Well, this weekend I finished my McCall's 5686 bodice muslin. I did my normal change where I cut the bodice out as a 10 (I was assuming excess Big 4 pattern ease) and tapered out to a 12 at the waist. BIG mistake. It was WAY too small! I felt like I was trying on a child's outfit.
It seems someone has been in denial about how a few pounds weight gain has effected her figure. Not only do I have pants that I can't button but it seems my fairly modest bosom has enlarged as well. Funny how something I would have been estatic about in junior high is no longer good news. Nothing fits or if it does, I at least can tell that it's straining.
When I say a few pounds, I really only mean a few, five to be exact. Which means that my clothes were probably already close to not fitting last fall. So, where I thought I was a Big 4 size 12 I am now a 14. Size-wise I have no problems with that, in fact my proportions fit that size much better at waist and hip. However, those 109 patterns that I already own and have always held out that one day I would make for myself? Hello! Not all of them go up to 14. I am the queen of patterns sized (8-10-12). When you only have to widen the hips a bit, no problem, but my new measurements (as of this morning) seem to suggest FBAs will be in my future.
Dum Dum DUm DUM
So on to muslim number 2, right after I tape some paper to my already cut pattern and redraw those size 12 lines. Wish me luck.
P.S.
This is a great example of why a muslin is important. Also a warning that you should take your measurements every few projects or so.
3 comments:
Amen, that's all I am going to say.
Too true. Yesterday I thought I'd be incredibly clever trying out a vintage pattern one size too small without going the way of a muslin first. I made adjustments without really understanding how the pattern pieces worked together, then I cut straight into my silk charmeuse, which I've never sewn with before. Who could have anticipated a day (today) spent trying to make the bustline fit (it cuts halfway across my chest...) with fiddly fabric that unravels and keeps running off with itself and leaves a mark every time I undo a seam? Certainly not me it seems. I like a steep learning curve, but in the meantime, my lovely purple silk charmeuse is most definitely wasted... I'm hoping this was the lesson I needed to ALWAYS MAKE A MUSLIN FIRST... Oh yes, and I've also put on several pounds around the waist since making the skirt I was going to wear with it, so now, neither fit...
The size break is killer, isn't it? For now, only my hips are a 14 but even that is inconvenient to grade in some complicated patterns.
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