SewLibra:
My fabric is Dear Stella Jersey Knit Triangle Dot Fossil, 100% cotton with 50% four-way stretch. The color is supposed to taupe but it's a green/gray rather than brown/gray.
SewLibra:
Jalie 2805 is on the left and Jalie 2682 is on the right. They are lined up at the fold line and are both fitted tees. You can see the 2805 is made 2 sizes smaller than the 2682. No way could I have cut size W on this and made it work for me!
SewLibra:
I used size Y which is one inch smaller than my full bust. Using the pivot and slide method I added an inch to the front by swinging out 1/2". This method does not change the armscye and is perfect to use on knits.
SewLibra:
Using the pivot and slide method I did a 3/4" swayback adjustment. This takes the length from the shoulder area and does not skew the grain or change the hem angle.
SewLibra:
After the adjustment and marking the notches, you can cut off the excess to use the new shoulder line.
SewLibra:
Unfortunately I don't have the waist I used to and there was not enough width there. I straightened the side seams and added 1/2" width to the hem front and back. That gave me 2 inches of ease at the hem and even more in the waist.
SewLibra:
After both front and back are altered, it's important to make sure the hems, notches and armscyes match up before cutting your fabric.
SewLibra:
Warning: the sleeves on this pattern are narrow! I did see that, but my fabric is stretchy so I went with it for this time. I shortened the sleeve piece 2" and used the 3/4 length version.
SewLibra:
On the left is the shortened sleeve folded to the 3/4 length line. On the right I have cut off 2 1/2" of the sleeve and made a cuff of 2 1/2". My finished cuff is 2" wide and my finished sleeve length is 15 1/2" long.
SewLibra:
I stabilized the shoulder seams (front piece only) and placket area with Design Plus straight fusible stay tape. I'm so glad I did this because I had do some fiddling to get the band to look right at the corners.
SewLibra:
Here I am measuring and making lines at 1/4" from the cut edge, as a guide for the staystitching.
SewLibra:
Staystitching following my lines. I really need to get a decent 1/4" foot. The only one I have is a straight stitch foot for a centered needle and I don't really like that foot. Brother defaults the needle to the left.
SewLibra:
On the neckband I was tempted to serge the raw edges but didn't because I like to serge after the band is in, to bond it to the bodice fabric for a neat inside appearance. Zig zagging here is best if you are going to serge later.
SewLibra:
The pattern's neckband was 4" too long! Fold the prepared band in half at the seam and starting at the back neck, inch your way with it down to the bottom, stretching slightly. What's left over can be cut off.
SewLibra:
Step 35: If you want your finished band to lap right over left (women's Henley), then place the left end over the right end. Make sure you have the ends off-set as shown in the itsy-bitsy-barely-can-be-seen diagram. Ha!
SewLibra:
Serge or zig zag the band ends before inserting into the neckline. This was yet another tip not mentioned in the bare bones instructions.
SewLibra:
I marked dots at the edges of the band end. You are only to sew from line to line, not all the way across the band. VERY important. You will have to rip it out if you sew it all the way across.
SewLibra:
This is what it looks like on the right side. At this point you want to make sure the bottom of the band is straight and you have not sewn past the staystitching on the sides.
SewLibra:
Now take one side and manipulate the fabric to the band, pinning in place two or three inches above the bottom of the band.
SewLibra:
I found the most accurate way to sew those two or three inches was to place the band on the feed dogs and stitch over my staystitching lines, sewing toward the bottom.
SewLibra:
And here's the second side, same as the first. This time the bulk of the garment is on the left side of the machine.
SewLibra:
At this point if you are happy with the bottom band insertion, go ahead and sew the rest of the band in. If not, you can rip it out and re-sew it. I do have a little gap on the left side...darn!...but no major puckers. Maybe I'll hand sew the gap.
SewLibra:
Line up the band's seam to the center of the back neck. Pin the rest of the band evenly throughout the neckline, and sew it in.
SewLibra:
If your neckband is satisfactory, go ahead and serge the seam allowance if you want. I like to put the band on the bottom so I can more easily smooth the bodice fabric.
SewLibra:
Press all those curved seams over a ham, pressing the seam allowance down toward the bodice.
SewLibra:
Time to measure button placement and sew them on. Here is when i noticed the band's end is slightly wider than the rest of the band. The only thing I can think of is that i stitched wider than 1/4" on the rest of the band. Shoulda used that 1/4" foot!
