the chopping block
Take a long look at this one, if you’re so inclined. This post is the last you’ll see of it unless you shop at my friendly neighborhood thrift store. But I’m getting ahead of myself; let me back up…
This last round of McCall’s releases held fewer temptations for me than any in recent memory. I can’t imagine why, since clearly if you’re wearing these styles, you’ll instantly be whisked away to the most beautiful, exotic beachfront…
As enticing as that extremely realistic backdrop is, it didn’t sell me on most of the designs. I think I only put two on my wait-for-a-99¢-sale list. Actually, I should thank you for that McCall’s, ’cause I have way too many patterns as it is. I needed to add this one to the mix though, being all peplumy and knit-intended as it is…
While I like all the views, the stripes-to-chevrons in view C really sucked me in, because I have some striped knits in my stash that are becoming impatient. To get the fit nailed down, I made this one simply, without worrying with the stripe matching. I cut the front and back bodice pieces on the fold and also not on the bias.
There were no finished garment measurements anywhere to be found — not on the envelope, nor the pattern tissue, nor the instructions, nor the website. Normally I wouldn’t fret… I’d just measure the flat pattern and adjust as necessary. But this bodice was in six pieces, it was my first time working with princess seams, and the waist seam was pretty curved, so I wasn’t sure how to get an accurate measurement. So, I just graded up the same amount/locations as I would normally with a Big 4 pattern.
When I first put the bodice together, it was too big in the chest, which really surprised me since it seems to be designed fairly close-fitting. I took in inches — granted, I had initially added inches, but I do that with every pattern, so it’s all relative. I took out most of what I had added in the grading. But this might be a your-knit-may-vary thing. They call for medium-weight jersey with about 60% stretch, and mine was on the lighter-weight end of the spectrum. (Plus my cross-grain had more stretch than the bias did, which I thought was weird. Is that normal for a knit?) So, despite the instructions, I recommend attaching the sleeves flat before sewing up the side/underarm seams — it makes the fitting/altering a lot easier.
So why does this top have a one-way ticket to donation land? Getting there. For next time with this pattern, the most significant change I need to make is to the length; I need about an inch more at center back and maybe even three inches at center front, mostly due to me skipping any FBA. I intended this as a wearable muslin, but it is not wearable, at least not on me. The overall length of the top is shorter than I like, but that’s not the deal breaker — where the waist seam hits me, that’s the problem. It falls right at the top of where I start to widen below my ribcage, so it constantly rides up farther, which accomplishes two things: flashes of bare midriff, and baggy bodice. (You can kind of see the excess fabric “stacking” above the waist seam in a couple of these pics.) So I’m constantly either tugging it down or slouching. No thank you. This is one of those specific-to-plus-size issues, I think, because that excess waist “fluff” is right were the smallest part of my waist would be if I carried less weight there. I’m trying to be as objective as possible here, hopefully it makes sense! The pattern can still be adjusted to fit me right; these are just necessary things to consider.
Because I knew I didn’t want to lose even a narrow-hem’s-worth of length, and I was apparently still under some delusion that I’d get wear from this make, I used a rolled hem finish on my serger for the sleeves and hem. It’s probably the best I’ve had this turn out so far; I think I’ve finally cracked the code for the right tension settings. Oh and check this neckline finish! I pinned this tutorial from Handmade by Carolyn a few months ago and have been wanting to try it. I really like it and will definitely use it again! But next time I’ll try to pay attention and put the binding seam at center back instead of center front. Whatever.
This jersey is from Girl Charlee, bought in my very first haul from there almost exactly a year ago. Whoa… I need a moment to reconcile the sheer volume of fabric I have from GC with the fact that I only found them a year ago. Ouchie. Anyway, I usually try to do my v1 makes with the less-than-favorite stashed pieces, but I used this one that I liked because I expected this one would be wearable. No biggie, I still have a scant yard of it, so I’ll make a tank top or incorporate it somewhere. (Maybe as the bottom of a Butterick 5356?)
I finished this top a couple of weeks ago, and since then, I’ve produced the most successful first version of a pattern ever for me, so I’m feeling acutely resentful of all the changes this one’s going to need. So I’ll set it aside for a while… we’ll see if I come back to it! Also, apparently I learned nothing in childhood if not “say cheese!!!” Even as unsuccessful as this garment is, I have trouble donning a frowny face in front of the lens. This was as close as I came…
