The Sewing Place

Independent pattern companies

Gernella

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #45 on: September 10, 2019, 11:57:34 AM »
Itch to Stitch have a good range of bust sizes for each pattern @annieeg, at least there was on the last Envigado vest, I had to chop a lot out before I had it printed off, I'm at the bottom of the class with a bust.
Stash extension 2024- 6.1 meters
Left at the end of 2023 - 66 meters now (includes fabric found hidden out of sight)  Lining fabric not included

Elnnina

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #46 on: September 10, 2019, 12:24:45 PM »
Hello Annie, I have been trying a couple of sloper patterns produced by Connie Crawford, to my knowledge there are three that she has produced with multiple choices for a fuller bust.  CS1301  is a shoulder princess seamed top, CS1302 is an armhole princess seamed top and then there is another one which I do not have which is an ordinary button through blouse top with traditional side bust darts and waist darts.  They come in multiple sizes  Miss sizes 8-20 and go right up to a H/I sizing, and Womens 1X -6X and again right up to H/I sizing.  So you select the size package, either Miss or Women and then within each package there are the different full bust pattern pieces.  From memory there might even be a Tee shirt type top. 

Try looking for these patterns particularly on IslanderSewing.com as they seem to have taken over Connie's patterns.  Of course these all come over from the USA so do think about this when and if you order, I believe the Customs will pounce on anything over the £15ish mark so beware.  Mine I had sent to my sister in Canada and she brought them over with her when she last visited me, as I had also bought a Grading Book which was quite expensive.  At the time my order came directly from Connie and I believe that she may possibly be ill as I suddenly got a notification that Islander Sewing were going to be dealing with her patterns.  Go and have a look and see - you may find something you like and that will save you a lot of time worrying about doing a FBA.

Incidentally I came across these sloper patterns in Threads Magazine of December/January  2014 called 'Add a Princess Seam' and the article involved was by Connie Crawford herself.

Hope this will be of some use to you.

annieeg

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #47 on: September 10, 2019, 12:29:18 PM »
@Elnnina
Thank you!  You are a wonderfully informative source on FBA's/patterns!
Maybe you should think about writing your own reference book 0_0 0_0

Elnnina

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #48 on: September 10, 2019, 14:29:35 PM »
Thank you both for your comment!!!!!  Sadly having a rather larger bust has haunted me all my adult life, and I know only too well just how awkward it is to get a decent fit.  I have often roped in Twopence to help me with fitting, and even with Connie's Slopers I have had to drop the bust shaping to suit my figure.

However having come to the conclusion that it is 'princess line' shaping that suits me, I will continue to try and vary my outfits a wee bit but keep the princess line seaming, and it will be back to the numerous toiles just to ensure that what I am trying to create is right for me.  I go through copious amounts of calico - I am a good way through a 100mtr. bale of calico at the moment, and with the last Connie Sloper I had padded my dress form out so this is a tight fit on her thinking that that is my shape I can then fit closely to her and it should then be alright on me.  However I am about to venture in some stretch fabrics and I wonder how they will turn out.  Last time I sewed any stretch fabrics it was on a straight stitch machine with a ball point needle, well now I have more methods available with the various stitches on the sewing machine and also on an overlocker/coverstitcher - we shall see how I get on.

However Annie and Wrenkins do have a serious think about getting these slopers I think you might find  they are just what you are wanting.  If I can help any more please do ask.  I expect a huge yell from both of you that you have succeeded once and for all!!!!

Ohsewsimple

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #49 on: September 10, 2019, 15:19:40 PM »

Elnnina

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #50 on: September 10, 2019, 16:14:37 PM »
Ohsewsimple that is an excellent article and one I have printed off.  That is a good article and explains very well how the various pattern fronts  are cut and labelled, and that if you are a D cup fitting in a bra you do not necessarily need the D pattern piece as that is for us much larger ladies.

My fingers are crossed that somehow or other both Annie and Wrenkins can get their heads around this and find a way to get the fit they are needing.

It has taken me years and years to finally get the best fitting princess line seam and at this moment the shoulder version is better.  I probably need to alter the armhole version by taking the seam up higher in the armhole.  I noticed when there was a TV programme called The Queen's Green Planet back in April 2018 Radio Times featured HM on the front cover and HM was wearing a beautiful silk dress with armhole princess seams and these are indeed higher up than normal and it does look right - see I saved the cover on this especially to inspire me when I try this again.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #51 on: September 10, 2019, 21:43:22 PM »
Glad you found it interesting @Elnnina.  I’m another fan of princess seams but like the armhole version as I have narrow shoulders and it can look ridiculous.  :)
I thought it was a great list to give people some idea of what the starting points will be on various patterns. 

wrenkins

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #52 on: September 11, 2019, 07:19:23 AM »
I'm gunna @Elnnina I'm really gunna do it.  0_0
I found my last attempt still pinned to it's cardboard in the spare room and remembered why I stopped. The pulling and shaping for my FBA meant that the bottom point of the armhole had come up to meet just below the top point.  :(
I downloaded a dress pattern yesterday form Itch to Stitch and did the DD copy so hopefully the adjustment will be a bit less and since it doesn't have actual armholes, but straps, I might manage to cobble something together. (The taping has been a nightmare. Not enough clues and the 'map' page is all blurry and miniscule). I've brought it into work to have another poke at it today.  0_0
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Ohsewsimple

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #53 on: September 11, 2019, 12:39:54 PM »
@wrenkins what method are you using for FBA?   It should be possible to do it without having an armhole problem. 

wrenkins

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #54 on: September 11, 2019, 18:26:17 PM »
@Ohsewsimple it's Palmer Pletsch very kindly sent to me by another busty doll. The difference between my upper bust and my full bust is nearly 12" (34"-45.5") so by the time I pull the bits to leave 6" either side, my armhole has become an eye hole! I have a boardful on Pinterest of every combination I can find and lots of info from @Elnnina.
The problem is that I have zero experience with adjusting patterns so when my darts open up to 4 or 5 inches and my armhole disappears I don't know how to fix it. None of the examples I find have such large differences. They tend to be for plump-all-overs. Size 12 can have any size knockers they like as long as they're not bigger than a DD. Mine are 34E F FF G GG H HH J JJ  0_0
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Ohsewsimple

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #55 on: September 11, 2019, 21:55:16 PM »
@wrenkins yep that is quite a big fba.  Big fba's are better if the darting is distributed around the bodice.  When I was at college my block had 3 darts in it as that was the way the tutor liked to do it rather than a massive dart.  Do you know how to transfer darts from one place to another?  Something else worth trying, if you haven’t already, is the Y shaped fba. 
An alternative I might throw out here, is to use a larger size pattern and do the alterations you might need.  So that would probably mean narrowing shoulders, reducing neck size and maybe reducing the back width.  Not ideal but it’s all worth considering. 

wrenkins

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #56 on: September 11, 2019, 22:13:25 PM »
I think that's the one Fran pointed me towards and I did try it but with inferior kit.  ><
I'll do it again now that I have proper tracing paper of a decent size and a bit more reading behind me.
I'm only just a 12 since I put on a bit of lard round the middle but my frame is really small. Very narrow shoulders and size 4 feet  :) so making a bigger size is out of the question (and well beyond me).
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Ohsewsimple

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #57 on: September 12, 2019, 10:41:33 AM »
It’s such a dilemma isn’t it?  Well shout for help.  Like Elnnina I like princess seams.  I try other drafts but keep going back to it.  :)

Elnnina

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #58 on: September 12, 2019, 11:12:41 AM »
I have just been rewatching the Full Busted DVD in particular the part where Marta is tissue fitting two well endowed ladies, the largest amount of FBA Marta had to make on a shoulder princess seam was three inches and she spread this over the two front parts of the panel.  I was hoping that it might have been a bigger figure but no such luck.  However Wrenkins I am sure we can get you there somehow or other - we just need to keep on thinking how!!!!!  The two patterns that Marta has used on her DVD are both McCalls - one she calls a side panel is 5335 and the other a shoulder princess seam is 5242.  The pattern 5335 definitely has all the preprinted extra lines for creating a FBA.  Sadly both the patterns are discontinued but these are available as uncut and factory folded patterns in the USA - you just have to go looking.  (when I first got the Full Busted DVD I made a note of the patterns Marta had used and those I was more interested in so started combing the internet for these - thinking that I can then copy exactly what Marta was doing and it is working)

In the past Wrenkins I think you mentioned that you thought princess seams were a bit 'dowdy looking' but they are not if that is the best sort of shaping for your particular body.  Going back to the normal style of bodice, i.e. with side bust dart and a waist dart if these are too big then I personally think they draw attention to the bust whereas the princess seaming flatters the bust.  I first came across princess seaming when I was still in my teens and just fell in love with them and again in the past I have used both the shoulder princess seams and the armhole princess seams, and guess what in those far distant days I had to hand neaten all the seams with blanket stitch and these were on dresses - it seemed to take forever but something I was prepared to do.

wrenkins

Re: Independent pattern companies
« Reply #59 on: September 12, 2019, 11:22:53 AM »
I don't think princess seams are at all dowdy @Elnnina in fact I love them but since I was about twelve or thirteen I have avoided them because they make me look 'matronly'...at 13!?!?!?!
I love this one.  :loveit:
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!