Slow Shirt: Lengthening or Shortening the Bodice

The Slow Shirt is drafted for a height of 5’5” (165cm).

For the finished shirt length, the measurement on the chart shows the distance from HPS to hem. The intended length for the hem is mid-thigh. If you need to adjust your shirt length, you can! The important thing to keep in mind as you make your changes is the distance between the bottom of the Pocket and the bottom of the side seam where it splits into the hem. 

Adding length is the easy one! Make sure that you add the same amount of length to the Front and the Back pattern pieces. 

To Add Length

1. Cut along the Lengthen/Shorten line. 
2. Draw a grainline on your additional paper, so you can align the pieces accurately. 
3. Mark the added length on the additional paper, perpendicular to the grainline, with two parallel lines.
4. Place the top half of the Front on the additional paper, lining up the grainlines, and lining up the cut Lengthen/shorten line on the upper parallel line. Tape the piece in place. 
5. Place the bottom half of the Front on the additional paper, lining up the grainlines, and lining up the cut Lengthen/shorten line on the lower parallel line. The gap between the two pattern pieces should be the amount of length you want to add, and the grainlines should align. Tape the piece in place. 
6. Draw in the new seam lines and seam allowances, and cut out the adjusted sleeve pieces. Keep the Pocket Placement notches unchanged, and the Bottom of Seam notch unchanged. The added length should be in between the lower Pocket Placement notch and the Bottom of Seam notch. 

Removing length takes a bit more careful thought. It’s really important to have at least 1 ½” (3.8 cm) of seam length below the bottom Pocket Placement notch, to maintain proportions and make assembly smoother. Shortening the “tails”, or portions of shirt below the bottom of the seam, is a possibility, but it will impact the look of the final garment. If you’re shortening more than 2”, you could split your total change between the Lengthen/Shorten Line and the “tails”, shortening half to two-thirds of the total amount on the line, and the remainder on the “tails”.  Make sure that you make the same length changes to the Front and the Back pattern pieces. 

To Remove Length

1. Cut along the Lengthen/Shorten line.
2. Mark the amount of length you’d like to remove on the bottom portion of the Front, perpendicular to the grainline, above and parallel to the Lengthen/Shorten Line.
3. Place the top half of the Front on the bottom portion, lining up the grainlines, and lining up the cut Lengthen/shorten line on the drawn adjustment line. Tape the piece in place. 
4. Cross off the covered-up Bottom of Seam notch, and draw a new one 1.75” (4.4 cm) below the lower Pocket Placement notch. 
5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to shorten the Back pattern piece. 
6. Draw in the new seam lines and cut lines. Smooth the jog on the seam with a gentle line, making sure the area around the Bottom of Seam notch is nice and smooth. 
7. Cut out the pattern pieces. Transfer the Bottom of Seam notch from the front to the Back so the pieces will align neatly when sewing.