With the recent cold snap, (it might even snow tonight) I am hoping to avoid the mistake I make every year. I always plan out costumes forgetting that it will be bloody freezing in NYC by the time I get around to wearing them. That’s why I have decided that for my Yellow Brick Road costume I am going to lengthen the Lydia to make a shirt dress. However, all my sewing helper buddies are out of the office, so I’m really on my own for this transformation.
I set the pattern out and taped a couple pieces of paper to the bottom of it and set to work. I used a French curve and the adjusting patterns technique to guide me and I set to lengthening my Lydia. I added about 18/19 inches to the bottom of the pattern, a little more in the back following Alison’s tip from when I was making my skirt. I cut it out and sewed up a muslin (there’s no way I wasn’t gong to start out without one of those!)
It was a little loose in some places so I had to take it in a little. I remember back in the day when Rebecca Turbo was working here, she had to fit something to me and in the process showed me a cool trick. If you put the garment on inside out, you can just grab hold of the excess fabric (make it equal amounts on both sides) and pin. Once its pinned, take it off, lay it out flat and draw a smooth line through the pins, make sure both sides look about even and baste. It worked really well for my adjustments!
Everything went pretty well! I managed to make it through sewing on my first sleeve, but there is something wonky with the armhole (too small? too high? not long enough?) I have no idea. There is also a strange poof around my hips, which is definitely NOT where you want extra poof. I think that one of the biggest problems/frustrations when you are starting out sewing is being able to identify a problem (ex: armhole and awkward poof) and having no idea how to fix it, it makes you feel totally helpless!
Based on my (semi fuzzy) picture, do you have any idea what is going on there?
Oct 16, 2009, 11.44 PMby Spiderlily
Hi Alden,
The poof on the hips is easy to fix, just straighten out the curve of the side seams on the front and the back, be sure to “walk” them after your adjustment to make sure they are still the same length.
The armhole on the other hand is more difficult to judge by the picture. It is apparent by looking at the neckline that the whole upper part of the dress is pulling to your left (the side with the sleeve).
Just a few ideas to think about. It is hard to convey these techniques with words, much easier to show you.
Let us know what you end up doing.
Amy
It seems that if you were to put the other sleeve in as well that the bodice would stretch too tight across your bust. So, I recommend a few things, you of course being the judge of which to implement.
1. You could make the bust dart larger (if there is one), or don’t close the current dart as much, which is essentially the same as making it larger.
2. Make the armhole a touch longer, which would include lengthening the sleeve armscye, which is not much fun.
3. If you feel the dart is fine and the armhole is fine you could try adding some width at the center front and taper the sides seams down to the waist to make up for the added width near the waist.
2 Replies
Oct 16, 2009, 11.46 PMby Spiderlily
the third paragraph is actually the last paragraph, I messed up.
I liked it before when we could edit our posts :)
Oct 16, 2009, 11.46 PMby Spiderlily
the third paragraph is actually the last paragraph, I messed up.
I liked it before when we could edit our posts :)
Oct 16, 2009, 11.57 PMby ashchaser
Maybe your sleeves are the right size, but leaning the wrong way(like too close to the front side or top)? Whenever I’ve done this I just take the side seam out a bit until I figure out which way to alter it, and then I usually end up adding a sleeve and using a ease stitch to give it flexibility. If of course this isn’t whats wrong then I don’t know!
Oct 17, 2009, 12.42 AMby corra
I think the Lydia pattern is for a t-shirt like garment. hence it is meant to be sewn in a knit or stretchy fabric. that might be why your muslin feels weird in the sleeve, because it isn’t stretching. and yes as mentioned by others the hips just need to be taken in a little bit.
good luck!
Oct 17, 2009, 02.18 AMby erdronen
I have issues with my somewhat broad shoulders, and this looks similar to what happens to me (see this top on which the neckline ended up wayyy too wide b/c the sleeves are pulling it outwards!). Sorry I haven’t gotten that up on BS yet. I think I agree with spiderlily’s point #3 here if I understand it correctly. Try adding some width to the upper front & back around the neckline in a sort of V shape. I believe this is the “slash and spread” method. it will make the neckline a bit wider, but I think that’s what would help the sleeve here. I’m no expert and have not actually tried it, but see if that makes a difference :)
Oct 17, 2009, 05.33 AMby KateXXXXXX
You cannot fit shoulders with only one sleeve in. That WILL pull the garment off to one side. Fit the other sleeve and get a second person to take the pix so we can see you with symmetrical arms held in a natural position at your sides. Pix of front, back and both sides will help us to help you.
Oct 17, 2009, 05.40 AMby kaitui_kiwi
I’m so glad I’m not the only who uses the “put it on inside out and pin the excess” technique! ;) lol, sometimes it takes a bit of flexibility but it works!
1 Reply
Oct 17, 2009, 06.10 PMby Spiderlily
I do it too….that was how I was taught in school….I can’t see how else it could be done better.
Oct 18, 2009, 02.22 PMby nehmah
There is one problem with the in-side-out technique. The body is never the same on both sides. If you turn a garment in-side-out to make an adjustment, when you turn it right-side-out, the adjustment is on the “other” side, which may make the problem worse. If you have absolutely no one else to help you or a body form, then that may be your only course.
I was taught this fact of sewing life during a course on alterations at an adult education center. She also showed me why my bodices never fit properly. I had a 19 inch back-to-waist measurement. Since I was 5 ft. 5.5 inches tall, this had not occurred to me. Trust your tape measurement. Bless you Mrs. Riffle of WV, wherever you have retired. Cordially, Nehmah
2 Replies
Oct 18, 2009, 08.56 PMby Spiderlily
Excellent point Nehmah. That is something that never occurred to me since I always do my pattern alterations symmetrically. I suppose a solution could be to initially sew the seams of your muslin to the outside of the garment, do your fitting adjustments, lay the muslin still right side out on top of your pattern and transfer the changes. Does this make sense? Do you think it would work?
Oct 18, 2009, 08.56 PMby Spiderlily
Excellent point Nehmah. That is something that never occurred to me since I always do my pattern alterations symmetrically. I suppose a solution could be to initially sew the seams of your muslin to the outside of the garment, do your fitting adjustments, lay the muslin still right side out on top of your pattern and transfer the changes. Does this make sense? Do you think it would work?
Oct 19, 2009, 01.27 PMby nehmah
This makes perfect sense to me. (That’s how I manage alterations.) I have one shoulder slightly higher than the other, a long back-waist measurement, and tend to lean due to ankle problems. I feel like I’m listing hard a’port in a high wind some days. My bodyform is long gone, and there never seems to be a buddy with pins around when you need one! Cordially, Nehmah
Oct 22, 2009, 06.24 PMby Funnymuffin
Corra was right- If the pattern was meant for a knit or stretchy fabric, then it will not sew up correctly in a woven fabric like muslin. There does not seem to be any darts in your musiln, which is further proof that the garment is meant to be a knit. There is a different amount of ease put in when you make a pattern for a stretch, so it will not sit right when done in a woven.
I would try getting a cheap knit fabric to do another mock up in… or a fabric as close to your final fabric as possible as far as weight and handling goes. You may still need to adjust the hips, but I think it will fit you better in the chest and shoulder.