Hello. I Love You Let Me Jump In Your Game

Monday, February 10, 2014

Oh yeah peeps the Lady Skater got game.  If you haven't made the Lady Skater yet I'm begging you to just do it!

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This is a downloadable pdf pattern available here.  Since Valentine's Day is just ahead I used a red ponte knit from my stash.  It's a very stable knit so it's just the right weight to wear in the cooler temps (I mean @#%^ cold! Spring I beg of you come to me now!).  I made several muslins of the bodice but after looking at pics I seen I still have a few fit issues to tweak.

Now I did take pictures of the muslin and fitting process for my own reference but I'm wondering if any of you would like a post on that. ??Anyone?? I know fit posts can be such a bore but I have had some express they find those types of posts helpful.  Now keep in mind my way of fitting is somewhat of a "wing it" type process.  I did just finish a fitting class on Craftsy and was able to apply a few things I learned.  If there is any interest, let me know.  But for now a quick run through of my fit alterations....
   
  1. Shortened front and back bodice 2 1/2 inches
  2. Shortened upper back bodice 3 inches
  3. Pinned out excess on front bodice, armpit to apex
  4. Shortened the sleeves 5 inches.
  5. Shortened hem line 1 inch

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After looking at photos I noticed I still had excess fabric pooling underneath my armpits on the front bodice.  I pinched that excess out and adjusted my pattern again.  My Jungle January Skater seems to fit better because of that (post on that version later)  Here's where I am stumped though and I'm asking for your expertise...See all that excess fabric around my armpit area (and even on the sleeves) on the back?? What's the proper way to fix that?  For my JJ version I shortened the upper back bodice even more and even adjusted the back armhole in hopes to fixing it.  It is better but it still needs tweaking and I sure would like to know the proper fix.  I'm not sure if I need to raise my armhole, or if I'm missing a rounded back adjustment ( I thought that's what I was doing when I shortened the upper back bodice).  Side note: I do have this issue with everything I've made and have not been able to figure out how to fix it.

Despite the wrinkly armpits I'm still gonna wear the crap outta this. It's super comfy and paired with a cardi no one has to know.

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Just a few fit kinks but excited to have one dress pattern down for my TNT Pattern Challenge!! Whoot! Whoot!  If you follow me on Instagram you've already seen Lady Skater number two, if not it will be posted here and on the Fabric Mart blog later this week.

Have an awesome week!!

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37 comments

  1. Fantastic! You know I love a good fitting post so I say go ahead. This is so pretty and I bet it's just sooo comfortable! I can't wait to see with a stable knit, I just can't find any nice ones where I live. Congrats on your t n t pattern!

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  2. Looks great! Love the color!

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  3. Cute! And it does look nice and comfy.

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  4. I like the way you've styled it!

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  5. I would like to see the muslin. I am working on that now, and had to go up a complete size which surprises me

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  6. Lovely!! And please, add me to the list of those of us who get SO much out of looking at others' muslins & pattern changes - I'd love a post on yours ;)

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  7. It looks really great! And with this jacket - fabulous!

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  8. Hi,

    The excess fabric might be caused by sloping shoulders. Try pinching it away from the top of your shoulders, just above the sleeve head.
    If that is the case, all you have to do is sewing the shoulder seams at a greater angle, i.e. following the natural slope of your shoulders. By doing that, you remove a bit of fabric 'vertically, which otherwise 'falls down' and folds over near your bustline, causing the folds there.

    If you do sew your shoulders at a different angle, this effectively changes the form of your sleevehead, unless you lower your armpit in the bodice by the same vertical distance that you dropped your shoulder. If you make sure to do that, then your sleeve remains thee xact same shape.
    So: lower the shoulder, lower the armpit.

    Hope this helps!
    Sabine

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  9. Hi,
    I don't have any suggestions on how to fix the excess fabric, sorry! But I do love your version regardless! The colour is great! I haven't made the Lady Skater yet, but am planning to do so very soon! :) Looking forward to seeing your JJ version!

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  10. um, this is perfection. sometimes we laser beam onto the "problems" and forget they exist in RTW--not that that's okay, but we totally accept it there. and this is gorgeous!!


    did you shorten equally on the upper front bodice? that's the only thing i can think of, but really i wouldn't give it another minute of thought, hottie.

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  11. Your dress is gorgeous! The back looks grand to me, and I'm another who would like a muslin post. I'd love to make this, but haven't worked with knits yet. I just need to suck it up, and give it a go!! The fitting issues scare me a bit though. Lynne

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  12. ya know I was thinking the same thing this morning as I put on a RTW sweater. I had the exact same problem in it but had never given it a second thought. Now I'm not going to be so hard on myself! And oh yeah I was just ogling Pinky and the Brain. Your totally kicking butt in the competition!

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  13. Thanks! The Lady Skater is a must have pattern in my book.

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  14. Oh thank you! Makes total sense. I'm gonna try this later this evening.

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  15. Will do! I'll try and get a post up this weekend.

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  16. Great! I'll work on a post for later this week.

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  17. Thanks! I will do a fitting post later this week.

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  18. Thanks! I'll do a fitting post later this week. I was scared of knits at first as well but they aren't bad at all. And they are so dang comfy! You should give them a try.

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  19. This turned out so great!! I'd love to see pictures of muslin/fitting. I always like to see the details of how folks do those things.

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  20. I'm not sure if you're the one that thinks that fitting posts are boring, but I love them! Also, I think that if your ponte doesn't have much stretch, that fabric behind you complain about seems to be simply movement ease. If you didn't have it there, wouldn't it be uncomfortable?

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  21. I... want... this...! Adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  22. I made the lady skater with ponte knit in december and had the same issues! If you do find a way to fix the fit, i'd really want to know. I am making another version of the dress in a medium weight wool fabric and the pooling is even worst!

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  23. I would love it if you would share the muslin and fitting process! 😎

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  24. I've got a few things I want to try and I will post about it later this week.

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  25. I just dislike fitting all around. lol. From the comments it looks like I'm the only one that feels this way. My knit has quit a bit of stretch so I think I would be fine there. I've got a couple things to try then I will do a fitting post.

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  26. I'd like to see what this looks like when you raise your arms to the side, it may well be that the fabric you are bothered about is needed to give you ease of movement. You may also have a too small armhole which is forcing fabric up into your armpits, on the sleeves as well as on the bodice.

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  27. Curious to know of it worked?
    I have the same problem, more so on the left side than on the right side (because my left shoulder is more sloped than the right one... ) - something I had never really noticed until I started sewing for myself and just couldn't understand what i had been doing wrong, as everything had been cut and sewn perfectly symmetrical. Only then, I noticed that I had the exact same issue with RTW clothing... duh! :-)

    In any case: the dress looks fantastic and the red really becomes you! I think you may have called me over to the Lady Skater side.... (cue sinister music)..

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  28. Where can I get this pattern? I didn't see any American distributers?

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  29. It's available as a pdf download from her site. Sorry I thought I left a link for that. Here it is...

    http://kitschycoo.bigcartel.com/product/the-lady-skater-sewing-pattern-for-teens-and-women

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  30. You know I did raise the armhole just a tad. Maybe that's the problem...

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  31. Stitched up From the StartFebruary 14, 2014 at 5:35 PM

    Great dress! I just jumped across from Almond Rock and found you today. Great site. Just wanted to let you know I'm now following via bloglovin...total newbie to sewing and about to make my first skirt project but might have a go at this when I get a bit more confident!

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