I re-acquired a vintage pattern I'd once had, in what is nominally my correct current size, and I was...not happy with how it fit out of the envelope. I resolved to try tracing and altering the pattern, and then did not do that for a few months.
Here's the first try
I probably spent as much time trying to decide which fabric I'd be OK with not working out as I spent making the first round of pattern edits—which turned out surprisingly promising. Still not sure about that print.
I mean, it's a fine print, very retro pastoral trendy, leaning into The Gunne Sax Aesthetic, except I don't think Gunne Sax would make anything this basic.
In my additional quest to use unimportant fabric, I decided on the last bits of the fabric used for my first go at McCall's 6613 to be my facings.
I also omitted interfacing, since this is a test for fit as much as anything. The original pattern does not call for interfacing, but it also doesn't have all-in-one facings like I've done here (and so is also very very far from instructing a burrito approach as I have done.) I did stay stitch the neckline of the facing, figuring the smaller facing pieces would be easier to maneuver through the machine without stretching anything, but I completely forgot about stay stitching the arm openings, so I don't know (yet) if the parts of those that aren't laying snug are doing so because something stretched or because it's something that needs to be tweaked.
The main design feature of this pattern is the double darts on the front, which are completely hidden by the floral stripe print.
This also made it hard to determine if the front darts should end lower. The side darts definitely point too high. The first thing I'm going to try is...well. To make the width of the neckline narrow enough that it wasn't showing off my bra straps, I took out about a half inch at the center front and back pattern pieces (using fake Burda 6401 as a guide.) I was initially preparing to, eventually, alter the optional collar piece for this pattern, to take out equivalent amounts, but now I'm thinkin' I may instead add that amount back in, but up in the shoulder area, which will also end up dropping the dart locations by about a half inch.
I don't think this will solve everything, but it could be a helpful start. Maybe.
I also used this as another exercise in setting in a lapped zipper. I might be starting to get used to the process.
Not good at it, but used to it.
The back has a more reasonable amount of darts.
The most tedious aspect of this shirt is marking all eight of the darts; once that's done, it goes together pretty fast, even when I'm dreading finishing it because I don't want to confront the fact that I might have mis-estimated the alteration amounts and ended up with something way too small.
But I didn't!
The neckline and bust fit fine, even with the bust side darts pointing to the opposite collarbones. And I managed to add just the right amount of width to the hip, and it fit easily over the skirt I was wearing, before tucking it in properly. The biggest mis-estimation was the waist, in that I added too much to the front width, because I have a lot of bulk on my center front abdomen, but no corresponding bulk anywhere else around my waist, so, even with measurements, the body image issues tell me I need more—so much more—space up there. And while I do need more than this pattern originally gave, the next iteration will step it down a bit.
I just need to figure out what the next piece of "it's OK if it doesn't work out" fabric will be.
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