How to modify the Beachcomber Jacket to fit a cis-female body

The Beachcomber Jacket is part of our new Daytrip Collection of patterns. These patterns were drafted using sample measurements for a cis-male body but they look cute on a variety of gender expressions so we wanted to show you how you might tweak the fit for different body types. 

Two big differences between the size chart for the Daytrip Collection vs the rest of our patterns is the height they are drafted for (5'6" vs 5'10") and the waist to hip ratio. The Beachcomber jacket is therefore longer in the body, and has a more narrow waist to hip ratio than our other patterns.

In this blog post, Paige is sharing how to modify the pattern pieces to allow for wider hips.

Top tip before getting started:

When making any of the Daytrip Collection, check the 'Finished Garment Measurements' compared to the size chart, as this will show you how much ease there is for your size chart size, compared to the Finished garment size and thats how you can determine what size you need and what changed you will want to make, depending on your desired fit and style. 

Paige is a size UK10/12 on top, and 5'2 in height, so the changes made below are to fit her body type. This may differ for each person, but hopefully you can see how these changes impact the overall fit of the garment. 

The Beachcomber Amends:

 

• Piece B and A, the outer body pieces needed amending both at the chest, and in the length. To do this, draw a horizontal line across the chest, through the sleeve (as the jacket was super baggy for me around the arms and shoulders). 2 more lines were drawn either side, 0.5 inches either side (1 inch in total). Cut down the middle line and fold one side under, stick it back matching up to the other 0.5 line, this reduces the chest by 1 inch.
• To shorten the length, take it up as much as you desire, and follow along the curved shape of the hem. For this jacket it was reduced by 4 inches at the hem. 
• This version was cut as a size XS at the chest, and graded to a size small at the hips. 
• Piece L (sleeve): The sleeve was reduced 2 inches in length, in the same way the chest was reduced, and the sleeve one stuck back together is graded (see image below) this helps to maintain the sleeve hem shape. and then the width of the sleeve needs to be reduced the same amount the chest has been, to allow for the reduction in the shoulder. In this instance it's 2 inches, 1 inch for the front body, 1 inch for the back body. 
• For pieces P and O, cut the size to match the hip/hem size of the jacket, in this case I cut a size S.
• For the collar piece K, I cut the size XS to match up with the jacket neckline size I cut out.
• Pieces N and M, reduce the chest, and length in the same way as pieces A and B. 

You can see in the image below, the size XS, graded to a small at the hips.

Measure your bicep, then measure the pattern piece, and check how much ease there will be. Reduce the width to match the chest reduction but also your preferred bicep size. 

Here is a closer look at how the sleeve is modified. 

Lastly, here is a closer look at the chest reduction.

Follow the instructions in the pattern as normal, and enjoy! We hope you found this blog post helpful. Check out our YouTube channel, as the full step-by-step sew along tutorial will be live this Friday (or already if you're reading this after the 12th April)