In my forays into Alabama Chanin-style sewing I've made up several tops and dresses and have found consistently that the necklines are impractically low. "Revealing" is how the website describes them--"disappointing" for someone who wants to wear them around town.
So this time I chose to sew up a simple widely-available scoop-neck tee and see if that worked better for shape. If it was a go, then I could bring all the Alabama Chanin goodness to the finishing and embellishing.
I picked up New Look A6735 to that end, and was really happy with the neckline and shoulder fit, but just look at the horizontal wrinkles across the small of the back. What to do about my apparently terrible swayback? (The one I'd never noticed before.) At first I though I'd need to somehow take fabric out laterally, but then it occurred to me to take in the center back seam (handily placed for this fix).
Look at that--it did the trick perfectly! I transferred my changes to the paper pattern piece because I will definitely be going back to this garment for all my Alabama Chanin shirt sewing projects.
I look forward to seeing the result!
ReplyDeleteYou are very smart to figure out how to fit yourself. I still have problems with that! Can't wait to see the finished shirt.
ReplyDeleteSmart idea.. Can't wait to see your finished tee.. Great pattern.
ReplyDeletehttp://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_c/c-228.html
ReplyDeleteHello!
If you have not seen this website before, it is highly recommended for alterations.
Thank you for your wonderful blog.
RHOnda
Rhonda, that's a helpful collection of fitting thumbnails. I noticed that they *did* use a horizontal pinching out for swayback--I like my fix better, since I already had a vertical seam handy! Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan at all of the low neck line, busts revealed, Thank you for sharing your sewing solutions!
ReplyDeleteI still have not found a nice selection of thick soft jersey to experiment with - but I've saved this tip for when I do!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to know about your fitting mannequin. How did you make a copy of you? I've seen a couple of ideas online, but most of them seem impractical.
ReplyDeleteAnne, I have a question what do you use to sew jersey. Do you use serger? I have only sewing machine, and it’a absolute nightmare. it’s stretching fabric and stitches are falling apart. Could you give me any tips?
ReplyDeleteI generally don't use a serger, I just set my sewing machine to zigzag. I've gotten several years of hard wear from these dresses with no sign of weak seams yet. Maybe your jersey is too lightweight? I also don't machine-finish the seams--it's very hard to keep the seam allowance from buckling. I topstitch by hand, or just leave them alone. I also don't hem, it's hard to make that lie flat and I like the clean look of the cut hem.
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