And there was a muslin...again

But this time the muslin is right. I seem to have finally cracked my kimono sleeved bodice fitting nightmare and this version (not my second or third) seems to be right. I obviously will not find out for sure until I sew it up in the fashion fabric. Wool behaves different from calico but I hope it will be a good fit. Excuse my figure in the photos. I have foam curlers in my hair but thought a touch of lipstick would make the photo more presentable.
The bodice was not the issue as it fits right. I was a bit unhappy with the sleeves at the shoulders but they lay flatter on this version. I think on the first photo I was slouching and that's why you see bunching up.

The back had the biggest issues and I'm happy that changes done have sorted that extra fabric at the back.

The pattern pieces after all the changing look horrendous but if final goal of fit is achieved it doesn't really matter. And finally I can abandon the world of muslins for a bit and start cutting into my yummy wool flannel. Wish me luck!!

Winter Wool Dress Muslin - Advice Wanted

Today must be muslin day (toile for my British friends) as the lovely Karen blogged about her coat muslin earlier on. I agree 100% with her on the fact that there is nothing flattering about a muslin. I look hideous! But I know muslins are important to ensure a good fit. How frustrating to spend time and money and end up with a badly fit garment. Just take my Winter wool dress, from the gorgeous pattern above. If I had cut my pricey, gorgeous wool flannel what would I do with it? I wouldn't wear it, for sure.

Anyway...I need help! I need your wonderful advice on how to fit this dress and any comments are very helpful.

The dress fits like a glove from the waist down. The length needs taking by about 10 inches but that's easy. I only pinned it roughly for the photos so ignore that.

Onto the dreaded photos. Straight up with arms down you can see some bagginess in the arms.

Hands on hips the bagginess in the arms becomes clear.

Side view shows some more bagginess in the front and somethings terrible wrong at the back.

Back view. Too much fabric.

So as usual for me, the bodice is way too big, even though the measurements in this vintage pattern are smaller than mine. ( I'm a bust 32 and pattern is for bust 30). The sleeves are kimono with gussets under the arms. Disappointingly (but understandable) my pattern making class was cancelled today due to illness as I believe we were going to do kimono sleeves.

My dear readers, any suggestions, recommendations? What do I take out, where and how. Thank you!!

The hour of the muslin!

Before I even say anything else let me share with you all that for some reason that I'm unaware of, I have a deep dislike for the word toile. Not so much writing it but saying it. Silly I know, but that's the reason I always say muslins. I know I'm in the UK and should be saying toile but hopefully none of my UK readers will take offence.
I have done some progress in my sewing and done two muslins. The first was a Colette Beignet skirt. I've cut a size 2 at waist and 0 at hips and the result is perfect. Photos were taken but they are not that interesting and everything fits fine so why bother you with that.
For my second muslin, for which your fitting feedback is more than welcomed, I present you lots of photos:

The Perfect Fit Bombshell Dress from Gertie Sew Retro Craftsy class. The above photo presents a few wrinkles but feels pretty good overall. Length is fine, as it hits the waist.
The next couple of photos show a gap on side seams. Now for me the most, in my face fitting issue is this. I need to take in the side seams, about 3/4" maybe and reducing as I go down. It fits fine at the waist.

The other issue I think I have is a slight drop of bust cups. They fit fine but they drop. Now this might be resolved by taking in the side seams but I am thinking that the real problem solver will be the halter neck strap, which I will use. I don't like strapless dresses or blouses. Now surely that will pull them up, no?

Finally a shot from the back. I know it looks like it's too tight but in all honesty, it isn't. And I don't have any extra fat there, so not sure why those flaps of flesh there.

What do you think? Any glaring or not so glaring fitting issues I haven't identified?
I'd love your opinion!

In Construction: Burda 7441 Casual Trousers

Sewing has been slow around here. In fact everything has been slow lately. I have been extra tired and lazy in the evenings and end up doing nothing. However I know that doing nothing for long leaves me frustrated so I hope to get out of this rut quick.
Last weekend I have started construction on my ambitious casual trousers, using Burda 7441. The pattern claims to be of average difficulty and rates it a 3 out of 4 in difficulty. The trousers also have a variety of features I have not sewn before, like a hip yoke (which I still have no clue how it works), lots of inner and outer pockets, fly zip, etc. I think I will take this one slowly.

I decided to do tissue fitting and follow Pants for Real People guidance to the letter. First you trim the pattern pieces on your size or a larger one, if you're unsure. It then advises that pattern pieces are pinned to a gridded cardboard cutting mat to help accurately mark changes equally in both sides. I confess I had never heard of such cutting mat, but eventually found one online and bought it.

Once pieces are pinned you proceed to doing any changes you know you'll have to make. I decreased leg length by 7cm and also created new line from size 10 waist to size 8 hip.

After these changes are made, Pants for Real People suggest you mark stitching lines. To do this you can use a measuring tape, as they are usually 5/8" wide. I actually found this very useful as sometimes my cutting can be a bit jagged. And I think it was the talented Sherry, from  Pattern Scissor Cloth that once said all you need are the stitching lines, the cutting lines don't matter as seam allowance size can vary. Sherry, correct me if I'm wrong.

In order to tissue fit you have to tape the crotch area, otherwise you run the risk of tearing the fabric. Scotch Magic Tape is the one to use.

After, you pin front to back piece on stitching lines and "dress" it on. I do not have photos of this, so I do apologise. I found it very odd and not entirely convinced I can identify fitting issues easily. After all, paper doesn't behave the same way as fabric. All I looked for was length and CF and CB. Maybe I am not doing it right?
I used the cardboard mat to cut the fabric and see if it would improve my cutting experience but apart from helping me match selvedges I didn't find many advantages. Maybe because I did it on the floor. If you look at all those photos you see me crouched down. My back didn't enjoy this at all and I was very tired when I finished. I don't think I'll use it like this again until I have a proper cutting table.

Do you do tissue fitting? Do you use a cardboard cutting mat? What are your experiences?

My Sabrina Dress #4 - Fitting alterations

It has been slow over here, for a number of reasons I won't go into right now. I managed to finish the fitting alterations I needed on My Sabrina Dress. The final bodice looks something like the below.

Much better than this, don't you think? So what did I do? I followed the advice given by Alexandra in my previous fitting post and pinch excess down the middle of the bodice. You can see it pinned on the photo above. It made all the difference, so thank you Alexandra. I ended up removing 4cm at top reducing towards the midriff. I also took some excess out of side seams, 2cm at top phasing it down. The midriff fits perfectly well at the waist so none was removed there.
This all sounds very easy and straightforward but do not be fooled, my dear readers. It was a nightmare to transfer alterations to pattern pieces and I did 4 more muslins before I was happy with it. The problem was very simple: maths! Do I need do say more? Me and numbers do not go well together and even simple, logic problems leave me stumped. A bit embarrassing, I have to say.
This weekend I will be cutting the fashion fabric and if I'm successful at matching florals in the way I intend to, I will share it in a post with you.

My Sabrina Dress #3 - The first muslin

I have finished construction of the muslin/ toile for my sabrina dress and surprise, surprise? It's too big on the bodice. I read many times before that vintage patterns run smaller and because this one has my exact bust measurement I was hoping it would fit. But no. Alterations will be needed, especially as I intend to use to dress snug (unlike Audrey Hepburn in the movie, who uses it with a jumper underneath).
A couple of shots from the front. There is to much space on my bust and also on shoulders.

The dress has two pleats running from midriff to bust and the idea is to increase width to make it snugger. With the shoulders and neckline I'm not sure yet. I might just pinch around (like I did for the Crepe) and see what happens. What I will do for sure, is read my copy of Fit for Real People to see what I find that can be of help.
The back has to much ease as well. Pinch excess and remove?

The midriff sits nicely and the skirt as well. It will be longer that here.

What do you think? Any tips on this fitting?

Trousers Sewalong: The first muslin

I have completed the first muslin from the Vogue 8604 Trousers I'm making for the Sewalong hosted by The Cupcake Goddess. I am really liking the shape of these trousers and have identified a few fitting issues and potential alterations to make. I am very new to fitting so I welcome any feedback, comments, opinions from you all!

Front view

Side View

Back View

Issues identified (trying not too sound too rude):

• I have thin legs so the back is quite full and straight. According to my recent book purchase, Pants for Real People, I might need to take in the back inseam to add more shape to it.
• The crotch length my be too big. It's about 2" longer than me (if that makes sense). However, it doesn't feel odd or uncomfortable and possibly when I take back inseams it might change.
• The trousers are too long but that is something that I am used too as I am short.
• The pattern asks for a regular zip but I am contemplating an invisible one, as it will look much nicer. Either that or I will put a shorter zip. I don't like how the bottom of the zip goes ...err...on my bottom and would probably get away with a smaller one.

What do you think? I'll be posting this photos to the flickr group to get further feedback and also appreciate your comments, fitting related or not!

Crepe Sew Along - Second bodice muslin

I slowly worked my way through the fitting of the bodice this past week. And comparing to my first muslin this one if much improved. Although I'm not yet sure it's good enough. Opinions welcome!

• I took in 3/4" at the side seams
• I tucked and removed 1/2" across the front and back of bodice (just above darts)
• I moved bust dart down (but stupidly did this before I took side seams and ended up with shorter dart)
• I added width to the upper part of the waist dart to address the extra fabric just under the bust.
• I took 3/8" from shoulder seams

There still seams to be a bit of extra fabric under the bust and at the side and depending on how my arms are positioned it crinkles up in that area. That might be resolved with adding length to bust dart. For muslin 3 should I also add a bit more width to upper part of waist dart?

I think the bagginess you see here is just because I didn't tuck the inner part well. (at least I hope so). As I took in side seams should I move darts in ? Might be a "duh" question but not sure.

If you have any idea or suggestions I am, as always, happy to hear it!

Crepe Sew Along - First bodice muslin

Very excited to have started my Crepe Wrap Dress. I was unsure of what size to cut but after some valuable advice I decided by a US size 0. This is one of the parts of the sew along I'm most looking forward to as I have never learned how to fit a bodice properly. The dresses I've done so far are all wearable but they also are a bit spacious in the bust area. Especially vintage inspired patterns tend to to be drafted to those with generous busts. Mine is a long way from generous, it's simply small!
So am I happy with a straight from pattern fit? I'm not sure.

A view from front. With my arm open the fit seems fine.

However with my arms relaxed there seems to be surplus fabric in bust area and shoulders.

A side close up vie show the darts and the shoulder better. The bust dart ends a bit above my bust point (do they call it apex or am I making it up?). It also shows a bit of extra space leading from waist dart. Maybe it's the style but at this point I'm not sure.

A back view show on shoulder a bit sloppy but maybe it's because it's not tied around the waist the way the finished dress will. Again not sure.

My own conclusions are that the bodice is a bit spacious in bust and could be adjusted and the shoulders could use with a few adjustments as well. But I just don't know. I've never gave fitting much of a thought so find it difficult to know what's right and what's wrong (some things are obvious, I know).
I'm going to be uploading these images to the Crepe Sew Along Flickr Pool and hope someone can help me with fitting. I think Gertie will shows us her muslin this weekend so hopefully there's something there as well to help me. And your comments are more than welcome as well!

Talking about fitting made me look around for a good book and Fit For Real People has very good reviews. Any of you familiar with this book?