I'm revisiting out-of-print Butterick 5561 for Mama R, it is the third version that I've made for her. Interesting thing came up when I offered a beautiful polyester crepe to be make with this pattern. She hesitated and tried to talk me out of it.
Insert #5, the perplexed face.
"What's up?," I ask. Mama R had said in the past that she likes this fabric and she never complained about the two previous versions of OOP Butterick 5561. Getting her to talk was like trying to unstitch a knit stitch from a scuba knit with a traditional seam ripper. Oh the pain! But finally the deep dark secret unraveled.
The woman of mystery finally reveals, "this fabric is just like this one. It doesn't fit as well as the other one."
Still perplexed by this revelation I ask, "What do you mean?" I can't imagine that the fit would be any different since I used the same pattern and size for both tops.
"I'll show you," she said as she removes it from the hanger and tries it on. "It's wider here and lower in the front. When I bend down you can see down there," she shyly adds.
"Can you try on the other one?" And to my shock I starting to see that she's right. Okay, Mama R is always right but sometimes I like to think I know what I'm talking about when it comes to sewing. So wrong.
How did I not see it before? Or better question would be: how did I not consider that different fabric will affect the fit of a garment? I'm going to blame it on the current sinus infection.
I need a plan. At first, I thought I would change the shape of the neckline so that it would sit higher all around. But then the brain fog lifted and I thought what if I cut the raglan sleeve seams as a size smaller? I proceeded only with the thought that if it doesn't work I have enough of this beautiful polyester crepe and another copy of OOP Butterick 5561 to try again. I wasn't dealing with a whole lot of energy to copy the pattern or make a muslin.
Thankfully, the smaller sized seam was just the trick to raise the neckline. The pattern was also shortened in the sleeve and top hems. I didn't interface the facing pieces because I didn't have similar weight interfacing in my stash. And the hems were all finished with a 5/8" rolled hem.
The fabric has been in my stash for possibly decades? Let's just say that it has been part of the stash for a long time. I do believe that I picked it up when Fanny Fabrics closed down and I bought a whole lot of it. I actually have a dress cut of this fabric. And there enough fabric left to make a dress or another top. It was pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer. No issues with the pretreatment process.
Now, there is just one problem. This top will look great with my last sewing project. I might have to raid her closet. Just kidding Mom.
The Stats:
Fabric: 1.7 metres
Pattern: OOP Butterick 5561
Additional Tools & Supplies: Sewing machine, serger, cutting table, scissors, pins, thread for the the serger and sewing machine, iron, ironing board, and a whole lot of love for Mama R.
Happy Sewing!
"What's up?," I ask. Mama R had said in the past that she likes this fabric and she never complained about the two previous versions of OOP Butterick 5561. Getting her to talk was like trying to unstitch a knit stitch from a scuba knit with a traditional seam ripper. Oh the pain! But finally the deep dark secret unraveled.
Still perplexed by this revelation I ask, "What do you mean?" I can't imagine that the fit would be any different since I used the same pattern and size for both tops.
"I'll show you," she said as she removes it from the hanger and tries it on. "It's wider here and lower in the front. When I bend down you can see down there," she shyly adds.
"Can you try on the other one?" And to my shock I starting to see that she's right. Okay, Mama R is always right but sometimes I like to think I know what I'm talking about when it comes to sewing. So wrong.
How did I not see it before? Or better question would be: how did I not consider that different fabric will affect the fit of a garment? I'm going to blame it on the current sinus infection.
I need a plan. At first, I thought I would change the shape of the neckline so that it would sit higher all around. But then the brain fog lifted and I thought what if I cut the raglan sleeve seams as a size smaller? I proceeded only with the thought that if it doesn't work I have enough of this beautiful polyester crepe and another copy of OOP Butterick 5561 to try again. I wasn't dealing with a whole lot of energy to copy the pattern or make a muslin.
Thankfully, the smaller sized seam was just the trick to raise the neckline. The pattern was also shortened in the sleeve and top hems. I didn't interface the facing pieces because I didn't have similar weight interfacing in my stash. And the hems were all finished with a 5/8" rolled hem.
The fabric has been in my stash for possibly decades? Let's just say that it has been part of the stash for a long time. I do believe that I picked it up when Fanny Fabrics closed down and I bought a whole lot of it. I actually have a dress cut of this fabric. And there enough fabric left to make a dress or another top. It was pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer. No issues with the pretreatment process.
Now, there is just one problem. This top will look great with my last sewing project. I might have to raid her closet. Just kidding Mom.
The Stats:
Fabric: 1.7 metres
Pattern: OOP Butterick 5561
Additional Tools & Supplies: Sewing machine, serger, cutting table, scissors, pins, thread for the the serger and sewing machine, iron, ironing board, and a whole lot of love for Mama R.
Happy Sewing!
Amazing how those different fabrics can fool us into thinking we have fit under control!! LOL
ReplyDeleteI often make a pattern up in a variety of fabrics, and have learned to check fit as I go. Right now I am working of a shirt which is a bit tight because the cotton has no give and my last iteration was of a loose weave cotton. I now have teeny side seams :-)
ReplyDelete