I got it in my head that I needed to try sewing a woven top. I'm almost 100% comfortable sewing knits, but fitted wovens are starting to freak me out a bit. The culprit: The Crepe. For anyone who wasn't a reader (and blissfully missed my awful muslin pictures), the Colette Crepe dress was the dress that just wasn't meant to be. Despite the fact that I sewed up no less than 4 bodice muslins, tried using 2 different fashion fabrics (FOUR YARDS EACH), this stupid dress just wouldn't let me win. My beautiful fashion fabric is all cut up, staring at me from a ziplock bag. Taunting me.
Anyway. Simplicity 2599 was an obvious choice for 2 reasons: It was a "Best of 2010" pattern, it was pretty cute, and it wasn't super fitted, making fitting easy....or so I thought.
I started with muslining a size 8 & it was huge. Way huge. So, I basted the shoulder & side seams in about an inch & that was much better. I must have gone wrong somewhere when transferring the changes to my pattern, though, because it ended up teeny tiny. Sigh. Starting all over, I traced & sewed a size 6. Too big. Better, but too big. On to a size 4--the smallest size on the pattern. Again. Too big. I might have been able to live with the front if I used the elastic on view F (which was my plan anyway) but the back, oh my. The bag was just huge. I could pinch out a good 2 inches.
And that's when I gave up. I'm tempted to try the Sencha--but honestly. I don't think the high necking & the cut-on cap sleeves would be flattering on me. For now, I'm sticking to knits. But I am perusing Ottobre as my next option. Rumor has it that they are much more realistic in their fitting.
I'm not sure this could be officially considered a wadder, as it didn't even make it past the muslin stage, but it sure was a hit to my ego at first. Then I realized, in this particular scenario, there really wasn't anything I did wrong. I really could have made it work. But I made a choice. There were other things I would rather sew; things that in reality, have a more secure spot in my wardrobe.
Speaking of my wardrobe, I've realized that 99% of my tops are knits. I own 1...maybe 2 white button down shirts. That I've never worn. And have no plans to.
So, why the big push for a woven top? I just don't know. I do have a woven dress that I hope to muslin shortly, though.
Since it has a CB seam ... why not start taking it in (obviously before putting in the little zipper) until it no longer resembles the late 18th century "sack-back" dresses? If that moves the side seams too much, then split the diff between the CB and each side seam.
ReplyDeleteThat is, if you decide to try it again after the frustration has faded.
Hmmmm....
ReplyDeleteI took a look at your Crepe (sorry to bring it up.....) & I gotta say that nothing about that dress looks easy to fit, to me! Not your fault, I say!
As for the sizing on this top, my belief is that Big 4 sizing has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual human bodies they are supposed to fit on. Nothing. Again, not your fault, I say!
Sorry, I've not much to offer in the way of practical help here, but I do encourage you to take some breathing time & don't give up!
How about downloading Colette's Sorbetto top? It's free!!! And lots of people are having success with it (including me) No sleeves, so it could give you just the sort of fitting practice you need?
Hey Jenna, sorry about the "fail" on this pattern. It's cute, and looking at it closely, you can see that it is meant to be blousey and loose. You might want a more fitted style if you want to try a woven again (doubt that :-).
ReplyDeleteI'm going to catch up here-somehow Blogger dropped your blog off my list! Now you're back :-)
This would have been a nice top! I'm sorry to hear about your frustrations, I can totally relate to sizing issues. I have never tried Ottobre for women, but I think you would like it. Also, I find that I have a lot of knitwear in my closet as well. Good luck with your woven dress!
ReplyDelete