progress - toiles and patterns

One of the things I found to be helpful for having a blog was to record the things I had actually made. It helped me see I Was accomplishing something. I see that I need to get back to doing that more.

So, the minute changes in a toile are unremarkable and shapeless garments on a hanger out of fabric you would not be seen in public wearing are not the most inspiring.
However! a try on of the little tweaks yesterday was very encouraging. So it wasn't made to look good on a hanger, it was made to look good on me. It does. but you will have to take my word for now.

And today, I sewed the cut out trousers from the autumn to see what they needed. I see the pattern says 2009. and I know the 2009 version fitted, but I do hate the loose back leg that happens when you draft for a padded bottom! I think it just makes the whole leg look bigger. So, I found a solution somewhere (should have written it down) and then lost confidence, or life happened after having cut them out. So, anyway, the new version was so nearly right I couldn't believe it. Why did I wait? and now I have made the odd tweaks needed to the pattern, but even these will be wearable!! no photo. I will put in the zip and waistband first.

Working with garments is a lot more of a lengthy process and quite less exciting at this point than making dragons. So, tonight I decided to bluetack the results on my cupboard doors. very good reminder that I have made progress during this half-term break.

From left to right
corset/bustier, trousers, dress/bodice block with sleeve.

I took a few photos of some tweaks for the dress in case it might help someone else.
The shoulder seam was too far back at the sleeve and too far forward at the neck. So, I glued them together with another bit of paper underneath. I made the marks for the changes and drew a new line between.
While I was at it, I redrew the curve at the neck. Even when you draft it, I always find you end up with something like a sharp angle. And now that the seam was not anywhere near the original curve, I redrew it so that the front and back will join smoothly at the neck. (Click on the photo to see the new line of the curve) I knew I needed to lose some at the top of the back neck, so that helped with getting the new join right. I did a bit of adjustment on the sleeve edge, too.

another adjustment I wanted to make was just a bit of ease in the bodice. snug is okay for some things, but you want to move in it too! when I looked in the mirror, I realised I needed more on the front in the bodice, but more on the back on the skirt. So, I did a similar thing that I did to the shoulder.
First, because it was a side bust dart, I folded it out. Then I added the amount I needed* to the front. Then I laid the back bodice portion next to it to check and to make sure the balance marks/ notches would be accurate. Again, while the 2 pieces were together, I made sure I got the curve right where the new portion had been added.

Then I cut along the new line with the dart still folded out. When it is unfolded, you can see that you get the triangular shape which pokes out from the side on the pattern. This is needed so the dart can lay along the seam properly and can be anchored into the seam after it is sewn up.

yes, I could have drawn the line with the dart open and just add the same amount on the different angles of the dart. but I find you often lose the precise points where the angles change.

*I worked out how much to add by how much the seam was pulled out of line. so it was about 1 cm to the front bodice and so on.

Tomorrow I am off to visit a Certain Lad and if possible go to Fibrecrafts for some things on the wish list. I might get to post til Thursday though.