Day 4 Update

Vogue 7876

First up is photos of this top with the sleeves in. Front:





The ever-popular side view:





The back:





Final analysis of this top:

• I need to take up 1/4" at the shoulder on the shoulder seams, just like the previous top from earlier this week, to remove the droop at the armholes
• I need to consider that this shoulder adjustment might be needed on all my tops, since these muslins came from different pattern companies
• I need to add a teeny bit more room across the back for a little more movement ease--I will add a little at the center back and I will add a little at the underarm seam
• Even though I look like a stuffed pig in this top, I really do like it. Strange, isn't it?
• I feel all girly when I wear this
• I need to go fabric shopping and find great stuff to make a zillion of these
• Did I say that I liked this a lot?

If any of you would like to add to this final analysis list, chime right in. I'm listening. Maybe you see something I don't. Your input is always welcome!

Next Project--Vogue 7828

Here again we have a pattern I really like with the infamous "ALERT NOTE" on the back.




This is such an elegant and gracious look. I particularly like Views A and B. I like the little mandarin style collar. But the tucking steals the show on this one.

Did anyone besides me notice that the gal in the pink top is giving the girl in gray the Laser Eyeball Death Rays? After studying the picture for a minute, I realized that these two are about to have a catfight. The gray gal is sending an evil message of her own. Check out that right hand, won't you?

I was about to say that I'm surprised this got past the Vogue folks. But then, I'm so old nothing surprises me anymore. That is, unless a diamond is involved......

Anyway, back to where I was before my little mind got side-tracked. This top needs to be lengthened above the waist, too. And it presented quite a challenge. Check out the front pattern:





There are three tucks. Well, actually the bottom two are tucks. The top one is a combination of a dart and a tuck. So in keeping with the theme of this post, let's just call it a tart.

I folded out the tucks on the original pattern piece. I hope you can see what it looks like. This was almost impossible to photograph.



That tart closes up to form part of the armhole. Hmm, this means that I can make the droopy armhole adjustment right there if needed.

This pattern also had a waist marking for the tie ends, so I ended up right above that drawing in my adjustment line. I spread my pattern and then redrew the tuck lines in red. I "X"ed out the original ones. My goal was not to interfere with the tart at all.



Oh, yeah, there's another muslin.....



Today's moral lesson? Don't be a tart. Someone may be sketching!

I'm going to sew!

Day 4--The Fun Continues

Vogue 7876


We have a completed muslin! First the front shot:




It's a little blurry, but what can I say? I had to drag a sleeping Random Teenager out of bed to get this photo.


When I saw this picture, the first thing I noticed is that I have loose folds at the armhole. I decided to leave this alone until I set the sleeves in case that took care of the problem.


The second thing I noticed is that the front tie end is too long. When I make this out of the real stuff I won't add that extra inch of length.

The third thing I noticed is that my plaid flannel pajama pants aren't very flattering. I love to wear these things when I sew. Even though they are hot, they are very comfy for moving around to the different machines and the ironing board. I crank up the A/C to offset the hotness of the things (yeah, right, I look totally hot in these, don't I?). But the best thing about wearing these is that since they are flannel all sorts of lint, snips, and thread ends cling to them. This keeps me from trekking sewing refuse all over the house.

If you click on the first picture to enlarge it, you will notice orange circles marked at the bust and an orange line marked near the front hemline. I transferred these pattern markings to the muslin so I could see if the drafted bust point and center front match my body. They do. This is one reason I enjoy sewing with Vogue patterns. Their drafting fits my body better than the other brands. It also points out another reason I like making muslins out of muslin. It's so easy to mark on and write on and it's cheap, cheap, cheap.

Want to see more? Okeydokey.









Did I mention that these are drawstring pajama pants? See all that wadded up drawstring and fabric under the front of the shirt? And yall all thought that was pure tummy, now didn't you?





Waistline, waistline, where art thou? This is all wonky because of the way I have the thing tied. But I can tell you I think I'm really liking this, even though this back shot is nowhere near flattering. The thing just feels good on. I can just imagine this in some luscious charmeuse or challis.......

Maybe I should buy a longline bra.....and once I get into the store, maybe a longline girdle, too????

I do have the sleeves in it, but there is not a photographer to be found, so I'll show you some detail shots of the construction instead.

I didn't rotate this picture, so just tilt your little head to the left about 90 degrees. This is the front drape piece. It is gathered and sewn into the shoulder seam and along the front opening edge. Then the rest of it just sort of, well, drapes.

Next up is the left front with the tie end. This tie end sneaks through an opening on the right side seam and snakes across the back. Since there are no darts in the fronts, the bust shaping magic is accomplished by those gathers where the tie end joins the front:

The right front in all its glory:





And a detail shot of the end of the drape and those same bust gathers (these are hidden underneath the drape when I wear the thing:

I'm off to the dentist but I'll be back! I'm already working on another project.....stay tuned.

Day 3 Update--Words I Loathe To Read

Vogue 7876

Like I said before, this pattern required adjustments, specifically for additional length in the torso. So what words do I loathe to read on the back of a pattern?

"ALERT NOTE: No provision made for above waist adjustments."

Oh, please. If you're trying to retail your patterns for $18.95 a pop (like this Vogue), have the decency to put in the adjustment lines. At these prices, I shouldn't have to do your work for you.

What this little "ALERT NOTE" means is that there are no lengthen/shorten lines on the pattern. This is a problem if you are tall, like me, or short, like people who are not like me. I can't help but wonder how many people see that "alert note" and refuse to purchase the pattern. I know I used to put them back in the drawer!

Occasionally I run across a pattern I really, really like and decide to take the plunge and buy the thing anyway. That's how this one wound up on my sewing table.

I needed to lengthen the back, front, and sleeves by 1 inch. No lengthen/shorten lines were provided (yes, I looked anyway) and only the back pattern piece had the waistline marked. So I started there.

The first thing I did was to use my ruler to draw a straight line across the back to establish the waistline. Then I drew another line 2 inches above that one, like so:





The little circles at the side seam indicate the opening on the right side for the tie end to slip through to wrap around the back. I wanted to make sure that opening hit me at MY waistline, since the opening was centered over the waist marking. That's how I determined that I wanted to move up 2" above the waistline to make the adjustment. I split the pattern on my adjustment line and spread it 1 inch.

The next thing to do was to locate the waistline on the front pattern piece since the folks at Vogue were too lazy to mark it for me. I laid the front piece over the back piece, lining them up at those same little circles:




I drew in the waistline, then moved 2 inches above it for the adjustment line. I split it and spread it 1 inch.

I lengthened the front drape piece, too, just in case I needed the extra length for a pretty tie. Since neither the front or back adjustment affected the front drape area this was not entirely necessary. I just wanted to make sure, that's all.






I split the drape in two where the pencil is pointing. I just cut on that line going down to the right:




I spread it 1 inch. That lengthened the tie end, but didn't affect the neckline.

The front facing needed to be lengthened, too:

I added an inch to the hem edge. Last of all I added an inch to the bottom of the sleeve, too.

One note about the short-sleeved version of this top--as depicted on the pattern illustration, these look almost straight at the sleeve hem. But the actual pattern has more of a curve:

The only darts in this pattern are on the back. Since I lengthened the back for my height, it is only logical that my back darts should be taller. Here's what mine will look like:

Oh, no, not ANOTHER muslin!!!!

Yep.

Answer To A Question From The Comments:

The question was asked how I learned to alter patterns. The short answer? The hard way. Trial and error. Figuring it out by pinning, making muslins, etc. I've never had a sewing class. I get disgusted enough by poor fitting ready-to-wear that I'm willing to work it out. Usually it works, but sometimes it doesn't. It's a crap shoot. But I hedge my bets by reading everything I can on the subject. I have zillions of books!

Day 3--She Bites The Bullet

I was so disgusted last night that I gave up and went to bed. This morning I checked in on my blog and then, armed with strong coffee, a fresh mind, and a nice breeze on the back porch, I took the cuff off. A hint to those who make huge mistakes while working with black fabric: Natural daylight (preferably outdoors) is the best for removing teeny tiny little stitches. And serging. Just so you'll know.

I had too much of me invested in this to set it on fire. Number 1, I love the fabric. Number 2, I spent oodles of time perfecting the fit on this pattern. Number 3, I hate to give up. Yall do remember the Baby Love Incident, don't you? (For all the newcomers, just click on the links to the left and read all about THAT fiasco.)

But the main reason? Again, it's all you out there. I could feel all yall rooting for me on this one. And I couldn't just let loose with a hissy fit and chop this to bits.

If I had left it as it was, I would have never been happy with it. And since of the reasons I sew is the happiness it gives me, I had to fix it. So I did. Here it is, new and improved:



All the little pleats are pointing in the correct direction. I'm happy now. I just need seven buttons and it's done!

Thank you to all of you. Your encouragement spurs me on!


Up next: Vogue 7876. I'm going for View D, with the 3/4 length sleeves from View B.



And the back:



I have the pattern pieces out and separated, and I need to make some pattern alterations.

Bring on Day 3!