Alterations

I really need to learn how to alter. I have very narrow shoulders and a small bust, but wider hips. I've basically taught myself to alter pants and skirts, because those are pretty easy--I go by hip size and take in the waist. It has worked well in the past, with a few exceptions usually caused by other problems (like the time I cut out a pair of pants off-grain and decided to sew them up anyway...).

But where tops are concerned, I'm pretty hopeless. If, by chance, the pattern were to fit in the shoulders and bust, I could make the waist wider. But this has yet to happen. I have tried many different ways to wing my alterations. I've made it too big and ignored the loose fit. I've muslined, and altered that as best I could. I've made it as-is and then altered that.

I've really only had two successes, and neither of them really counts. One was the spaghetti strap top from my inaugural ball dress, so it didn't really *have* any shoulders to alter. The other was NL 6807, which I altered by taking a giant pleat in the center front. I love that shirt, but adding a giant pleat isn't really a sustainable or widely-applicable option.

I think I need lessons. I can't decide if I have the mental discipline to take a course online while working, going to school, and commuting, or if indeed a course for people who have ridiculously tiny shoulders even exists. I'm toying with the idea of trying to find someone to give me private scheduled lessons. It's probably more expensive, but it might well be worth it. Anyone have any thoughts? Have you ever had private sewing lessons? Were they worth it? Alternatively, anyone know any good online courses?