SewLibra:
How to determine stretch percentage in fabric. Cut a 6" strip of fabric (mine was 2" wide). Hold one end on zero on the ruler and stretch, but not so much that the fabric is straining. Use the formula. You can also tell if the knit has good recovery!
SewLibra:
Going by finished measurements, I still wasn't certain of the size. 12 seemed right, but was thinking 14 would be better for my not so stretchy knit. I traced the front facing only in both sizes. I can cut away the 14 if I decide on 12.
SewLibra:
I made a mark 3/8" down from each size. 3/8" is the seam allowance for this pattern. Headed to my dress form now!
SewLibra:
First I pinned on size 14 matching my SA mark to the shoulder seam on my dress form. The center front wouldn't lie smoothly, the neckline was low, and it hung over the shoulders somewhat.
SewLibra:
I used a pencil to trace the shoulder edge of my dress form, which is the exact width of my own shoulders. The excess was 3/8", same as the SA. However, in a knit I don't want it hanging over there at all. Let's try it in fabric.
SewLibra:
I had a similar cotton knit in my stash so cut out the size 14. Yep, it hangs over the shoulder too much, the neckline is too low, and the part that goes under the arm would be too much fabric.
SewLibra:
I cut the size 14 off my tracing and fabric, and tried the size 12 on my dress form. Much better! I draped it over myself as well and decided to go with 12 for this part, maybe grade to 14 for the bust, and down to 10 for the hip. (Inverted triangle.)
SewLibra:
My front facing was beat up after that so I retraced it, and used the neckline to make sure I cut the upper front yoke the same, as they need to match up. There are lots of sizes and the lines at the neck were blurred together.
SewLibra:
Muslin time! Several things to fix. First is the gaping in the front armscye. I had the same problem with the ITS Vienna Top and ITS Lago Tank. I wanted a little negative ease in the bust but this is too much.
SewLibra:
Option 1 is the method I used for the Lago Tank, which is pin a dart, transfer to pattern, create the dart and rotate it to the side seam. For knits I ease it in because I don't like darts in knits.
SewLibra:
Option 2 is what I used on the Vienna Top. Tuck the excess at the armscye under the yoke. Transfer to the pattern and make a wedge starting at the armscye to zero at center front. In this case to the keyhole.
SewLibra:
It's pinned, but hard to do on myself! I had ripped out that whole seam, should have left it intact right at the keyhole edge. I got a little sloppy when I re-sewed that little edge.
SewLibra:
I sewed the yoke seam with my changes. It should work fine and easier than option 1, though that would help with bust ease. My muslin is getting very stretched out and curly on the edges. That's not a very good looking keyhole anymore. Ha!
SewLibra:
This is the amount that was taken up for under the yoke. It says 3/4" but the dart I took in on option 1 was an inch. I need to remember there will be a 3/8" seam allowance and short sleeves attached. I hope I left enough ease for sleeves!
SewLibra:
Oh boy...I fiddled and fiddled with 3/4" plus 3/8" SA, then 1/2" because I do need room for sleeves, even though I want them close to my body. I settled on 5/8" for my wedge and going to hope for the best. Hey it's just fabric, right?
SewLibra:
The back isn't too bad but I think I'll cut a size 14 all the way from armscye to hem on both front and back. I can take the hip in later if I need to on my real fabric. That should release the drag lines and give me more bust room too.
SewLibra:
Added 3/4" in length front and back, another 3/4" at center front hem tapering to zero at the side seams. Armscye is still 12, but bust is 14, waist 16 and hip 14. I hope this gives enough room for my not so stretchy ponte.
SewLibra:
To get the exact sizing on the back as the front, I laid the back piece over the front and traced the outline, then trued it with a French curve.
SewLibra:
To double check I turned the front piece over the back. Note if you do this, do not trace the front piece's bust curve at the side seam onto the back piece. That would end up very weird, at least on me it would!
SewLibra:
Front and back done. It looks sloppy with all the changes but if it works out I can retrace them. I've never used so many sizes before, kind of nervous about this make.
SewLibra:
Since I took out 5/8" from the front armscye I took out the same amount, in the same place, from the sleeve. Draw a diagonal line from corner up to where you want the overlap. In this case under the notch.
SewLibra:
Cut to but not through the point at the corner. Pivot the paper up the amount you want, 5/8" here, and tape together. Redraw your grain line (not shown).
SewLibra:
I never use the pattern layout from the pattern. I like to fold up just enough fabric to accommodate, cut, repeat on the other side of the fabric. It saves a lot of fabric! Using one of my laser levels here to line up my fold evenly.
SewLibra:
And...using my laser level again to line up the grainline on the pattern with the grainline of the fabric. This newest laser level is very small, but it's quiet. My other one is bigger but has a suction function that makes an annoying noise.
SewLibra:
Steps 1 - 6 are reinforcing the shoulders, back neck, upper front yoke, lower front yoke and front facing. I used Design Plus fusible bias but wish I would have left it off some areas or used softer Knit-N-Stable. This fabric did not need so much bulk!
SewLibra:
Watch out for Step 7. You need those seam allowances later so don't trim it now! It didn't make sense to me. Glad I caught it in time.
SewLibra:
Step 10, clip to the stitching at the point ONLY on the facing (lining), not both layers.
SewLibra:
Step 11, understitching the yoke. At this point the upper and lower yokes are sewn together and the facing is partially sewn as per instructions. I have understitched the portion that is sewn.
