The Sewing Place

How'd you do that then?

wrenkins

How'd you do that then?
« on: May 20, 2020, 12:41:29 PM »
Can someone please explain to me how @Greybird can get a whole sleeved jacket out of 1m and yet the sleeveless blouse that want to make requires at least 1m and up to 1.6m depending on the width of fabric. @Ploshkin can get and entire three piece suit out of a metre and a half! (Slight exaggeration but I'm pretty sure Ploshy got a cardy out of half a metre!).

How can this be? Where am I going wrong? The blouse in question is this one view E. No sleeves, no collars no nothin'!
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Acorn

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2020, 12:46:24 PM »
Is the back very gathered?  That's the only thing I can think of.
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

wrenkins

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2020, 13:42:03 PM »
I don't think so. I might have a bit of a pucker going on but nothing huge. I really should have bought the fabric before it got down to the last metre I suppose.  ><
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Ploshkin

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2020, 14:00:28 PM »
I'm the stingiest of stingy cutters.  I spend ages shuffling the pattern pieces around to get them to fit in the most economical way.  Don't know why because I usually end up with a bit of fabric that's no use for anything but handy if I make a cock up  :)
Life's too short for ironing.

wrenkins

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2020, 14:11:46 PM »
You see so am I Plosh! I got an extra pair of pyjama shorts out of fabric bought for trews and a robe and still had some tatters left for P&Q.  :ninja:
I've looked at the layout diagrams and even allowing for cheating with facings and so on, I just can't see it.  8) I've even done away with the flarey back bit and dopey ties in my head! I might just lay it all out and see what I can do. I've been watching this fabric for months so it serves me right!  :(
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Helen M

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2020, 14:20:56 PM »
Have you made all the alterations needed to the pattern for your size @wrenkins? I've also read that it sometimes is more economical to cut in this case the back as a single layer, so you'd flip the half over to complete. I don't get the logic of it but.......

I used to have a squared kitchen flooring which was ideal for laying out. Put a ruler marking out your fabric measurements and have a play around. Take a picture if you get it to work out and then try them on the fabric.

I bet it's the facings that are taking up fabric. I wonder if you could piece them, say half the length of the front facings as they won't be seen?
Stash Busting 2024 - Goal: 25 metres
So far:  1.5 metres  ------ Donated : 0 metres
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Vezelay

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2020, 14:35:50 PM »
The sleeveless version with collar looks similar to Maria Denmark's Edith blouse  https://www.mariadenmark.com/shop/402-edith-blouse-and-dress/. I made two versions of this and my records say it took less than a metre.

G'wan - you can do it!
« Last Edit: May 20, 2020, 14:38:27 PM by Vezelay »

wrenkins

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2020, 14:42:47 PM »
Much and all as I'd like to just cut out and sew, there will have to be an enormous FBA done. I'll have to keep an eye on the armholes too as because of the boobage, armholes always show my bra. NOT HAPPENING! I'm fast going off this idea.  :faints:
This is why I never make clothes.  :(
In reality it will be stressful enough making something to wear without having to worry about running out of fabric too. That would set me back completely! I'll just find more fabric!
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Greybird

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2020, 14:46:07 PM »
Mine had princess shaping so I was able to shuffle the pieces so that they tucked into each other closely - all 4 body pieces fitted across the width of the fabric, but not on the same level. The sleeves fitted on the leftover bit and I got just neck facings out of the rest- although i didn't end up using them because I lined it. I assume you've tried folding the fabric sides to middle so that you have 2 folds to play with?

This is not a good time of day to be doing it. You might find a solution by doing it first thing in the morning!

wrenkins

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2020, 14:50:31 PM »
I haven't even ordered the fabric yet. I don't want to waste money if it isn't going to fit. I have a similar pattern with princess seams and @Elnnina is desperate for me to make something that fits me...as am I!!! 0_0 Can I find the pattern?!?!?! Can I bu$$ery!
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Elnnina

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2020, 16:10:54 PM »
Yes Wrenkins I am desperate to learn that you have mastered an FBA once and for all and that you now have a top that fits you and covers you where you want it to cover. 

Now whilst only Wrenkins knows about my recent tissue fitting on my personal dress stand (one that was made to be me some 10 years ago now and more recently padded out to be more realistic to today's shape) I actually had part of my pattern for a robe drawn out on tissue paper and this part included CF line plus the fold line for facing, shoulder line - well beginning of it, side seam and armhole these were taken from a top that I had made the pattern for and fitted me, and the rest was from a long ankle length towelling robe that has seen better days.  I must add that I have strings of curtain weights sewn on to my dress stand, so I could feel where the ridges were and pinned the tissue in place down the CF, the side seam and the beginning of the shoulder seam.  I then smoothed the tissue paper across over the upper chest towards the armhole and then from the armhole towards the wave of tissue of the upper chest and a dart magically appeared and that was so easy.  Then I did the same for the underarm dart, and these two darts look just right and appear to give me the shape I need.  So in theory instead of having one huge underarm dart, and I do mean huge, having two darts, one at the underarm and one from the shoulder so far is looking good, and if this works well on this thin poly cotton, then I am hopeful that it will be the same on thicker fabrics.

So come on Wrenkins, find your pattern and order your fabric and let us see how you get on, or are you going to make a toile first?

I also have on a piece of coloured card the shape of an armhole that I am happy with, so I tend to use this armhole on anything I make - again this was trial and error getting it right, and like Wrenkins I do not like a bra showing under the arms.

Back to my old towelling robe this had dropped sleeves, and a shawl collar and a wrapped front with a tie belt, well I didn't want most of that, certainly not the dropped sleeves, the shawl collar and wrapped front with tie belt.  So I have spent quite a while playing with tissue paper and have now created a pattern for my new robe that will have a buttoned front, set in sleeves, and a little shallow frilled neckline.

I have 14mtrs. of fabric left over from when I made two previous nightdresses, so I am getting a new ankle length robe and three ankle length nightdresses from all of this, and whilst the nightdresses again my own pattern so a peasant style neckline elasticated, puffed elasticated short sleeves, and a deep frill at the hem, I then turn under just the depth of the overlocking stitch and then embroider a delightful small scallop stitch all around the hems of the frill, the neck edge and the sleeve hems, and I will also stitch this scallop on the hem of the robe, and the sleeve hem and also the edge of the neck frill.  I have spent a few days working out the layout and cutting out of all of this, as when I ironed the fabric ready for use came across some flaws in the weave, some worse than others, so it has been a bit of a juggling act, but I think I am there now for the final lot of cutting out.  The fabric is a lovely poly cotton, so just right for the summer, but I will then have to make myself another robe for the winter months.

wrenkins

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2020, 17:26:46 PM »
14m left over!!!!  :faints: I buy fat quarters.  0_0
Yes @Elnnina that was the attraction of the 'lost' pattern. Many darts coming from all directions. If the Egyptians can make the Great Pyramids... :thinking:
I think I definitely need to do a toile to take the pressure off and at least if it all goes wrong I won't feel so bad. I've lost my fitting buddy so I'll just have to do it myself. I can't help feeling he'd have been distracted anyway! =8 He's holed up somewhere else.
I'll haul out some pieces of polycotton that I bought last year for this very thing and see how I get on.
I love the sound of that nightie. I had one like that when I was about 15 in white and the scalloped edges were sewn with a scalloped stitch in bright variegated thread.  :loveit:
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Elnnina

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2020, 10:40:42 AM »
I should have explained a little more about the amount of fabric I had.  Initially I had bought 6mts. of this particular fabric, and then thought that this would make a nice robe, so I bought more  and decided that I would finish off the roll and it is this second purchase that is the 14 mts.  It was always intended to be a robe and nightdresses.  The first 6mts were made up back in 2010 and I am still wearing them now and they have been washed and washed and are looking rather faded.  I rather like my peasant style nightdress as it is so very comfortable and I am rather large,  The elastication at the neck - well really over the top of raglan sleeves as well is a very narrow elastic which is stitched on with a wide zigzag  about  2.5cms down from the edge and when the elastic wears out I just remove this and reapply new elastic so a very simple top and the looseness covers a horrible silhouette.  I should have mentioned that the frill is sewn on with a ruffler, so the frill is ruffled and sewn on to the nightie in one go and it is very easy to do.

Over the years Wrenkins I have made this nightdress pattern up many, many times, and yes sometimes I have picked out a particular colour and then used this colour to do the scalloping.  Now when I bought my Elna back in 1975, my mother also bought her Bernina 830 Record and both these machines were 'top of the range' and deemed expensive back then.  However whereas my Elna does this beautiful scallop stitch the Bernna doesn't which I find rather strange, and neither does my much newer Bernina Artista - well put it this way, if the Artista can do the same stitch I haven't found it yet.

Sorry to read that you cannot get help from someone to help you make a duplicate of yourself. Do you happen to have a copy of the Reader's Digest book of Sewing?  I was looking in my copy the other day and came across a page that showed how to cut up your pattern and pull apart to allow room for the bust and this was in my copy under Making Clothes that Fit and then Bust adjustments. So this is showing how the neck and shoulders, armholes do not move but with a line going up from the bust point to the middle of the shoulder and again down to the waist, and a horizontal line cut through the part where the bust point is -  these are opened up to allow room for the bust and these lines are not cut through at the shoulder or hemline of the top.  So I believe I sent you details of how to do this a long time ago, and if you can find this that will help you if you do not have this book.  It is a case of making a toile when doing this kind of alteration as it saves your precious material, and you can then fine tune the fit to suit your particular shape.  \you have nothing to lose by trying this but a lot to gain, so come on Wrenkins do have a go.

wrenkins

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2020, 11:29:48 AM »
I do indeed have the Readers Digest bible of all things sewing. I'll go and haul it out and see what it says. I bought it when I bought my first sewing machine.
My fitting buddy is threatening to come over but I'm not sure how the sewcial distancing would work.  ;) (see what I did?).
Today I am going to find my shears and my pattern of many seams. First I need to get the bulldozer into the sewing acre area to clear away my fat quarters, tat and half constructed place mats! What do we reckon the chances are?  :S
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Elnnina

Re: How'd you do that then?
« Reply #14 on: May 21, 2020, 11:40:33 AM »
Excellent choice - get the room clear and then you can see where you are going.  Have fun  Hope you find the pattern.  If you do find the pattern that will be a good start, and you can always unpick the shoulder princess seams  but leave them sewn up close to the shoulder and then you have space to try on you and see if that helps over the bust area - that will keep you busy for a while.

Now over here the sky is a lovely clear blue acres and acres of it, so you want some fabric just fly up with the shears and cut out a few metres - I often dream of doing that with the various coloured skies we get over here!!!