Listening: Early P.J. Harvey on Spotify.
I made a test bodice last night and grading seems to have gone just fine. I'm lucky in that I'm basically a textbook vintage 16/bust 34 and rarely have to do major bodice alterations. The bodice back I borrowed from DuBarry 2477b worked perfectly. I might add a smidgen of width across the upper back, but I'm slightly barrel-chested so this wouldn't be the first time I did that, and it's not unexpected that I'd have to do it in a relatively closely-fitted early-1940's bodice.
However, the bodice is too short overall (not really a shock; I have a long torso) and too short above the bust (also not a shock; I have a low bust. According to that biography I read of Edith Head, Bette Davis did, too, so I'm in good company). The waist inset comes up over my actual bust. Ordinarily this is the easiest fix in the world--you add length above the bust dart but below the armscye and solve everything at once--but of course this pattern has a front bodice piece that is unrecognizable as a front bodice piece, so . . . yeah.
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