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Member since 7/16/07
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Posted on: 11/24/08 8:19 PM ET
Like many middle-aged petites I have a multi-sized body -- narrower in the shoulders and neck than in the middle. Normally for tops I've been buying for my frame size (10-12), then morphing out to (sigh) 20 for the bust etc. But what about for a coat? Coats are obviously less fitted in the shoulder/neck area than tops. If the pattern comes in, say, 8-14 and 16-22 (like THIS), should I buy for my smaller neck/shoulders or for the rest of me? Or should I really spring for both size ranges?
Thanks!



-- Edited on 11/24/08 8:20 PM --
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my shield and my very great reward ~ Gen. 15:1

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. ~ Albert Einstein

People have a way of becoming what you encourage them to be, not what you nag them to be. ~ Scudder N. Parker
  
Member since 4/1/07
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Posted on: 11/24/08 9:19 PM ET
In reply to Vintage Joan
Have you been using princess seamed blouses? And do you also use the back for a size 20, or just the front?

Personally, I'd always tell a person to buy for the shoulders, even in a coat. My coats are bigger than my blouses or jackets, yes, but they are in the same *proportion*. They're not just bigger on their own.
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Fabric Sewn in 2011: 0 yards
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Member since 7/16/07
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Posted on: 11/24/08 11:56 PM ET
In reply to Therisa
Quote:
Have you been using princess seamed blouses? And do you also use the back for a size 20, or just the front?

-- I haven't made a princess-seamed blouse yet
-- Yes, I use the size 20 front and back (...why?)
Quote:
I'd always tell a person to buy for the shoulders, even in a coat. My coats are bigger than my blouses or jackets, yes, but they are in the same *proportion*.

Interesting -- thanks!

-- Edited on 11/25/08 0:00 AM --
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my shield and my very great reward ~ Gen. 15:1

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. ~ Albert Einstein

People have a way of becoming what you encourage them to be, not what you nag them to be. ~ Scudder N. Parker
  
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Posted on: 11/25/08 11:31 AM ET
Joan, I have only made one coat and for that I just went with the same size I choose for blouses. I use size 10 (36) for blouses in Burda and that's what I used for the coat too. It's my understanding that they build in more ease for coats than they would for blouses.
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Posted on: 11/25/08 12:56 PM ET
In reply to Vintage Joan
You ought to buy for your shoulders and adjust as you would if it were a blouse. A coat will have wearing ease figured into the fit so it should measure larger than a blouse.
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Posted on: 11/25/08 1:11 PM ET
In reply to Vintage Joan
Since you haven't done a princess seam blouse I think it would be a good idea to work on those first. You'll figure out how to alter the seaming for your fit on much easier fabric, saving time and money. Even a muslin for a coat is going to be difficult to alter, so at least you'd have a good sloper to start with.
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Member since 7/16/07
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Posted on: 11/25/08 2:46 PM ET
Hmm -- all very good points. Thanks. Yes, I probably should try a princess-seamed top first. I have some ideas on that one... I actually happen to own both size ranges of this Threads tunic pattern.
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my shield and my very great reward ~ Gen. 15:1

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. ~ Albert Einstein

People have a way of becoming what you encourage them to be, not what you nag them to be. ~ Scudder N. Parker
  
Member since 7/19/07
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Posted on: 11/25/08 2:54 PM ET
In reply to Vintage Joan
Quote: Joan1954
Hmm -- all very good points. Thanks. Yes, I probably should try a princess-seamed top first. I have some ideas on that one... I actually happen to own both size ranges of this Threads tunic pattern.

Since your coat pattern is an armhole princess, you might want to practice on an armhole princess top (the tunic that you linked to is a shoulder princess). You'll follow the same principle with both styles, but if you're lowering the bust fullness or doing anything larger than a small FBA, the armhole princess will be a little trickier to work with.

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--Michelle

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Member since 7/16/07
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Posted on: 11/25/08 11:45 PM ET
In reply to michellep74
I'm not totally sure what you mean, but I'm picturing that maybe it's something like the difference between a dropped sleeve and a set-in sleeve in a sweater?
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my shield and my very great reward ~ Gen. 15:1

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. ~ Albert Einstein

People have a way of becoming what you encourage them to be, not what you nag them to be. ~ Scudder N. Parker
  
Member since 4/1/07
Posts: 959
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Posted on: 11/26/08 1:52 PM ET
In reply to Vintage Joan
An armhole princess has the princess seam to end in the armhole. It curves over as in your coat pic. A shoulder princess seam looks like a straight line going from the lower hem edge, across the bust point, to the shoulder of the garment.
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Fabric Purchased in 2011: 37 yards
Fabric Sewn in 2011: 0 yards
Current Contest Moderator: Lined Jacket
Current Contest Participant: Mini Wardrobe
  
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