Tuesday, February 12, 2013

First dud of the new year

I suppose they all can't be the great garments we envision when we purchase a pattern, so I now have my first dud of the new year out of the way.  LOL.  The top fits me just fine but there are two real problems.  First and to me the most serious is with the structure of the shoulder and collar.  If you take a look at the line drawings of the top, it has a forward shoulder - by 2.5 inches.  That combined with the partial collar makes it hang back on your neck.  The few minutes I had it on, I was constantly pulling it forward.  Gah!  The second issue is the depth of the cowl is too low.  If the shoulder/collar thing had not been an issue, I would have lived with this version and used a decorative pin or something to take care of the low cowl.  But as it stands, for me, this is not a viable top.  It's too bad really, its an easy sew.  I did finish it and I like the way it looks just not the way it feels.  LOL.

Here are the pics:



It looks nice doesn't it?  It's just too bad its not very wearable.  I still have over a yard of this left so I'll probably use this top to make another.  Oh well I'm going to check out what I'd like to make next. 

As superman would say "Up, up and away!"  LOL.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

McCall's 6604

I've had this McCall's pattern hanging in the "to make" pile for a couple-three months and now is its time.  I'm going to make up view B, but with a few changes.  LOL.  You know me; I can't make something up without a couple of changes.  That's what makes us individuals, right?





Nice, right?  I really love a nice cowl neckline.  I'll have to watch and sew how low this one is though.  McCalls says it was designed for light to medium weight wovens and stable knits.  I have a nice black & white Missoni-ish ponte I picked up, of all places, at Hancock Fabrics.  I'm really loving sewing with knits this winter. 



The model above looks bone thin and with the funky way she is posed, you really can't tell how the shirt hangs on her.  Is McCalls trying to copy the weird poses Vogue was doing for a while?  Don't they know they are a pattern company?  LOL.

Take a look at the technical drawings here.  The pattern says its a fitted pullover top.  HUH?  I find it hard to believe that's going to work well.  So I'm betting that neckline is huge.  I'm going to give myself a bit more ease at the side seams.  My lumps and bumps don't need to be on display.  LOL.  I'm also going to narrow the sleeves and shorten them to a 3/4 length.  I already have a shirt with the rollup tab thing and I don't need another.  I test fit the tissue to Ruby and the length is right.  I can't believe that. 

I've finished altering the pattern and I'll get it cut out and started either tonight or tomorrow.

Later!