Sunday, February 3, 2013

The Spring Suit: Muslins Galore

Oh, where to begin... Yesterday I walked over to S's for our marathon session and she was feeling a bit off. By the time I left, a few hours later, she was horrendously winter-sick. You know when you watch a person get ill?  Of course I am concerned for her - having a virus completely sucks and hurts and is horrible. Alas, my highly illness-anxious side spent last night having a long shower, mainlining whatever supplements I could find and trying not to focus on how viruses hurt and are horrible.

Now, S may have been descending into blurgh, but somehow she managed (like a consumptive Victorian, surveying her domain) to completely rip apart (figuratively and then literally) muslin 2 - the one I spent the whole morning constructing on the basis of our first round of changes. Note: We did start on S's muslin but standing up wasn't in the cards given how she felt as the day wore on.

Here's the result of muslin 2 alterations:



Let me interpret this for you. Everything gets smaller, yet again, except for the join of the front and side front pieces at the bust - which gets bigger (yet again). For those of you who like to go by markings, those dashes to the inside of the thinner, black pen line (seam allowance marking) indicate that I need to remove about a quarter of an inch from each side of the side to side-back, side-back to back and side to side-front seams.

And then, just to call extreme attention to it in red fabric, I have to add a whole whack of extra curve over the bust point. (Our first muslin alteration was a dart at the full bust point with some extra curve and then extra length below the bust. It didn't quite work.) We've also added a wedge of extra length on the front piece, over the curve.

Here's how the side front pattern piece looks now:


OK, before you yell at me for not tracing the pattern pieces when, we got started, I know, I know, I was an idiot... I'm in an anti-tracing phase which is, natch, about to end. As I re-trace these pieces today.

It appears that I'm a "big four" size 10 everywhere but in the bust, where I'm a size 16 (I estimate, but not in a standard fashion). Seriously, you need to be a master sewist just to ease the side-front into the front along that curve.

Frankly, I'm scared because I'm going to have to do the muslin to paper alterations by myself today - no doubt, S is safely tucked up in her bed. Although, in truth, whenever we're together, I rely on her. The only way I'm going to sort out how to do this is because I have to.

I want to say that muslin 3 is going to crack the code, but who wants to invoke a visit from hubris? We really can't go from the princess jacket I made last spring, although elements of that fitting process inform this one, because that pattern was challenged. So it's like we're starting from scratch, making a jacket TNT.

On my rather short continuum of "bored to out of my depth", I'm on the out-of-my-depth side right now. I know that, as soon as I sort out the shell fitting, I've still got to reflect a massive number of alterations onto the lining and interfacing pieces (and adjust the collar, potentially).

Today's questions: How have you managed the lining and adjunct piece alterations on the basis of alterations to your jacket shell? Is there mystery to it? I suspect the lining acts as its own garment, more or less, and you just need to make the adjustments on those pieces in the relative spots and to the same degree as in the shell. In terms of interfacing and underlining, those will have to mimic the revised pieces exactly because they are affixed to the shell. Any feedback would be so appreciated.

And, holla if you happen to have one body part that is proportionately outsized. If you've got a (relatively) huge ass or wide back or large arms, I wanna know! How do you handle pattern adjustments? We're the ones who do the heavy lifting with alterations - cuz we have to.

17 comments:

  1. One step at a time, right?

    As to the adjunct pieces, I find I hit a point (which you may have passed some time ago...) where it seems easier to just draft new ones. Sherry goes over the process in her RTW sewalong. It's work and takes some tracing, but I prefer it to altering. ;)

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    1. That's excellent advice T. I'm going to read that post and consider whether it's the easier option.

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  2. I have the classic insane adjustment: the Boobs of Doom, which have to be restrained in an H or I cup bra. I'm normally at least two and sometimes as much as four sizes different between bust and waist/hip. RTW is a nightmare and always has been, but somehow I only relatively recently hit upon the notion of making my own clothes. So far, I'd have to say my handling of pattern adjustments could best be described as "unsuccessful", but I'm a relative beginner to garment sewing. The most success I've had is with armhole princess seams, which made me very happy.

    I have a whole plan of action for 2013 with my dream outcome being having by the end of the year a few solid, workable basic patterns that produce tops that actually fit just the way I like: no any gaping, unwanted cleavage exposure or unfortunate resemblance to a tent around the waist and hips. Doesn't seem like a very exalted dream, but it's more than I've managed before in the years since my bust reached mammoth proportions.

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    1. Ha! You know, pattern altering is a totally different art/science than sewing. Don't be concerned if takes a while to sort it out. I've been sewing for almost 4 years and I'm still very in the fray. Mind you, if things are too easy, what fun is that!? I'll have to check out your blog to watch your progress!

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  3. whoah. that muslin is a force of nature, yo. i hope S is feeling better in its aftermath...

    i would answer your last question, but i am CERTAIN it's not the right answer. but i'm looking forward to seeing more...

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    1. It looks much less freakish in the new tracing paper. But it's still whack.

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  4. I love the fact that you're so particular with the fitting! And, I do think you may have to wait until S is back on her feet - you seem to work so well together! Congratulations on your jacket! Mine is delayed as the wool I bought is not quite large enough and I'm very particular. . .

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    1. I did do the work on my own and I am glad that I seem to have understood the concepts. Of course, working with S is always preferable, but it seems she's caught something pretty horrible and will be out of commission for another week.

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  5. For me...this is the year I crack fitting. And for knitting as well as sewing. I know I need to do a FBA...it's just always been a hit and miss one so far. I know I need to adjust the back neck to accommodate too many years at a computer. I know there are others. So, it's time to grab the bull by the horns and work it out. What exactly do I need to do, and how do they impact on each other. And, like, Westmoon, I'd like a few TNT's for the basics.

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    1. That's a laudable goal - and one I share completely, as you know! I want a bunch of TNTs that I can hang up on a pin board in a chic way. They'll all be laminated so that they can't be torn or wrecked. It's my sewing room porn dream.

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  6. Sorry to hear that S has succumbed to the blergh. :-( Hopefully you don't end up with it too!

    Fitting is my nemesis. Seriously. I have slim hips, but I have what is affectionately referred to as a "ghetto booty", and I also have a decent sized rack. Both of which have attracted more unwanted attention as my stomach shrinks. I also have rather large biceps. They aren't toned, but they are muscular, and I invariably have to adjust for that as well. And don't even get me started on my narrow and forward shoulders....

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    1. I know! She's so sick, poor thing. There have been some hideous bugs going around this year. I know you can relate to my fitting pains, but I just keep saying, try again, learn more, apply it the next time. When you've finally got it all sorted out, your clothes will be a thing of perfection on your frame.

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  7. I don't only have one body part out of proportion, but I often feel that the alterations I have to make for my plus-sized body equate to "the art of uneven grading." My relatively-narrow upper chest is *several* sizes smaller than everything below it, and the jump doesn't happen gradually. Maybe it's my biased perspective but it seems like alterations that affect the armscye are the hardest to get right. I'm relatively novice, but I do feel that the experience I've had to acquire regarding fitting far belies my rather newly developed sewing skills. You're right, we have to -- no choice in the matter if we want to make clothes that fit. For me it's all been trial and error -- 3 trial garments for a simple blouse has happened, more than once -- but I would seriously love to have the drafting skills Tanit-Isis refers to above... :-)

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    1. S would definitely agree with you about changes to the armscye. Apparently that's the hardest thing to fit and everything follows on from it.

      I'm sure you do have the drafting skills - drafting is just drawing pictures (on some level - and of course I'm totally understating it). The hard part is figuring out what to draw. If you can find a fitting friend it would be SO helpful but I know that's like a holy grail.

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  8. Bless you for continuing to help us see how to tackle pattern adjustments.

    My outsize dimension is my rib cage, which is 37.5 inches under my breasts. I feel like a freak. My daughter, at age 27, measures 37 inches there, and hates it. It makes RTW a nightmare.

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    1. Oooh, I love blessings! Wow, that's fascinating about the under bust measurement. It's like we're the complete inverse - my full bust is 37.5 and my underbust is 29.5. I understand what it is to feel "like a freak" but you should not! We are all made differently and, as soon as we find/make the clothing that fits well, we all look completely natural in it and like our best selves.

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    2. I am glad you love blessings :).

      "...we all look completely natural in it and like our best selves." I am finally starting to believe this.

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