Saturday, April 19, 2014

Spring Sewing: Rosie Top and Lady Skater Dress (And Another Issy)

I've got an extra long weekend and I'm trying to make the most of it, sewing-wise.

Yesterday I put together another version of the Issy top (photo to follow - I can only do so many things at once and I'm overwhelmed by the tracing and cutting and marking and sewing etc.). Alas, it was a miserable process. The finished top is wearable, but has the wrong-side look of drunken mice at work.

I have to say, I will not be making the Issy again any time soon. This is my third one. The first is a massive hit, which is why I threw caution to the wind of my crap spatial reasoning to make the second (with alterations). The second was a failure for a bunch of reasons, not least of which was alteration-related. This time, I went back to the original pattern. In my coral rayon jersey, it fits in the neck perfectly and doesn't do what the leopard-print does (neckband falls backwards slightly over time). The good news is that the issue, I believe, is in the leopard-print fabric rather than in my construction. The bad news is that, nonetheless, I had to go through the same, hideous pain this time as I've experienced in the construction of each Issy top. My brain just doesn't understand what the fuck is going on. The instructions (stupidly basic to begin with) are useless cuz I trashed them with my iron. So the whole thing is like a nightmare of endless attempts and ripping out. Doesn't make me want to wear the finished garment but I hope that I'll get over it.

On the plus side, the coral fabric is truly delicious - soft, perfectly drapey and stretchy enough to hide the worst of it.

But moving on, I have plans to make 2 other garments this weekend:

StyleArc Rosie Top
and

Lady Skater by Kitschy Koo
It appears that practically no one's made the Rosie - last month's free pattern from StyleArc. Admittedly I wouldn't have bought it (given that I rarely wear woven tops). On the other hand, there's no one left who hasn't made the Lady Skater...

Thoughts About The Rosie Top:

This one is truly a wild card. I have NO idea of how to alter woven bodices to achieve the desired outcome. That didn't stop me from spending 2 hours altering the size 10 down to something in the neighbourhood of a size 4 ??? May I remind you that I don't make woven tops because I'm super small in the shoulders and far less small in the bust? Thing is, I did the math (ok, potentially incorrectly) and this would be a tent in its original format. Natch, I didn't make the bust any smaller!! But I've taken 6 inches out of the waist and an inch from the shoulders. It's a loose-fitting garment but 46" at the waist (for a size 10) is absurd.

Now, I'm not hopeful. It would be stupid to be hopeful given my lack of experience with wovens and the seemingly-incomprehensible sizing of the pattern. Mind you, gotta start somewhere. And the pattern was free!

I'm going to use a crepe with some stretch, recently gifted to me by S (my fitting friend). It's very light fabric in burgundy. We'll have to see how it goes but I've got enough to make a muslin and then another version - always the best plan of attack when you don't know what you're doing with fit.

I'll go into fitting in detail once I've made the Rosie, if it isn't an abject failure, but the main thing I've done is to remove a wedge of 2 inches from the centre back waist-length. I can do this because there's a centre back seam. Effectively I just took out a horizontal dart and closed it (adjusting the base of the bodice to maintain the lines). I haven't touched the length of the front bodice because I have to assume (as with all tops), I'll need more length there to compensate for the boobs. Mind you, the side seams are the same length, front and back, so one hopes (even if the proportions are off) that the alteration is sound.

Thoughts About The Lady Skater Dress

I scarcely know what I can say about this that hasn't been said already. OK, I'm game: The envelope drawing is a real deterrent to purchasing this pattern. I'm glad that so many others have shown that it's a lovely finished garment. Furthermore, it's a pdf download. I'm more willing than some to tape 22 pages (especially if it means I don't have to trace) but the lines were somewhat off, which really offended my sense of order. I mean, it's fixable with some attention to the grain, but really... On a side note, it appears that the newly-released Colette Patterns Moneta is pretty-well the same pattern. I'm intrigued to hear about how people feel one compares to the other.

I reviewed the unaltered Lady Skater pattern against my T shirt sloper and I had to make massive changes to the armscyes and sleeves. My sleeves and armscye are actually a size 1 (smallest) while the bust and waist remain a size 4. I had to change the angle of the shoulder seam dramatically - and to cut about an inch off the depth of the armscye and sleeve head. Happily, I knew this before cutting into my fabric. Slopers for the win (we hope).

Now, thing is, the dress requires about 2 yards of fabric for the size 4, 3/4 length sleeve version. I've got a 1.5 yards of stripes. It's going to take some serious layout skill to make this happen while pattern-matching striped fabric. Having said that, my version is really more of a size 1 than a size 4. And I'm willing to fuck with the volume and grainlines of the skirt as I have to.

Ridiculously, I don't have 2 yards of any T shirt fabric in the stash. The minute I buy it, it's gone and I cannot justify buying another piece of fabric till I've used at least 8 yards of the stash. Why? Cuz it's only economical to buy 6+ yards online (re: shipping) - which is where the best of the T shirting comes from. And I don't have space for that volume in the cupboard at this point.

At any rate, please tell me what you think of these pattern choices. Do you like them? Have you made them? Did you find either completely nutty size-wise? Let's talk!

26 comments:

  1. I love it K! I can't wait to see what you make and the fabric -- I've been seeing these around the blogosphere and this has certainly piqued my interest!

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    1. Stay tuned - I've made the muslin and it's fascinating!

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  2. I did a semi-wearable muslin of the Lady Skater in a drapey rayon knit, and I have decided that the next one needs to be in a beefier jersey (I've got some Micheal Miller 4 way stretch cotton/lycra that should be perfect). I do need to go down a size (or maybe 2) through the shoulders and armholes), but i was pleased that the bust and the back looked good without having to do any sort of FBA (I'm a 36DD to give a reference point).
    I am probably going to download the Penny Pinafore soonish - I love princess seams, and it looks like I may be able to get away with making that one up without too many alterations too!
    Have fun with the Lady Skater, and if you ever find a source for decent knits in the GTA, please let us all know! :)

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    1. I agree, rayon jersey isn't forgiving in a dress like this. What size did you make?

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    2. I made a 5 grading out to a 6 at the waist. I erred on the side of caution since I was between high bust sizes - at least now I now that i need to go down to at least a 4 through the upper chest.

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    3. Interesting. My upper bust measurement is 33.5 so I was totally between sizes from that vantage point. I let my waist measurement make the decision for me.

      And on the topic of finding good knits in TO - I'm going to have to make this a priority - in the interests of science. Stay tuned. Now that the weather is getting nicer, I'm more inclined to leave my couch.

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  3. I made the lady skater once.

    Personally I don't like the location of the waist line, I find it very unflattering as it makes the torso appear shorter.

    Also it's a very basic pattern, so in order to look good the fit has to be perfect.
    I still have some changes to apply to the pattern before I make it again...

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    1. You're so right about the fit needing to be perfect in light of the simplicity of the design. I've been wondering about the waistline. It's a bit longer on me than the natural waist. I'm going to leave it at the low side of the natural waist and see if that flatters.

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  4. Good luck with the Rosie -- I've always admired your willingness to take on anything. :) I've been 'meh' with their freebies lately, so didn't get that one, nor am I tempted to order it due to (somewhat) similar fit issues, but if anyone can wrestle it into submission... Karen

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    1. Thanks Karen! This one is a total free-for-all. I have truly no idea of what to expect. I hope I sort it out - or there will be lots of swearing! Thanks!

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  5. Neither of these patterns have been on my radar until I read your post. It will be interesting to see what you do with them.

    On the subject of alterations: why do you say that you don't know how to alter woven bodices? They're not that different from knit ones so unless the only trick in your repertoire is to put on the garment and pin it tight at the side seams, you already know how how to make the alterations. Forgive my memory (it's past 1am and my brain is on minimum power), do you have a sloper/block for wovens? Or even just a reasonably well-fitting woven top? Or a knit block that has at least some ease? Any of those would make a good starting point for determining necessary alterations.

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    1. I don't have a sloper. I tried to make one but I got bored and the muslin was ugly. I do know what to do. I mean, just finished the muslin and I had to minimize the severity of my taking in the side seams on this thing - plus I had to add 2 inches at the bust (at the princess seam) but the fit is better than I might have thought. I strangely think it's going to flatter my shape. Which is weird cuz it's kind of shapeless.

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  6. I came across a Rosie late last night (internet meanderings) and it looked pretty - though I don't recall where I saw it. I agree with Alexandra above, I'm confident you can do it with all your fit experience to date. Just leave a bit more ease than with a knit :)

    The Lady Skater dress is a sweet shape but it'll need to fit through the bodice. I haven't made it myself - is it very well drafted? I suspect the easiest way to make it fit would be to replace the bodice with a knit top pattern that fits! That's the risk- averse approach LOL.

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    1. I have applied my t shirt sloper to the dress - and I think it's the safest approach. The part of me that feels like I'm always making the same top has to recognize that there is benefit in reusing the lines that work.

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  7. i really like the rosie pattern, and think it could be quite flattering! then again, i've been drawn to very simple shapes as of late, and this has the right balance of simplicity and interesting lines. i look forward to seeing how yours turns out!

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    1. It's one I think would actually suit you perfectly! Go on and make it, why don't you?

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  8. I was not familiar with either pattern. I like the rosie and will probably order it when I place my first pattern order, which is waiting for me to actually climb the stairs to the sewing room. Then who knows what will happen.

    In the meantime I am intrigued and can't wait to see how these turn out.

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    1. Oh, I can't wait to see how they turn out! Stay tuned.

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  9. Someone on Stitcher's Guild made the Rosie, and she said she found the center front panel very wide. She narrowed the center front and added the width back to the side panel. I think the style is supposed to be A-line so that may be why the waist is so large. This is going to be a wildcard for me as well. I'll probably end up removing a bunch of width from the waist as well if/when I get around to making it because A-line tops are the worst thing ever for my figure.

    Check your email - I sent a scan of my Issy instructions.

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    1. A: I saw that review and I have to say, I didn't find it to be the case for me - I found the width perfect. But I might have a lot more going on in the boobs than that commenter does. I know you're supposed to be able to get it over your boobs, which is why there's ease in the waist (aside from it being the style!). I kind of messed up on that account :-) FWIW, it's not an A line, which is what the tech drawing makes it look like. I think you'd be ok!

      I got the instructions! Thank you so much. Not that I'm going to have the fortitude to try it again anytime soon :-)

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  10. I've had the lady skater dress on my mind for some time now. I was thinking about buying it, but now I'm comparing it to the Colette pattern. Got to make a decision.

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    1. I would still get the Lady Skater - there are more options to review - unless you prefer a paper pattern. I don't mind pdfs because, unless they have 60 pages, they tend to be faster to tape together than it would be to trace the paper version. And since you can reprint those pdf pages anytime, you can go crazy cutting the "original".

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    2. This is exactly why I don't mind PDF's either. Taping I'm fine with...you can do that with a glass of wine. Tracing...not so much! ;-)

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    3. Oh, I know. Ask me how I know!

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  11. I like the Rosie and have been tempted...but am abstaining from buying new patterns at the moment (the new Colette jersey dress excluded). When I get on top of my sewing list I am definitely giving Style Arc a try. Such great styles.

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    1. Have you bought the Lady Skater pdf? I suspect it would be more flattering than the Moneta, the more I think about it, because the Monteta has a gathered waist that's a bit too high for my liking. I think the Lady Skater is more streamlined and designed to skim. That's what I'm hoping for, at any rate. StyleArc is terrific, my challenges with fitting the woven bodice notwithstanding...

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