9409 #2

My next fabric has a distinctive snake print which forms vertical stripes. I realized trying to place the half-pattern pieces on folded fabric would be a mistake.  The best looking striped garments are those in which the stripe is deliberately placed. For that I need and  made full front and back pattern-pieces.  Had to rotate my RBA in the back to neck darts. It was a little more work, yes, but  I chose to do  so because I realized the previous striped garment with center back RBA highlights my physical asymmetry. I used the same 3/4-sleeve.  I think it’s a very good length for fall, winter and spring.   Once tissue work was done, I loaded the machines with black thread, laid out the fabric; carefully placed the pattern on top and began cutting.

I spent more time on the front insertion than the whole dang garment.

I did it the hard way. The lace is not really an insertion lace (no straight side edges) and it is beaded. Plus it has been a while since I’ve done the technique.  I ended up stitching 4 times when only 2 are needed if done correctly.

I serged the raglan seams together; the basted the side seams for the first fitting. I feared that the difference in stretch between this cotton-knit (30%) and the previous ITY (60%) would cause me grief. I anxiously took and then viewed the first fitting. The upper bodice fits fine, even with the reduced stretch. Front looks fine. Even the sides are OK. But the back suggests I need a sway back alteration.

I know from long experience that a sway back is not going to fix the problem on me.  No, I need more ease across my seat. But what to do now?  Could not let out the side seams, I’d already stitched them at 1/4″.  Fortunately someone on FB suggested a side insertion.  They used a triangle shaped piece of fabric. I used my ‘insertion’ lace and formed a triangle in the side:

I had to do a little hand stitching to finish the triangle.

Final:

Ready for fall!

 

Changes to pattern?  Think I want a separate pattern for the 60% and 30% stretch.  Where the 60% stretch ITY felt roomy, this 30% cotton knit is more body con. I think the 30% needs as a minimum wider seam allowances (remember I’ve stitched this version with 1/4″ SA’s) and the back needs additional ease across the seat. Probably wouldn’t hurt to make a note that this is semi-almost-close-fit and if a looser fit is desired, more ease is required, probably everywhere.

 

Raglan

I like  the Silhouette’s Raglan Pattern #314, but sewing it always feels awkward to me.  Having made 314 a half dozen times I expect to practically cut and sew together with my eyes closed. But, I’m always having to recheck the instructions; recheck notches and band widths.  Sewing 314 just isn’t intuitive for me.  So when I found this McCalls #9409 displayed at Walmart, I snapped it up.

For under $3, I figured I would trim the tissue to my size and zip through making a fall knit raglan. Knowing myself, why did I assume it would be so easy? I chose size based on my bust measurement (put me in an 18) and then took the tissues out of the enveloped.  I smoothed them out; compared with my personal knit block (developed from Silhouette Patterns #195) and decided the 20 hip should work.  As I looked at the tissues, I realized this pattern was much more versatile than the envelope front indicated. There are 3 sleeves (cap, short and 3/4-bishop), 2 lengths (hip and tunic) and 2 neckline depths (crew neck and scoop).  Whoa,,,,, there are fitting opportunities. There are bust darts and of course the 4 raglan seams and when I do my RBA I add a center back seam. Lots of places where I can adjust the fit,,,, if needed.  More fitting opportunities:  cap and short sleeves are 2 pieces (cute too) and the 3/4 sleeve has a dart at the neckline edge.  WOW the places I can adjust for my curvy body!!!!  Decided right away, this needed tracing and should migrate to my TNT/Block Party patterns as soon as possible.

For me, nice thing about raglans has always been that many of my upper bodice problems just seem to disappear. Narrow shoulder? Not a problem the raglan has no shoulder. Same thing with a sloping shoulder. No shoulder-no slope. Those issues just don’t exist in a raglan draft.  No matter how much padding I add, I am always a typical pear i.e. narrower across the top.  It traced a size 18 across neck and armscyes. Size 20 athe the sides.  Since this is a Big 4 pattern, I made a 1″ back-waist-length (BWL) adjustment. I also made my standard 5/8″ round-back adjustment adding the center back seam referenced earlier.  Just before trimming the excess tissue, I decided to use the longer tunic length.

My first fabric was a cotton/lycra knit from Fabric.com. I did not measure the stretch. I was too enamoured with its very colorful feather print.  I spray starched; pressed; laid out my fabric and then tissue pieces and began to sew baste it together. Eagerly, I tried it on.  The neckline was dangerously low and sort of fluttered.  That seemed odd. Which is when I thought to check the fabric recommendations on the back of the pattern envelope. This pattern is drafted for non-stretch wovens.  Explains why this first garment looks sort of gigantic.  I tried making this work. Really I did.  I stitched the raglan seams deeper. Trimmed some length and Oh I don’t know what else.  Finally I decided it’s true:  You are going to make a muslin on the first try.   Really should have used a fabric I didn’t want in my wardrobe. My final change to the tissue tracing was to mark all the pieces : WOVEN NON-Stretch.

Realizing the error of my ways I started again.  I chose the C/D front because the neckline is higher. OK I was a little afraid that the A/B neckline would be too low despite the size changes I planned to make. Traced a size 14 across the neck and shoulders but kept the 20 across the hip (my butt needs that extra fabric).  The tunic length seemed to swallow me, so I traced along the regular length.

Then looked around for fabric. Still wanted to use a knit. Hmmm which knit can I use that I won’t mind wearing if this works and won’t mind tossing if my changes are wrong?  Finally chose an 60% stretch, ITY knit. I think from Fabricmartfabrics.  Odd print. Looking at it I wondered what I was thinking of when I threw that in the ‘basket’.  Had to have been the various browns and golds.  I find it difficult to find top fabrics that I like in brown colors.  This is supposed to be a paisley print. It’s a large paisley that has been pixelated. Spread out on the cutting table, the fabric/print is unappealing. But cut and stitched together:

Fabulous.  Even on plus sized me.

I chose to make contrast neck and wrist bands. Had a devil of a time applying them.  Thinking the ITY would recover nicely, I did not stay stitch or otherwise stabilize the neck edges. They really stretched. So much so that I measured the neck of the garment and then the neck of the tissue.  I chose to cut my band length by the tissue measure. Thank goodness for sergers with differential feed. That’s the only way I got the neck band on the neck. But it was well worth the effort.

The neck sits up like it should!

Really have to praise and remember the characteristics of this print. Darkish. Lots of movement. Multiple colors. As well as being a stretchy knit that drapes really well. See I feared that the 2 piece body would reveal how much I gained in the first  6 months of this year.  I find that princess lines are not only easier to fit but they also break up the large expanses and make me look a little slimmer. Somehow, this works. This is flattering. My garment skims the curves; the print breaks up the expanse. Good combination of fabric and pattern!