Testing, 1…2…3

Rant: Why does Burda have to remove WOF back issue info from their website so soon, and really, ever?? This is the internet, after all, dominion of more information than you'll need in one lifetime. Sheesh. I had to resort to taking a pic of the pic in the magazine. So anyway, this is what's up next in the sewing room. Issue 1/2006, Pattern #131.

As long as I was infringing copyright and taking pics of the magazine, I snapped this one of the line drawing too. I think it's a cute tee. I've thought so since January. I may actually be wearing one this January. There's always a euphoric rush on PatternReview when the newest issue of WOF starts arriving in mailboxes. Well, it's December 2006 and I'm sewing from the January 2006 issue. Apparently, I don't share that sense of rush. ;-)

This morning I traced the pattern, cut it out of a sacrificial knit, and now I'm assessing (assessing, not obsessing!). I think it's pretty good and there are only a few tweaks before cutting the good fabric. Not bad, considering the only "alterations" were to trace between sizes as needed. I started with the 44 at the shoulders & armholes, tapered to 46 at bust level and tapered out all the way to the 50 at hip level. No real FBA whatsoever. Amazing. Especially so when you consider that the model is not overly endowed in the boobage area.

This knit has the stretch and recovery of a swimwear Lycra, but it's not as thick. In other words, it's quite stretchy and form fitting. I'm planning to use a buttermilk print and this mimics the buttermilk's qualities closer than any other knit I was willing to demote to muslin status. I cut this with 1/2" seam allowances and I think I'll sew them at 1/4" at the bust areas and maybe below too. The buttermilk has firm recovery but not as much as this knit. I can always take it back in, right? The puckers you see at the seams under the bust are from fast sewing w/o trimming, not fit. I hope. ;-)

The sleevecap has too much ease for this fabric. It poofs at the shoulder. So, I'll reduce that a little when I slash/spread the bicep for a bit more ease there. I cut the 46 sleeves to fit the 46 armholes I traced. They aren't too tight, but my sausage casings upper arms look better when sleeves aren't so form-fitting as these would be without alteration.

We were supposed to go out to dinner tonight but DS#2 dropped a homework bomb last night and so he's going to need some editing help after he finishes writing up a paper. We'd be too full and tired to work well if we go out, so home it is tonight. Again. While he's writing, I'm hoping to be cutting and sewing the real top.