Getting there

After a few more changes I think I’m ready to use my muslin as a pattern. Thank you so much for your comments. A special thank you to Kenneth D. King, I was very grateful for your comment, I’m a great admirer of your work and books and was surprised you saw my post on this and took the time to comment.

Below the first change: added a thicker shoulder pad, it definitely helped (change to the left side)

Then I made a slight change to the armhole and deepened it a bit. As Gail suggested I also did a little swayback adjustment. Time to transfer the muslin to a paper pattern I think. What you see at the upper back is not a round wrinkle but the camisole I’m wearing underneath.

 

Since making this muslin I’ve looked at a lot of photos of garments I made in recent years and I see the problem more often than I like. I’ve learned a lot from this muslin, blouse patterns have to be altered too. Also that I have to refer to my fitting books again that have been accumulating dust and keep looking with a critical eye. 

It’s definitely worth all the time spent. A jacket like this I will probably wear for quite a while. I still wear the jacket below (same problem of the upper back being too wide at the armhole). It’s from May 2010. I intend to construct the above muslin jacket in the same way, which hopefully will lead to another jacket that will last for a while (can you tell that I’m not dressed following the latest fashion?)

Minor change

On the left the photo I published on Friday, on the right with a slight change to the armscye and sleeve (as first suggested by Nancy K, thank you!). I could not just take out more fromt the bodice, as that would influence wearing ease too much. I took away from the bodice and added to the sleeve. Again this is better, but there is still a hollow pleat that I don’t know how to get rid off. It’s so difficult to fit yourself, especially in the back.

Think I will I take out a little of the middle pattern piece and see what happens. If you have any thoughts on this, please share.

Adapted muslin

I made a few changes to the muslin and it’s looking and feeling better in general, less snug. Not completely there yet, though I think I’m close.

 

The front: I took out the diagonal seam at bust height, but a bit too much above the bust. At the right side I’ve made a slit and added some fabric. That is no improvement.

I’ve indicated the welt pockets with strips of fabric, higher than I planned them earlier. With a marker I’ve indicated a little change in the diagonal seam, both at the bottom and at the top. How difficult to mark the garment when looking in a mirror!

Front of the sleeves is OK. I’ve put in the thin shoulder pads I intend to use.

The back: On the right side I’ve sewn the sleeve at the seamline of the pattern. On the left side I’ve changed the armscye and took out some space, more at the bottom of it, tapering to nothing to the shoulder point. Should I take out more or should I keep the extra ease for moving? Do you agree that the left side is better than the right?

The extra space added to the right, not improving.

This side looks better. Should I add more space at bust level?

I’ve added an extra centimeter to the sleeve length just to be sure, 2.5 cm instead of my normal 1.5 with Burda. The extra centimeter is too much.

Jacket muslin

I’ve been working on drafting the pattern for the second jacket I want to make. My inspiration is another Claudia Sträter jacket. This jacket again has special design lines.

The pattern I started with is a Burda pattern. Have to check on the issue but it’s an old issue and it doesn’t look like this jacket. It has a lot of design lines though, which made it a bit easier to change them.

I’ve started with a size 40 by high bust measurement, knowing I would have to do an FBA. I decided to worry about that in a later phase, as the first thing was to get the lines of the pattern as I wanted.

 

My observations, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. (click on the pictures too see a larger one)

• it’s too long, it has to be shortened.
• Collar looks ok, both roll line and hight of lapel
• I made the shoulder a bit shorter, think that’s better, but to be finally judged with sleeves added
• Start of pocket must be more to the side seam
• FBA needed
• Curve is too round, must be a bit steeper. It gets extra attention in my version because of the different fabric I had to use, might be less of an issue in the final fabric. And no one sees the original beside my version except my blog readers
• The back is over fitted at waist level, fabric pulling and not enough space to move
• A bit more space needed at the bottom
• I’m unsure about the amount of fabric at the armscye, but this too can also be judged when the sleeves are set in

What do you think, should I sew in the sleeves in this muslin or do the adaptions first and sew another muslin of the bodice?

 

 

Winner

The random number generator came up with number 2. So ParisGrll is the recipient of the lace. Please mail me your adress (my address is in the sidebar) and I'll send it to you.

This line had to be in last post:
Thank you all for reading my blog! In those six years I have acquired quite a few followers and made online and real life sewing friends. Which is something that makes me exceptionally happy!

Miscellaneous post

For the record: this is post 600! Which I saw by coincidence this week. That is about a 100 posts a year, about 2 a week in average (must have blogged more in the early years). My blogversary was in April, during my two months blog-vacation. Six years sounds like a long period but to me it also seems like yesterday that I started my blog. At the same time: I’m in my 50’s now, my children have grown up in the meantime, my then 11 year old son now is a 17 year old, my then 13 year old daughter is almost 20. Both are studying now, we are proud parents. It makes you more aware of time passing though. The empty nest is around the corner… Quickly back to sewing:

I’ve finished 2 of the 3 projects I was working on. One is the Jalie 3130 blouse.

For the photo I’ve worn the blouse with the sleeves in both variations. It’s not my favorite shirt pattern. First off: it would have been better to start with a smaller size and do an fba.
The body is nicely drafted with bust darts and vertical darts both in the front and back. But the sleeve is symmetrical, which I don’t like, especially not for a woven fabric. There is an unusual wrinkle in the back of the sleeve, which I think is caused by this draft. Other opions on this?

Also the fabric is wrinkling like crazy, I’ve pressed during construction and just prior to taking the photos, and see the wrinkles in the right sleeve. Originally this fabric was intended for lining my jacket, but I was not sure about the comfort of it as a lining. It’s cotton batist. The hip area needs a bit more space, the collar is a bit too wide. Full review is here.

The other project was a bra, this time with preformed cups.

Recently I did a workshop at Kantje Boord and learned some new tips and trics. It has led to the idea of combining my lingerie posts in a separate blog. If you are interested in lingerie sewing you might like to read my posts there.  (for Dutch readers here). I will use the separate blog to add old and new tutorials or inspiration posts on lingerie. You know I’m not a professional seamstress, just like to share what I know and how I do it. If you’re not fond of lingerie sewing or not interested in the tutorials, just skip it.

Well to finish off the miscellaneous post: in February I I promised to do another give-away and the 600th post is a nice occasion to follow up on that promise. So I’ll give away this black/olive/white lace. Let me know in the comments that you’re interested in it. I’ll do a draw on Monday or Tuesday.

 

Inspired

My most recent jacket made me realise that this is the type of jacket I like best: fitted, definite waist shaping and special design lines. In my head the next one is getting shape. For the moment that is what it is, I’m not yet drawing the pattern, but hope to do that once the current (smaller) projects are done. I have learned that it best for me to work at one garment at a time, but have broken that “rule” and am working on a pair of trousers, a blouse and a bra. I really have to finish those first.
I’ll leave you with some screenshots of my inspiration.