Waffle Weave Cotton Princess Line Top McCalls Palmer Pletsch 2818

This is my first tissue fitting exercise, of course I didn't pick a simple t-shirt, but McCalls 2818 Palmer Pletsch princess line tank.  I thought it might be nice to have a few of these for summer.

This pattern is a mini tutorial for tissue fitting, pattern adjustments and general fitting woes. 

There was a lot of slashing, taping and tracing involved in this project.

I've selected this mossy green candidate for the muslin.

The one thing I can say about this pattern is that it isn't fitted, and I have a tendency to over fit everything. It was fitted through the shoulders and back, but once it hit the bust it hung straight down, so there was a lot of ease around the waist and rib cage. The pattern envelope says semi- fitted, so I'm guessing that's what this means.

It isn't all bad though, I added some shaping to the side seams, and I need to true up the bust shaping after all of the adjustments made to the pattern. Because the pattern falls straight down from the bust and upper back, it gave me an opportunity to keep the fullness I need in the front and taper the back.

There are some adjustments that need to be made to the back armhole, I'm finding this is one that I personally need to make on quite a few patterns (marked with white arrow). I'll need to take a dart at the back armhole which shortens the curve, then round out the back bottom armhole curve.

I've read a number of pattern reviews and it looks like the most successful versions of this top were made in fabrics that are stiff, not soft with drape. I have a number of sheer fabrics, or fabrics that need to be lined so I'll use this muslin as a lining for another top in the stash. The more I look at this, the more I think it would look better sleeveless, with another neckline, or split down the center front for a deeper v-neck.

Version 3

I think I'm ready to cut it out of a stiffer fabric.

Here are the changes that were made to the pattern.

There was too much fabric around the back armhole, so the armscye seam allowance was trimmed at the shoulder, and the princess line seam on the back was shaved back about 1/4" at the armscye down to nothing just beyond the notch.

It's darkest before the storm... sometimes you just have to hang in there to get what you want.

I changed the back to insert a zipper instead of having a button closure, so this won't be finished until this weekend when I have the opportunity to buy a zipper for it. It doesn't look so covered up in person, and the neck facing still needs to be inserted, so the neckline will be dropping another 5/8". I may decide to change the neckline to something a bit lower and rounder. We shall see.

Here are some of the adjustments that were made from the very first to the successful muslin.

The side seam shaping is the most dramatic change.

The center back piece had only a small adjustment.

This is as done as it's going to be, after all of the fitting, I picked a fabric that I have fond memories of, and just couldn't bring myself to do all of the understitch by machine, so I did all of the finishing by hand and I just couldn't stop myself, I kept on finding areas to finish off, so there is a lot of handstitching and basting in this one.

It started out as a v-neck with sleeves and then I fitted the muslin, and picked the fabric, and it turned into a sleeveless version (I only had a yard), so I raised the armhole and I made it 1 1/2" longer.

This is one of those garments that looks strange on the hanger because it has so much shaping. Better on the body for certain.

I love it, so I'll be making more of these in the future. Sorry for the dark pics, I was getting artsy and playing dress up :)

The Woven Pantie Parade

As you know earlier, I was searching for the perfect pair of panties, well I'm getting closer, but it's still not NVPL material, but they're so cute, and comfortable, and washable....tweaked from Kwik Sew pattern 2325.

Made by Moi!

This was my muslin. - Black crepe de Chine

Second attempt - Silk Jacquard flowers

I've vowed to clear out my scrap stash (because let's face it, I'm never going to make that crazy quilt :).

Peach charmeuse with vintage lace.

Once a year I tackle the pile of vintage laces my mother collected.  I wash them, dry them, iron them, and wrap them up for storage.  There were two large cuts that did this.... and they were the last two I had from that batch.

It's easier to get through them if they aren't treated as one long length, so I thought about where I could use them..... how can I use the scraps I've accumulated from these projects .... hmmmm

tada!!!

Despite looking like bloomers, they fit very well.  It's because they were made from wovens instead of a knit that they look all poofy and gathered.  Stella McCartney has some in her lingerie collection but they have the days of the week on them.

 You can see them here at Nieman Marcus and they're only $195.00 for the set.

I like mine better, these are silk rayon, with lace trim.

These are a lightweight swiss dot with lace trim.

Here's the back....

Palmer Pletsch Boatneck t-shirt Pattern McCalls M6571 With Fitting Instructions

I don't know why people think that knits don't have to be fitted.  Is it because we are so used to this kind of fit, that improving it isn't a priority? 

Example of ill fitting T-shirt

So here's an opportunity to get one version of a t-shirt done to my specifications.

Another Palmer Pletsch pattern from McCalls.  These patterns are fun, they are chock full of fitting instructions, and while the style isn't trendy or cutting edge, it is a classic.  View A is a boatneck with a shallow V  just a little different, view B is more of the classic boatneck, with a slightly rounded neckline.

This is exactly how RTW fits, complete with drag lines on the lower back and funky fullness on the front.

Tackling those issues.... sway back is adjusted.

Bust dart is marked

Changes are made to the pattern and refitted.

It's only tissue and it's already looking better.

Here we are at the fabric stage, just pinned at the shoulders and sideseams.

Tada!! This will be one of these t-shirts I'll wear until threadbare.  Now I changed the fit from the pattern a bit and made it a little less fitted.  The reason for this is that the knit used is fine cotton lisle, 100% cotton, with no lycra.  I don't know if it will shrink substantially but I've left enough ease to wiggle my way back in after washing.  The neckline on this t-shirt is very flattering, so it will be made again, maybe even today.

This is the cotton lisle close up.

I liked the facing on this t-shirt, and while I thought it might make it too precious, it gives stability to the neckline and shoulder area, and makes this t-shirt just a little more refined, and it gives the neckline stability.

The t-shirt above is view A, (on the left) which has a slight v.  View A (on the right) has a rounded shape but they are both about the same depth.  The pattern comes with 2 pattern pieces for the front, so you don't have to worry about cutting the "v" neckline and destroying the pattern for the rounded version.

Here is the other view in the pattern which is the classic boatneck.

Had to make another to go with my striped pants, but the skirt was on the dressform and I think I'm channeling french casual here.  I just need to go out and buy a baguette and beret!  This is the proper boatneck neckline included in the pattern.  I really like how this is drafted, and have learned a little about not over fitting with this pattern.

Back

Side

As a display to show off a necklace.

The pants are in the next post....

Donna Karan Vogue Inspiration with OOP Vogue 2813 and Butterick 5756

It's black (slimming), it has pockets (practical), it's cotton (feels good against the skin), it has spandex in it (comfortable but manages to hold wrinkles but not a sharp pleat), it's poplin (so it's lightweight).  

  It rustles a bit like the nuns gowns.  When I was putting it together I was reminded of the pleated plaid skirt I had to wear in school.

Here it is without the hem band (way too short).

Here it is with the hem band fully extended (way too long)


The waistband is 1 1/4" wide, and contoured, so I had to make the changes to the curve for a swayback adjustment. The new pattern pieces lie beneath the originals.



As you can see it sits nicely.

Here are the details on the pocket from Butterick 5756, which are hidden in the side seam pleat.  

This is what it looks like inside out.

Here are the pattern pieces for the body of the skirt, they are rectangular.  The round shaping achieved at the band is through the angles of the tucks at the waistline.


We have front and back pieces here with the side seams facing each other.

As you can see, there is a tuck that bridges the side seam front and back piece.

First you add the pockets to the front and back side seam.

You join the side seam as you would any other, about 2" down from the waistband, then from the bottom opening to the hem (see pins), then around the pocket pieces.

Then you open up the seam...

And sew in your tuck

The pocket sits within the fold of the tuck, out of view.

Sorry about the black projects, they are nearly impossible to photograph.

I will say that the nice thing about these pockets is that if you have something in them, the fullness in the skirt camouflages the contents, which might be a nice feature when travelling.

I bought the skirt pattern (Butterick 5756) in the hopes I had found a workable solution for that Donna Karan shirt dress on the Vogue cover back in January, it had some of the elements I was looking for but falls a little short.  It's almost there but not quite.  So a little more tweaking.  The black shirt from Donna Karan OOP Vogue 2813, the Butterick 5756 skirt.

The Vogue dress for reference

On the runway

I need a wide belt to go with it, but there's no way I can make it out of the scrap that's left.  I did a really good job of getting all of the pieces cut from a limited amount of fabric. So the skirt has a similar silhouette, and it has the bottom hem band, but in black you can barely make out the pleats or any details.

What this really needs is a skirt that's not as pleated, maybe just one pleat to hide the pocket on the dress, and a fabric with a bit of sheen.  Something way happier than this dull black. 

Front - medium width belt

Back - medium width belt

Front - Wide belt

Back - Wide belt

I think I like the narrower belt for this version, so back to the drawing board.