FBA again.

[wrenkins]

Oh good grief. My fitting buddy is a "boob man". This may take a while. 
 If you imagine icing a domed cake with a sheet of icing, it will fall in folds around the outside, you will then have to cut the fold/folds to allow it to mould around to give a smooth surface, it’s the same with our bodies moulding a flat piece of fabric round our lumps and bumps.

This morning I made a giant hump of tissue paper. All of it was included in the boob part!  The waist dart is in tiny pieces stuck about the place and will need to be rethunk. (my new bust point was inside it!!!) I'm actually laughing now but it may be a little touch of hysteria. I will do this. I will work through every point that you have all made. The principle is clear(ish) to me but the scale is daunting. Thank you all for your help.

[Renegade Sewist]

It will be Ok in the end. You have a significant FBA to do, so a lot of re-engineering going on. It's OK if it looks daft in paper, what matters is how it translates to your body. I only do an itty bitty FBA so the standard simple version works fine.

After you retrace what you've got it's time I think to use some ick fabric and sew up a test, just the bodice. When you do be sure to stay stitch on the seam line of the neck and sleeve openings then clip to the stitching. Add a few weights around the bottom to simulate the weight of the skirt. Bag clips, clothes pins, binder clips. I use table cloth weights. The weight will help it hang sort of like it will in use.

If your front is now too short after spanning the Girls baste some fabric on the bottom a bit wider then you need. Put it back on and use a marker to indicate where it should be. You can even that up and trim it off-allowing for seam- and use this to help adjust the pattern piece.

It might take several tests. Remember it took Edison 1000 trials until he got the light bulb to his liking. You'll get something very workable and learn a lot in far fewer attempts.

[wrenkins]

I've stopped for the day to assimilate all your information.  Little pieces are falling into place as I don't think about it.
See below my attempts at a wearable toile and many darted boob flute. 

[Holly Berry]

Very Jean Paul Gaultier   

[Bodgeitandscarper]

You know, I am so pleased I only have standard sized boobies - and mainly make jersey or loose fitting tops 

But good luck Wrenkins 

[wrenkins]

You're right @Bodgeitandscarper. They're ugly, heavy and a bu**er to fit. 

[Nevis5]

But at least you have a boob man to appreciate them    mine is a leg and bum man.  Useless 

[Bodgeitandscarper]

But at least you have a boob man to appreciate them    mine is a leg and bum man.  Useless 

...and mine seems to be not really interested in any bits any more 

[Bodgeitandscarper]

You're right @Bodgeitandscarper. They're ugly, heavy and a bu**er to fit. 

Heavy, maybe, and a bu**er to fit, quite possibly, but I'm sure they aren't ugly 

[wrenkins]

He thinks they're "magnificent" and I can't see them from up here if I'm careful. Everybody happy! 

[Bogwoppit]

You've reminded me of a work conversation when I was newly pregnant and my boss was trying to conceive. We were chatting in the corridor with two who had children and they said "wait until you can't see your feet". Boss and I looked down, neither had realised before that we couldn't anyway due to boobage.

There's a top I want to make that's got lots of pleats down both sides of the front but I'm not sure I'm up to the FBA on it. Only done pretty easy ones before. I'm reading all the tips with interest and willing Wrenkins on.

[Nevis5]

Haha, that's what I always say, @Bogwoppit  !  Haven't seen my feet in years 

Pleats down the side of a top - well you can rotate the dart into the pleats thus making the darts deeper (lots of maths here, my brain aches at the thought of it but you may be cleverer than me) which would work but I would be worried about distorting the line of the pleats with my chesticles. 

Although I did make a pattern like that last year which worked.  Can't remember what I did.  Will have a scrabble through my patterns and see if I can find it.......might be back later 

[sdBev]

Oh good grief. My fitting buddy is a "boob man". This may take a while.  ..

Sounds familiar especially if you add “everything I suggest sounds like foreplay to him.”    love him, but yeah asking for his help  definitely  expands the amount of time needed to complete my project.