Sway Back Solution

www.surefitdesigns.com

Do you have a sway back? What is a sway back?
We all have a natural 'S' curvature of the spine.  It dips in at the low back/waist circumference of our body.  This is normal.  But some folks have a pronounced 'S' curve that dips in more than normal.  It might look something like this:

When a sway back occurs, it often results in excessive fabric in the center of your back which pushes up and causes horizontal folds and fullness.

The side seams appear to be the correct length, but center back of the bodice needs to be shorter.  This can become even more pronounced when it's a one-piece garment, like a dress with center back on the fold of the fabric.

You definitely need to check that the hip circumference of your pattern is large enough to hang comfortably on your hips.  If not, this can be a culprit in pushing the fabric upward, but if the hip circumference is hanging smoothly and without restraint, then you most likely do have a sway back with excess length in the fabric at center back.  There is an article in the Sure-Fit Designs Learning Center that discusses the causes of excess fabric pushing up into your low back.  You'll want to make sure you eliminate these causes before you make alterations to your pattern.  Please click here.

Traditional method to achieve a sway back alternation usually involve pinching out a wedge of excess fabric going to nothing at the side seam.  This works well if you have a waistline seam and possibly at center back seam to help shape the fabric to your curvy 'S' curve.

But what if you want center back to be on the fold of the fabric and you don't have a waistline seam to use for any shaping?  I've just recently released a video showing you how to remove excess length at center back at the waistline.  This process does compromise the shoulder slope, however, when the garment is on your body and the neck and shoulders are sitting where they are supposed to, this process will definitely shorten center back.

Please click on this video link to watch this informative video.  I'm sorry I can't get the videos to play directly from this blog, so simply CLICK HERE

Give this a try!  You never know...it might be the perfect solution for your sway back.

Kindly,
Glenda the Good Stitch!

 

Oh my Sway Back

Let's discuss help for your sway back (if you have one).  Do you have quite a dip in your lower back and it sways 'inward' more than normal?  If so, this video is going to address the issue, identify why fabric bunches or pushes up, and then how to deal with modifying your pattern to accommodate your low back curve.

I hope you've watched the video all the way through as it shows you a very acceptable process of adding a Center Back seam and then curving that seam for a good fit.

We did just that for this SFD blouse.  First, add a 5/8" seam allowance to CB.  Also make sure - that as the video recommends, that the hip circumference is fitting you properly and that this is not the culprit that is pushing fabric up into your waist area (because the hips are too tight).  Then, place a few vertical pins that will nip in the excess fabric in the hollow of your back.

Then baste the curved seam and try on.  Make sure that you taper and true the seam in the longest distance possible so that you achieve an even transition from the center out to either end.  When all is said and done, you can see how beautifully the bodice back now fit to her torso.

 

 You'll also want to take a few moments to read this article - http://www.sfdlearningcenter.com/SwayBack.html

For those of you with a sway back, this is a very easy remedy.

Happy Fitting,

Sway Back: Identification & Refinements for the Sway Back

Do I have a sway back?  Maybe, maybe not.  Other fitting issues can become confused with a true sway back.  Perhaps this blog will help you to identify what is happening for you.

1.  Prominent buttocks or dominant high hips - If your blouse circumference below your waist is not sufficient to circumvent your high hips or buttocks, the fabric will ride up, pulling from where it can, mainly from the larger, lower circumference. This pushes fabric up at the back waist.  The garment needs to be wider at the hip level thereby letting the fabric hang on your hips without pushing up. By attaching your SFD skirt pattern (knowing it fits your waist, high hip and low hip circumference) to your bodice waist edge, you know that the blouse, dress or jacket will hang smoothly around your waist and hips.

2.  A prominent bust - If you don't have a large/wide enough dart shape or you've not measured enough length from mid-shoulder over your apex to your waist level, the fabric will pull up at the front waist and cause telltale drag lines toward the back waist.  Make sure you've drawn the correct dart shape.  Go up a dart size/width if needed.  And/or re-measure shoulder over your apex to your identified waist level.

3.  Looseness across the back waistline - This can be due to being narrow across your back from side seam to side seam at your waist level.  Make sure you haven't measured your waist too loosely.  The back waist-fitting dart that aims toward your shoulder blades can be shaped in a curve to help shape and sculpt the bodice, the dart tip can be lengthened toward the shoulder blades and you can consider stitching the side seams with a slight curve. 

 

 4.  A short or generally high waist level - Make sure to evaluate and eliminate the above fit issues before assuming a sway back issue.  Note the illustration to the left showing a normal back compared to a sway back.  Posture can also contribute to the sway of your back.

And, a sway back can co-exist in conjunction with one of the above mentioned issues.

If you do have a sway back you may need to shorten the center back of the bodice but the one alternative is to add a CB seam and actually shape the seam to your swayed back.  Yes...stitch the seam in a slight curve that will shape the fabric to your body.  You will likely be shortening CB as well, but the curved seam is by far a major par to the solution.

To test how much you need to shorten CB,  pin a horizontal tuck about 3" up from the waistline, tapering to nothing at the side seams.  The total width of that tuck will indicate how much you need to shorten CB.  This will be taken off CB at the waist line and blended down toward the existing side seam waist point. 

Make sure that at CB you maintain a right angle (90 degree) from CB ou about 3/4" - 1" (1.7  - 2.5cm) and then begin your taper. 

You will likely have to re-draw the back waist fitting dart to maintain its accurate waist width.  The side seam would remain unchanged.  

Here's a couple of videos showing you this process if you'd prefer to watch:

Happy Sewing,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!