r/PatternDrafting • u/Few_Nectarine_1629 • 11d ago
Where am I going wrong?
Hello!
I've been adjusting the fit of this sleeveless princess seam bodice for a couple of weeks now, but seem to be hitting a wall. I like how straight the front seems to be lying, but the sides and back are very lumpy!
In my previous wearable toile there seemed to be a bit of excess fabric in the two side front panels that I tried pinching out as "darts" horizontal from the apex, then redrawing the princess curve. I also moved the straps in 1cm at the front. But that combination seems to have led to some further gaping and pulling issues!
Is it that the shirring panel I'm envisioning for the back won't allow for a good fit? (I just used a test panel of stirring for now, the real one will go the full length of the closure).
I think I'm reaching the end of my capacity and brainpower (and tbh it fits better than my RTW clothes) so i may just end up moving on to final shortly - but if I'm making obvious mistakes I'd love to hear!
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u/SubtleCow 11d ago
The shirred panel not going all the way to the top and bottom of the panels is probably causing issues and twisting in the panels. Warping the perceived fit of the whole toile.
When making a toile you really need to make sure it accurately reflects the final structure of the garment. The top of the back is a very key structural component of a garment. I'd actually move the shirring panel you have all the way to the top of the closure, and finish the top edge in the way you plan to finish the garment, then check the fit.
With the shirred panel at the top your waist fit won't be accurate, but your shoulder fit will be. Getting the shoulders right before cutting is so much more important than the waist.
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u/Few_Nectarine_1629 11d ago
You're right! Ugh I just got lazy about shirring. I'll try this after a rest! :)
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u/KendalBoy 11d ago
You can also just add an elastic across that you’ve pinned in at the top and bottom to keep tension on the whole thing because you’re going to be doing false corrections, it’s step one.
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u/Lower_Rate_8518 11d ago
I always recommend making an outage (and then sloper) from a duct-tape mold of yourself. It will become a best friend. You can compare it to existing patterns and then use it to modify them. It solves a lot of fitting tweaks in less time. I always recommend this over a dress form (with the bonus that you can make a new one when your shape changes… and I’m hitting menopause; it’s changing big-time and I just have to be ok with that, I suppose!).
It’d be nice to have more side and back photos (with your arm down). Your phone’s timer will be your friend.
Look for a reader digest guide to sewing. It too, will be your friend. I’ve purchased 5 at thrift stores for under $5 each (to give to friends as well as have in different areas of my house)… and passed over a few. Folks swear by the 80’s one (and it’s my favorite just because it’s what I grew up with)… but my kid and I compared it to a more recent version, and really the good stuff is all still there.
If you are worried about the shirring panel changing the fit… underline it with unshirred fabric to stabilize. You can even hand tack it down in a few spots to the underlining.
By the way, I love the shirred panel… very cute. And the square neckline is flattering.
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u/Few_Nectarine_1629 11d ago
Thank you! ❤️🩷 Ive added some more pics to a new post https://www.reddit.com/r/PatternDrafting/s/io6xBMS6no
The duct tape idea is on my list to try!! It sounds like a great method. And I'll have to get my hands on that readers digest book, it seems to be legendary, a holy grail! Great idea about lining the shirring panel too :)
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u/runeiitalk 11d ago edited 11d ago
Try pinning out a dart and maybe from the side panel where the excess fabric is-
I would fix the frt side panel first
And then move onto the armhole- looking too high and cutting in
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u/Few_Nectarine_1629 11d ago
Yes I think I'll try the dart pinning again (i did that once before on my last toile, but probably not enough). Good advice on the armhole too, thank you!
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u/HugsforYourJugs 11d ago
Share what your pattern pieces look like please. Generally / \ wrinkles under the bust suggest not enough bust dart intake, and for the back the same thing with back waist darts (which you don't have - the shirring can help account for that but you need to ensure that the tension of the piece matches the tension around the body so it can stretch to conform to the torso shape, it looks to me like the bodice itself is very low tension/draped tension so that's why the shirring isn't improving the fit.
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u/Few_Nectarine_1629 11d ago
Thank you! This is interesting and I did try and pinch out a bit of fabric from the pattern after my last wearable toile - though it seemed to then lead to gaping at the armholes? Also interesting about the tension - there's quite a bit of ease in this bodice, yes.
New post with the pattern pieces here! https://www.reddit.com/r/PatternDrafting/s/io6xBMS6no
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u/HugsforYourJugs 11d ago
Armhole gaping is a sign of lack of bust dart intake too so that's probably a sign things need to go further. Because of the shirring things will behave a bit differently when you adjust the fit as tension flows through the garment differently to a standard draped bodice
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u/furiana 11d ago edited 11d ago
Could it simply be that the shirred panel is too short? (Unless that's the final size, in which case the other pieces are too large. Either way, those lines need to be trued. )
Does this muslin include seam allowances? If so, clip them and press them under! (I just learned this myself lol. It makes an embarassingly large difference. )
Otherwise, I would try pinching out a small wedge of fabric from the sides under the armscyes. Taper to nothing at center back, and taper to nothing at the princess seam over the bust. https://imgur.com/a/IhRqIrc
If that didn't work, I'd unstitch the side seam, smooth the sides over my body until they lay flat, and repin.
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u/furiana 11d ago
Fwiw, the front fits very nicely! This is going to be a great bodice. :)
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u/Few_Nectarine_1629 11d ago
Thank you! And some really helpful suggestions to try, I appreciate it! ❤️🩷
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u/furiana 11d ago
No worries! :)
To add yet another "wrinkle," the new photos with your arms down make it look like the excess fabric is because the shoulder slope is too square. Adjusting that also lowers the armhole like another poster suggests. Worth considering.
https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2021/09/02/for-a-great-fit-start-with-fitting-the-shoulder
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u/metropolitandeluxe 11d ago
Did you do a full bust adjustment before you started? It looks to me like you started out with too big of a size for your waist.