Dressmaking question, help needed please. 12 January 2014 at 3:44PM in Crafting 17 replies 1.2K views

flea72

If top heavy then you really need to go for patterns with darts, as they are easier to adjust for boobage, without affecting the rest of the oattern/neckline

pigpen

Normally you need to make a size 2 sizes bigger than you actually wear.. so if you wear a shop size 12 you use pattern size 16..

It might be worth using old bedsheets or something to make a trial run,( toile ~ pro.. 'twarl'.. kind of ) make adaptations to that adding fabric where you need it and using the modified fabric for your actual pattern.. it's a bit of work but you have a pattern adapted for you that you know will fit.

My dressmaking tutor swore by 'Moon' threads

cickly

'Dressmaking' by Alison Smith is a very good book for beginners like us! It shows you how and where to alter patterns to get them to fit you better and also has patterns in the back.
I got my copy from The Works and it has definitely been a bargain buy for the amount of times I have consulted it!
http://www.theworks.co.uk/p/books/dressmaking---the-complete-step-by-step-guide/9781409384632

tangojulie

OK this pattern is very simple - good choice! It should be relatively easy to alter.

However - it already has a wide neck and you don't really want to widen it any further in case it falls off your shoulders. I'd be inclined to slash the pattern in a line shaped like a Y with only one arm, so that you cut through the shoulder, parallel to the end of the sleeve, as far as the bust line. Then pivot and cut vertically to the bottom. Spread the pieces apart so that you have whatever extra width you need.

For the neck facing, perhaps you could cut it across the grain instead of parallel to it? The pattern would be going sideways but it wouldn't show. Or as others have said, use a different fabric or just bind the edge. If you do use a different fabric, make sure it's the same weight. If you understitch it, it will roll to the inside and won't show at all.

Artytarty

THank you everyone, wel I've cut it out in some different cotton I have, not so nice. I used my french curve to add on where I thought I would need it and I decided to make it long em ought to wear As a summer dress just because I had enough fabric. So I put a zip in the centre back, not terribly well but hey no. I sewed it into the seam allowance and it looks well when you just lay it out but I think when I wear it and move then the bit covering the zip will act like a pleat and open funny things going on at the neck too after I joined the shoulders, the front and back neck don't make a nice continous curve.
No worries about it slipping down my shoulders though Asa I have broad an d straight shoulders!
I may well have to put some darts in retrospectively if it is just too sack like, that's another reason I needed a zip.
Why did they call this the one hour tunic?
It's taken about four so far... But I'll keep on at it and hopefully learn from the experience.
tangoJulie, can you please tell me what you mean by under stitching?
Thanks.

tangojulie

Understitching is where you sew together the facing and both seam allowances, but not the outer layer. It makes sure that the facing stays neatly on the inside. There are lots of tutorials on the internet but the clearest explanation is here

http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/understitching

If you do it on a curved edge you will need to trim and clip the curve first.

Artytarty

Thanks for that explanation. Yah it's all gon nelly up today as the "thing" resembles surgical scrubs! I am proud of my nice french seams and pocket insertion but it would give a sack a bad name.
I lowered the neckline at the front as it was too high for me so now I'll have to make bias binding to finnish it and the armholes off. I don't think I could make a facing to match now hat I have deviated from the pattern.
I think we are talking purely practice now as I seriously doubt I will ever wear this garment. Also, it won't do for the nice vintage fabric.
I will try putting some long double ended darts into the body to see if it improves with a bit more shape to it. But just...Urgh!