I cut a dress pattern with a 2 inch seam allowance instead of the usual 5/8 and the whole shape changed for the better.

Tara Williams · 2026-03-25T10:15:05.000024+00:00

It gave the skirt way more volume and movement than I expected, so now I'm wondering if anyone else has messed with standard seam allowances to get a different silhouette?

xena_miller314mo ago

Try 1.5 inches on a sleeve cap, it softens the shoulder without bulk.

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finley7775mo ago

Found the opposite with a jacket pattern last month. Adding that much extra just made the armhole feel bulky and weird under the arm. I had to trim it all back down to get a clean fit.

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danielm485mo ago

Ever try that with a sleeve cap? I accidentally cut one with a huge allowance once and it gave the shoulder this amazing soft shape... totally changed how I draft now.

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