Blue Floral Lycra, Part Deux

I have two garments sewn but haven't blogged about them! It is hard to sew and write at the same time...but I CAN chew gum and sew at the same time (FYI). :)

After the sleeve series, I decided to do my next test with wearable fabric, as opposed to continuing to use the throw-away. So I recut the blue floral lycra blouse that had been started BEFORE the sleeve series. I could reuse the front, but had to cut a new back, because I had significantly widened the back shoulders.

I had a hard time getting decent pictures of this! It was overcast, which seemed like a great day to shoot outside. But apparently, that isn't the case, as my pictures did NOT turn out well! Here is the best of the bunch.

I used a small amount of dart override (again?) to increase the size of the front AH. This was a bad idea (how many times will I try this before I realize it just ISN'T what I want?)...it created awful folds at the F-AH. What I *should* have done is increase the FRONT SHOULDER SLOPE measurement, to raise the shoulder tip, as well as increase that FRONT SHOULDER WIDTH to move the front shoulder tip outward. This would have given me a large enough F-AH without messing with the dart or mismatching the front and back underarm points. Next time.

Here are my settings:

Style Name: _0_0909_widerSWs_longerCFL
Chart: widerSWs_longer_cfl 9-09_Trish_

Garment Type: Blouse
Style: Blouse
Closure: Single Breasted
Front Neckline: Curved Vee
Back Neckline: Jewel
Hemline Sweep: Straight
Hemline Shape: Curved
Front Darts: Side
Back Darts: Shoulder
Sideseam Shape: Fitted

Front Waist Darts: 1
Back Waist Darts: 2
Button Size: 0.5
Number of Buttons: 13

Front Neckline Depth: 6
Back Neckline Depth: 0.75
Neckline Width: 0.25
Neckline Point: -0.25

Armhole Depth: 0.25
Dart Override: -0.125

Side/Arm Point: -0.5
Side/Waist Point: 0.75
Side/Hip Point: 0

Finished Cb/Hem Length: 25
Hip Depth: 8

Bust Pt Vertical: 10.5
Bust Pt Horizontal: 4.75

Sleeve Cap Ease: 1.39
Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -0.75
Front Armhole Shape Down: -0.3 clicks
Back Armhole Shape Down: -0.5 clicks
Back Armhole Shape Left: -0.3 clicks

Chest Ease: 2
Waist Ease: 4
Hip Ease: 4


Body Measurements

Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 18
Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.75
Front Shoulder Width: 15
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.875
Shoulder Length: 5.25
Center Back Length: 16.75
Back Shoulder Slope: 18.375
Bicep Circumference: 12
Notes:


As you can see by the back view, there are still some wrinkles to contend with! I do realize the back shoulder is now a bit too wide, and I did reduce the BSW a little for the next one.

I have gone round and round with whether or not lowering the back shoulder would pull those wrinkles out. Lowering the back shoulder point (by reducing the BSS measurement) would give me a larger back shoulder dart...which is bad on my body. Also notice...and I am not sure you can see it here in these pics...there is a tiny hint of a fold across the back neck, below the collar--the kind you get when the shoulders are too sloped! So I dare not make them much more sloped (lowered) or that will only get worse!

For my next one, I will lower the back neck depth even more (by .25") and see if that takes care of that fold (although, I have already sewn the 'next one' and since I didn't put a collar on it, I am not certain this issue has been resolved). Maybe on the next 'next' one.

But back to those wrinkles: Instead of reducing the BACK SHOULDER SLOPE measurement, I think I need to look at the width of the lower half of the back garment. I think the REAL problem here is the lack of adequate hip ease, coupled with back waist darts that are not large enough. Can't you just imaging this being better if there was a little MORE fabric at each side seam on the back, and also, if the back waist darts were sewn a little larger to pull some of the fabric from the side toward the center back? I can!

I used only 4" hip ease on this one...next time I will use 5" (which is what I usually use for a blouse, but used less since this fabric had Lycra).

NEXT TIME, I will still use the Side/Waist setting of .75, but (in addition to using more hip ease) I will also move the Side/Hip Point forward (-0.25) to swing that back sideseam out a bit, to provide more fabric over the bum. And I say, "next time", but I mean on the 'next' one I sew...which will NOT be the next one I blog about, since that one is already sewn! Confusing...I know. I really should get caught up!

BTW, I do realize this top doesn't match those pants. I just threw it on for the pictures over the pants I was already wearing...didn't try to create an outfit for this photo shoot! :) But I promise NOT to wear them together!

The Sleeve Series--boring!

I am kinda hesitant to post this, as it is just one more in a series of excrutiatingly boring blog posts! Who wants to read about this kind of stuff? No one! Even *I* would prefer to see what works and what is lovely to sew and wear! But I must document this, for my own sake (and reference) so bear with me yet again. I’ll try to keep it brief…


According to the company, there are guidelines that your patterns (and measurements) should reflect. Some of these include:

• The Center Front Measurement should be 1.5” less than the Center Back Measurement.
• Your WAIST should be located where your body indents the most between bust and hips, and this location will not feel ’natural’, but high.
• Your BUST CUP size should be chosen based on your RTW bra size.
• The WAISTLINE on the front DRESS pattern (and sloper) should be fairly straight across, rather than curve upward near the sideseam.
• The SHOULDER ANGLE on the FRONT pattern should be about the same as that on the BACK pattern.

Many of the measurement and setting changes I have tried/tested were attempts to follow these rules, hoping that might give me a better fit in garments with sleeves. I figured that if I was having less than satisfactory results, perhaps it was because I wasn’t following the ‘rules’. Perhaps my waist was too low? Perhaps my CFL was too long as compared to my CBL? That sort of thing.

Based on the fit of that last blue cotton/Lycra blouse, I worked out some measurement and setting changes that I hoped would improve the fit of my PMB blouse/sleeves and cut a basic bodice from this ‘loverly’ blue floral decorator fabric in my muslin stash (it was a gift!). I put sleeve after sleeve into this bodice…evaluating, making changes, redrafting, then putting it the next sleeve! I exhausted the supply of that fabric, and began cutting the sleeves from a second ‘luvly’ fabric (also a gift!). After trying 4 sleeves in this same bodice without relieving the binding, I began to again change the measurement chart to change the armholes…because, apparently, the AHs weren’t ‘just right’ after all. With each change to the armhole, I would try another sleeve.

The PMB sleeve is now more level at the hem (cross-grain)…which hopefully means I am getting my pattern’s F and B armhole depths closer to being correct for my body. But there is STILL that pulling at the front armhole…the feeling of constriction…of not being able to stand to wear this to do anything.

I tried lowering the cap height by .5” and by 1.25” and everything in between! I tried a cap height lowered 1.25” with only .66 cap ease. I tried a cap height lowered 1” with 1.38” cap ease. I’ve used a minus .5 cap height with 1.5” cap ease. And I’ve used a minus .5 cap height with .78” ease….a cap height of -.75” with .8” cap ease…etc. My conclusion? The problem is NOT the sleeves! It is the armhole…and the bodice!!!

I got poufiness in the back, so I reduce the BSW (to reduce the size of the bk sh dart)…then the back was too tight, so I had to increase the BSW!
I go round and round with this! I needed a wider shoulder area…but couldn’t figure out exactly what combination of numbers to use. I just COULD NOT get a comfortable blouse with sleeves!

Notice I am now using a wider neck circumference. That is one of the chart changes I decided to make since the last blue cotton/Lycra. For over a year now, I have been using a 13” neck circumference (although my neck actually measures 14.25”), but with these wider shoulders, I need a wider back neck opening, to control the size of the back shoulder dart. The front neck width remains as it was…so the neck on the back pattern is much wider than the neck on the front pattern.

Oh, and I am again testing with the NECK POINT tool to move the neck point on the pattern backwards. I can use a longer CBL, which produces a longer B-ah and smaller bust dart, then use the NP tool to move the neck end of the shoulder seam backwards where it looks better.

Anyway, I will report my conclusions and solutions later…for now, here is the sleeve series.

Some of the sleeve numbers will not coincide with the number of fingers I am holding up. Ignore the fingers….the sleeves are matched up with the correct patterns and statistics.
__________________________________________________________________

Sleeve 1--- low cap height, low cap ease. Binding at front arm.
No, Marilyn, I am NOT sniffing! :-)






Armhole Depth: 0.25
Dart Override: -0.25
Sleeve Cap Ease: 0.66
Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -1.25
Back Armhole Shape Right: 0.3 clicks

Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 16.25
Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.5
Front Shoulder Width: 14.5
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Shoulder Length: 5.125
Center Back Length: 15.75
Back Shoulder Slope: 17.75
Bicep Circumference: 12

___________________________________________________________________



Sleeve 2 (3 fingers, don’t ask)…best so far…. The PMB sleeves are now more level at the hem…which hopefully means I am getting my pattern’s F and B armhole depths closer to being correct for my body. But there is STILL that pulling at the front armhole…the feeling of constriction…of not being able to stand to wear this to do anything. Also, it has a poufy cap but is better looking than any of the previous others. Plus, did I mention that the hem (cross-grain) is now fairly level?!



Chart: Shrtr_CBL_SHP_frward 8-31_Trish_
_0_0831_wdnk_shrtCBL_NEW_SLV
Armhole Depth: 0.25
Dart Override: -0.25
Sleeve Cap Ease: 1.44
Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -0.75
Back Armhole Shape Right: 0.3 clicks

Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 16.25 Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.5
Front Shoulder Width: 14.5
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Shoulder Length: 5.125
Center Back Length: 15.75
Back Shoulder Slope: 17.75
Bicep Circumference: 12
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________





Sleeve 3— Same Chart: Shrtr_CBL_SHP_frward 8-31_Trish_



This is a self-drafted pattern…the Aldrich sleeve. This one has a low cap height, comparable to PMB’s (-.75) cap height. Not pretty. And not really any better for comfort.












________________________________________________________________





Sleeve 4-- again, same chart
Chart: Shrtr_CBL_SHP_frward 8-31_Trish_
…upper cap was shifted forward 0.25”, then mid and lower front moved outward 0.5”. This was done in an effort to provide the front of the sleeve with more ease. Didn’t work. It MUST be the armholes!

_0_0831_wdnk_shrtCBL_NEW_SLV
Armhole Depth: 0.25
Dart Override: -0.25
Sleeve Cap Ease: 1.44
Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -0.75
Back Armhole Shape Right: 0.3 clicks

Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 16.25**
Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.5
Front Shoulder Width: 14.5
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Shoulder Length: 5.125
Center Back Length: 15.75
Back Shoulder Slope: 17.75
Bicep Circumference: 12
________________________________________________________________


Sleeve 5—In an effort to change the armholes, I changed chart this time--- to widen the BSW, with NO RESHAPING of ah. I used a lower cap height again…-1...with a ‘normal-high’ amount of cap ease…but still, no cigar. It’s got to be the armholes!

0_0901_wdnk_shrtCBL_shp_forw_1cp_ht
Armhole Depth: 0.25
Dart Override: -0.25
Sleeve Cap Ease: 1.37
Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -1

Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 16.5**
Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.5
Front Shoulder Width: 14.5
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Shoulder Length: 5.125
Center Back Length: 15.75
Back Shoulder Slope: 17.75
Bicep Circumference: 12







In order to test a wider shoulder without starting over with a new bodice, I would scab on pieces of fabric to the bodice. I would superimpose the NEW pattern over the old one and PRINT…then align the old pattern to the existing bodice and cut the new pattern based on the additional lines. I can make multiple changes this way, widening the shoulders, raising the armholes, etc.

___________________________________________________________________


Sleeve 6—…BSW widened even more (another .25” ) to 16.75 (remember, that is what I measure across the blades at mid back, even though the shoulders measure less).
---front of sleeve was altered manually to move seam outward 0.5”…to widen mid part of front cap where pulling is. But still not great.


0_0901_wdnk_shrtCBL_CpHt_5
Armhole Depth: 0.25
Dart Override: -0.25
Sleeve Cap Ease: 1.5
Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -0.5

Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 16.75***
Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.5
Front Shoulder Width: 14.5
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Shoulder Length: 5.125
Center Back Length: 15.75
Back Shoulder Slope: 17.75
Bicep Circumference: 12
____________________________________________________________________


Sleeve 7--- I lowered the cap height to .75 and cap ease to .8”…and used the same BSW (16.75). Still, not right…and this sleeve wings out (as if it needs a higher cap height!). There seems to be excess fullness at the back of the sleeve and armhole.


Armhole Depth: 0.25
Dart Override: -0.25
Sleeve Cap Ease: 0.8
Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -0.75
Back Armhole Shape Right: 0.2 clicks

Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 16.75
Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.5
Front Shoulder Width: 14.5
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Shoulder Length: 5.125
Center Back Length: 15.75
Back Shoulder Slope: 17.875
Bicep Circumference: 12
____________________________________________________________________


Sleeve 8--- The BSW was narrowed again by .5” because of the fullness in #7. It looks ok-ish, although there isn’t much cap ease. The bust dart is too large, resulting in ss pulls. And still, there is the sleeve binding.


Armhole Depth: -0.25
Dart Override: 0
Sleeve Cap Ease: 0.74
Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -0.75
Front Armhole Shape Down: -0.7 clicks
Back Armhole Shape Down: -0.5 clicks

Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 16.25
Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.5
Front Shoulder Width: 14
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Shoulder Length: 4.75
Center Back Length: 15.75
Back Shoulder Slope: 17.75
Bicep Circumference: 12

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Sleeve 9 is actually LESS comfortable than 8, and provides LESS mobility! The Ah depth was raised .25”. Making the FSW narrower just caused the front to pull with arm movement. I should have known better than to try this again…been there, done that! But hope dies hard…but wait…#8 had this same reduced FSW…it is the BSW that is different! The one with the wider BSW is less comfortable? Hmmm…that makes no sense! Also, again, this sleeve ‘wings out”due to inadequate cap height (-.75).

Neckline Point: -0.25***
Armhole Depth: -0.25
Dart Override: 0

Sleeve Cap Ease: 0.72
Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -0.75

Front Armhole Shape Down: -0.7 clicks

Back Armhole Shape Down: -0.5 clicks


Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 17
Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.25
Front Shoulder Width: 14
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Shoulder Length: 4.75
Center Back Length: 16.25
Back Shoulder Slope: 18.125
Bicep Circumference: 12

Also, this one (#9) creates a larger bust dart than #2 did, and #2 hung much nicer at the sideseams. These darts are just too large…so I guess D.O. is the way to go for me!
Notice that on THIS one (9) I used the neck point tool. By making the CBL longer and making the CFL shorter, then moving the neck point backwards (.25) using the tool, I get a smaller, more-level bust dart, plus, the front ah is a little lower. However, if I am gonna have to use the D.O. tool anyway, this might not be necessary after all!

It seems that the most comfortable sleeves are the ones with the most cap ease (duh). I am not a fan of gathers in my sleeve heads, but perhaps if I wasn’t using decorator fabrics, they could be better eased and pressed out.
____________________________________________________________________

This next one (#10) isn’t too bad. The bust dart is smaller again, so the sideseam hangs better. The sleeve looks like it needs more cap height, though. The sleeve's cross-grain at hem is *almost* level…slightly higher in front. I only used -.125 D.O. this time…using -.25 would increase the front sleeve a bit more and perhaps level that hem. But I hesitate to make the F-ah too large, because I don’t want to cause the garment to ride to the back with wear.


The armhole depth seems high, though. I know, others keep telling me to raise my armhole depth, but it seems high.

Chart: longerCBL_wdr_FSW 9-03_Trish_
_0_0903b_reg_FSW_NP_DO25

Armhole Depth: 0
Dart Override: -0.125

Sleeve Cap Ease: 1.4
Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -0.75
Front Armhole Shape Down: -0.7 clicks
Back Armhole Shape Down: -0.5 clicks

Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 17
Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.25
Front Shoulder Width: 14.5
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Shoulder Length: 5
Center Back Length: 16.25
Back Shoulder Slope: 18.125
Bicep Circumference: 12


I think I will alter the opposite side of the garment, too. I have been adjusting one side and comparing that to the opposite, best-so-far side, but I think it is time to make both sides the same.

****

Ok, now BOTH sides of this garment are cut from the same pattern! And it feels better…pretty good! There is still some binding at the front armholes, but not nearly as bad as before. I wonder if this is ‘as good as it gets’? The back seems to be fairly smooth, and so far, I don’t think it is slipping to the back with wear…we’ll see! Oh, and the armhole depth doesn’t seem so high anymore, now that BOTH sides of the garment are the same.

I am up to a 17” BSW…I wonder if I could go wider? :) I am really ready to make some WEARABLE clothes! But I can sort of imagine this one being better with even WIDER shoulders!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fast forward a week. In an attempt to eliminate the remaining wrinkles in back, I decided to try lengthening the CBL…but NOT the BSS. This should give me more length over the blades. I decided to go big…adding 0.5” to the CBL. This puts .25” above the armhole depth and .25” below it. To continue using the same muslin, I had to scab on another piece at the neck and shoulder, plus, I needed to slash the back horizontally (at bust level) and insert a .25 piece….which meant a .25” reduction in the size of the bust dart, too. No changes to the sleeve.



Style Name: _0_0909_noNP_DO25
Chart: longerCFL_no_NP 9-09_Trish_

Neckline Point: 0
Armhole Depth: 0
Dart Override: -0.125

Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -0.75
Front Armhole Shape Down: -0.7 clicks (USED SAME SLEEVE AS #10)
Back Armhole Shape Down: -0.5 clicks

Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 17
Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.5
Front Shoulder Width: 14.5
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Shoulder Length: 5
Center Back Length: 16.25
Back Shoulder Slope: 18.125
Bicep Circumference: 12



After making these changes (called 11), I could see that I had mixed results…I am STILL getting those wrinkles (side view) that remind me of a hammock (this hammock is hung on the blades and boobs!). More length was good, but I needed it ALL to be above ah level. The smaller dart was not good. So I ripped and restored the length of the back between ah and waist, and restored the size of the bust dart. I scabbed on even MORE fabric at the neck and shoulders to raise them further. But this time, I also decided to widen the BSW again….this time, to 17.5”. With the increased back length, the now-wider shoulder width did NOT steal from the sleeve…the sleeve remained the same.

To increase back length, I add fabric at the top of the neck and shoulders, then recut.

_________________________________________________________________

Style Name: _0_0909_wider_BSW
Chart: wider_BSW_ 9-09_Trish_
Neckline Point: -0.25
Armhole Depth: 0.25
Dart Override: 0
AGAIN, SAME SLEEVE as #10
Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 17.5
Neck Circumference: 14.25
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 42
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.25
Front Shoulder Width: 14.5
Front Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Shoulder Length: 5
Center Back Length: 16.75
Back Shoulder Slope: 18.25
Bicep Circumference: 12

This one (#12) was much better! I still have the slightest feeling of binding at the front sleeve, but it is getting so much better! The wider shoulders are a good thing, as is the longer center back length. There is still a bit of pouf at the release of the bk sh dart, though.

However, I can now see that the front length also needs to be increased, to help eliminate the ‘hammock effect’ in front. I want ALL the extra length to be ABOVE ah depth, though, so I’ll have to use negative Dart Override with this longer CFL/FSS.

Plus, I think the shoulders should be even wider, although I wish to maintain the width across the mid-back at 16.75”, which is what I measured there. I will use a few inward clicks on the AH shape tool after widening the BSW to 18!!!

This next pattern looks good enough to try in REAL fabric, so I am going to use the remainder of the blue floral cotton/Lycra to test this out! Wish me luck!

I have been doing a series of sleeves, trying to eliminate that binding I get with forward arm movement.

But let me back up a bit.

First I did this blue floral blouse of cotton/lycra.

I know that it isn’t smart to use lycra when you’re still working out the fit, but I was ready to end up with a wearable garment!
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* But right away, I had problems.
*
*
*
*
*
Look at the poufiness at the release of the back shoulder dart. Even before I put the sleeves in, I could see that that would NOT do! So I redrafted and reduced the BACK SHOULDER WIDTH by .5” to reduce the width of that bk. sh. dart by .25”, also reducing the BSS slightly to maintain the height of the shoulder point at this narrower width. BETTER.











Eventually, I eliminated the shoulder dart entirely…I cannot remember exactly what I did, but there is no dart sewn now. I should take immediate notes, as I forget too easily! Anyway, the blouse has no bk sh dart at all and is smoother across the upper back.

Armhole Depth: 0.25
Dart Override: 0

Sleeve Cap Ease: 1.38
Sleeve Cap Height Adj: -0.75
Back Armhole Shape Down: -0.1 clicks
Back Armhole Shape Right: 0.3 clicks**then was changed to--
Back Armhole Shape Right: 0.5 clicks after making the shoulder narrower

Chest Circumference: 41.5
Back Shoulder Width: 16.25**this was changed from 16.75
Neck Circumference: 13
Natural Waist: 34
Hip Circumference: 40.5
Crotch Length: 29
Height: 66
Weight:
Bra Cup Size: B
Center Front Length: 15.5
Front Shoulder Width: 15
Front Shoulder Slope: 19
Shoulder Length: 5.125
Center Back Length: 16.25
Back Shoulder Slope: 17.25**changed from 17.375
Bicep Circumference: 12


Ok, so, I cut and inserted the sleeves. Hmmm. Not perfect…there were still some odd folds…still poufy back there. And the SHOULDER POINT is way too far toward the back! Like, by nearly an inch! Oh dear. Plus, the armholes are not just right. I couldn’t put my finger on it exactly, but there was something ‘off’. The balance between front and back AHs is off…look at how the garment raises up with arm movement!

Plus, the blouse was too tight in the hips! This caused pulls toward the sideseam...like I need a few MORE pulls! Somewhere along the way I had reduced my hip size...trying to use REAL numbers as opposed to using what had worked in the past. Dummy me. I have increased the number for the future.

I only had a little more of this fabric so I needed to make sure I was comfortable with the pattern before I cut the rest of it!

That is when I decided to put this fabric aside, and pull out the throw-away stuff! I will come back and make something from this stuff once I know what it is that I want to do.

Moving the potting bench

My forearms are SO bruised! I look like I have been man-handled! We’ve been having trouble with our cable tv, so the repairman has come out the last two days. The outside connection box is directly behind my potting bench, a huge heavy wooden piece that I built years ago when the kids outgrew their tree fort (we disassembled the tree fort and reused the lumber in various ways, including making this potting bench). Well, when the cable guy comes, I always have to help him move the potting bench away from the house so he could get to the connection box. Because the bench’s frame is recessed at the sides, lifting and carrying it causes the edge of the top surface to rest (heavily) on my forearms…which bruises them in no time!

The guy who came yesterday was not able to solve the signal problem, so I knew I’d have to go through this bench-moving again today. So, first thing this morning, I decided to clean it off, throwing away MANY old pots I had been saving, as well as metal plant identification labels (hey, if I can’t remember the plant name, who cares?!), a galvanized floral bucket as well as two other galvanized buckets (that leaked) and miscellaneous other things I had treasured enough to save, but have yet to use them in some creative way. Then, in a stroke of genious, I pulled out the red wagon…one of my favorite tools! I believe that no matter what age your kids are (or even if you have NO kids!) everyone should have a wagon. It is wonderful for moving stuff! I tilted and dragged and eventually, got the wagon under the lower shelf of the potting bench, so that I could drag/drive the wagon and thus, move the bench out of the corner of the yard, through some flower beds, under the arbor and finally, onto the patio, where I began disassembling parts of it! I decided it was silly to leave it where I had it when I have to move it several times a year (our cable seems to have problems a lot!) but it is just too large to use on the patio as-is. So I will rebuild it when I get a chance, making it less deep front-to-back, and maybe less wide, side-to-side. But today, so that it would fit UNDER the kitchen window that overlooks the patio, I removed a good bit of the upper back. I hate the design of that part, anyway! My bench was the prototype…I built and sold several others after perfecting the design…but my own bench remained the way it started out. I think I’ll change it to be more similar to the ‘improved’ designs! Here is a picture of one of the benches I made…delivered in the rain! You can see how large it is. The boards on the back of this one are vertical…mine were horizontal, and the horizontal layout didn’t look nearly as nice. I will rebuild mine to have vertical backing, but shorter.

It was nearly 2pm when I finally came inside…I had not had breakfast yet! So my sewing got a late start.

I have been sewing every day this week...muslin after muslin (test blouses). I am currently going back to a previous one which seems better than the most recent ones! Well, *almost*...that previous one DID need a few changes, but after doing subsequent blouses, I have discovered which changes are good and which are not! I can rip the most recent one and modify it to have the desired changes, although I'll have to cut a new sleeve.

The problem is...I am STILL getting binding in that front armhole!

So, tonight, I persuaded DH to measure me again...the F and B armhole depths, plus CB-to-floor, and SHP to floor....and sure enough, there was a mistake in his previous numbers!

Last time, he had said my BACK armhole depth was 6.25" (when the front measured 7.375")...and I had been totally shocked that the back ah was so much shorter than the front.

Well, turns out-- it isn't!

The back AH depth actually measures 7". That makes SO MUCH more sense! Having the F-ah be 1cm larger than the back seems acceptable...whereas having it 3cm longer just seems *wrong*, especially given that my shoulders roll forward, so the place that we are measuring TO is a bit forward (which should make the front shorter and the back longer!).

So, it looks like I will be using the DART OVERRIDE TOOL after all!

Anyway, another day, another muslin!

Helping Measurements

As you know, I have struggled with getting the right fit in a sleeved garment. I struggle with getting a balance between adequate back width to enable comfort and movement and excessive width causing unsightly folds and wrinkles. I decided to use Minott’s book to assist me in evaluating my PMB blouse pattern.
.
.
She takes a few different measurements than PMB, including the chest and blade width… so I had to mark my body and take those measurements. Using an eyeliner pencil, I marked the placement of a shoulder seam on top of my bare shoulder so that, when seen from the side, it is dividing my upper arm into front and back halves.
.
.
Then I located the end of the shoulder bone, so that I had a + marked on the shoulder skin. With a necklace on, I could measure from neck to one line of the + mark to verify my shoulder length measurement, and use the other line to divide front and back.
.
.
With arms to my side, I put a small ‘V’ on my skin at the top of the crease that forms between body and arm. I did this on both sides of my body, left and right, front and back.
.
.
Then, with my hands clasped and lowered in front, DH measured across the back of my body BETWEEN the points of these ‘V’ marks to give me my BLADE measurement (16.75”). Then I clasped and lowered my hands in back and he measured across my chest, again between these ‘V’ marks (14.5”). [Interesting note: Clasping the hands (as opposed to allowing them to hang at the sides) increases these measurements (on me) by 1”.]
.
.
Then we measured from the SHOULDER POINT line down in back to the point of the V (5”), and from SHP down in front to the point of the V (4.25”). This gave me the distance DOWN from the pattern’s shoulder to which I would apply the chest and blade measurements. In front, using a 15” FRONT SHOULDER WIDTH measurement gives me the needed 14.5” chest width across the pattern at the 4.25” level. This is without changing the ah notch placement up or down. I have decided that leaving the AH notch at the ZERO height position might be best for me.
.
.
In back, I increased my measured BSW to 16.75” which gives me *almost* enough blade width at the correct level (5” down). This pattern is actually about 1/8” short of being wide enough there…even though I did 2 clicks outward on the AH SHAPE TOOL. I am considering changing that BSW measurement to 17 so that I will have the full 16.75 inches at the 5” level. I fear that doing to many outward clicks will give me an ah shape that is too odd. PLUS, Minott recommends a back shoulder dart of .75” wide for the average body….my own bk sh dart is slightly less than that now, but would grow to .75” wide if I increased the BSW to 17. PLUS-PLUS, I do have one prominent shoulder blade that would probably benefit from this larger bk sh dart, I suspect.
.
.

.
.
In back, I increased my measured BSW to 16.75” which gives me *almost* enough blade width at the correct level (5” down). This pattern is actually about 1/8” short of being wide enough there…even though I did 2 clicks outward on the AH SHAPE TOOL. I am considering changing that BSW measurement to 17 so that I will have the full 16.75 inches at the 5” level. I fear that doing to many outward clicks will give me an ah shape that is too odd. But who can believe I would need to use a 17” back shoulder width? That is just so large for my height! I mean, I know I have wide shoulders…but that seems insane! That is an inch longer than my CENTER BACK LENGTH…and ‘average’ is to have these measurements be very similar. Also, my front shoulder width is not nearly that wide! This just seems so ‘off’…but I must keep an open mind! However, for now, I think just doing ONE MORE CLICK outward on the B-Armhole Shape tool will be enough.
.
.

.
.
But here’s the rub: I have decided to lower my SLEEVE CAP HEIGHT again! I have been using (-.5) but I have decided to use (-.75) to get a wider sleeve. This will also provide more room for movement, so I am unsure if I actually need BOTH of these adjustments!
.
.
Another measurement Minott takes is the BACK SHOULDER HEIGHT. Basically, she has you measure from the CB neck to floor, and from the back shoulder to floor and find the difference between these heights. This determines the difference between the CB/neck (before lowering) and the back SHP on the back pattern. PMB does take a BACK SHOULDER SLOPE measurement, which is diagonal from CB waist to shoulder…but measuring straight up from floor leaves no doubt where the starting and ending points are! My own back shoulder height is only 5/8” shorter than my Center Back height…because my shoulders are ‘square’.
.
.
Minott measures Front and Back ARMHOLE DEPTHS separately by placing a plastic ruler under the arm, holding it perfectly level, and measuring from the + mark at the shoulder down the front of the upper arm and down the back…just like I did when I measured to the ‘V’ marks at the top of the armhole creases…but she is going all the way to the ruler in both front and back. This is an eye-opening measurement for me!!! My FRONT AH measured taller than my back! F=7.375, B=6.25 I am now wondering what I have that is ‘wrong’…or maybe, that is OK? Hmmm….
.
.
.
.
.

.

.
.
.
.
.
.
ETA: Back AH actually measured 7" when remeasured the next day!
.
.
From the SHP on the pattern, depth of the back AH DEPTH should be 1.25” more than measured. For me, 6.25 + 1.25 = 7.5…but my B armhole depth measures 7.99”. This ah depth doesn’t feel too low so I think I will try this, assuming the extra is ease for a blouse, as opposed to a sloper ah.
.
.
Minott’s front ah depth is adjusted for cup size…but I am going to use the B-cup instructions, because that uses the AH measurement ‘as is’. My body’s F-AH measured 7.375”…but my pattern’s F-ah only measures 6.5”! Oh dear…I need it to be even taller! Well, this certainly explains the binding I sometimes feel in the F-ah! I can use the DART OVERRIDE TOOL, which will lower the F armhole and decrease the size of the bust dart (using a negative tool setting). I have tried to avoid using that tool if possible, but maybe it’s *necessary* for me. Hmmm. I have been getting too much fullness at the tip of the bust darts on many of these latest tops…indicating too large a dart. I guess I will have to explore the D.O. tool a bit more!
.
.
Now that I think about this a bit...I might ought to consider that I am larger than a B cup. Minott subtracts from the measured F-AH height to adjust for cup sizes...1/4" for C-cup, 3/8" for D-cup, and 1/2" for DD-cup. Since I am in the C-D range, I will set 7" as my 'goal' for F-ah height and see what the D.O. tool gives me.

Regarding Comments on White Roses

In response to recent comments...

Laura asked:
>>>Are you sure your sleeve cap height is right? I can't help but think your sleeve looks like it doesn't have enough width in the cap, causing it to pull both in the front and back. The seams at back and front LOOK like they are properly placed, so it must be the sleeve cap right?<<<

Hi Laura! I tried a lower cap height first, which does produce a wider sleeve. That one had pulls 'out the wazoo'...even worse! So I redrafted and recut the sleeve to have a HIGHER cap, even knowing I would get a narrower sleeve. It was better, pull-wise...but narrower! THAT was my dilemna...how to get a cap that was tall enough and still wide enough without increasing the sleeve's cap ease. My solution was to:

• a) MOVE THE SHOULDER POINTS outward, by increasing both FSW and BSW (and ShL) measurements so the sleeve won't have to reach up so high...the garment's shoulder will reach out to the sleeve! This way, I can use a lower cap height which produces a wider sleeve, and
• b) use the ARMHOLE SHAPE TOOL to make the front between this wider shoulder area and the bust more narrow like it was before widening the shoulders, and
• c) increase the bust circumference measurement/reduce the cup size, to move the back armhole point outward a bit, which produces a larger back-half of the sleeve AND widens the back bodice area so the sleeve will not need to reach so far toward the back to meet the bodice. I am hopeful.

I also found that on both the front and the back bodice, reshaping the upper AHs helped. I'm talking about the area between the Shoulder Point and the notch on front and back. Making these arcs a bit more scooped creates a more pleasing 'hang' of the sleeve (on me). Instead of the sleeve seeming like a ^ at the top, it became more rounded when a tiny bit was removed from the bodice ah. This is a manual change...no tool in the STYLE EDITOR will do it for you (although you CAN use PATTERN EDITOR to redraw it)...and the amount was very small, like 1/8 to 1/4 inch.

>>> the only thing that has even made the shirts wearable was to lower the cap height--like to about a -1 or -1.25. I have been less concerned about some wrinkles from the "casual-ness" of the sleeve cap height than having that annoying pull across the back!<<<

Yes...thanks...I hear ya! I am just going to have to be more accepting of wrinkles in back to get mobility!

>>>Say just a thought...have you ever used Nancy Zieman's slide and pivot methods? The diagram you have in your post makes me think of that....and doing it that way. (Then the question is HOW to get PMB to draft it like that!!)<<<

I have toyed with her methods, but have usually done like I am doing here...figure out the effect her alteration would have on the pattern, then adjust the measurements and settings to 'force' PMB to give me that draft/shape.

Debbie wrote:
>>>My oh my you sure are demanding of your wovens at low ease levels!!:)) <<<

Yep, I am! I actually used 3" of bust ease, which I consider totally doable. I think I should be able to adequately move my arms at even 2" ease ...maybe even at 1"!

>>>Turning to Minott's wrinkle charts I noticed that she also says "or move section 2 out on slv. pattern".<<

Yep...section 2 is the underarm point, which DOES move outward (also) with the addition of bust circumference. If I made that change on the sleeve without changing the bodice, it would add more cap ease. I do know that using more cap ease would give me a wider, more comfortable sleeve, but that is not the kinda of sleeve I am after here.

>>> In her illustration the arm is bent, your's are straight out. When you move your arms as in your pic using low ease I consider the slv. wrinkles and the back strain normal. What else can it do with such little fabric during body movement?<<

Sure, I would expect SOME strain. But that degree of strain suggests to me that the fit is not right. As I said, I am adding 1" more bust circumference for the next one and will still use 3" ease...plus, using a smaller bust CUP SIZE will cause that entire 1" extra to be added to the BACK pattern. A few outward clicks on the AH SHAPE TOOL will make the mid-back/blade ah area slightly wider, too. BTW, I still get strain when the arms are postioned as in Minott's example...of course, not nearly as much!

>>>Do you think your armhole seamlines (both frt/bck) are too far out on arm?<<<

I totally do in the front, but not in back. In BACK, the armhole actually seems to need to be even FARTHER out at its lower part! To illustrate, I watched my back view (in mirror) as I moved my arms around. There is a 'valley' that is forming on my body about .5" outside where the ah seam is located, and that valley is probably where my arm really meets my body...where the ah seam SHOULD be! You can see the vertical wrinkle that forms over that valley in this picture, there on the sleeve, just outside the ah seam.>>>>>

However, in the front, the lower F-armhole seems to be too high up/out on my arm, but using the reduced cup size lowers this for next time. Cross your fingers! XXXXX

>>>Where do you start your slv. easing when setting slvs.? From the frontal pic it looks like there's too much in front cap..yes/no?..and that the easing started too low vs. just on either side of shoulder notch.<<<

Very observant! Yes, as a result of some of my recent sleeve tests, I found my sleeve actually hung better when I spread the ease over a longer distance. In front, I can't spread it as much as in back, but yes, I am easing more than just right at the top of the sleeve cap. That sleeve has 1.5" of cap ease, so must have a decent amount of space to put that into! Now, one must consider that I was trying to make the sleeve I was using hang better....but each time I change a measurement or setting, the armhole changes, and so does the sleeve draft. So the changes I make to cause one sleeve to hang better will not necessarily be necessary for subsequent sleeves, as long as I am still making changes. Put another way, I might not need to spread the ease over a longer area on a different sleeve draft...who knows!

>>>At that low bust ease level there is still alot of excess at back bust area, and those darn wrinkles are still there at base of back armholes..darnit! It's almost like I want to make the whole upper back more narrow and then work on the slv.<<<

See, I am wanting to do the opposite!!! I am wanting to make the upper back wider!!! Or, at least, the 'mid-back', the lower-blade area. With movement, there is NOT enough width across the back! I am almost resigned to the fact that I will HAVE to put up with some excess fabric across the back when my arms are at my sides so that I will have enough fabric across the back to allow me to move my arms up and forward!

>>>Maybe using the side/arm pt. negative is doing that along with too wide widths?..yes/no? But if you don't use side/arm neg. then the pmb slv. will be all screwed up because of how it puts too much in the front cap. Why doesn't pmb evenly distribute cap ease...WHY?:)))) <<<

I am finding that PMB puts nearly 2/3 of the ease into the front sleeve cap and only 1/3 into the back sleeve cap...but I hadn't considered that it might be diferent with different sideseam postions. Sure enough, though, moving the SS forward DOES put MORE of the cap ease into the front half of the sleeve than using a more backwardly-placed sideseam does! Who'dda thunk? I wonder if this is a bug in the program or an intentional drafting choice(?)...and if so, why?

>>>nice alteration on that collar. And that is a cute blouse!<<<

Thanks! I drafted with 3" width at CB for the Italian collar, then modified as shown to flatten it some.

>>>Oh and might I introduce you to a wonderful new fabric blend called cotton with lycra!<<<

I know...and I have some in my stash, waiting to be used! But I don't want to rely on Lycra to solve fit issues. I want to get my fit to the 'as good as it gets' point, then use Lycra for increased comfort!

Ya know, I don't watch a lot of QVC...but occasionally, I will linger on that channel for a few minutes. As you say...pushing up sleeves to compensate for them being too short? Are you kidding me? I have had to do that all my life...that is why I sew!!!