draw a vertical line , parallel to the center front and running from top to bottom .sx Cut out your bodice sections .sx Transfer the markings for grainlines ( including center front ) and bust point so they are clearly visible on the outside of the muslin .sx Machine - baste the muslin together .sx Try on the muslin .sx Be sure you are wearing the same undergarments that you plan to wear with the finished garment .sx A leotard , worn over your undergarments , will provide you with a surface for anchoring the sections of the muslin as you 'slash and spread .sx ' For the sake of accuracy , ask a friend to help you , as it will be awkward to pin and fit yourself .sx TIP For off-the-shoulder styles , boning usually provides the necessary inner support to hold it up .sx Since there is no boning in your muslin , you may want to temporarily pin it to your leotard along the side seams .sx Also anchor the muslin to the leotard at center front , below the crosswise grainline .sx .sx Make lengthwise slashes from the top of the muslin , as indicated , on both the front and the side front .sx Spread the muslin sections until you have achieved the necessary fullness across the bust .sx Next , slash across the front of the garment , along the crosswise grain .sx Extend the slash across the side front , just to , but not through , the side seam .sx Spread the slashed edges , adding enough length to accommodate the bust .sx Use the Bust Adjustment Chart as a guideline for how much to spread .sx KEEP YOUR EYE ON THOSE GRAINLINES .sx The lengthwise grainlines should be perpendicular to the floor ; the crosswise grainline should be parallel to the floor .sx Be sure the bust point stays where it belongs - at your bust point ( G) .sx When you are happy with the fit , and all the grainlines are in the correct position , insert strips of muslin under the slashes , then pin or baste the cut edges to the strips .sx Disassemble the muslin .sx Transfer the adjustments from muslin to pattern tissue before cutting out the garment ( H) .sx TIP Avoid the tendency to over fit .sx If you are making a dressmaker suit , the fit should be easy , not tight .sx If you are making an off-the-shoulder style , remember that you need to save room for the lining , underlining and boning .sx Some or all of these components will be part of the finished garment .sx TIP If your shoulder-baring garment gaps slightly across the back , a bit of elastic will provide a secure , comfortable fit .sx If instructions are not included in your pattern , here's how to add an elastic stay .sx If your garment has a center back seam/zipper , cut two lengths of 1/4'' ( 6mm ) wide elastic equal to your back measurement between the underarm seam and the center back .sx If your garment does not have a center back seam ( side zipper ) , cut one length of elastic equal to your back measurement between the underarm seams .sx Before joining the lining to the bodice , construct a casing for the elastic on the lining , just below the seam - line at the upper edge .sx To do this , edgestitch 1/2'' ( 13mm ) wide single fold bias tape to the lining along the stitching line ( I) .sx Join the lining to the bodice along the upper edge of the garment .sx Insert the elastic into the casing .sx Match the ends of the elastic to the raw edges of the garment .sx Stitch across the ends of the casing along the seamlines , ( J) .sx Continue , completing the lining and off-the-shoulder details of the garment according to your pattern instructions ( K) .sx TIP To provide extra stability across the front neckline of an off-the-shoulder garment , consider Stay-Tape , a lightweight alternative to twill tape ( L) .sx Made from 100% stabilized nylon , this 1/2'' ( 13mm ) wide white tape is easy to use and requires no pre-shrinking .sx For narrower widths , trim the tape - it will not fray !sx .sx TIP Stop frequently during the construction process to try on and fine-tune the fit of your garment .sx If upper bodice adjustments are required , do them at the princess seams .sx Do not make any alterations at the armhole seam .sx If you do , you may distort the arm - hole , thus restricting your ability to move in the finished garment .sx Remember , too , that these off-the-shoulder designs usually have elastic that is concealed inside the sleeve or in the neckline treatment .sx Because the elastic is attached to the garment only at the armhole seam , it helps anchor the garment to the body but does not interfere with the drape of the fabric or restrict your movements ( M) .sx .sx THE SHAPE MAKERS .sx Inner construction is what gives off-the-shoulder garments the necessary support .sx Anyone who has made a wedding gown will probably find some of these shaping details familiar .sx They've been long favoured techniques in the bridal market .sx UNDERLINING helps provide the sculptured look that these garments call for .sx It helps reduce wrinkling and provides a foundation so that interfacings , facings , boning and hems can be sewn without stitches or ridges appearing on the outside of the garment .sx Underlining also helps expand your fabric options .sx With softer fabrics , it can add the body that the fabric may lack , but that the silhouette craves .sx In general , the underlining should be lighter in weight and as soft , or softer than , the outer fabric .sx When selecting an underlining , drape the fashion fabric and the underlining together over your arm and observe how they interact .sx The two should drape as one .sx Good choices for underlining include light and medium weight fabrics such as batiste , China silk , marquisette , organdy and organza .sx Several interfacings , sew-in varieties , are also designed to be used as an underlining .sx Sometimes , more than one type of underlining is required in a garment .sx Many fashion designers are using a slightly crisp woven fabric to underline the body of the dress .sx The off-the-shoulder sleeves are underlined , too , but with a softer fabric .sx Often the choice is a fusible knit interfacing .sx As with any fusible , be sure to test-fuse on a scrap of the fashion fabric before applying it to the garment .sx If the fusible is not suitable for the fabric , use a plain , lightweight tricot .sx Cut out the underlining using your main pattern pieces .sx Transfer all the pattern markings to the underlining .sx Then :sx If your pattern calls for boning , apply it , as instructed , to the underlining .sx Boning is usually applied so that , on the finished garment , it will be sandwiched between the underlining and the lining .sx The underlining acts as a buffer to prevent the boning from making a ridge on the outside of the garment :sx the lining acts as a cushion of comfort against your skin .sx