Yesterday I decided to make this light and summery top, and I went full-steam ahead without a muslin. It's not perfect (as usual!), but I think the beauty of a simple, loose fit like this is that it doesn't have to be perfect. In fact, regardless of the fit dissection I'm about to delve into below, this might be the first piece I've made that could actually make it into regular wearing rotation. (Well, besides the pajamas.)
The fabric is some light-ish weight semi-sheer cotton I picked up at the Fabricana Canada Day sale. (Not sure what kind... heavier than voile, lighter than broadcloth/quilting cotton?) In addition to the fit changes, I added 1.5" to the length of the top and I'm quite glad I did. (I could see that this would be unnecessary if you were the type of person who enjoyed tucking things into high waists. I am not that person, however.)
Based on the measurements I cut the size 10, following Colette's advice to use the larger size if you fall between sizes. This didn't work out as well as it should have. The front was almost exactly the right size, but the back was huge and billowy and just way too large. Rather than pick out any seams, I decided to simply mimic the front by creating a 1" box pleat on the back piece. This ate up 2" of fabric and I'm now very happy with the fit through the body.
The only problem with this quick-fix pleat was that it messed up the fit of the shoulders. In the front, the shoulder straps sit a smidge too wide. In the back, after the pleat was put in, they sit a smidge too narrow. Neither of these problems is really noticeable on their own, but it means that when the straps attach at the shoulders they kind of want to tug each other in the wrong direction. As a result, the straps in the back look a bit like they're pulling (although they're not too tight) and the neckline in the front gapes a bit (from the straps being pulled in). (This isn't really visible in the photos.)
I think the solution on future versions would be simply to cut a smaller size and do an FBA. But ugh - between the loose fit and the fact that Colette cuts for a larger cup size, it seems silly. But I suppose using patterns drafted for a C-cup still isn't a perfect solution when one is an F-cup...
Regarding the bust, the only alteration I had to make was shortening and lowering the bust dart. I shortened it by 1" and lowered it by 0.5" and I think it's just about perfect. I've never made a darted front before, and after all my previous experiences messing around with princess seams and gathers, it seemed almost ridiculously simple. Love darts!
I'm definitely going to make new versions of this top and try to perfect the fit, because it's such a great base for embellishment. I'd love to have a whole collection of them around for summertime.
I just found your blog and must confess I quite like it. After looking at your gallery photos I want to run to my sewing space and make a Crescent skirt. Your Sorbetto looks great and the shoulder issues you talk about are not visible on the photos - well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! And yes, they're not big enough problems to be really noticeable or deter me from wearing the top, just things I'd fix in future versions. (Admittedly I also tend to pick the best/most flattering photos, and those tend to hide the imperfections!)
ReplyDeleteDude! It is fan-freakin-tastic! I admit, I was ogling that fabric at fabricana last time I was there, and I`ve been dying to see what you`d make with it. It looks perfect with jeans, and would look great with dress pants or a great pencil skirt (nudge nudge!). Great job!
ReplyDeleteThanks! And you should get some, it's great. I actually would have had about a metre left over to offer you, until I majorly bungled making continuous bias binding and wasted a TON of fabric! Oh well :( If you end up trying this top, if you have 60" wide fabric then you can change the cutting layout and you need less than a metre!
ReplyDeleteI love your take on the Sorbetto. I recently made one, but I added little sleeves. I think yours is just perfect as is though - it's tempting me to pull back out the pattern and try it again sans sleeves. By the way, beautiful fabric.
ReplyDeleteI love it! It really looks nice on you-- definitely can't see the issues you described. I really like the fabric choice, too. Great job!
ReplyDeleteIt really looks great! To read about another blogger who loves this pattern and has made a raft of them: http://gksagenda.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteGail also knits amazingly!
Thanks everyone!
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, sometimes when I talk about these little fit issues it's not because I mean to sound like I'm dissatisfied so much as I want to document all this stuff so I can refer back next time I tackle the pattern! (Although, if you look carefully at the stripe pattern in the fabric on the back view photo, I do think you can actually see a bit of what I mean around the bottom of the straps.) I really am quite happy with the top :D
This is beautiful, good for you! I do exactly the same thing over fit---part of what my blog is for is for me to record the little issues so I can address them (or not) next time.
ReplyDeleteSuch awesome things done with this pattern...
@Tanit-Isis - yes, exactly. And hey, another part of it is to learn to become a fitting expert! One day... far, far away from now, lol.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to start cruising other blogs and seeing what people have done with this pattern.