Back draglines often occur due to the curvature of the spine or the roundness of the shoulder blades. Natural body lines may be deceiving and could result in fabric excess along the back waist area of your patterns. There are several options for fixing this problem. This correction is primarily for knits.

Check Pattern Balance First

Before going into this correction, always check if the pattern is balanced. So often, the back armhole is too low compared to the front armhole, which should be checked before making this correction. That can actually fix a big part of the issue as a starting point. To review pattern balancing, here are the videos about balanced tops and balanced coats and jackets. For knits, you definitely don’t need a lower back armhole compared to the front.

For knits, you definitely don’t need a lower back armhole compared to the front.

If balancing doesn’t eliminate the issue completely, you can reduce your waist by pinning at the side seam. However, this will change the silhouette, making it slimmer. You would then mark your pattern with the amount you pinned.

Make sure you’ve mirrored those side seams. However, in some cases, you can reduce more on the back panel than on the front, making the side seams no longer mirrored.

For knit garments, this adjustment can help hide the draglines, making them appear more horizontal and less noticeable.

Always check the armhole depth between front and back bodices to ensure they are balanced before making further corrections.

This information and more can be found in The Fitting Book. Order your book today through the link below.