Fitting revelation and “wearable” muslin.

Here’s something I discovered today I wanted to share (in case it could help someone else)… I have a new theory on why tops and dresses tend to gape on me at the neckline.  Allow me to demonstrate with a picture…

Yes it makes sense now! Most peoples shoulders slope more than mine, I have quite square shoulders so by taking excess out from the shoulder seam it fits better.

Note: The diagram is exaggerated and inaccurate but you get the idea! Perhaps it counter-intuitive to remove fabric near the neck if you have boxy shoulders, but for some reason it worked for this pattern. I did remove a lot less, and it what I did take out was less slanted than what I drew in mu crude drawing.

Simplicity 1693 was the pattern used. I am not exactly over the moon with the results…

Anyway this is the top before the alteration…

And after…

So it is an improvement, but I don’t know if I like the loose fit on me but I do love the fabric!

I had a dress in the same colour and print when I was a little girl and it was my favorite dress. I have plenty more of this fabric left, so I am sure I will make something much cuter with it.

I am happy I tested out this pattern in a fabric I had plenty of, because I dont know if it is worth making again. If I do make it again, I want to do the bias binding before I sew up the site seams, and it will probably make it 100 times easier!

I did cut out and sew a peter pan collar, for this top, but I left it off, because I felt like the girly fabic and combined with a collar in the same colour would be too sickly sweet. Don’t get me wrong, I love to look a bit twee, but I am supposed to be a bit more grown up at this point in my life…

Perhaps I can use it on something else. I just discovered a quick way to get the collar to look good:

Tip: Its worth investing in some good quality pinking sheers. I used my new ones to grade the seams on my peter pan collar and it worked a treat! Just grade the seams with the pinking sheers and go over the seam line with a point turner and press. Super quick!

I left of the interfacing, to see how that would change the look of it.

Anyway thats the end of my story.

I have something much more exciting for the next post, it just may be my favorite dress ever.

Heres a teaser (from when it was a W.I.P)…

I have enjoyed reading everyones 2013 recaps. All of the sewing blogs I read are full of sewing inspiration but its reassuring to read that everyone has sewing fails from time to time.

Sometimes it’s impossible to predict which projects will be the highlights and which ones will go unworn, but no matter how the projects turn out its good to know we are always learning more and advancing our sewing skills!

Hope everyone is having a good 2014!

-Kath

The Lacklustre Dress

I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to post unsuccessful projects but I have decided in this case to post it. Perhaps that way I wont repeat the same mistake.

They can’t all be winners.

As I am getting older I am trying to take more notice of what suits me and this next dress in not it.

I have very light pale pinky-toned skin and the fabric I choose for this particular project is a very light creamy  yellow. This colour does my skin no favors! Lesson learned.

So perhaps that is my sewing resolution for the year. Look at the garments I own that I feel my best in and make more of those.

Also I thought the fabric was so cute…But it is so sickly sweet I don’t know how to style it to give it more edge. Yeah. I don’t think this dress will get a lot of ware.

I worked pretty hard to get the fit right.

The bodice was based on butterick 4443 but I had to modify it 5 times (was a bit of a hideous pattern for my shape too). The neckline gaped and I wanted a deeper neckline.

You can see excess fabric at the panel line close to my under arm. Did not smooth out the curve of the panel line enough there hence the bagging effect. Its not super noticeable though.

I also lengthened the torso (I am 175cm) but I got carried away and lengthened it too much.

There is a bit of dragging on the back…did I over-fit?

So there you have it. A lemon from start to finish.

On a happier not I did manage a “All-Machine Clean-Finish Sleeveless Bodice Lining” thanks to this tutorial.

Yay! This is awesome because I HATE facings on dresses.