Elegant Top

I spent about a week planning this top.  I knew I wanted to use a deep-stash double-knit.  It’s so deep-stash, I think it must be a Walmart fabric from 15-20 years ago, maybe more.  Also not sure the fiber content but probably all polyester. Feels good, like cotton but has much better recovery. Stretch is easily 50%.   I wanted to use this fabric now because it is thick and cushy not quite like a thermal knit but much more substance to it than a jersey. One side is a 1×1 rib, the other smooth.  I’ve chosen to use the smooth side as my public side–this time.  After cutting I’m sure it is a WM fabric, because I still have 2 yards left. Sigh returned some to the shelf.  Why does it feel virtuous to use up the whole cut of the fabric or  only have scraps left that you don’t mind binning while adding to the stash feels sinful?

I don’t know why, but Loes Hinse Madagascar Tank popped in my mind.

I love Loes esthetic. I bought the Madagascar Tank  when she first released the pattern. Traced, changed the shoulder slope to match my own and added a little ease to the hip. First top, the very first one I made was fantastic.  Just beautiful on me. I made so many versions. Change the neckline and hems. Borrowed a sleeve and armscye from another pattern and started playing with sleeves. I think the beauty of this pattern is due to the center front and back seams as well as the side seams which allow tweaking the fit.

Alas, the wheel of time keeps turning.  I keep eating and now going through chemo.  I no longer have a front waist and there are rolls where none should be.  Long story short, the pattern no longer fit. As I was having issues fitting any pattern, I never refit it.  I’m not refitting it now. Nope, I started with my basic block/sloper from Silhouette Patterns Sweater Set (195). Added a 1/4″ seam allowance along the center front and a V-neck appropriately deep for my chemo infusions. But I know it wont have the same beautiful shape because my shape is very different—all that eating and chemo.  My tummy is convex whereas the pattern is concave front sides and back. I do have little waist in back but I’m careful with the ease and shape because I’m trying to disguise those aforementioned rolls. Anyway, I pressed, laid out, cut my fabric pieces and set them aside while I started the embroidery.

I just had to add an embroidery. This fabric, the shape…made me do it. Amazing at how much time I can waste just selecting a design.  I keep mentally saying no to this and no to that. Too spring. Too summer. Too fall. Too big. Too small. Didn’t know what I really wanted until I finally realized I wanted something that would fit into a 5×7 hoop and placed along the neckline.  This is a winter worthy fabric, not that I’d recommend playing in the snow without another layer but more than enough for most homes and public places.  But I didn’t want to limit it’s wearability to winter.  I am in South Dakota. We have evening summer nights as cold or colder than some of California’s deep-winter temperatures.  There are times this fabric would be perfect for South Dakota even in the summer. I selected a few designs in the stash that I thought might work year around. Then narrowed my choices down to this paisley:

I don’t know where I got it from so I can’t properly credit the digitizer or site. It is named JHPAISLEYLG.    I immediately knew I wanted to substitute the candlewicking for crystals and using Embird removed the candlewicking from the digitized file.

When the embroidery  completed I realized, I didn’t know exactly where the crystals needed to be placed. After thinking it over for minute or so, I printed out a template with the candlewicking. Took my awl and punched holes in the candlewicking before lining the template over the embroidered design.  I used a disappearing marker to place a dot in each of the template’s hole that I just made. Played with crystals for a while before selecting an almost lavender colored medium and little set; arranged them over the dots made with the disappearing marker.

Then I proceeded to place the crystals where I wanted them instead of exactly where the dots were.

Marked dots will disappear with time. The orange cross will need to be washed away which I will do before the first wearing. I grabbed a water soluble marker instead of the disappearing ink pen to draw my placement lines. No excuse other than I’m getting old and decrepit, a little senile even; and I’ve got chemo brain.

Actually affixing the crystals is quick and easy.  Its all the stuff which comes first that takes time.

Remember this is my sloper with a few simple changes. So construction was quick also with a few minor changes. Loes Hinse showed me the neatest way to finish a V-neckline with her pattern, #5213 the V_Neck Tunic. Back seam and shoulders are sewn first then the neckline finished.  I used a colored elastic to finish the neckline (see the embroidery pic above); top stitching with the same rayon thread as the embroidery.  Usually they recommend not using embroidery thread in garment construction but when and where you want to match, ya got ta. After neckline is finished, the center front seam is sewn.  It never just works for me. I have to carefully align the front at the V.  I baste. Check. Rip. Realign and stitch until I make it right.  Only took 3 tries and replacing some top stitching to get it right this time.

I’ve made this top a thousand times. Just refit my sloper in Oct. Have made several versions since.  Did have to work on adjusting the sloper sleeve but otherwise had the pattern looking pretty good. So what happened here.

Above, bust dart wants to be increased and tummy is highlighted.

Big and multiple U’s under the arms…

… repeated in back. The beautifully fitted sleeve showing in all recent versions perhaps best illustrated  in the green/white sweater knit…

…

have (the sleeves) become an eyesore! Best I can determine is the difference in fabric stretch/flexibility.  But is it really? The turquoise and blue knit

a much firmer fabric, mostly cotton content with at most 10% stretch, shows no indication of the issues of this last rib knit top.

I’ve had continual problems with very elderly fabrics. Double knits are the worst.  I can remember having enough fabric to make 3 copies of the garment using one of the old fabrics before tossing the entire project and all the remnants. When I go to this much effort, I want the finished garment to be beautiful; near perfect.  This fit disappoints me.  I am seriously considering removing all the elderly fabrics from the stash–not even moving them to the muslin stacks. If the fabric makes a perfect fitting pattern bad, why would I use it in a muslin???

SP600 I couldn’t let the fit rest

My title sums up how I felt. I just couldn’t let go of how difficult it had been to fit SP600 —  and I still had issues that needed to be solved (sleeve wrinkles and front shoulder vertical folds.)  So I got to thinking about a few remarks on SG. Some of the helpful people there remarked that just like me they used a size 4 for knit pattern and made a few small tweaks but on pattern for woven fabrics they went down to a size 3. Oh and I still wondered if I had traced the right size to start with.

So I got out the originals and realized immediately that I hadn’t even traced 600, I traced 618.  I assumed that 600 was the same as 618 because 600 is the base. Well, the base is where Peggy starts.   Anything could have changed to achieve the style of 618.  So I traced Size 4 making sure I had the 1-4 pieces from 600.  I trimmed and pressed the collar and facing, I didn’t copy them. I didn’t like that collar and wasn’t planning to use it; and often I make so many fitting changes that facings have to be redrafted. In my mind, no point in copying those right now. Then I  copied the size 3 on the same tissue, exactly as the 2 sizes are printed. I used Blue ink for the size 4 and Green ink for size 3 throughout.   Then I pulled out my tissue that I called 600 but was really 618.  I compared the altered SP618 to traced 3/4 SP600.  I was half way expecting to have traced the wrong size or have done something drastically wrong due to style/pattern differences. But the size 4’s were consistent of course allowing for alteration made.  Disappointed, I started looking at what size the final 618 really was and I said “Huh?” Then again:  “Huh!”  My altered 618 is nearly a size 3 across the shoulders and down to the bust. It is a size 4 from bust to hem. Altered 618 and newly traced 6000 are not perfectly alike but really close.   The 2nd huh was from realizing I might have an easy procedure after all:

• Trace size 3 Shoulders to bust
• Trace Size 4 side seams to hem
• Add 1/2″ to back side seam
• Add 5/8″ shoulder slope
• Add 5/8″ RBA and CB seam
• Sew back but not front darts

With that thought firmly in mind, I trimmed the excess tissue from my newly traced 600; chose a new fabric and laid out pattern pieces.

I was glad I followed my usual proceedure and snapped out the lights to go upstairs after getting that far. Overnight I realized 2 things (1), I didn’t want to use the fabric I selected. It was a good choice and a lovely print. But all night long I kept dreaming of it sewn up in CC5967.   I’m not physic; definitely not a sensitive of any kind.  I’m even kind of socially dumb/inept. But I do have this left brain that can jump through mountains of data and come up with good solutions. It does seem to be shy about sharing the solutions thought and often brings them up during dream time.  In the morning I realized ‘ol Lefty was telling me more don’t use that fabric.  I also realized the fabric I did want to use (an interest plaid of rayon challis) and that I had really overlooked the sleeve issues.

I’ don’t thing there’s anything wrong with the draft. Rather my alterations changed things up a bit and I didn’t offset the changes which affect the sleeve.  First thing I did was reduce the sleeve cap length by 5/8″.  Not sure that’s enough because both back and front armscye are reduced 5/8″ due to the increased shoulder slope of 5/8″.  But it is a start and can be changed again.   I also pulled out the 5202 sleeve; aligned the cap lines and traced the angle of the side seam and dashed in the 5202 hem line. Only dashed in because I want to be able o use a full length sleeve or use a 5202 mashup.  So I dashed and wrote “fold here for 5202 cuff” then I added the cuff depth (3.5′) plus my standard hem (1.25″) to the bottom of the sleeve.  Trimmed the excess.  Then I measured out on each side to create a 15″ hem width/circumference.  and redrew the the sides to meet my desired width.  Trimmed the excess from the sides. I hope, have my fingers crossed, pretty sure this will work because I’ve done similar alterations in the past; but I hope I have successfully drafted a sleeve I like because I didn’t like the original on me. It just looked dang frumpy.  Then I pressed my newly selected fabric and laid out my pattern pieces.

I cut the back; serged the center back seam; taped the neckline to stabilize and stitched the back darts. Cut the fronts; stitched the bust dart and even though you will see a vertical line I did not stitch the waist dart.  I stitched a very narrow about 1/16″ tuck.  I will achieve the visual effect of the dart without actually reducing any circumference across my tummy.   Swapped the bobbin thread out for WST (Water Soluble Thread) and basted shoulders and side seams. See I had decided to take advantage of every fitting opportunity.  I’ really am hoping to have discovered a procedure that will make fitting SP woven tops as easy as fitting SP knit tops.  It’s the ease of fitting that has endeared and excited me about SP patterns — even if it did take a long time and several muslins to get here.

So anyway Fit01:

—————–Not sharing unusually dart pic of right side.————————————

 

So my estimation is “Not nearly as bad as either of the 2 previous SP600 blouses. Which makes me really happy. It’s what I was hoping for back there the first of April. I paid special attention to gaping at back neck and shoulder length.  Did a quick check of where my bust point is and where the bust dart points. Noted that I still have more than expected ease under the arm.  In the back of my mind I was hoping I didn’t need the extra 1/2” added to the back wide seam. Sigh, my seat really does. I made it a point to mark with pins my tummy and hip as well as the previously mentioned bust point and notated those on my pattern pieces.  As far as fit mostly I’m seeing too much ease at the underarm both front and back; 1 clear and 1 ghost V on the right side none on the left. (I forgot to add my shoulder pads and that could make a difference).  I think I’m ready to baste the sleeve in and take more pics.

OK I did a little more than just baste the sleeves.  I got downstairs and said to myself “Hold on a sec”. The back neck wasn’t gaping, the shoulders are the right length and I’m not inclined to increase the shoulder slope. At a certain point instead of improving the fit, increasing the shoulder angle starts making the shoulder peak and gape. I’m close to that right now. So I decided it was time to finish the neckline and the front facing.  I serged the shoulder seams and then wanting a front V neckline this time  I pinned the fronts together and trimmed off the lapel.  Then I added the front facings and,  my favorite, bias binding to the back neck.  I cut my sleeves. 5202 style and I have a problem. Maybe. Do you remember my saying I was adding 1/2″ to back side seam?  Well whatever you do to the bodice needs to be done or offset on the sleeve. I added 1/2″ to the sleeve seam but the front not the back.  Didn’t realize it until I was cutting the very last 3″ of sleeve. Too late. Not only that but not enough fabric to cut a new set. Can’t piece the scraps together. I don’t think I have enough left over to even use for jean pocket facings. So I was at an impasse. After a few minutes I said “glad this is a muslin”. Went ahead and basted sleeves into armscyes. And that’s where it became really confusing because they basted together without any problems. I matched cap and armscye at shoulder seam/sleeve notch and basted together without hardly slowing down. So did I or didn’t I goof?  Not sure especially when I was able to see the pics for Fit 01:

Keep in mind that cuffs are not attached.  No side V’s which means RBA must be fine. No gapping back neck also indicating RBA is fine.  On the previous 600/618 I had to increase the SA at the neck. In fact I increased the CB seam from waist up to neck to achieve a likeable fit.  Totally not needed.  I also can see that I have sufficient ease but not too much at tummy and hip. (Feels that way too).  I don’t see the front hem rising a continual issue for me that seems to always require another alteration.  Not seeing any sleeve or armscye issues, do you?

Front looks pretty good. Shoulders are sitting where I like them; sleeve is not bad. Although right sleeve looks better than left.  Don’t know if you can see up close but I think I stretched my V neckline. Swear I cut and then immediately stitched the facing to the bodice.  Should have stabilized it. Bad decision on my part.  I will be making another front pattern piece with the V neckline because it is one of my favorites. That will help me avoid this problem.   For now, (shrug) it’s wearable muslin. UPS man won’t notice.  All he cares about is being able to tap in his gizmo that he delivered to a little old lady who came out of the house.

This is not the best back view.   Looks like I’m not standing straight or have shifted my weight to one of my legs.  Shoulders again sitting where and  like I like.  Sleeves/armscyes looking pretty good — sometimes it’s hard to tell when you have a distracting print.  Just does not look bad period. Doncha think I may as well finish this and summarize  my experience?

Well I’d say this is close and even better than the Stripe version which I do love:

 

I love Loes Hinse 5202 sleeve in combination with this pattern.  So easy to sew and feels comfortable. But there may still be room for improvement. I see nothing wrong with the sleeve. I’m really thinking letting out the back dart and taking in under the arm a bit more.

Which leads to my revising my procedure for Silhouette Patterns Wove Tops.  Think I will be

1. Tracing Size 3 from shoulder to under bust ; Merge out to a size 4 from there to hem
2. Add another 1/2″ to the back side seam from waist to hem
3. 5/8″ shoulder slope
4. 5/8″ RBA

Now that is something I can handle!

Faux Surplice

Returning to the much-loved Tabula Rasa Tee pattern but moving posts about it to the Block Party Blog because I don’t wish to make endless duplicates of the TRT but I love the fit and the ease of sewing. Which means I need to find easy ways to keep the TRT looking different; cute; fresh which is a perfect subject for the Block Party.

I bought the Clever Crossing Variations

several months  ago.  I’ve already used it to make a Surplice Front for my Autumn 6PAC. To me there are 3 variations rather than the 5 advertised because I think the Shaped Band and Curved Front are almost the same, as is the Cross Over Yoke and Full Front Cross Over Yoke. To be honest, I’m unlikely to sew ‘real’ surplice fronts.  I’ve never solved the gaping problem. Oh I’ve tried innumerable tweaks, but they all fail before the end of the day.  What works for me is some sort of Faux Surplice which is what I will be doing using the Yoked Surplice.

Well, it’s what I intended to do before running into some unexpected issues. I had traced the pieces for the yoke at the same time that I traced the Surplice Front for the 6PAC. So now I pulled them out to see how they worked. I understand the concept, but sewing my fitted T pattern pieces with the new yoke pieces aint gonna work. They just won’t stitch together smoothly. Let me assure you I don’t think that the drafting is the issue. Rather it is possible I didn’t read instructions correctly or I’ve made more changes to the TRT pattern than I remember. Also possible, I trimmed bits and pieces when my rotary cutter went wild.  I opted to skip finding out what caused the difference and go straight to creating pieces that do work together.  I cut a piece of aisle runner long enough to copy my front piece and  folded it in half. I traced with the CF on the fold.  When  trimmed of the excess tissue, I had a full front i.e. both left and front sides joined in one piece.  Using the left shoulder template from the Variations, I traced the curve on the left shoulder of my new full front. I cut apart along that line and added 1/4″ seam allowance only to the new left piece. I think the SA is already on the other piece.  Will find out for sure when I sew everything together.

I planned to used the left over pink polyester rib knit for binding before I even finished that failure of a garment.  So now I cut a nice long piece 2.5″ wide.  I laid out my pattern on  an ITY knit printed in sort of a Bargello pattern. It’s very abstract and once cut apart hard to see the Bargello. I stitched the CB seam, the front darts and attached the fronts and back together only at the shoulder. Then I folded the band of rib knit in half, pressed and basted it along the neckline.  I basted it twice. Three times until I was satisfied it was laying snugly.  Then I serged. One long sweep joining the band all around that most interesting neckline.  Then I attach the left shoulder to the front( up till now it had been dangling free). Time for dinner. I put the unfinished top on a hanger and trotted upstairs.

When I returned the next day, I was horrified; the neckline that I carefully basted 3 times was rippled and flopping about:

Yep that fabric that was lousy in its entirety as a top and was nasty as just banding. I’m actually glad DH interrupted me for dinner.  I much prefer having this happen before construction is complete.  I threaded  3/8″ lingerie elastic through the rib knit band securing it under the cross and again on the side seam.

I cut my sleeve short enough for  a 3″ wide cuff (which I cut 6″ X 10.5″) and added the left over rib knit in the seam which joins cuff to sleeve.

Here’s why I love the TR jacket and T:  I sew this little bit; then this little bit.  Stop to do this little thing. Suddenly, I’m putting in the hem and I’m done. It is hardly more effort than an old fashioned and ugly T shirt. I did test my cover stitch before putting the garment under the foot for hemming.  That burnt me on the BS145 version garment.  Nasty fabric anyway.   To my surprise I had to crank the pressure down a half turn.  I don’t recall turning it up, which I do when I want pin tucks.

Of course I added shoulder pads. Without shoulder pads, I have no shoulders.  Then I took pics.

I think it is really cute. Love it.

 

Moulage 3 Done

Moulage 3 took 7 fittings and is not perfected. Although it fits better, it looks worse than Moulage 1. That’s partly because Moulage 1 was so tight I couldn’t breathe and wrinkles couldn’t form.

Seven fittings because I fit one area at a time in small increments.  At one point I despaired thinking I would not be able to fit using Suzy’s system. That changed as I realized the cross back and armscye measurements were wrong. I was surprised when I raised the low hip (by taking a 1″ deep tuck) and many drag lines below the waist just simply disappeared.

One of the last things I did to this moulage, was completely remove the front darts adding 1/2″ waistline ease. It had no effect on the downward dog wrinkles seen below the waist.  Which puzzles me because low-though-high hip could be taken in even more, at least another 1/4″. So I don’t think it’s not enough ease at the hip, but I’ve just proven (?) it’s not lack of ease at the waist.

The sides are looking  good especially front views and above the waist. There are the diagonals below the waist and some horizontal lines at the back armscye. Not sure if the lines at the back armscye  result from armscye depth, or if the underarm base needs to be longer.  Another possibility, is that I will need round back alteration in addition to adding cross back width.  I would think the round back would be taking care of my the back waist length + the cross back width.

While this isn’t the near-perfection I was hoping for (especially after investing 4 hours of fitting on 3 consecutive days). It is better than I have seen in  the last few months.  I’m going to use this moulage to create the slopers Suzy describes in class because I think it will take a while to get the book and I still want to work with Suzy’s system. Personally I think these possible ‘dry runs’ will be helpful exercises.

I’m looking forward to Moulage 4 which I will do when I read the book along and with my newly printed measurement chart on which I’ve written the adjusted measurements.  I’ve made so many changes and discovered several critical measurement errors that I don’t think my moulage making is truly done. I really think I should get to the point of not having any deep wrinkles. Of course the fabric will develop some during movement but those two areas (back armscye and under waist) should not be this prominent IMO.

Suzy Furrer: Groan (and Back Moulage Foundation and Drafting)

ETA: Back Guide line Notes

Lesson 7 Checking Fit on the Body

No, you didn’t miss my comments on Lessons 5 and 6.   I skipped ahead because there is so little reference made to body asymmetry.  I know without questions that my right shoulder is lower than my left.  It’s clearly visible in my pics.  I also know that my shoulders are more greatly sloped than average. I’ve been increasing the shoulder slope 5/8″.   I know these things.  I suspect I may have other issues because I haven’t been able to fit my last slopers. Age (and cancer) is taking a toll. My body is becoming increasingly non-standard. Suzy talks ‘standard’ with rare mention of deviations. I’m fearing that this course is a waste of my time.  I don’t see how drafting a standard pattern is going to help me.  So I skipped forward a few lessons to Checking the Fit on the Body.  I thought by here, some mention needs to be made for departures from standard i.e. the body of anyone more than 12 years old.  And here’s where I groaned and said a few bad words. Suzy talks of 1/8 here 1/4 there. Tweaking small amounts all the while insisting that you should be very close. I checked reviews and did find one person who flat-out said Suzy’s instructions don’t work for the plus figure (I’m near plus.) or large busted (me? barely B.)  I’m moaning and groaning because I fear this class is going to be what I always thought: drafting a basic pattern and then multiple muslins to fit. Groan. A basic pattern can be purchased from any of the Big 4 and many Indy’s.  I’ve just created 5 muslins trying to fit a basic pattern. Am I really going to invest hours plotting points and then fit 5 more muslins?

On the plus side, I have learned a few things.  Really pleased to see how the armscye, and side curves are created.  Glad to know that I’m not far off when I draw these things.  I’ve been adding evenly to the side seam when I need more ease at any point, then pinching out (draping) during fitting.  Having had this class I see how I can add ease is needed and restore the curve without adding ease where I don’t need more.

I’m going to finish Lessons 5 and 6.  I will start Lesson 7, but if I’m far off at lesson 7, I’m asking for a refund.  I don’t want to draft patterns. I want to fit my body. If the fit is not very close by  Lesson 7, I’m done.

 

TA! DA! Back Moulage done

Lesson 5:  Drafting the Back Moulage

I did the Shoulder Adjustment shown at the end of the class but the pic above (and pic of the front moulage) were taken before that adjustment was done.  Boy was that some picky adjusting.  I moved 1/16″ from front to back shoulder height; and shortened the back shoulder length 1/8″.  Suzy said be picky when you’re first making moulages.  After you’ve had experience you can better just as to whether these small amounts will have an effect. I genuinely want to learn so as much as I’m able to, I am following her instructions.

After this lesson, I would offer another improvement for the course:  Teach the back moulage first.  It’s pretty standard to build on previous knowledge. For most people it is easier to add complexity when they already have a basis.  Also,  length of the previous lesson would have been shorter while this lesson longer. That’s because the teacher would be explaining in more detail plotting out the back.  Details that wouldn’t need repeated on the front.  I will say that having struggled with the front, I was much better at keeping up as Suzy was discussing and demoing; and because the lesson was shorter my back and legs didn’t hurt nearly as much.

Directed at Craftsy; the program is crippled for viewing within Safari.  The 30 sec repeat would have been immensely helpful. Instead I had to stop, rewind, and rewatch parts that were already clear.  I did not download the app.  My IPAD has 29GB memory and I’m a Data Junkie.  I have to monitor closely what I’m putting on my tablets.  I therefore prefer to watch online as much as possible. My tablet can easily handle temporary files that are deleted when done. But storing lots of movies and pictures ain’t gonna happen.

I’m anxious to get onto Lesson 6 the tracing fitting and sewing and onto Lesson 7 where the fit is evaluated and corrected.  My hopes for this even remotely fitting are low. I look at my moulages and see that they are too long from neck to waist as compared against waist to low hip.  Suzy’s placement of the waist, feels and looks wrong. However, I took this class to figure out what I’m doing that’s preventing me from fitting my bodices. I’ve run through all the fitting corrections which seem to apply. I need to do something different and boy is this different.

*********

Back Guide Line Notes

BACK GUIDE LINES

Repeat front with these exceptions

• Use Back calculated measurements in place of front calculated measurements
• Back Neck
  • Measure up fro Waist Gl the Back Waist length
  • Out 9″
• Bust GL
  • Half of BWL
  • Out back bust length
• Cross back
  • 4-1/4″ down from neck
  • out 9″