Letters from Wetville

There may not be a photograph. I made a muslin of the Blank Slate Novelista pattern out of an old sheet.  I've discussed my learning on shoulders here .  All week I've looked forward to two things: drinking Captain Cooker beer with my husband on Friday night and finishing my Novelista shirt. It's finished, and all mistakes are mine and not the pattern.  How can there be so much to fitting?  My new shirt, which is definitely a triumph in terms of new sewing skills, fits across the bust in terms of no gaping buttons.  But above the bust is a disaster - there is far too much fabric just where everything should be smooth.  And the collar looks enormous on me.  At the back, everything blouses out and I lose all back waist definition.  Sometimes I read that even an ill fitting blouse fits better than a RTW one.  But in my case, I can't do a fitted RTW blouse up, and this is the next step in terms of ill fitting but functionally wearable. Ba...

I spent many years sorting out full bust adjustments.  I still spend a long time on most patterns making full bust adjustments, but I'd branched out into other fitting challenges.  When sewing up some Jenna cardigans this summer (not yet photographed or blogged, but I'm wearing the yellow one as I type), I kept narrowing the shoulder on every iteration.  Finally, the blue version had a good shoulder fit, but it still fell off my shoulders if I didn't pull it on firmly. That made me think some more about items which DO fit on my shoulders.  I have a favourite Max brand green merino hoodie top.  I measured the shoulders on that (they fit perfectly) and they were tiny shoulders.  But because of the style of the hoodie, it didn't slip off easily.  My Sewaholic Nicola dresses are slightly wide in the shoulders, but because of the little cap sleeve, they look fine. Then I decided to have a go at a button through top.  At first I was all set to go ta...