This has to be a record for me. I actually made this top in January, the same month in which this issue was published! I’m just a little behind blogging about it.
This top is featured in the magazine in a sequin fabric. Mine is a velour! Definitely not the same, but I liked the simple shape and have been looking for an easy pattern to use for velour. Ideally I want a standard sweatshirt pattern, like this one from That’s Not My Age. I’ve got a piece of luscious, velvety velour, and in a similar colour too (it’s way nicer than the fabric I used on this tunic).
The velour used for this version is ok, but the nap is a bit flatter, so it’s more of a wearable muslin. I made my usual adjustments on the paper pattern pieces, but there are still some things that need tweaking, mainly the shoulder slope/armscye depth. The photo at left is how it sits normally, and the right one shows how it sits when I lift my shoulders a bit – some of the pull lines disappear and it looks a bit smoother.
When I look at these photos I really notice how sloped my shoulders are. I already sloped the shoulders a bit and dropped the armscye, but it looks like a bit more is needed. Here are the side shots with my shoulders normal (left) and up (right).
One of my usual alterations is to widen the sleeve at the bicep by 1 inch, which ends up dropping the sleeve cap height. I’m not sure if height can be added back without lengthening the sleeve’s top edge. Do those sleeves look alright? Those wrinkles are always there pointing up to the sleeve cap, and it niggles me a bit!
I think I need to do something with the front though, it’s got the same thing happening as on my last Sorbetto, where the front hem sticks out. Someone commented on that post that I may need to do a slight FBA. I wondered about pulling in a bit of fabric under the bust dart (increasing it) which would essentially rotate the bottom front section and pull the hem back in. Anybody else have any idea?
This is the back shot, which I’m not keen on. At all! My butt is acting like a shelf! I’m not sure how a swayback adjustment could make this look much better, as the fabric is hefty, and the top is hip length after all. This style just might be one of those I should stay away from, as NOONE here at home has even commented on it.
The line drawing looks nice, slimming!
I guess I’ll just keep looking for a pattern more in the vain of a sweatshirt that has a bottom band and sits above the high hip. OR, get my dummy/twin finished and drape one. And that’s coming on slowly, but some progress has been made! More on that front soon.
The fabric looks nice and cosy, but somehow the fit doesn't flatter you. It looks a little baggy through the waist. I wonder if taking in the side seams a bit would help?
ReplyDeleteKarin, you're absolutely right! Thank you! I'm glad you said it, cause nobody else has...yet. From the moment I finished this tunic I wasn't quite happy with it, I felt like a bag of potatoes! I'll try taking in the side seams and see how it looks, it can't hurt!
DeleteI was really interested to read your take on this pattern, as I was eyeing it off myself and do not have a sequin lifestyle! I think it has great potential on you in that lovely fabric, but agree with Karin about the waist fitting - could you also take it in a little in that centre back seam above the waist? When I make a long top that shelf thing always seems to happen unless I cut it out bigger at the side seams below the waist at the back, or add to the centre seam at the biggest part. Even when it seems to fit just fine standing up, in wear, sit to stand and bending over need more ease on me.
ReplyDeleteThanks! And yes, I'm going to give the alterations a try. See if I can save this!
DeleteI really appreciate the feedback from both of you, it's so nice to hear your ideas.