I've run into my first set of real fitting issues with the two halves
of my third Frankendress. The bottom is just fine since it is the MN Ruched Skirt that I've used 4 times now.
The top, however, is a hot mess.
The top portion is V8633, minus the center back zipper. The pattern is fine and actually probably would fit my pre-pregnancy self well. However, I did not make an FBA. And at this point - with 2+ extra inches of bust - that was a mistake.
I did cut a size 12 so that I would have extra room. However, what I really need is extra length, not width. The lower darts end at the bust point instead of below and letting out the shoulder seam a little has only led to there being too much room in the armscye (ie: my bra band peeks out b/c it is too low).
Additionally, this pattern bodice has both a neck facing and a lining to support the collar. But I decided to save myself the trouble of the lining, which was a so-so decision at best. If the top fit, I wouldn't mind this so much, but if I recut, then I would probably go for the lining.
Now here is my dilemma: I don't know how I can alter the top that I've cut and sewn enough to make a difference. I have enough fabric to recut it or a different bodice for the dress. If I recut this, well, it's not a quick/easy sew. There are lots of darts on the shell and lining, plus facing, which needs interfacing. Also I would have to do an FBA and raise the armscye. I'm just not sure I want that much fitting work on a pattern that I already struggled to cut so that the print of the top and bottom would match. I'm not sure I'm ready to devote more time to this.
If anyone knows of a creative way to fix what I've got, that would be best. I really like the style of the top. Maybe sleeves would help? I don't know. Your suggestions are welcome! Other than than, here are the options as I see them.
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| Two separate halves of this dress |
The top portion is V8633, minus the center back zipper. The pattern is fine and actually probably would fit my pre-pregnancy self well. However, I did not make an FBA. And at this point - with 2+ extra inches of bust - that was a mistake.
I did cut a size 12 so that I would have extra room. However, what I really need is extra length, not width. The lower darts end at the bust point instead of below and letting out the shoulder seam a little has only led to there being too much room in the armscye (ie: my bra band peeks out b/c it is too low).
Additionally, this pattern bodice has both a neck facing and a lining to support the collar. But I decided to save myself the trouble of the lining, which was a so-so decision at best. If the top fit, I wouldn't mind this so much, but if I recut, then I would probably go for the lining.
Now here is my dilemma: I don't know how I can alter the top that I've cut and sewn enough to make a difference. I have enough fabric to recut it or a different bodice for the dress. If I recut this, well, it's not a quick/easy sew. There are lots of darts on the shell and lining, plus facing, which needs interfacing. Also I would have to do an FBA and raise the armscye. I'm just not sure I want that much fitting work on a pattern that I already struggled to cut so that the print of the top and bottom would match. I'm not sure I'm ready to devote more time to this.
If anyone knows of a creative way to fix what I've got, that would be best. I really like the style of the top. Maybe sleeves would help? I don't know. Your suggestions are welcome! Other than than, here are the options as I see them.
Let me know your thoughts.
1) Ditch the top and enjoy wearing the skirt portion as a skirt (easiest option)
2) Alter the pattern and cut new top pieces (possibly most time consuming option)
3) Cut a different top to go with the skirt. Either of my two previous Frankendress tops would work. Or something else? Feel free to suggest other patterns.
4) Other??
19 comments:
That's a hard problem, sorry. Seam lines across the bust are so unflattering, so you can't just add to the bottom. What if you added a seam line above the bust, then chopped if off there and recut the bottom half longer? That would at least save some of your hard work on the neckline. Or just put it in a drawer and save to the top half for post-pregnancy. It's a very pretty fabric!
The only way this would work (as far as I can tell) would be to add a band below the raw edge. Effectively, you'd lengthen the bodice with extra fabric as a design feature. I don't know what impacts it would have on the darts. You might have to open the darts and re-dart all in one go with the extra fabric you've sewn on.
I suspect, however, you should just walk away. When your boobs get larger, you generally need to cut the armscye higher - it's a strange element of boob-meets-armscye engineering. Since you've already got issues with the gaping there, I don't think there's much you can do to fix it.
I tried to FBA this dress when I was new to sewing and it was a freakin' disaster. Of course, that's probably because I was new to the concept and standard FBAs never work for me given my narrow frame and projected breasts.
Wish I could give you more optimistic news.
PS: If you recut the top, did a small FBA - with lots o length, raised the armscye (generally what happens with an FBA) and banded the armscyes, you might be able to get a working version without having to worry too much about facing. Just seam everything down in that v neck.
I do realize that this would be a band above a band so it would be busy in an area that probably doesn't need to be any more highlighted than it already is :-)
Actually it would make it look more like the original garment, which has a band that I omitted because I'm using a high-waisted skirt. The problem is where the seam will fall. I just can't tolerate a bust seam that falls on the boobs (above the bra band). It just looks like the bust is being cut in two. So, I would have to play around with raising the shoulder back to where it started and seeing if I have enough length to reach the bra band + seam allowance...
The higher armscye - that is such an odd thing! I had no idea it's an FBA issue. I normally do a small FBA on wovens and often have to play around with the armscye. But I hadn't connected the two as being related for some reason.
Gahh! Bummer! This might not be helpful at all, but... are you sure the weight of the skirt won't pull the bodice down enough that adding a wider midriff band would work? Adding V8633 sleeves at your favorite length would solve the new armscye issue. If any of it gets hateful, I support option #1!
Can you make a diagonal cut from the top third of the armscye to just below the v-neck, then recut the bottom part, making it longer? If you did that and added some type of emphasis to that seam (black piping?) it would look like a doubled up v-neck. You can just add a band in the back to make up for the difference in length from front to back.
You know what - you're right. The seam will fall at the midline of the bust (sorry, my brain was obviously not working). Kill it.
Ditch the top and enjoy the skirt is my advice. You are not yet into the "I'm exhausted all the time" phase of pregnancy, but it is not far away. Save your energy for other tasks.
FBA lesson learned! Pre-pregnancy I could get away without one in knits. Not so anymore!
It may. I think I might baste the top and bottom together just to check. If it seems ok, then I may add the sleeves. Maybe....
Yeah, I keep waiting for the exhausted phase to begin! Fingers crossed that I have a few more weeks of feeling pretty normal...
It was a very well punctuated long sentence! ;-)
It's a thought, but I just don't know if I'll be able to make myself ok with a seam in an unintended place. Although making it a design feature would be a good way to go...
It may not hit until late, and you may not be very exhausted. That little alien growing inside you can use up a lot of your physical resources! Be sure to take lots of calcium and vitamin C together, as babies will leach the minerals right out of your bones. Also while nursing, because ditto.
My midwife has me on more vitamins than I've ever taken in my life! Vitamin C is also good for making sure your water doesn't break too soon. So, yeah.
Unsolicited advice to follow:
Keep in mind that drinking tea or coffee can inhibit the absorption of some vitamins, such as Vitamin E, into the body. Generally, you need an hour-long wait between taking the vitamins and drinking the beverage.
But not unwelcome! You are absolutely correct - tea also inhibits iron absorption. Luckily for my vitamins but unfortunately for my morning alertness, heartburn has eliminated coffee and tea from my diet. My first morning without coffee, I got off the elevator at the wrong floor and didn't realize until I was half way down the hall, that my office was not on that floor. Most embarrassing, the security/front desk person saw me do this and later commented that I looked like I was having a rough morning. LOL
Keep the top half for a post baby figure and add a plain black bottom. Enjoy the skirt as a skirt or add a different top.
You know, I bet this is related to the weird sew-the-crotch-seam-higher-to-give-more-body-space adjustment! More distance between bust point and armscye, right?
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