Date: 11/5/09 4:25 PM

I'm trying to make a muslin for a New Look dress. Based on the amount of ease in the garment, I chose the smaller size (high bust vs. reg. bust)- everything seemed to be going fine until I realized this is a woven empire waist type garment that has to go on over my head and I'll be popping seams when I try to put it on if I don't make it bigger at the bottom of the bodice (that's probably why there is so much ease in the dress bodice). I let out the side seams a little and made the adjustments to the sleeve seams so I could still ease them in (now I could get it on over my head easily enough). The sleeve style is a rather flat cap type sleeve. After I put the sleeves in and tried the garment on I realized I was getting a lot of pull along the side bust where the sleeve is attached, and in addition, I really couldn't raise my arms. The sleeves themselves are not tight. What is this due to? I don't think the garment is too small (if anything it is probably too big since I let out the sides), are the armholes too low (where should the arm holes fall?). Should I have made a full bust adjustment (I'm a 34C, my full bust is 34 - high bust 31-1/2) I used the high bust to determine the size but didn't put side darts in because it seemed to fit well enough across my bust and the vertical darts at the bottom of the bodice seemed to give some shape to the garment (plus the fact that I'm still not sure I have a clue as to how to do a FBA without messing up that vertical dart on the bottom of the bodice). One other thing that I noted when I put the sleeves in - they were pretty easy to ease in (I didn't even use ease stitching between the darts and was able to slap them in on the first try - could this be a drafting problem with the actual sleeve). I increased the sleeves by the same amount that I added to the bodice - is this correct? I realize these questions would probably be answered in a good fitting book and I am planning on getting the Palmer Pletsch Fit for Real People if I don't throw in the towel on this whole fitting issue. My local library unfortunately carries almost nothing in the way of sewing and fitting. I'm not sure if I'm explaining this very well, but if anyone understands what I'm saying, I'd appreciate your input. Thanks

Date: 11/5/09 8:03 PM

maybe you need a petite chest adjustment? fold the front armsyce above the bust up and pin, see if that makes a difference.

edited to add, if this is the alteration you need, don't forget to shorten the sleeve top as well (just fold up the same amount across the middle of the shoulder).
-- Edited on 11/5/09 8:05 PM --

Date: 11/6/09 9:23 AM

LuceLu, okay I did what you said and it makes the situation worse. However, I think that by doing what you said, it made me realize that the armholes are too tight and I need to make them larger - Ill try cutting them deeper and see what happens. Thanks for your input.

Subject: Pulls across side bust - cant raise arms Date: 11/6/09 9:41 AM

Hi! I'm new to fit also but I got help from PR you can read and see my post in "Fitting Woes" under the title "Need help with NL 6952" I have the same problem with the pulling across the side bust myself and you and I have the same measurements(bust)! I think Sew4fun and Cynthia Sue are VERY helpful. Sew4fun makes similar alterations as us, so read some of her reviews and go on her blog because she is very detailed with what she does (no I'm not stalking her!) I hope this helps or atleast points you in the right direction! :)

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Relax, don't get your elastic all twisted up in your waistband!
Hell hath no fury for the poor soul that sews an ill-fitting garment!

Reply to mhk3boys
Date: 11/7/09 1:22 PM

Hmm, I wonder if some of this might be due to a NL pattern issue. I did a search on armholes etc. on the message boards, and saw some posts that relate to the same problem for NL patterns. I've been trying to analyze the armhole on this bodice piece and noticed that the cut of the armhole has a very steep curve (it's almost a soft right angle) . Also, if I lay the sleeve on top of the bodice pattern the bottom of the sleeve does not match up very well between the notches - it's as if the armholes are cut too deeply into the front of the bodice. I then went to my closet and after trying on almost every blouse I own (most of which are over 20 years old) I found one that fit reasonably well, right shoulder length, not too big under the arm and most of all comfortable. I turned the blouse inside out and compared the curve in the sleeve seam with the NL pattern. My particular blouse has a rather shallow curve. I wonder if I just lessen the depth of the curve between the notches and then try to do the same on the sleeve if this might not help to solve the problem. With that being said, I'm going to open my patterns before I buy them and look at the curve in the front armhole sleeve because I know this type of armhole will not work for me. I've been lurking in the background reading a lot of the posts and it really does amaze me how knowledgeable the people on PR are. I'm going to go with the advice I got in an earlier post to buy a sloper pattern and get some good fitting books because right now this is all very confusing to me without the right knowledge base. PS - I read the thread on your NL 6952 Blouse and the end results are really amazing - you did a great job and Sew4fun really helped to walk you through the whole process - maybe someday I'll understand what this whole process is about. PSS - I'm sold - I'm buying gingham when I get my sloper.

Reply to obsessed with sewing
Date: 11/7/09 8:41 PM

Yes, you should have made an fba. If you are picking your size by your high bust you have to make an fba to get it to fit your bust! You picked your pattern by your high bust measurement, but on the pattern that is what the bust measurement is based on. Not the ease, the actual body measurement that the dress is drafted for. You have to have a certain amount of ease to wear the dress. If you subtract your measurement from the flat pattern measurement, often printed on the pattern, you will get the amount of ease that is designed into the pattern. This is wearing ease plus design ease.

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www.nancyksews.blogspot.com

Subject: Pulls across side bust - cant raise arms Date: 11/7/09 10:23 PM

I guess in conclusion we need to cut the shoulder and arms out in high bust measurements and when you get to the side seams(waist) then cut out full bust size and add a FBA!For me I have to shorten between shoulder and arms for my petite size. I just got a Kwik Sew pattern that is fitted and I will try this on my muslin. My last comment is I would not recommend NL 6952 for a trial muslin because of the hidden placket confusion. Thanks NancyK and I will be looking foward to see your progress Obsessed with sewing!
-- Edited on 11/9/09 8:47 AM --

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Relax, don't get your elastic all twisted up in your waistband!
Hell hath no fury for the poor soul that sews an ill-fitting garment!

Reply to Nancy K
Date: 11/9/09 12:56 PM

Thank you for your response, I just got a sloper and am going to try to pinpoint what is really going on with this body of mine - I guess I'm fighting the fba because I keep getting different measurements. I range from feeling like I'm small to average and full busted to regular - I guess the sloper will help me to figure this out, size is such a relative thing it is hard for me to know until I have more practice at this. I understand now what you mean about ease - I just need to decide what is the right amount for me - I guess that takes experience and practice. I did notice when I took my measurements for the sloper that my upper bodice measurements were very short, while my lower bodice measurements were very long. The Vogue sloper has two lengthen/shorten lines on the bodice - maybe this will help with all that extra fabric I end up with above my chest without changing the armholes.

Subject: Pulls across side bust - cant raise arms Date: 11/9/09 3:39 PM

You might also consider whether you've got enough room across the middle of the back. I've found with a lot of patterns that they just aren't wide enough through the shoulders. Adding some width to the middle of the armscye solved that problem for me.

Reply to ValerieJ
Date: 11/12/09 10:17 AM

Thank you Valerie, you may be right about my not having enough room through the shoulders, I'm working on a fitting sloper now and I think (not sure because I've been wrong about plenty of other stuff) that I may have broad, square shoulders, with one shoulder being higher than the other. I'm just not sure about any of the conclulsions I come to with regard to my body -- seems like I'm always jumping back and forth from one extreme to the other! Hopefully when I finish this sloper, I'll have a much better clue as to what I am doing and what kind of adjustments I need to make.