Rest of August Plans - and exam distinction

I have a number of plans, including finishing off 'UFOs' or unfinished projects.

Two unfinished projects:

The first has been sitting around for well over a year. I need to finish or discard. I find the presence of these unsettling and I feel I can't move on until I finish. In part that's why I persist with projects when a more sensible person might give up.

In this case, the project, a simple skirt, is not difficult. The problem is pattern matching. Having already cut out the pieces before realising a smaller size was needed; I'm finding pattern matching all but impossible. I might have to finish but forget about matching - some say no matching is required with this pattern.

The second is V1082 which I think is a lovely looking skirt. The double contour waistband elevated the skirt from ordinary but also increases the complexity of fitting. The skirt has a few negative reviews on PR which surprised me.  This is a Sandra Betzina Today's Fit pattern. I think her sizes are closer to mine than regular big 4 patterns.

I planned to make this skirt for my college course. I realised that, as always, fit would be an issue, but I felt I wanted to make a skirt that was beyond a beginner's skills - I'm keen to develop (and practice) new skills.

We had 4 weeks in class (max 2h per class - in reality, much less time than that) to sort this out. It's not a great deal of time.  I find I get on better at home than in class but I like going to class as there is available advice. Anyway, in the first week, I cut out the pieces in calico with a view to making a toile to fit the skirt.

The instructions have you try on the waistband before you proceed. So I sewed the double waistbands together. I needed to adjust the top part of the band as it was too loose, so I took in a small wedge/dart at each side.

It was the end of class by this time and I didn't get a chance to carry on at home (or have it checked by the tutor).  When I was getting stuff ready to take to class the following week, I found I had misplaced the skirt pieces. They weren't in class. So at that stage I felt I didn't have time to search further - besides I had nowhere else to look. I'm a rather messy worker, I'm afraid. I thought the pattern pieces could have been binned in error.  I abandoned and moved on to the dress I eventually submitted instead.

However, I've since found the pieces! While fetching another pattern's pieces from my portfolio, I found the skirt pieces! I don't remember carrying the portfolio to class on the night I lost them - I find it so cumbersome and awkward to carry that I tend not to take it.

I made the adjustments I thought were required to the waistband and then sewed up the whole toile. I was fortunate that I had a summer sewing bee session, run jointly by my two college tutors and they fitted me into the skirt (view A). I had additional changes to make - they made it altogether tighter by taking in the back yoke at the zip area, 1.5cms each side, 1cm at side seams and enlarging and continuing the dart I had sewn out on the front yoke right through upper and middle yokes, through lower yoke and into side front piece. I have already modified the pattern based on these but have yet to sew up the toile.

I'm moving on to a toile for a bodice for my daughter. I previously made her a dress, which I fitted at a distance,  but which worked out pretty well. She wears the dress a lot and gets many compliments.

I found the pieces for the pattern for my daughter. I made her V8766 

with some modifications -  increased height at shoulder,  removed 1.25 inches from central back and a few other minor tweaks; the major changes were to the neckline, which was lowered and semi-squared back and front.

I had stored a tracing of the pattern pieces for her size (I made from a 12, the smallest size available on the pattern I had, though a 10 would have been a better starting point). Plus I had stored a copy of the altered pattern with its lowered neckline - this was looking rather the worse for wear!  I therefore

• Traced a clean copy of the modified pattern
• Traced a second clean copy but not completing the neckline
• Took the original pattern tracing, laid it over my modified version and altered the neckline.

So I believe I now have a basic pattern modified to fit my daughter. I will make up a toile and fit her the next time I see her. My pattern cutting tutor had requested that I make a hip length toile for my daughter, ready to start designing her wedding dress in class in September, which is the plan. What I have done so far will take her down to waist length and I need to add the waist to full hip portion to the toile - but I don’t have those measurements. The dress I made had a circle skirt, so hip width was pretty much irrelevant.

I have drawn up a pencil skirt in a straight size 12 to act as a toile when I see her - I need something to start with.

I used the same modified pattern pieces to compare her sizes v Simplicity 1418. I have worked out how to move on with this.  I will make up the dress and take to my daughter when I see her next; I'll be using an inexpensive fabric from the market. I am going to use a blue chambray-type fabric with white capstans and put white mini-piping in the seams, instead of finishing with bias tape.

The other toile I have to make for when I see my daughter is for her fiancé. He has requested a waistcoat - more details much later. I don’t even have his sizes yet.

I'd also like to make up toiles for my two daughters who will be bridesmaids so that I can do some initial fitting when I see them next. I have some idea of my oldest daughter's sizes as I made her a blouse, not altogether successfully, but little or no idea of my middle daughter's sizes as she is rather body shy. She has however agreed to the process. So I'll see what I can do.

My oldest daughter was coming this weekend, for a christening, so I thought I would see her. I made up a toile based on the sizes I already had but I'm sure this will require a lot of adjustment. Unfortunately, they have now called their visit off as my son in law is unwell.

So I have lots of toiles to make to start the fitting process for the wedding next year, a dress to practice skills, and two UFO skirts for me. I have a pattern modified ready to make a start on a sheath dress for me, one that I have made before, but that will have to wait for the moment. I haven't decided what I want to wear for the wedding, though I think a dress and jacket is likely.

I'm having problems with posting (and everything else!) since I upgraded to Windows 10 - apparently Microsoft Edge is not what I expected and I might have to change to Chrome before Blogger will work properly. What with freezing and not allowing editing in Drive docs, this post has taken 10 times as long as it should have! (Edited to add - I've banished Microsoft Edge and installed Chrome and now things are working as expected)

To end on a very positive note, I learned today when my certificate arrived that I got distinction in both courses I undertook (Pattern Cutting and Garment Construction Techniques). I'm looking forward to going on to the next stage.

Butterick 5951. Do I finish or abandon? And shingles disrupts both sewing and celebrations.

With my classes finished, I decided to get on with a dress I was making - Butterick 5951. This is a retro styled dress. I'm not keen on the gathered sleeve version as shown in the photo below, view B, but really like the long sleeved version, view C, for cooler days. However,  I decided to make the sleeveless version, view A,  in the first place. I thought this would be great for summer.

 

The bodice is lined, using the same pieces as the bodice. Bust shaping is created by gathering at the shoulder and a shaped waist dart with the fabric at the side gathered into a virtually separate front piece - the front dart is cut open.

Shape of front bodice

In fact, when I started this dress I intended to enter it into Pattern Review's plus size contest (the deadlines can be helpful for me,  though not in this case). I had never,  to be honest,  thought of myself as really plus sized before, even though I have to make some of the larger sizes in patterns. At 5'11" and a UK RTW size 16, most people don't think I look plus sized other than in height. Clearly, though, I am, certainly according to PR's criteria - and this has needed a shift in perception. My self view has changed. I've found that I'm unclear about suitable styles, though previously I really wasn't as my problem was that I couldn't  buy well fitting clothes, not deciding on style. Anyway, I was so busy with course work and family things that when I ran into early problems,  I didn't have time to address them. The dress was abandoned.

Showing the fabric

I had decided to use a lovely Liberty cotton that I bought for one of my daughters - who didn't like it. First, I made a toile, as I usually do.  

Toile with neckline changes marked

In the actual garment,  the bodice and lining get sewn together before the side seams are sewn. In the toile, I basted the side seams to test for fit. I found that the bust shaping was too high and the front bodice was too short. The neck was too high and the sides too loose. All these changes were made to the fabric.
I increased the length between shoulder and bust on front bodice and increased by the same amount on the back. I have a sloping back to front waist and don't need additional length in the back but do need a lot extra in the front. I tried to work out how to increase the front without increasing the back when there was the shaped dart at the front. Obviously,  front and back need to be the same length at the side seam. I asked some questions and got some answers but was still not clear how to proceed. However my pattern cutting tutor was able to point me in the right direction.

Tutor's drawing that helped me on my way

This dress, though, wasn't part of my pattern fitting classes and I made many mistakes on my own!

My block

I could now see the way forward. I used my bodice block to draw out and test the technique and was happy with it. I then moved back to the pattern and increased the length of the centre of the front bodice by more than the sides.

Here I made a big mistake!   Still trying to finish the dress in a short period,  I cut out the bodice and skirt pattern in the Liberty cotton, but not the lining fabric (fine cotton) I had chosen for the bodice, as it was still not ready after prewashing. I made up the bodice and skirt.

You guessed,  of course,  that the bodice didn't fit! My adjustments had been overdone. My pattern cutting tutor felt that I could salvage the fabric but felt I had to shorten considerably - by more than I had adjusted in the first place, though the bust shaping placement was better. She pinned the length adjustment necessary.

At this stage I abandoned the dress until I picked it up again earlier this week. I had to think whether I wanted to finish or move on with some potentially more useful work. I decided to give the dress a chance - a time limited chance.

I asked DH to fit the bodice on me as I felt the pinned length was too short. I decided to try out a length longer than that pinned by my tutor mainly because I would have been removing nearly all of the dart and gathered shaping if I had gone that route.

The pin marks where the tutor pinned it but I have cut to point showing

I have since cut off 7.5cms at the front and 10cms at the back. I have re-gathered the dart. The neckline was quite a bit too high and I adjusted that and the side seams needed taking in.

I haven't dared try it again as yet!

What next? (Yes,  I know I'll have to bite the bullet and try it on!) Do I go ahead with this - and make up the lining?  Is there a way I can get it to look reasonable and feel okay without a lining  - perhaps by using bias binding,  though I'm not sure that topstitching would look good. Hand stitching?  Not my favourite. I don't think I need a lining from the see through point of view.

DH doesn't think this is a suitable style for me, as I have less space between bust and waist.  Me?  I'm not sure. I agree with what he's saying about length but does this exclude this style? What do you think?  I'd really welcome feedback.

I'm paralysed by indecision.

My mother was staying with us for a few days, from Wednesday,  to rest and recuperate after a nasty bout of shingles affecting her chest wall. She hadn't been out and about for a while because of feeling really ill and the possibility of transmitting chicken pox to vulnerable people but that risk was now over. She's pretty frail, in a lot of pain and had been losing a lot of weight - at least partly due to being disinclined to choose what to eat, to cook. We let her rest and looked after her; she enjoyed eating meals which she hadn't had to choose or prepare and ate well. Yesterday, we took her home. It was our wedding anniversary but we decided to postpone it by 24 hours  - what's 24 hours after 38 years?

When my husband showed me a lump in his hairline on Wednesday, present for a couple of days he thought, I assumed the red and inflamed area was possibly a midge bite as he had been working in the garden. It wasn't bothering him. Then,  yesterday, on our way back from Scotland,  I noticed a couple of additional red and inflamed areas on his eyelid. He hadn't noticed them while shaving that morning. The red areas on his hairline were a little more extensive. We considered the possibility of shingles but the story and timeline didn't seem to match that and it seemed too much of a coincidence. DH had shingles on his chest wall 40 odd years ago and wasn't bothered by it then. Anyway, today we went to the NHS walk-in centre and they did feel this was (probably) shingles so DH is now taking acyclovir; they didn't feel the eye itself was affected. I had shingles affecting the left side of my face a few years ago;  fortunately, though I had lesions in my eye, these were treated and my sight wasn't affected. I still have itch and paraesthesia over my forehead, eye, nose and upper lip. Strangely, this has flared up a bit at the moment. It does that periodically though 'it shouldn't happen'.

Although my mother clearly didn't transmit this to DH,  I won't tell her in case she blames herself,  anyway.

We're still having a special meal tonight. M&S only does their dine in for two every second week, not this weekend. I went,  anyway.  It's amazing how good the value is for the dine in for two - I spent the £10 easily, without the wine. We're having a bottle of German 'champagne' - cremant d'Alsace - that we bought direct from the winery when we went on a German river cruise. We've been saving this bottle for a special occasion. Just so long as DH still feels okay.

So no sewing tonight but I'd love to hear your views and I can decide what to do tomorrow.

On Second Thoughts... I see the problem but not the solution. Can you offer me any advice, please?

I posted earlier today how bad my second attempt at the bodice of Butterick 5951 view A was. It looked really awful (no - I'm NOT going to post a picture of me in it) - very baggy at the front and my husband said it didn't meet at the back as it was much too small. I was puzzled by that. After all, although my first muslin/toile was very short, it wasn't too tight. So I tried it on my dummy, Bertha. She's not fully tuned to my size as I just haven't had the time. Same thing - too big at front and too small at the back.

Why? I wondered.

I then tried on the first muslin on myself and on Bertha. Short, yes, but not too tight.

Then I had that Eureka! moment. You may remember that I said I didn't get the chance to check the toile with my tutor - but relied, instead, on a co-pupil. You may also know that I have a relatively short back length in comparison to my very long front length. I say relatively as I'm tall so most patterns are too short even at the back, or certainly don't need shortened, though I generally have to lengthen the front bodice.

So I reckon that my fellow pupil overestimated the required addition to the pattern length, basing it on the large patch of visible flesh at the front! As I have very high hips and hips that are rather large in comparison to the rest of me, I guessed that the toile was pooling on the top of my hip and that it couldn't meet there as it was designed to my waist measurements at that point, at least 10 inches less than my hip measurement. Another reminder of how stupid I was to go ahead with the fashion fabric when I hadn't retested the changes I made to the pattern!

I wasn't able to see the back of the toile, where it fastens. I didn't want to ask DH to take a photo as he's very busy trying to get his course portfolio in for tomorrow but he confirmed what I was thinking when I asked - he had pinned me in, earlier.

So my next step was to pin my first bodice toile to the skirt, which was made up in fashion fabric. I(very carefully!) tried this on and found that it really wasn't too bad. I felt the side seams were more or less okay, just a fraction short and probably so with the back. The front was most definitely short.
So it seems to me that I need to UNDO the changes I had made to the original pattern pieces; these were, fortunately, traced. DH thinks I could get away with a 1 inch addition. Originally, front and back had a FOIUR INCH addition - the back in one whole chunk and the front in a 2" section below the armhole but above the dart and the other 2" insert increasing the dart by that amount.

I think I need to add most of the extra above the bust apex. I don't know how to add more at the front than the side fronts as these are very much involved in the dart. I previously lengthened the dart. I could perhaps have some additional gathering right over to the side seam so that I could keep that at the same length as the back? I've made the line diagram extra large to show the front darts which have the side front gathered into them. That part is the same in all the views; I'm doing view A.

I've reposted my altered pattern piece for the front, below. The side front is very much longer than the centre front in order to accommodate the gathering. I'm significantly longer in centre front and less so at the sides - I can usually make a wedge alteration, adding more to the front and tapering out to zero or nearly so at the sides. But can I do that here? I don't see how to. Currently, the skirt is being pulled up at the centre front.

Centre front (cut on fold) to right of picture, longer side front which will be gathered to fit, on left.

When I'm suggesting undoing my alterations, this doesn't include the armhole which is much too low.

As always, I'd appreciate any advice and constructive criticism.

The Sorry Tale of Three and a Half Blouse Muslins

I'm making a blouse. This was on my plans earlier in the year: I wanted to make a garment using excellent technique in the last term of the year and Lyn, my sewing tutor, suggested a blouse.

Then, I decided to enter the PR competition for beginners. One of the criteria is that you have you use a technique that's new for you. I originally thought I'd use French seams but on the discussion board it was suggested that was usually for finer material; I'm using medium weight cotton. In addition,  there was discussion about the need for seam finishes, at all. There was a reminder that seams are utilitarian things and that many finishes add unnecessary bulk, when usually the inside of a garment like this isn't seen. I thought about it.

I then thought about felling the seams as per men's wear. Some other contributors dislike this type of seam finish. It's not usually found in a women's blouse. I was a bit concerned about how it would look on the outside in a blouse,  rather than a shirt, and how easy or difficult it would be to do over bust dart ends. I wasn't sure I'd like the extra line of stitching on the outside.

In the end,  I decided I would plain seam and finish the allowances using my overlocker. The fabric is cotton and frays so I feel it does need a seam finish. Overlocking may be commonplace in RTW  but that won't deter me (I haven't yet achieved the standard of cheaper end RTW, after all) and I think this is the finish I'll use. I'll use for the seam finishing, not to construct my seams, though - I prefer my sewing machine for that. I'll press the seams open.

I decided my 'new to me technique' would be to insert piping in the seam between bodice and facing and between sleeve and cuff. I've received lots of very helpful advice via the competition discussion board. I think PR is a wonderful resource with very helpful sewers willing to advise.

I've made this particular blouse before - for my oldest daughter. She wasn't around when I was making it, as she lives nearly 250 miles from me,  so there was no opportunity to fit it properly. I did try to make adjustments - mainly for her large bra cup size in a slight frame. I've posted about it previously;  suffice it to say when I saw it in her I wasn't happy - well with anything,  really. There was insufficient room for her bust, waist dart position was in the wrong place by quite a bit etc.

I thought these were probably fairly simple fit issues - is there ever such a thing?

I struggled with the collar; I followed the instructions to the letter,  I believe.  The finish outside was acceptable but I thought it was very messy inside. I need to check out various collar tutorials. I need to achieve a better collar finish.

Initial changes on pattern:

I lowered bust dart as my apex was quite a bit lower.  I did this by adding 2" to the length between the armhole and the bust dart.

I had to do this front and back.

In retrospect, while I needed the extra overall length, I needed less than half that at that position. Had I made a smaller change in the first place,  I think my subsequent changes would have been easier. My final apex position isn't much lower than the original as I had to raise it again. I also had to raise the waist position in front and more on the back.

First Toile:

The whole thing was too tight and I took out all the vertical darts, which felt much better but was much less shapely of course. DH felt that shaping was required and pinned some smaller and longer darts for me. He recognised some problems but wasn't sure what to do about them.

My husband very much disliked the bust darts - he felt they started much too low at the side. Indeed, they were almost like French darts,  except they're attractive and intended and these weren't.

Second toile:

I asked Lyn at class to look at my first muslin/toile (I suppose really to check that DH was making reasonable changes!) but I forgot to take it to class. I did have the pattern (I hadn't transferred the changed info to it) so I made up a new muslin incorporating the changes to the dart lengths as far as I could remember, or could work out, and I rotated the bust dart so it was less vertical.

I have a sway back or at least my back length is relatively short for a tall person like me, though longer than the norm, together with a rather large derriere, so my waist darts had to be altered. The area of maximum dart intake had to be raised (equivalent to shortening bodice but no waist seam here). In addition,  the darts were too far lateral and had to be brought in by over an inch - plus, they had to be extended quite a bit up towards my shoulder blades (3 - 4"),  and shortened so they stopped short of the hem. DH hasn't moved lateral position but had worked out the rest.

In addition to my previous changes, Lyn suggested adding an additional seam allowance ie 1.5cm/⅝" to the sides as it was rather tight. Lyn could see what my husband disliked about the bust darts and suggested moving the dart even more towards the horizontal. Further, I thought I needed a bit extra room in the bust area and deepened the dart slightly at the same time. Unfortunately, I forgot to add that extra length to the side seam - I only noticed when stitching toile number 3. It wasn't a full FBA, but maybe I'd have been better doing that! Or I've just read Louise Cutting's cheat FBA and if I'd read that before doing my changes, I think this could have worked well.

I had also set in sleeve version 2 (number 1 was far too tight) and this one was a good bit wider over the biceps - I added 1.5cm/⅝" to each side,  but didn't alter the sleeve head. I had severe restriction moving arms forward and we decided that the back armhole was too wide. Taking a fraction off improved that. I wasn't sure if I should add what I'd taken off the bodice to the sleeve but at the time Lynn suggesting waiting to see how it turned out when made up.

Third toile:

So, at home,  I stitched up toile number 3 with one side of the 'band' attached to each front bodice to get a better idea of finished fit.

I detested the fabric I used,  which I bought cheaply for toile making. It moved and squirmed and the needles didn't like it one bit, as they made a crunching noise when going through it (I think it's polyester and quite silky)  and there are a number of snags in the fabric from the seam stitching. Not worth it - I prefer to pay more for a better quality fabric. I reckon it has probably destroyed my needle after just a few seams.

What I found:

There was now enough overall width at the hip.

I still didn't think there was enough space for my bust.

I couldn't see the back but thought it was probably okay.

The back side seams were longer than the front. I checked the pattern just to make sure it wasn't due to slippery cutting but it was there too - I forgot to lengthen by the amount I'd increased the bust dart. So I realised I needed to lengthen the front.

There was some gaping in the front armholes - I thought this might be an indication of a need for more FBA.  The fold formed at the a armscye was pointing right to my apex. This confirmed what I was thinking.

The front vertical darts seemed much too far out. This,  I think,  was now more obvious because of the addition of the 'band'. I  looked at the instructions again,  because what was labelled 'centre front ' didn't seem to be central. I had been thinking 'band' but actually it's not - it's a facing which turns under. (I had forgotten) So in fact,  turning it under,  and stitching where centre front would be made the bust darts lie in a better position, but then it seemed tighter across the bust and lower hips.

On Thursday past at class I asked Lyn to look at the fit again. This is allowed, as far as I understand, just so long as she doesn't do any of the work,  which she won't do,  of course.

I had already decided that I needed more bust space so had made a Full Bust Adjustment to the pattern at home the night before and moved the waist darts slightly. I took the opportunity to raise the pattern bust apex as I thought it was now too low. When I drew up the pattern,  I took the opportunity to ensure that the front length matched the back length at the side. However,  I got Lyn to look at the muslin I had made before that correction. At first she thought the changes I had made worked well,  despite me having said about the FBA but as I moved she agreed it looked tight. I went ahead and cut out a new front piece with the FBA and sewed this in place. One advantage of the FBA was that it gave just a little extra space at the hips.

Toile 3.5

So I then cut out a new front piece (muslin three and a half!) and attached that. Then I sewed on the facing.

Lyn agreed it looked much better.

Only two more changes were made at this point

Further shorten bust dart by a half inch

I wanted to raise neckline slightly - by 1 inch.

These changes have all been transferred to the pattern. I also cut out a new facing piece.

Then I set in the sleeve piece from the previous muslin. Reaching forward showed it was too tight, still. I needed to add extra to the sleeve rather than the bodice,  and have now done so. I've decided that enough is enough as far as the muslins are concerned and next I'll do in fashion fabric. I think,  though,  that I'll add extra across the whole of the sleeve head. It's easier to cut back than add.

The pattern was by this time such a mess that I transferred everything over to pattern cross and dot paper. I found that I'd forgotten my tracing/ carbon paper and borrowed some from another student. Not all tracing paper is created equal!  I used my tracing wheel and the tracing paper to transfer all markings but had great difficulty reading the marks which were in pale yellow.

New tracing of front bodice, with new facing piece attached.

 My fabric is pink linen-look cotton.

 The colour reminds me of the beautiful blossom that is now falling as pink snow across the lawn.

I was going to make bias binding (something else I've never done) and enclose fine cord  - in other words,  make my own piping.  I was torn between a darker pink cotton polyester fabric and a striped seersucker type fabric with stretch, both from my stash. My decision was made for me - I couldn't buy fine enough cord for my own piping as everything I found it was for cushions,  but the fabric store had ready made piping in dark pink. So that's what I'm going to use.

Pink cotton linen look fabric with dark pink small piping

 

 

It's a bit out of focus, but here's my inspiration for the contrast colours.

I have a fair bit of practice to do,  but first things first.

Next,  I will make up in my pink cotton. Ideally,  I will cut this out at home as I can use my rotary cutter and mat , which I find so much easier than shears. I'm not sure I'll manage to do much more than cut out,  though.  We'll see.

I'm pretty busy at the moment with county vets' golf committee related work. Last week was the silver championship over three days but dreadful rain and flooding closed the course we were using on day one, resulting in lots of extra work and an extra day had to be added. The championship was successfully concluded just before another bout of dreadful rain. The extra day caused difficulty with those qualifying from day one due to other commitments - our captain had to postpone her ferry taking her on a cycling trip to Holland for an extra 24 hours,  not so good when she was just going for a long weekend.

Tomorrow is the bronze championship,  in which I'm playing as well as having committee duties. It's only over one day, though.  Fingers crossed, as last year it was washed out and had to be rearranged a few weeks later. This is more difficult than it sounds especially when the field is in excess of a hundred.

I'll have to leave early to get to my evening class. (Unless I'm likely to win a prize of course!) Tomorrow we'll find out if the garment construction techniques class is going ahead in an acceptable fashion. I suspect not, as the room had already been modified to seat 20 and only one tutor is involved. Decision time approaches!

 

College classes, toiles and sloping waistline

I've been thinking hard what to do in next term's classes, that is between today and July. 10 evenings 2 hours each at pattern cutting,  same at dressmaking techniques and 11 weeks at my daytime class with guided learning which is 4 hours;  unfortunately I do have to miss a few of those because of golf and other commitments.

Although I have enrolled in the college courses for next term,  there is a massive shakeup because of funding and the need to accredit courses. I've paid 50% more to attend next term and at the moment it's not actually clear it's going ahead and if it does,  on which nights. We students don't feel it's right to alter the course and night ⅔ of the way through the year,  so many haven't signed up. There was only one pattern cutting class but several dressmaking classes - at beginner, continuation and advanced level. At the moment there is only one all level course;  the tutors have campaigned for more - obviously,  it's their livelihood that's at stake. They have 35 names for a 12 place class! They did assure is that they would work with the students as before. I'm not sure they can actually promise that.

The original plan for pattern cutting classes is drawing up a trouser pattern, cutting and getting a decent fit to create a block (sloper) and then make some design modifications. I'm happy with this plan. I didn't achieve a good fit from the dressmaking class on jeans but I did spend the majority of the classes available making jeans for DH as I wanted to practice the techniques taught before I forgot them. so I only had a little time on mine. I'm absolutely determined to have a pair of well fitting trousers for me by term end.

This term the evening dressmaking class was meant to be working on your own project. I'm undecided whether to make a dress or continue with last term's ill fated trousers. The dress,  I think. However, as this will now be module 1 of a BTEC, plans may change. I don't have any desire to do a qualification but I do like a more structured teaching approach, so I'll wait and see. There isn't another course near me. My Thursday class is great and I think the tutor is fantastic but at the end of the day it's not a structured class.

I'm assuming it's still a bit early to be making mother of the bride test garments for my youngest daughter's wedding next year but I have a couple of items in mind - though please make further suggestions! At the moment,  I'm thinking possibly a dress with a lace top layer or cardigan type item or jacket?  

I like the lace top but am not keen on the dress though a bias dress can be very flattering I'm told

It can still be pretty cold in June here though it's also possible for it to be very warm so I'm looking for layered items, I think.  I'm planning to lose quite a bit of weight!  3 stones, I think (52 pounds; 18 kg) I need to anyway as I've put back on everything I lost last year - I lost 2 stones. Shame on me. I'm not fit and my joints are suffering.

During my Thursday class,  I intend to make a blouse - one that fits of course but using the best techniques I can.  I discussed this with Lyn last term and a blouse  was her suggestion. Today was the first session of the new term. I've chosen to repeat the blouse I made for DD1, in the same view, view A, after looking at other patterns I also considered. For me this time. 

 

Final blouse for DD1

Hers was cut in a size 14 with an FBA. After discussion with Lyn, and measurements, I decided to go with the size 20. I did cut into the pattern for DD1 but only a couple of pieces are affected and I fixed them today. The different sizes are fortunately spread across three separate sheets. I've lowered the bust apex by cutting and inserting a 2" strip between the armhole and apex, and of course also lengthened on the back. I also added a touch to the hip area, by grading between my size and the size up, which was on a separate sheet. I haven't altered the waist dart position - I'll wait to see what it looks like. Also, I may need an FBA as I take a D cup, though by their calculations I shouldn't need one. I'm narrow at the bottom of my back and carry more in front - we did discuss whether to do a larger size for the front and smaller for the back..  I felt the neckline was a little low for DD1 but I'll see what it looks like in the muslin. I'll cut that out and sew it up for next week. For the actual blouse I will use a fairly lightweight cotton, possibly some Liberty fabric I have though the blouse might be better in a plain fabric.

As if to bely what I said about this not being a structured class, the theme of this term is pockets and we have some homework to do for next week.

I've been working on my personalised bodice, using SFD. I drew up and cut out the pattern without too much difficulty, though I was concerned about bust dart placement. I started by using a material which was very difficult to use;  I had bought it cheaply to use for toiles. It slipped so much and was so difficult to sew that I gave up on it. I then cut out in some polycotton which worked better. However,  there was something far wrong with my front bodice side seams, related I think to the bust dart not being correct. I hoped that R could comment. I had a toile sewn by Sunday when I had a sewing bee with R, my pattern cutting tutor. She tested the fit on me and pinned some adjustments. These were - she lowered the neckline, slightly adjusted the slope of one shoulder, narrowed shoulder significantly by taking in at shoulder and also widening neck, took in at the upper side seam (I had enlarged here because of my large biceps)  but lowered the armhole to give additional room, significantly increased the back darts and shortened pattern torso length. She noted that the toile was too tight below the waistline but it was supposed to stop at waistline and I had to lose quite a bit of fabric length.

I have a significantly forward tilting pelvis or forward sloping waistline which means that my front bodice length is a lot longer than my back bodice length. R and I had a discussion about this, which I find more significant in a skirt (or trousers),  where I have to shorten front length and lengthen back. However,  such a sloping waistband doesn't look good (DH commented adversely when I tried on). The conclusion of our discussion was that I needed to compromise and bring up the front waistband, to make the waistband sit more level. If I can't cope with such a high front waistband, I have the option to remove the same amount all the way around to make a waistline below natural waist - or I could cut off same and create a yoke.

I also had a skirt block with me.  R suggested raising back by 2 cm. Otherwise it was pretty good except that the right side seam didn't lie where it should.   Left and back were fine. R measured the pieces against my skirt block where I had to make separate sides because of asymmetry; this asymmetry accounted for some of the problem but I had used the slippy fabric I originally used for the bodice and that accounted for more. R felt my block from class was valid (though front waistline was very low and after our discussion,  I feel I need to raise it.)

I have a bodice block from my pattern cutting class but when I started to design with it,  R changed the fit rather a lot, so I'm not sure how useful my block is. R agreed.  I also have one from a brief course I attended last summer (before I knew about the college course)  - the 3 blocks I have are all completely different!!  Ideally,  I would sew up all 3 and decide which was best to work from,  I suppose.

On Monday,  I drew up a completely new pattern for skirt and bodice. I made some but not all of the adjustments R had pinned because I realised as I was redrawing the pattern that I may have made an error with the armhole. So I didn't enlarge for large biceps but did drop slightly. I shortened bodice significantly.  With the skirt,  I raised back by 2 cms.

I cut the pieces out of a well behaved piece of fabric, probably upholstery.

When sewing,  I found my dart problem was even worse than before. For some reason I had more problems sewing one side than the other. On the front, there was a very significant bend and I had to force the fabric to join the back.

A very significant gap - this is not the waistline!

 

Dart opened out

 

I sewed the pieces together to make a dress. I found,  however,  that I had to lose the 2 cms extension on the skirt back. I found the waistline higher than I'm used to - R says a higher waistline is slimming so I'll have a go!

I took the dress to D's sewing bee on Tuesday evening and tried it on for her advice as the other students were late. D shortened back bodice length even further as she said there was significant puddling - is this a sway back? Or just a large derriere? She pinned back darts longer and wider. She noted that the side seams were bowed - one side worse than the other. I took the toile apart and showed her what I thought was issue with front dart and she described how to fill this area out. The fill in is almost exactly the shape that she drew on the back pattern piece when drawing a straight side seam. So I'm sure this is the problem.

 

I spent the rest of the evening working out and trying to do the adjustments. As I've added to the front side seams,  this could make the bodice too big but it was tight previously.  I'll just have to sew it up again and try.  I made a rough adjustment to the toile but I'll transfer these to the pattern pieces properly and cut another toile,  perhaps next week. At Thursday class today, I transferred the alterations onto the pattern tissue. I'll make up the new, 3rd, toile, before going to pattern cutting class (if that happens)

New dart and side seam is much wider.

Pin shows original top of back dart - now both longer and wider

So over the next 3 months, I'm going to make 3 garments for me - trousers, dress (?) and blouse. Does that sound reasonable? It's unfortunate that I'm doing them all at the same time but that can't be helped - I don't like using one tutor for another tutor's project. Should I finish one early,  I can decide on another.

Recently I made a cardigan and that was nice because I didn't end up in the seemingly interminable toile making and fitting issues. I might take a break - I want to make some pattern weights and a scissors holder - no issues with fit there!  Just cut and sew.

I'll update later.