Isn't it interesting how we can be doing something and doing something and then question it? I put three quarter sleeves on this t-shirt because I have believed they are my best length for a long time and yet, folded to elbow length, I noticed that that is a good length as well. It shows off my waist more and slightly widens my bust. Hmm....
I folded the sleeve up because there were still wrinkles at the front of the arm, at the elbow. They just are. Short of painting on the t-shirt or creating an extraordinary series of darts, they have to be there because unless I hold my arm rigid and straight down from my body, it bends forward from the elbow even in a relaxed position. The bend forces the fabric to lift and that creates the not hanging completely straight wrinkles.
I've had this same debate with the wrinkles on the back of my pants. I can get rid of the ones caused by the flat derriere. The ones caused by the protruding calves are a lot more work. I talked to Sandra Betzina about them when I took the workshop with her last April. It came down to pants with a back seam or get over it.
The sleeves are similar. The one above - Vogue 8459 - is my best sleeve ever only I'm holding my arm down and straight in that picture. As soon as I relax it a bit, the forward elbow wrinkles start to appear. They are not quite as much. The heavier fabric, the lining, and the elbow dart help a lot. Thinking the elbow dart might be the magic bullet...
... I started sewing another version of the jacket yesterday in a striped yoga-clothing-like fabric. It's heavier with a nice feel. The same thing happens. If I hold my arm very straight, it's perfect. If I relax into normal, a wrinkle appears. For best results, I should choose elbow length or elbow darts otherwise, as Sandra said, get over it. I've learned over this last year that I am a lot curvier than I thought.
Cathi wrote - I'm working on improving my own TNT sleeve cap too so I wonder if you can explain more about the alteration you've done with the wedges in that one photo. I don't see where the 3/4" change is.
The picture I showed in the earlier posting was step one when I draw the wedges. I then cut on both of the diagonal lines.
In Step Two, the wedge is tipped forward overlapping the lines whatever amount is needed. The front is taped and the back is filled in.
The back curve is redrawn. On me, a tighter curve works best. Because the shoulder seam wasn't moved, the shoulder dot is remarked. It's no longer at the top of the sleeve cap. It's where it used to be. Hope that helps.
This is an adjustment that I've been exploring. It may - like my understanding of sleeves and back pant legs - change with time. Sewing is like that. On the pink coat, the shoulder seam is 5/8" longer in the back and shorter in the front than on my t-shirt pattern. That's tickling at my brain as something to experiment with next on my t-shirt which is good because repetitively sewing t-shirts would get pretty boring while ongoing learning challenges me. I like thinking about the questions and exploring the answers.
Barb finished up this piece while here. It's one that she started in my workshop Design Basics. Below is a detail image of the bead work scattered across the surface. These are somewhat randomly placed wherever they created more interest within the piece. The black frame she brought with her was too dull for the piece so she painted it with metallic purple tole paints. One of the key points of creativity - whether it's a garment or a textile piece - is to respond to the developing piece. That can lead in some very interesting directions.
We've had a wonderful three days together and today, Barb leaves around noon. She'll drop Kyle off at work on her way and then everyone else will be at work and I'll have a quiet afternoon in the studio. That's as good as having company.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - some new and wearable clothes
It seems to me that much of my sewing has been characterized by a good bit of "get over it". I try to remember that "perfect is the enemy of good". Perhaps this is just part of life.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, the more I learn to work with an accept my own bends and curves, the more I see why, from a purely artistic standpoint, fashion designers use the models they do. Construction of garments for the market is a completely different issue.
Barb's piece is very beautiful.
Thank you so much for showing the intermediate steps in your sleeve cap alteration, it makes much more sense to me now, and will, indeed be possibly very useful in my own sleeve and shoulder journey.
ReplyDeleteAbout sleeve length, I read somewhere that the "line" that the end of the sleeves makes is one that you want to choose where you have end because it will draw attention to that area. Since you have a nice waist, with space between where your arms are and your torso, drawing the attention there is a plus. (I know you had mentioned losing weight on your food journey to health, perhaps the 3/4 length was more suitable earlier?) Of course the 3/4 length sleeve tends to also draw attention to wrists and hands, which are almost always an attractive part of the body.
Anyway, thank you as always for your writing, which is a bright and thoughtful part of my days
As usual I enjoyed your observations. I can certainly applaud SandraB's "get over it" mentality. The truth is, as soon as we move our garments will develop wrinkles. Some fabrics, like linen, will be wrinkled within 5 minutes of wearing them. So I do try to get the worst of the wrinkles, and OK I have been obsessed by pants patterns lately, but I do agree: Clothing will have some wrinkles. Get over it.
ReplyDeleteHi Myrna,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation and more photos of the sleeve adjustment. I forgot to mention yesterday that I am raising the shoulder to make it a set-in sleeve because I'm finally thinking that drop sleeves look sloppy on me, and I'm attempting to get the shoulder just right. I'm getting close!
Remember that you're seeing the wrinkles when you're standing still or in pictures. In real life, you're moving around so it's not so apparent. I agree with Mardel and Bev, at a certain point you just have to let it go.
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