Sunday, December 12, 2010

Crepe Sew-Along #4: Much-Improved Muslin!

Well, it's been a long day of fitting and muslin-ing and I wanted to show where I've gotten with the fit of my bodice. (This is muslin #3.) I'm pretty pleased! I'm definitely going to add a bit of length to the bottom of the bodice, but otherwise I'm happy. I'll be back as soon as I can to show you how I made these changes.



P.S. I know there's some confusion about how the back should be wrapped, and I've written to Sarai at Colette for confirmation. More details to come!

23 comments:

  1. I am really looking forward to hearing how you made those changes. I have a lot of changes to muslin #1, but I didn't know how to proceed from there. Plus, I think that once these are made I will have a few more.... I wish you posted pics of your muslin #2.

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  2. Hi Gertie,
    I'm so glad you are lengthening and showing us how. I have now completed 3 muslins and the last one is the worst ever! (see flickr pool) Sigh...
    When lengthening I lowered all the darts which I think is a big mistake (thanks Aunt Fluffy for your help). Muslin 1 fitted great but when I added length, the fit has been lost. I may be jumping ahead to what you propose to show us but do you lengthen from under the notches (adding a bit in) or should I just lengthen from the bottom hem, given that muslin 1 was the best fit across the bust and shoulders? Do you lower darts or just leave them where they are and join them up? Am I right in thinking that the darts sit quite high on this dress? Also, how do I manage the back (see flickr pool again?!) Adding in the length to the back seems to have given me so much fabric, it's all baggy and horrible. I would love some help! I took my sewing machine to my Mum's for the weekend (so she could help with muslins etc) and my hubby dropped it when unloading it from the car. I think it's OK (just a little bash on the handle) but I actually sobbed my heart out at the thought of not having it! This fitting is getting to me : )

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  3. I'll review as much of this as I can when I have a moment. Only so many hours in a day, unfortunately!

    Fay, because I finally got the darts where I want them, I'm just going to add 1/2" to the bottom of the pattern. The darts are very high on this pattern. Glad to hear your machine is okay!

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  4. Where are the darts supposed to hit on one's person? And you cheated! No thread tracing on this muslin

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  5. Gertie,

    I apologize for this duplicate comment, which I had intended to leave here, but left on a previous string a few minutes ago the first time around ...

    Thank you for sharing your fitting adjustments. I am swimming in my bodice and now have a better idea as to how to proceed. Since I am an A cup, I am also going to try Lizzy's suggestion about transfering fullness from the waist dart to the side dart.

    I am wondering, however, if you or anyone else knows where the two darts should end in relationship to the apex?

    Thank you.

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  6. I've been following this process VERY carefully and it has got me thinking (again) that having a dress form would be a great asset. I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on how to buy one that fits my measurements? Do you use a dress form? Thanks. Love your blog!

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  7. Sheila, I have one, and it is not that useful to be honest. I am going to try to make one of my own using that duct tape tutorial that Threads magazine has on their site because then it will be an exact duplicate of me. On dress forms, shoulder slopes and angles are never quite right to your actual body, and it is difficult as well to get one that actually replicates where your bust sits on your body which varies muchly between lady to lady.

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  8. It looks much better! Just tucked to my heart contempt as per your last post and after I figure out how to transfer to pattern will do muslin 2. Thank you!

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  9. love the back! i have a dress pattern that is a back wrap dress and it looks similar to that. i have been meaning to make it but what with my craft fair my hands have been full these past few months! now that it is over i can start it!

    xo,
    cb

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  10. The bodice looks the right length to have the waist at your narrowest point. Maybe I'm missing something just looking at photos.
    The bust looks a little...mono boob, if that's ok to say? Not sure why that would be.

    This seems like a very difficult pattern for everyone to fit!

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  11. Just posted my muslin photos to the group. I am definitely looking forward to information about where the back should wrap to.

    I am not sure how to make the alterations because I've never done it before. Maybe I should be making a size down and grade the waist up and add an FBA because there is extra fabric above and below the bust. The sleeves seem to fit, though.

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  12. My first try happened to fit me perfectly, which is funny because that has NEVER happened and it would have been good practice for me to make adjustments.

    Mine hits high on my waist too, but I like that.

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  13. I have bought some black polka dot lawn, red for the sash and have plain black for the lining.
    I haven't yet made my muslin, but was wanting to ask about the lining for sheerer fabrics and was wondering whether it could be made more so that this is a reversible dress... What do you think? Is it much of a bother? Having never made a reversible dress, nor actually even taken the pattern out of the envelope, I am probably asking a really stupid question. I think it would be very cool to be reversible though...

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  14. That looks pretty darned good! My muslin still needs a lot of work. How much ease did you allow? The vertical darts seem unusually high on this pattern. I'm going to have to lower those at least an inch.

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  15. Cindy W, generally speaking the darts should end about 1" away from the bust apex.

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  16. Hey all, as has been mentioned, it's a good idea for your darts to end about an inch from your apex. Your apex is essentially your nipple, or the fullest part of the breast. Your darts should also be pointing at the apex, not above or below it. I'm covering dart-related stuff in my post tomorrow, so look out for that.

    I've heard back from Sarai and the wrap should definitely NOT reach the side seams. It should be about 1-2" away; the fit is a bit flexible in a wrap dress.

    playhookie, I do think you could make this a reversible dress. You'd have to eliminate the facings, line to the edges, and bag the lining. I haven't thought it through completely. But let me know if you decide to try it; I'll be interested to hear how it goes.

    I think I just need an extra 5/8" at the waist, because with the seam allowance taken off, it would be too short now.

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  17. Thank you Gertie for confirming where the back wraps to. Now that I know what's supposed to be happening "back there", I have a better chance at getting the fit right. Thanks again.

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  18. Hi Gertie, do you think we could get a fitting checklist? I'm not even sure what to look for to establish a good fit (okay, well after reading comments I've now figured out darts-one-inch-from-bust-apex, but don't really know where the bottom is supposed to hit, etc--it seems like if the bottom seam hits at the waist then the wide sash is going to make this practically an empire waist?). Thanks for all your hard work--I hate to ask but am feeling very lost with fitting. http://www.flickr.com/photos/daiyami/5252029491

    Re lining, SewMentalMama has an extended description of lining the Crepe here, which looks very helpful.
    http://sewmentalmama.blogspot.com/2010/11/colette-crepe-lined-and-reversible.html
    I think I am going to line too.

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  19. Blogger showed my comment and then vanished it...apologies if this is duplicate.

    SewMentalMama has a good post on lining the Crepe:
    http://sewmentalmama.blogspot.com/2010/11/colette-crepe-lined-and-reversible.html

    Gertie, would it possible to do a fitting checklist of how this bodice is *supposed to fit*? (If it hits at the waist, are the sashes going to be almost empire?) Thanks for all your hard work, and I hate to ask, but am feeling rather lost.

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  20. Yes it would be nice maybe to have a sketch of a figure outline with arrows showing where certain points should hit.

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  21. Guys, the day job is calling and I just don't have time to make sketches or check lists. Sorry! I always welcome guest posts, if anyone else wants to take a stab at it.

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  22. I need to make a sway back adjustment but I'm not sure that I understand how to. I would insert a dart at the center back? Would it look a little strange to have a dart on at the center back on a pattern like this?

    Also, when I'm taking in for narrow back, should I take a tuck up to the shoulder? Or should I not include the shoulder in this alteration? And if I do include the shoulder, then I'll need to make the adjustment to the front as well, correct?

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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