Crepe muslin #3

Thanks to Kate and Cassie for their very helpful comments on muslin #2. I think I have figured this out. I made a new front today. I added the "dart" to the side per Kate's instructions to give my front side more width - it worked!!! But the section above the bust still wasn't right. So I re-read Cassie's comments and pinned up the shoulders. Almost, but not quite. As is common with full-busted women, our shoulders aren't as wide as one would think, purely based on bust size. So then I pinched out some of the shoulder seam vertically and the top finally hung the way it should. To compensate, I will have to add the length back to the bottom, but I really think this will do it!!! I'm going to mark up my muslin, copy to the pattern and then match it up with the skirt!! I am hoping to spend next weekend (I have Friday off, so another long weekend) starting on the Crepe with my fashion fabric!!!!!! I think for tomorrow, I'm going to work on the pencil skirt and maybe a nightgown...I need a break from all these fitting challenges.... At the rate I'm going, it may actually be spring by the time I finish this dress....

I really suck at Blogger, so all my pics are at the end.....



before changes

The back - the wrinkles are from me contorting to take this pic.....




After doing the pinning - you can see my belly button and surgery scar, so need to add length here.....

Long weekends...

I am planning on getting a final muslin of the Crepe dress done this weekend..I found a really good article this week (Threads, I think) on how to use a sloper to adjust paper patterns. I also want to work on the pencil skirt that I made a muslin for....Not today though, celebrating the BF's birthday!!

Hope all of you get some sewing time on this long weekend!!

This used to be much easier....

..when I was a teenager. Like most women of my generation, I learned how to sew in 7th grade home ec. I sewed through most of my teenage years-I've always been tall and RTW has always been a problem. However, the teenage me could sew a pattern right out of the envelope with almost no adjustments, except for length.. The 49 yr old me can no longer do that.. First up, the Butterick pencil skirt I talked about yesterday. It's huge on me. I had carefully taken my measurements from a few months ago, measured the pattern and added to it based on those measurements. Yes, I've been doing weight watchers, but I haven't lost that much weight. Most, if not all, that I added to the pattern will be coming back off. I have 2 nice pieces of wool that I bought at G St Fabrics that will eventually become that skirt....


Now onto the Crepe dress. I made the 2nd muslin yesterday. I can breathe in this one, the length is better and the bust darts are basically in the right place. However, there is weird extra fabric above my bust and I think the problem is that the front needs more width for me. I also looked at where the side seams fall and they are not lined up right-where I think they need to be are in red on my pics, the actual side seams are in black. There are still wrinkles in the back, not sure if that is fixable or if it's because I have rolls, or because the sheet I'm using for a muslin just doesn't drape well. I am DETERMINED to get this dress to fit as I really like the design and it will be a great work dress for spring and summer.


Any and all suggestions are appreciated...

Crepe muslin #2

I made some adjustments to a newly traced Crepe pattern (bodice only) this morning. I lowered the bust dart 3 inches, which will also give me the additional length I need. Now to go sew on the new machine one of my sisters gave me for Christmas!! There are lots of us, so we pick names... Today is my AWS (alternative work schedule) day off, so I'm using it as my play day!!! After sewing the Crepe muslin, I plan to sew a pencil skirt muslin - I adjusted Butterick 5147 last weekend. I'm hoping this pattern will work - I love pencil skirts and it would be great to be able to sew up a bunch for my work wardrobe...

The next post should have pictures...unless they're really scary....

Goals for 2011...

Ok, so I'm later than the rest of the world....had to really think about this. My goals include sewing goals, but also some life goals.

1. Declutter!!!!
2. Sew one garment per month.
3. Take a couple of more classes at G Street to improve my skills.
4. Lose 50 lbs. I started weight watcher again - have to lose the weight as I was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
5. Investigate PhD programs. I think I really do want to do this, but it's a big commitment, so want to be sure before I start; especially since I will be working full-time, which I did with both my bachelor's and master's degrees...where's that winning lottery ticket when I need it???

I guess that's enough for now..Hopefully the next post will show an update on my Crepe muslining....

Crepe dress - first muslin

OMG. This dress is going to take some work, and it's supposed to be for beginners...maybe for beginners that aren't quite as large as me..definitely will have to add length to the bodice, probably an FBA and quite possibly some additional width. However, I am NOT doing any of this on a Sunday night - this will wait for an evening this week, or Christmas day. Or, if Congress doesn't pass another continuing resolution by midnight Tuesday, I'll more sewing time...

Here's the front shot of my muslin, the others are on Gertie's flickr page. Sewing was much easier when I had a teenager's body.....

Where's the original tissue??

I took a bodice fitting class at G Street Fabrics. As you can tell by the pics, I had to do some significant adjustments....Ended up making 2 muslins of this...I'm hoping this will help me with the adjustments I will need to do with EACH AND EVERY PATTERN I SEW! Ok, vent over...but the chance to have clothes that actually fit will be worth the hassle.. Also, I've been on a vintage pattern buying spree - here's pic of one I really like - think it would be great for the office, a nice change from my normal boring accountant-type suit...