Hinterland #1

Well I made up my first Hinterland Dress, after much pattern fiddling & two muslins (two more than I usually do!) I had to make a lot of changes to this one for a variety of reasons. 

First I had to make a small bust adjustment, as this pattern is designed for a C cup. This was the first time I've actually gone to the trouble to do it, and I'm glad I did, it really worked out. Because of the size differential, this adjustment actually got rid of the bust dart entirely. 

I also added a 1/4" neckline dart (something I often do) and then had to take in a 1" dart on each back shoulder. It was a lot! But the back neckline still wasn't sitting quite right, so after reading a bunch of online reviews both on IG and in the blog world, I adjusted the shoulder slope. When I change the shoulder in a pattern, it's usually to take up the outer edge of (usually) just the right shoulder. But here I took 1/2" up from the NECK edge, tapering out to nothing by the shoulder seam. This was unusual for me, but it really worked. After that the bodice seemed to fit quite well. And so I went ahead with a wearable muslin! 

The changes I made to this particular dress were to lengthen the pocket bag so that I could anchor it into the waist seam - that reduces floppiness, which is great. I used an old rayon from my stash that I'm not overly attached to, so that I wouldn't balk at making mistakes! 

There are still a couple of things I would like to adjust with this pattern. First, the front neckline does gape a bit -- I hope I didn't stretch it out (staystitched it right after cutting but...) but thinking it might need to be adjusted by another 1/4" dart. I often have to take up to 1/2" out of the centre front so this doesn't surprise me terribly. 

The other change is that the waistline, after all my adjustments, is too hi-low for my tastes. I like the height of the front waistline, but then it dips down quite a bit to the side seams and across the back, and I'm not fond of that. I am going to straighten out the waistline to the length of the front bodice all around, and then make another to see if all these adjustments do the trick.

I don't usually spend so much time on fitting a simple dress like this. However, I bought the Creative Hinterland design course, so want to get the fit perfect so that I can begin on the design options and know any issues I'm having are from my redrafting and not the original I've begun on ! 

In any case, this is quite a wearable, light summer dress and I'm sure I will get some use out of it. It was a challenge but I'm happy I followed through on it. 

Hinterland Bodice Tests: a beginning

I've begun working on fitting my Hinterland bodice in order to start on the design course I signed up for at the beginning of the year! I don't usually make muslins too often, but the bodice has to be well fitted in order for the following design changes throughout the course to really work.

I looked up the Hinterland online and found quite a number of people had varied issues with the bodice, so I was aware of some areas to look for. I first decided that I would cut a 12 according to my bust size, so I did, dropping the bust point by 1/4". And taking a small 1/4" dart in the front neckline as well. But it was way too close fitting across the shoulder/upper bust area -- except for the back, which was very, very gapey, I had to take a 1" dart on each side of the back bodice. 

But I realized that 12 was the wrong size. The Hinterland is designed for a C cup, so I had chosen the wrong size entirely. Looking at my upper bust measurements, I realized that a 16 would be a better choice, if I then also incorporated a small bust adjustment.

So I retraced it, and made the SBA (using Gina Renée Design's post as guidance). Then I trued the front and back side length, and made my other adjustments (back darts, small neckline dart) and tried again.

When I made the SBA it completely eliminated the bust dart so I didn't have to worry about that! I muslined it and this time it fit well except for one thing. The slope of the shoulder was off & making the back bodice gape weirdly. I took a 1/2" wedge, starting at the inner neckline & tapered back to nothing by the shoulder seam (so it remained the same). This fixed all the remaining fit issues with the back bodice.

I didn't have to make any changes to the sleeve and so now that this mostly seems to fit I am going to try a real version. Hope it works! 

ITS Palermo: first Make Nine project!

One of the patterns on my 2024 #MakeNine list is the Palermo peasant top, from the Itch to Stitch book Sew Beautiful. When I mentioned last year that I was looking for patterns in this style so I could make my own Vyshyvanka, someone on IG recommended the Palermo. It's definitely in the running! 

I used a small piece of remnant fabric from my stash - it's a suiting fabric but fairly light and not stiff, so I decided to use it. I liked the idea of mixing a peasant blouse with suiting fabric! I had just enough. I cut a size 8 at the neck & shoulders, grading to a 12 at the hip. It's more closely fitted than I was expecting, even though I double checked the sizing, and did choose the right sizes according to my body measurements. I might make it one size up next time, although I like the neckline at size 8. 

It was actually a very quick project! Front, back, sleeve and neckline bias casing. The front has a seam up the middle which is pressed flat and topstitched. Fortunately the stripes worked out for me! The neckline casing is sewn on, elastic inserted and there is also elastic at the sleeve cuffs, though it's a nice gentle gather, not a tight ruffle. I like that as well. 

I added one inch to the length when I cut it out, but didn't alter the sleeve at all, except for making a slightly larger hem for my elastic. I don't think I would want the sleeve or the body any shorter, for me. 

I do like it and think the closer fit works with this fabric. But not 100% convinced that this is the right Vyshyvanka base, so will continue trying out a few more options before committing to embroidery. 

New Look 6519: a rare muslin

I bought a bunch of new patterns earlier this year as part of my win from the PR Match Your Shoes contest. I really wanted to use them all right away! I decided to start with what looked like the easiest one, New Look 6519. 

I don't know what it was about this very easy pattern that made me think twice, but I decided to make a muslin of it first to check the fit -- perhaps because straight fit dresses often don't fit me quite right. So I used a batch of narrow striped cotton that a friend had given me, a fabric I wasn't too likely to use because it reminded me of mattresses or prison outfits. And lo and behold, this dress does indeed look like a prison uniform in this fabric ;) Good thing it's only a test.

I first altered the pattern in length, folding out some length both between the shoulder and bust and above the waist. I then lengthened the hem by about 4" as it would have been very short on me -- a short person to begin with! The dress view is more of a tunic length than a dress length, in my opinion.

I then cut it as I thought I'd need to, starting at 14 at the shoulders and grading out to close to 20 at the hips. But when I tried it on, I found it still pulled across the backside. Because of the way the ties pull the sides of the dress to the front, the extra width at the sides found by grading didn't really help that much.

I returned to the pattern, and cut and altered it for a full derriere. This is what the pattern looked like by the time I was done.

Thankfully I had more of the fabric, and since I'd just basted the dress together, I pulled it apart again and recut a new back. When I sewed it back up again, it fit! I was so pleased that this worked. However, I was a little put off by the whole thing and still haven't made it in a real fabric.

There are a few problems with this pattern for me, aside from all the adjustments. I wonder if it wouldn't look better on a taller, more evenly shaped figure. Perhaps in a lighter, drapier real fabric it will look a little nicer. In that case, though, I would also alter the waist ties. They are double layer, and tucked up right under the bust (at least on me after my bodice shortening) They end up being quite heavy, and pulling on the dress. If I do make it as an actual wearable dress, I'll be narrowing the tie width by at least an inch, and may change them to one layer if the fabric is suitable, and use a rolled hem for tidiness.

Do you ever find that you have trouble with "easy" patterns? What kind of instinct do you have to tell you to test something out when that's not your usual habit? And do you generally continue on when you have to make so many alterations? I don't usually, but was pleased that I got this to fit, even if I'm not sure I really like the style in the end.