Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Not Yet

When one is over confident it usually ends in a fall.  At least with me and pants!  I finally have a tnt pattern for trousers, but jeans have eluded me.  I am on my 4th pair, the first one became a muslin for the second pair, also not a great fit. So I decided to make a real muslin, not one intended for wear.  I did more fitting and cut out the 4th pair yesterday, and ended up with the same cutting mistake I thought I had fixed in the muslin.  I walked the pattern and I still have the back higher than the front side seam.  I can only  think that I forgot to add the back yoke when I measured. They may be a pair that is a bit lower than I want them to be, but I am going to  baste them and see if I they can be saved.  I know, as Kay mentioned that they won't be totally wrinkle free, but they will have the fewest wrinkles I can manage and still be able to sit down.  Fitting ended up being  a combinations of Peggy Sagers fitting techniques and Joyce Murphy's body space to alter the pattern.  I'll fit them today and hopefully they will still be wearable.  At least I am using inexpensive denim I bought on sale at Fabric.com.  The sale is still going on I think.  When they came one was as stiff as a board but they both washed up nicely.

I've also spent time tracing out two of the new Hot Patterns knit tops; the cowl bottom and the twisted bottom.  I will reserve judgement until after I've sewn them up, but the armhole was really low when I compared it to my tnt knit t. The sleeve cap also had a huge amount of ease that I removed.  Knit tops really don't need any ease in the sleeve cap.  The tops are really current in styling and since I wear a lot of knits I am always looking for something unique. For once  I decided to actually make knit muslins. There are a number of knits languishing in my stash that one,  must have been bought in a moment of madness, or two they were not anything like the color I thought I'd be getting.  Good use for them and good riddance

10 comments:

  1. Can't wait to see your HP tops - any of those views will look smashing on you. I sympathize with the jeans quest. Even after taking Jennifer Stern's excellent class on PR, I still don't have a muslin I'm happy with. Good luck!

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  2. After many, many years of successfully perfecting the fit of jackets, all tops/blouses and dresses I am beginning my quest for perfect fitting pants as my 63 year old body does not "fill in" the seat of RTW. I'm preparing myself for numerous trials to achieve this feat! At least you have conquered regular pants. I fear jeans are the ultimate test.

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  3. I so admire your perseverance and am sure you will get there in the end.
    Look forward to the tops too, nice pattern!

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  4. You are so persistent, Nancy, that I know you will end up with fabulously fitting jeans. That pattern looks very intriguing and I am looking forward to what you come up with.

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  5. That is the one thing I am dreading about this weight loss of mine - that I will have to start over with pants and jeans fitting. I tried on a pair of RTW last hoping to limp through for a while. Hah. That was a joke. They technically fit fine, if a little loose - but they must have been made for someone with huge saddlebags because I could grab a handful at each outside thigh. So, I keep wearing skirts and dresses and my 2 pairs of RTW capris that fit and blocking out the fitting sessions to come.

    I can't wait to see how yours turn out.

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  6. Four tries at a pair of jeans is real perseverance! But what an achievement if you get a pair that fits. I don't know anyone personally, of any age, happy with the fit of their jeans. I am interested to know your final verdict on the hot patterns tshirts.

    On an unrelated note, my blog, Making the Seam, was infected by Malware last weekend, so I deleted it straight away. I don't really understand how to fix those things and didn't want it to linger around and cause problems for anyone. So, if you want to find me, I am now at
    http://sewherewegoagain.blogspot.com/
    I haven't any new sewing to show yet though. I've been busy with computer hassles instead!

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  7. Pants and jeans are always a bargain between being too droopy and fitted while you're sitting and yet not cutting the blood off...for me I can't stand the waist band to be too low in back. Possibly this is from attending too many football games sitting behind co-eds who if they could see the view I see, would jump up and bite themselves. I don't want to contribute to the visual pollution that's already out there!!!

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  8. I made a BWOF pattern that fit me fairly well (Aug 2007 #127 size 44 - 52). They need a little tweaking, but they are passable without it. You've planted the seed. It's time for me to spend some quality time with this jeans pattern.

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  9. I love how you rarely make the connection between my anal retentive perfectionism and yours. I bet even your 'fail' jeans are still far superior to ready wear. HOWEVER, knowing you, the final perfected product will be even more ridiculously awesome.

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