by Claire on October 18, 2009
Wrapping up the blue Ottobre top, here it is on my dress form.
It looks much better with the neck band. Not too bad for a quick afternoon top.
Now I’m playing with fabrics to make a sweater-jacket to coordinate with it. I’ve had this fabric in my stash for a few years and it’s reversible. I love it. It’s extremely stretchy and thick. I think it will be perfect for a warm winter shawl style jacket.
Playing around and draping the fabric on my dress form. I know, it looks like a bathrobe there – it’s just raw fabric, remember?
But since I have just a little bit more time before I need to wrap up the sewing for today, I thought I’d quickly cut out another top. I chose this fabric from my stash for the basic reason that I can use the blue thread already in the serger.
All cut out, ready to sew.
I guess when I get back into the groove, I really get back into the groove, yes?
Tagged as:
knit fabrics,
Ottobre,
sewing
by Claire on October 11, 2009
This is the end of the road for this muslin.
The neckline does not have the binding on it but that’s okay. I’m not taking this top further because I don’t like the fabric. I don’t like the stretch on it, even though I love the color. It’s just a cheap poly knit – emphasis on the cheap. It’s thin too, and won’t keep me warm, that’s for certain.
What’s wrong with this version besides the knit? Very little, and that makes me very happy. This was one of the main goals I had for losing weight – I wanted to be able to sew something right out of the pattern with few, if any, alterations. I’m a pretty normal 5’6” if there isn’t extra body fluff on me, and hence I think most patterns will fit me quite nicely.
There are a few changes I need to make to the pattern – and I think these are all easy ones:
- Make the armhole larger under the armpit. It’s slightly too tight there.
- Narrow the shoulders – the seams fall too far off my shoulders for my liking, although I wonder if they’ll come in any once binding is on.
- Move the shoulder seam forward – it falls too far back on my shoulders, farther back than my favorite RTW ones do.
- Lengthen the top by about four inches. I like my tops long and this one hits me at about the high hip bone, or just below. I prefer them much longer.
- Depending on the recovery of the fabric used, I think I’d take the back in ever so slightly. The back tends to have an extra bit of unnecessary volume around the small of my back.
- I might even lengthen the sleeves another inch or two because once the hem is added, it will be just right.
I took this top over to my mom and had her try it on as well. We are both using the same dress form now, and my shoulders are only a tad wider than hers, so I figured I could easily make a basic pattern for her as well.
For her, I need to make the following changes:
- Lower the armhole opening, same as with me.
- Make her sleeves the original 3/4 length of the pattern (her preference)
- Depending on the recovery of the fabric used, possible add an inch total around the midsection for her.
So, next, I’m going to alter the pattern pieces and then stitch it up again either in more of this icky cheap polyester fabric, or go ahead and cut into my nice knits.
Here’s a parting shot of me and mom chillin’ this afternoon. This was the first time all season I actually sat down to watch any part of the Seahawks football game, and they won!
Tagged as:
knit fabrics,
muslins,
Ottobre,
Ottobre patterns,
sewing
