Single Minded

Just call me one-track Krissie; I cannot get T shirts out of my mind!

I wore the loud patterned one today and learned (what I'd suspected) that the neck is too low. The tremendous value in wearing one's finished garments is in learning how they still must be revised. Without wearing, I never would have understood that it's still too low in the neck only partly cuz I need to raise the bust cut line, but also because the shoulder seams need to be a bit shorter (i.e. the span between my shoulders and my chest is shorter, very slightly, than that of the sloper). I also realized that I have to take in the waist still further.

Today's revisions include:

• Narrowing the waist at its apex by another 2 inches (approx)
• Taking the shoulder seams on front and back pieces up by 1/4 inch (effectively shortening from the top)
• Raising the U neck lowest point by 1.5 inches (This might be too much, but I want to see where it lands)
• Updated on Tuesday: I also lowered the back neck by 1/4 inch to maintain the span. Where it doesn't fit is on the front, not the back.
• Oh, and narrowed the sleeve another half an inch or so. (Maintaining the armscye dimensions...)
  

Now don't get me started on the BBW sloper. For kicks, this afternoon I decided to compare the original small pattern sloper (crew neck T) against the latest version of the one I've modified no less than 5 times.

OMG. At the waist, my version is actually smaller than the XS. Everywhere else (but the full chest zone) it's smaller than the S by some degree. This pattern - which I'll take a photo of, when it finally lands, is hilariously curvy. The power of negative ease! Note to reader: It also runs rather large. Like the vanity sizing of T shirts.

At this point, I don't even know why I started with the BBW sloper - except that it is a 2 dimensional schematic that I wouldn't have felt confident drafting for myself. So I've learned I don't feel comfortable establishing the starting point, but I sure as hell feel fine taking liberties with the alterations. It's actually TOTALLY fun - like a mystery novel. And, in truth, the instructions are very helpful. I'm not knocking the book or the pattern.

Well, I'm kind of knocking the pattern. Because Wendy sure as hell wouldn't try to sell a straight waist T shirt in her line. I simply don't know why she's patterned one for all of us.