Stabilized And Straight

Yesterday was one of those days. I'd already had a go around with my son about why he didn't want to go to his doctor's appointment and the carpenter had already phoned to say the window would not be installed as planned and then the landscaper came and looked over the work not done and while it wasn't me that he was angry with, he was angry. His crew did a lousy job and lied to him to boot. I felt bad for him and then I ended up feeling bad.

AND THEN... the window cleaners were an hour late so I phoned and left a message asking where they were. When the owner called back another hour later, he said they were short a person and might not be coming at all to which I replied that I'd taken a day off work for this. He then sent two guys but claimed that I'd only asked for the exterior to be done. No. That doesn't require a day off work. They only did the outside. IMHO...

... it's bad PR to not show up as arranged and not call and make me track you down only to hear you say you can't come and that the mix-up is my mistake. It wasn't the employee's fault so I didn't take it out on him but I did say I was not happy since I was out my time off work as well as the morning spent waiting and money not earned as well as money spent for half a job and I still have to clean the inside myself. They wanted to book the interiors for Sunday. Not likely. I won't be hiring them again... ever...

AFTER THAT... I just wanted to stamp my feet, scream, throw a hissy fit, and have a good cry. I took the day off for FOUR things and NONE of them worked out. Go figure. Thankfully, there's sewing. Aren't you so glad we have sewing as a destressor? I am - especially yesterday. It was the only thing working out.




This is the fabric I'm making my trial run out of. It's a cotton voile that I bought in the bargain section in Nanaimo last fall for $1.50 a meter. The border print runs along the bottom and I've used those up and down squiggly lines for the waist insert as well.

By last night, the back was completely together with the invisible zipper in, the front skirt and waist insert were together, the front bodice pieces were sewn to the back and I'd used fusible stay tape to secure and tighten the neckline. Next, I need to finish the neckline and then sew the bodice to the skirt and waist insert. I'm using self made bias tape on the neckline and armholes and making a sleeveless summer version. The grad version will have sleeves.

Rather than lining the dress, I plan to make a t-shirt-ish-like slip to wear underneath that will also provide bust coverage in the event of gaping when leaning forward at work. I may use a lace insert on the slip front depending on how it comes together.




The three pleat full bust adjustment did NOT work. It pulled up in the front as shown below. When I separated and levelled the waist insert, there was a 1 1/2" gap. I made another bodice adding that amount and then another one adding an additional 1/2" meaning that in the end, I did a 2" full bust adjustment.




The picture below shows the first adjustment. The second one followed the same format adding the extra 1/2". What I did was...




... tape the top portion of the bodice piece to tissue paper and draw a line through center front. Then I cut up through the pleats to the bust point and slide center front down the required amount keeping the lines aligned. This caused the pleats to split further. I adjusted the amount between pleats and then taped the previous pattern to the tissue, completed the lines, and used the new pattern.

Here's how the 2" full bust adjustment looked finished. I basted the pieces in and only replaced the bodice piece each muslin. You can't see but I also let out the side seams because there wasn't quite enough ease once the bust was level and the skirt was pulling. There's a slight up at the center point but not nearly what we were seeing before. Hopefully, with the interfaced waist insert on the "real" thing, that area will be stabilized and straight. We'll see. One of the reasons I picked the print I did was to - hopefully - hide any lines that weren't totally straight.

Bev wrote - This is so interesting -- and timely for me. I've been wondering if I too need a different size from front to back. If you can, please explain how to adjust for the differences. No let me say a little more, when I look at a pattern the difference in sizes is not merely width. Often, the armscye hems and other things are different. Higher, lower, wider, etc. How do you adapt for those differences?

Your comment was timely too. It came in this morning just as I was proofing the post so I could add this bit. I pick a size. For my upper body, that's fourteen all of the height lines on the fourteen as well as the armhole. I cut all of the width lines on the different sizes so on a blouse, the shoulder, armhole, neckline, and hems would be a 14 but the two side seams would be a 16 and a 12. On a skirt, I think I'm an 18 so I cut on the 18 lines for height and the 22 and the 16 for width. I make any adjustments from there such as the FBA or narrowing shoulders or lessening hip depth or altering the crotch line. Does that make sense? Let me know if you have more questions.

This morning, I'm having breakfast with a friend and then we're going plant shopping. Most likely I'll plant those when I get home but hopefully I'll have time to finish the dress tonight as well. I'd like to wear it to work asap. I'm so bored with my clothes. It's time for new spring things.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - today is the birthday of a childhood friend. We were friends for over twenty-five years and then suddenly, she stopped talking to me. Please don't suggest that I ask her why because I have. I sent numerous cards and left phone and email messages and finally quit as it she wouldn't communicate. I think of her often and miss her. HAPPY BIRTHDAY K - wishing you all the best.