SewLibra:
I added 1.5 in. to the front and back bodice pieces so the empire seam would be below my bust. From shoulder to under bust was 16.5 in. My bodice pattern was 15 in.
SewLibra:
I love these long clear rulers! You can match it up to your lines and marks and draw one line all the way across instead of using a seam gauge and marking little by little.
SewLibra:
Nexcare medical tape from the drug store is removable and works well for pattern modifications. Good thing, because in the end the back bodice was too long for my torso. A swayback adjustment would have been the thing to do.
SewLibra:
Truing up the seam on my modification here. I started with a too large size but cut it down 2 sizes and it could still be another size down because I sewed larger seams than the instructed .25 in.
SewLibra:
I made a muslin of the bodice front and back only. This is the fit after lengthening both pieces. This looked and felt fine to me, but when it was all together on the real fabric (thinner fabric), it was too big and I cut it down 2 sizes.
SewLibra:
I stabilized BOTH layers on the inside of both sides of the V-neck with Pellon Knit-N-Stable to securely hold the grommets. Btw, grommets have 2 pieces and eylets have 1 piece. At least according to what I read!
SewLibra:
I put two strips of Knit-N-Stable together, sticky sides out, and placed it right at the fold inside the V-neck slit. I had forgotten to do it when I should have, so this pic is awkward.
SewLibra:
My Janome 900CPX coverstitch gave me no problems at all, and no stabilzer needed. The quickest hem job I've ever done!
SewLibra:
Lengthening the back the same as the front didn't work on my short torso and caused wrinkles.
SewLibra:
I took the serged seam out in the back, made a line tapering from zero at the side seams to 1.5 in. at center back, cut off the wedge, and sewed it back together.
SewLibra:
After my adjustment. Better but not perfect by a long shot. Yep, I learned something on this one and won't make that mistake again!
SewLibra:
I had so little fabric left I had to piece the tie for the grommets. I cut 1.25 in. strips, folded lengthwise, pressed, sewed down the length (not too close to the edge) and turned it inside out.
SewLibra:
After determining the length I wanted for the tie, I poked the fabric inside at the ends and hand stitched. Then pressed the tie and put it in the grommets.
SewLibra:
I lengthened the front slit one inch while sewing the top. I tried it on and put a pin at the top where I wanted the grommets to stop. Using a seam gauge, I placed pins where I wanted the grommets.
SewLibra:
I placed the pins 1/2 in. from the edge and 1.25 apart and slipped the grommets on top to see how it looked. Looked fine to me!
SewLibra:
I took the grommets off and marked at the base of the pins. The dots represent the center of the grommet hole.
SewLibra:
I used the Dritz pliers and carefully made one hole on each mark. The instructions say to keep punching until the hole is the same size as the grommet hole. Do not do that for knit fabrics! If the hole is too big, they won't stay in.
SewLibra:
On the garment wrong side, I had to gently pull and cut off the little hole centers. There are two layers of fusible in there, so they got stuck.
SewLibra:
Make sure you get it all the way through. I had to gently stretch the fabric to get it through, but it was a nice tight fit.
SewLibra:
Now place the shallow half of the grommet, dome side up, over the stem of the half you have inserted.
SewLibra:
Place the grommet and fabric in the pliers with the punch side of the pliers on the wrong side of the fabric.
SewLibra:
I was about 3 in. short of fabric so I made 3/4 length sleeves instead of long sleeves. I didn't mind because I like 3/4 length.
SewLibra:
Side view. Since I serged my seams, they were hard to line up. My machine foot pushed it forward so I had to rip it out until I got it right.
