Subject: Help me fit my jean jacket: Update with pics Date: 11/7/09 11:53 AM

I would surely appreciate some help with fitting my Jalie 2320 jean jacket. The muslin is cut as a size T, with my usual petite adjustments to the sleeve and front/back length.

I think the front looks pretty good:

And the sleeve feels right (the length is good too, though for some reason it looks like I'm missing a hand in this pic!). But what are those folds pointing from side to bust?


The back needs serious work. It feels a little tight across the upper back, and then there's all this extra fabric puddling below.


I'm a good sewist, but a complete novice at bodice-fitting, so any help would be hugely appreciated! I'm using this gorgeous reversible denim from GF and with front and welt pocket zips by Riri, so I really want to get the fit just right!

Meg from Nora's Room
-- Edited on 11/7/09 11:57 AM --
-- Edited on 11/8/09 4:06 PM --

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proud to be a boutique sewer for Oliver + S
www.norasroom.com

Reply to norasroom
Date: 11/7/09 12:36 PM

Beginner fitter here-I think you need a sway back adjustment in the back. Fold out a dart at CB ending at nothing at side seams. The shoulder seams look too long. Perhaps you need a smaller size in neck/shoulders with a FBA.
-- Edited on 11/7/09 12:37 PM --

Date: 11/7/09 12:50 PM

I agree with Julia that the shoulder seam is too wide and that you need a sway back adjustment. Check the picture on the pattern envelope to see where the shoulder seam should end. For the sway back adjustment, you could do the standard tuck, or try this method. I'm not sure why it would feel tight across the back... perhaps it is pulling because of the shoulder width.
As for the draglines to the bust, I think you may need more length at the center front and a bigger dart. I'm not really sure how to fix this one tho, so hopefully someone else will pitch in on this one.

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Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
-Oscar Wilde

Reply to ladybegood
Date: 11/7/09 1:00 PM

I've made two jean jackets and I also have to do a petite adjustment between the apex and shoulders. I agree with Julia that you need to go smaller for the bodice and possibly a FBA. The shoulders definitely look like they come down too low on you. With that in mind, I think that may even help the way it fits in the back. I'm not so sure about the swayback because the jean jackets I've made, they hit me slightly below the waist and are not really fitted but that's just my opinion.

Date: 11/7/09 3:41 PM

Ahh, you ladies are wizards. I think you're right about the FBA (says the woman who wears a 32D). When I released the center front, the back smoothed itself out. This particular pattern has no shaping in front; I'm going to re-cut the fronts and backs a size or two smaller and then attempt an FBA and move the dart to the yoke seam.

Thanks again for your thoughtful comments. I'll re-sew and repost.

Cheers!

meg

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proud to be a boutique sewer for Oliver + S
www.norasroom.com

Subject: Update with pics Date: 11/8/09 4:19 PM

Grrr. I spent my whole weekend working on this jean jacket muslin. Based on your excellent comments, I sized down to a 32" bust and then dusted off my copy of FFRP to do my first FBA. (And my second, and third, and fourth, and fifth!) Ended up needing two inches to bring the jacket center front to my center front, then closed the dart and rotated the excess to the side seam. Still had to take in the shoulder width an additional 1/2". Also added a center back seam to do a modest sway back adjustment.

Anyhow, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. The muslin feels a good bit more comfortable, but I'm not sure that translates to a better fit?







Thanks in advance for any direction you can give me!

Meg, who remembers now why I usually stick with knits.

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proud to be a boutique sewer for Oliver + S
www.norasroom.com

Date: 11/8/09 4:42 PM

It appears to me that the reason the fabric is puddling in the back is because the back band is too tight. The fabric has no where to go so "goes up". Adding to the band should help to make the jacket hang straight as it was meant to be. If you will notice, the bottom of the band hits you just before your body curves outward, so with not enough space, the jacket seeks a level where it will fit.

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OH NO! You've done it just like I told you!!!

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