Here's today's project. It's my second muslin of the Salme Sewing Patterns Peplum. Since I made the first wearable muslin, last weekend, I have worn it and clarified its fit issues.
Have I mentioned lately that everyone would do well to make a wearable muslin of everything and then to wear it in the real world? You learn more about what needs to change in a day of regular wear (of a garment in a fabric the drape of which will match your "final item") than you ever will from a cotton, half-done basted thing that you try on for 30 minutes in your sewing room to gain a sense of fit.
Back to muslin 2, this new version is an interesting and rather different spin on the last one:
- Length, darts and side seams up to armscye in size 12 (the original)
- Armscye, graded the 12 to a size 10
- Shoulders and neck, graded from a 10 to an 8
- Removed .5 inch above the bust on the front (to shorten from shoulder to bust apex where I there was way too much extra length for me)
- Removed .5 inch below the armscye on the back (to address substantive pooling)
I'm very close to posting about this theory I have - not a new one - and a potential way to address bust alterations for the narrow/buxom/short-waisted frame. But I need to clarify a few things first. This muslin should give me a lot more info to work with.
Finalement, that silk is very strangely-patterned (Tracy Ellen, 2007, according to the selvedge). Part of me thinks it's chic and interesting. Another part thinks it's entirely Pebbles and BamBam. I have no idea how it's going to look on me. I guess today will tell.
What do you think of it? Feel free to say you think it's hideous. I mean, you don't have to wear it :-)
PS: Have this whole other theory about peplums and the kinds of frames that should stay the hell away from them. That'll be in yet another post coming soon.
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Very interesting - I too get enthusiastic and convince myself patterns fit really well, only to discover the fit issues later when I'm wearing the garment at work for example... I think this is going to look beautiful on you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gabrielle! Your new Drape Drape dress looks lovely. How is the English version of the book? Have they increased the size range for the non-Japanese market?
DeleteOooh, I like this fabric! Can't wait to see this one!
ReplyDeleteIt's coming together slowly. Hope to finish it today...
DeleteOh man, yeah, I have that same problem with thinking that things fit really well until I've worn them a few times. And then all I can do is nitpick about this or that....except for the Burda shorts that I've worn entirely too often for the last two summers. I'm still in love with those. :-) Hopefully you'll get this version finished today!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it torture? :-) Make those Burda shorts 10 more times and feel smug!
DeleteI am a fan of the wearable muslin. First versions are generally out of something cheap so if it doesn't work I'm not heart broken but nice enough I'd wear it if it works out. And yes, wearing it all day helps. Just because it's okay when you're standing up with good posture doesn't mean it is going to work while moving.
ReplyDeleteSo true - it's movement that tells you about fit. Standing in front of a mirror only gives part of the story.
DeleteI think I'm coming to the same conclusion about the wearable muslin, at least for those fitting issues that involve comfort. I am not very good at fitting a pattern, but even when I spend the time, I don't seem to get it from a crumby muslin "muslin". As always, I so admire your efforts to get things right no matter how much time it takes.
ReplyDeleteThanks Victoria - I like to seem very focused and effortful, but it's more about being insane when things are off-kilter than anything. And I'm starting to feel really "ok" with letting a garment unfold over a variety of wearable prototypes. It seems to be the only way at this level of my experience.
DeleteYeah, you never really know until you wear it, do you? Honestly, when I look back at my most worn items vs. the ones that stay in the closet, the connection between how happy I was with them or not when they were completed is not always clear/predictive.
ReplyDeleteI think the fabric is Bamtastic!
I know! And you really don't know which items are going to get the play in the end. Some garments I LOVED when first I completed them, but they just don't make it onto the regular roster.
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