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S3697 - can I make it work?
RobinE   Advanced Beginner WA USA Member since 12/21/06 Posts: 10	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/6/11 3:03 PM I've found a little bit of sewing mojo and am focusing it on trying to make Simplicity 3697 (view F) work for me. I cut a size 20 based on my high-bust measurement. I wear a J cup, so an FBA is definitely required. Here's what I've done so far: Version 1 involved an FBA (and I think I definitely need to go back and expand that). Version 2 added length to the bodice top and the band. (I've got more details on my blog: muslin 1, muslin 2.) I'm not sure if Version 2 is an improvement or not. So I'm stuck as to what to do next (or if I should even do anything next... I mean, I *think* this could be a fun and flattering top, but I'm not even sure about that!). I feel like I'm flying blind here. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! -- Robin -- Edited on 7/6/11 3:06 PM -- ------ -- Robin http://crafty-musings.blogspot.com
ValerieJ   Advanced Beginner PA USA Member since 6/14/06 Posts: 537	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/6/11 3:12 PM Well, it's kind of hard to say because the angle of the pictures is different. I think version A looks slightly better. B looks a little poufy under your breasts, like there's extra fabric at the bottom of each cup. That might simply be an effect of the photo, though. In B you have some wrinkles in the band right under the bust, which makes me think the band is perhaps too long. I think the neckline in each picture looks good, though. B is a bit more modest, so if that's what you were going for I think you accomplished that. What kinds of problems are you seeing? I don't know whether I addressed any of your thoughts.
RobinE   Advanced Beginner WA USA Member since 12/21/06 Posts: 10	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/6/11 3:48 PM Hi ValerieJ! Thanks so much for your thoughts. I think version A looks a little better too. My concerns with it include the wrinkles across the center front (I think I need more room in my FBA?), and the fact that the band/bodice seam is riding kind of high across my bust. The latter is why I attempted the lengthening-- which resulted in pouf cups and those wrinkles in the band. So evidently, lengthening was not the way to go. Maybe just making a fuller FBA will help on both counts? I think the depths of the v-neck in each picture is kind of a fluke based on the way I'm holding my camera. It is equally deep in both versions. I'm thinking I want to add a modesty panel in there. Robin ------ -- Robin http://crafty-musings.blogspot.com
JTink Intermediate VA USA Member since 4/20/08 Posts: 4820	Login to reply to this post In reply to RobinE Like this post Date: 7/6/11 4:34 PM I think the neck looks better in B. It doesn't "ripple" like in A. I think if you removed the added length of either the band or the bodice top, it might take out some of the Poof Valerie was talking about. I would opted to take the length out of the band. This might pull the bodice down a bit more, enabling it to pull the band up(no more band wrinkles) and fill out the poof. If you pull up on the neck band, do the little wrinkles disappear?
a7yrstitch   Intermediate TX USA Member since 4/1/08 Posts: 4391	Login to reply to this post In reply to RobinE Like this post Date: 7/6/11 5:36 PM -- Edited on 7/8/11 12:15 PM -- ------ I have no idea what Apple thought I was saying so be a Peach and credit anything bizarre to auto correct.
RobinE   Advanced Beginner WA USA Member since 12/21/06 Posts: 10	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/6/11 10:27 PM Thanks to everyone for all of the feedback! I was on the fence, and now I'm really feeling like I can do this. My plan is to make it in a woven. It's a cotton, lighter than quilting weight, but heavier than voile. It has a lovely hand and I think it will work well with this design. Here's a picture of muslin #2, sans camera: So far it is sounding like I should: --keep length in top (maybe add more width in there too... not sure yet); --go back to original band; --add an underbust dart and spread the gathers a little wider (see if that helps with the pouf). --work on smoothing out the gathering in the skirt part (I was even thinking of maybe experimenting with a couple of pleats there instead of the gathers). Any other thoughts before I embark on muslin #3? Hopefully, I'll be able to work on it again tomorrow evening. Thanks again for helping me with my fitting adventure. -- Robin ------ -- Robin http://crafty-musings.blogspot.com
MNBarb   Intermediate MN USA Member since 4/3/10 Posts: 1522	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/6/11 10:58 PM I like the idea of pleats under the waistband rather than gathers. The flatness seems to be more flattering for all figure types. This is going to be a really cute top. The under bust gathers might not give you any problems when you use your softer fabric. ------ Barb "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Thomas Edison "I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow." Woodrow Wilson
AnneM Intermediate MA USA Member since 7/30/02 Posts: 6556	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/7/11 6:10 AM Nice top, and my 2 cents is that if you had a RTW top that looked as nice as either one of those you wouldn't feel like you had to sew! Sounds like you are on the right track for making the top even better. I also like the idea of throwing in a pleat to help reduce the amount of gathers. ------ With a great wardrobe that's still in the flat-fabric stage.
EleanorSews   Advanced MI USA Member since 7/26/07 Posts: 3758 Board Moderator	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 7/7/11 8:42 AM Try spreading the gathers under your bust a bit more before adding a dart would be suggestion. I'm not as busty as you and had issues with a bust dart in that location and solved it by gathering. You might even think about pinching out 1/4" of the gather next time you cut out the pattern. Possibly even better, have considered rotating some of the gathers from below your bust to the inside center? You could trace the front piece, pinch out a little of the fullness under the bust and rotate a dart to the center front. Instead of sewing the dart, gather it. I'm thinking maybe rotate 3/8" to 1/2". That might relieve the little bit of "stress" at the center front and reduce the fullness below the bust without really losing any bust measurement/coverage. The final effect would be a small amount of gathering rotated to the lower center front with less gathering below the bust. A slight modification to the original but not drastic. The suggestions for pleating rather than gathering below the band get my vote. ------ "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." Anais Nin "Attitude is the difference between an adventure and an ordeal." unknown
JTink Intermediate VA USA Member since 4/20/08 Posts: 4820	Login to reply to this post In reply to RobinE Like this post Date: 7/7/11 9:54 AM You are on the right track. I cast my vote for the pleats too. I generally turn all my below bodice gathers to pleats(gets rid of that Pregnant look) Just an off the side question...Have you tried this with a different bra? It looks like the one you are wearing allows the girls to spread away from your center. If you gently push the girls in towards the center of your chest, do the little stress lines go away? Also, if you pinch you shoulder seams about a half inch, what does that do to the center V stress lines?

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