Fitting & Alterations - Help Needed

It became evident early on in my Timmel SWAP 2008 attempt that I need some serious help with fitting. As Claire notes on her blog, 50 is the new 30 (making me 27), but my figure hasn't recognized this basic fact.

Apparently, I need a broad back adjustment (probably from trying to hold in my 17 hand warmblood), a sway back adjustment, and a full bust adjustment. This I learned in my first fitting class, what will be discovered if we complete all six?

Sadly, my local sewing center closed just two days after that first class, but a few of us have contacted the teacher and will try to carry on. Now that I know how much help I need (yes, ignorance is bliss), I really really need to finish this course.

Predictably, I took about 15 patterns with me to class and chose one of the most complicated as my first effort. Because it is a very fitted vintage style, it demands these alterations. As our instructor said, I probably wouldn't need all of them with a less fitted pattern, but then I need fitted or I look frumpy.

At left is my pattern. Doesn't she look so happy? The joie de vivre, the grace, the cool insouciance (noun the cheerful feeling you have when nothing is troubling you).

Ah, this is why I sew. It really isn't about fit. It is about feel. In this suit, I will carry some of this attitude into work with me, and it'll show.

If I can get it done. First I have to cut off the peplum sleeves to do the FBA, according to THE BOOK. This scares me. At least I traced the pattern first, it is safely back in its envelope.

Until next time,
Elle

Can't Get Enough Plaid

Someone started an interesting thread at Stitcher's Guild with respect to skirts and plaid. Naturally, the topic took off and soon we were discussing everything in plaid.

I even found a dress that I had made over fifteen years ago, which I was so proud of. Then. Now I look at it and mutter bad things to myself, like "80s shoulders" and "bad plaid placement at bodice". Oh well. I still like it.



This got me thinking about plaid, and the wonderful article with great pictures on how to sew with plaids at Timmel Fabrics.

So now I am basing my entire Timmel SWAP 2008 around a swing jacket in a plaid fabric, cut on the bias. I need to take it apart again to use a nice fusible interfacing on it, to keep it from stretching out too much so it will be awhile before I post pictures. In the meantime, I've begun a little library of my own, of pictures of plaid garments for future reference.


My favorite, at the moment, is this one:

Sixteen Years Ago

Yesterday I got up to work on my V2989 top some more, but I got all distracted and ended up taking pictures of a couple of things I made over 16 years ago. I've asked for a critique of the blue suit at Stitcher's Guild, and I'll repeat that request here:

Hello, I would appreciate comments on this suit, which I made over 16 years ago.

I've recently gotten back into sewing and I'd like to avoid some of my mistakes as I move forward.

Having said that, I can't believe I made this. Even a welt pocket! I was too afraid to put one into DD's hunt jacket, and I had already made one. The flaps were messed up, but the actual welts were fine.

I over pressed with a bad iron, I didn't use much interfacing, and cheap pellon where I did (buttons show this), I made my own lining for the skirt and it is too small, plus I sewed the hems of the skirt and lining together. Not sure if I'd do that again, it is doing funny stuff around the hem. This was before I realized that wool can shrink even if dry cleaned, no pre-shrinking in those days. I think that may be some of the problem.

The jacket is from Vogue 2538, a Christian Dior pattern (I'll post it as soon as I scan it in), and the skirt is from Style 4784.

Here is a link to my Picasa web album, with many shots of the jacket and skirt:



I'm self-taught, and hope to get to a class soon. They tend to be held in the evening during the week, which is difficult for me to make. Until then, I would appreciate comments and suggestions. Thanks!

Making Progress!

And not just on my pretty Storyboard. Although that has changed:



Last night I fused interfacing to my V2989 top and Style skirt facings (very deep because it is a raised waistband). It is new interfacing and I was afraid of it, but remembering that "the perfect is the enemy of the good" -- or, in my case, "the done" -- I forged ahead and all was well. In fact, I love both interfacings. I was so happy.

Until I draped the V2989 top against me and realized that it is going to be pretty tight. The pattern calls for 5/8" seam allowance, think it'll work if I do 3/8" on the side seams, and adjust the arms accordingly? The fabric is a cotton/lycra blend.



Oh, and I cut my Textile Studios Madison Avenue Dress out one size too small, what was I thinking? It will be perfect for DD, but I want to wear it. So, I'm thinking 3/8" side seam allowances instead of the 1/2" the pattern calls for. That should be just enough, especially if I keep doing yoga. Any thoughts on how this will affect the drape, etc? Here's a pic in case you don't already have it in your pattern stash:



I do want to be able to wear it to work with a soft jacket. Someone at PR lined the back of their dress to prevent see-through. I have lots of Bemberg eggshell that is the right color, but no stretchiness. Any thoughts on what to line an ivory cotton/lycra dress with?

These are all in my wearable muslin fabric from fashionfabricsclub.com so nothing to cry about, except for the time involved. DD will be able to wear anything too small for me, and look great in them.

Further cutting into my sewing time is a trip to Chicago this Sunday. I'll be landing at about 5:00 p.m. and staying at a Hilton in "the Loop", in meetings Monday morning, and possibly free Monday afternoon. My plane leaves at 8:00 p.m. Anybody available for a quick late lunch or early dinner, and possibly a snoop shopping expedition?

Hunt Jacket - Suitability 5004

This is a hunt jacket made from a Suitability pattern. I made the Women's version. It was my first foray back into the world of sewing after a 15 year hiatus. A bit over the top for a first-time-after-awhile project, especially because it was more complicated than anything I've made before, but much easier than I expected. The Suitability instructions were superb, everything went together perfectly, and the result was more than I had hoped for.

This has to be the most worn UFO on the planet. I literally finished sewing on the snaps (the buttons are "temporarily" sewn on the front of the jacket) before throwing it on my daughter, who then leapt onto her horse and rode into the ring to win her class. An equitation class, where looks do count. I like to think that this jacket played a small role.

Anyway, no lining either, the pieces sit in one of my drawers waiting to be sewn up and inserted. A nice Bemberg fabric. It was wonderful to be able to make her a beautiful, fitted, lightweight jacket out of a lovely wool/rayon blend. Unless you go for top of the line, the riding jackets tend to look very stiff and be as hot as ovens. Even the expensive wool jackets are lined in polyester, unless you go very top of the line.

Now I have to make another for me because she won't let me wear hers anymore. And I need to make us each a dressage jacket. Grrr.

But first, back to my Timmel 2008 SWAP stuff!

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Edited to add a picture from a subsequent show.  This jacket got a lot of use!  

Timmel SWAP 2008 - Stage II (sort of)

Wow, this is fun! Here is my Stage II board, although as mentioned below it looks as thought the blouse and dress from V2989 (my original wardrobe pattern) may make it into Stage I. Back to cutting.

Timmel SWAP 2008

Inspired by all of the sewists at Artisanssquare.com and Patternreview.com, I'm jumping (late) into the blogging thing. I hope to spend more time actually sewing than laboring over this blog and otherwise thinking of sewing, which hasn't been the case up until now, and hopefully this blog will be one handy place to track my journey.

For now, here are my SWAP Stage I and II plans, always subject to change. In fact, I seem to be moving towards V2989 for two of my tops (blouse and dress). The fabric spoke to me.