Success!

After the debacle of the last top, I'm glad that this one came out so well.  A commenter suggested wearing it open over another shirt.  I hadn't thought of that but that might be the way to go until/if I make another one.  I will purchase more of the same fabric but I'm once bitten, twice shy.

Anyway, I will be participating in a wardrobe contest on patternreview.com.  After we came home from the car show last night I had an itch to sew.  I will be using 9 vintage patterns and 1 repro pattern.  One pattern I've used before and the rest are new to me.  As we are allowed to muslin, I've decided to start working on muslins for the tops.  I'm less concerned about fitting the skirts.  I chose Butterick 6927 as it seemed like the easiest to re-size at 11pm.  I used the Kenneth King method of using my sloper to compare to my pattern.  Based on the comparison, it looked like I only needed to add to the side seam allowance.  Luckily this pattern uses neckline gathers and released darts for shaping.  I didn't need really worry about bust points which I would have to if it had a bust dart.  I ended up taking out almost 2 1/2 inches at the bust during the fitting but the waist fit perfectly.  Because the sloper and pattern match looked good, I decided to cut into my good quilting cotton rather than using the plain muslin. 

The only change I made other than the sizing issue was to bind the armholes as well.  I love this top and will re-make it not just for the contest but in other fabrics.

How to read the instructions (or what I should have learned in school but never did)

This blouse looks good. In fact it's one of the best blouses I've ever made. The collar is properly interfaced. The buttonholes look decent. The sleeves don't have too many puckers. It fits the dressform great. Unfortunately said dressform is dialed down as small as it can go. And I was this size... once. Not even that long ago relatively speaking. Sigh I had high hopes for this blouse as it was going so swimmingly. I love this print which is a deviation from my normal novelty/skulls/tattoo motif fabrics. I even took the darts out. Double sigh. Of course I trimmed the seam allowances next to nothing before I realized it didn't fit. Must get going hardcore with the Wii. Just in case, I will order more fabric. I'm not sure if I want to remake the same pattern. Is it cursed? Going forward I will pay more attention to the finished size. Or I will re-check my measurements.

60 Days of Summer (or swimsuits in any case)

I guess I got over the swim suit phobia. After the success of my first one, I've made an additional two. Now I just need to get swimming before the summer ends! Both have been worn once so they pass the pool test. The red skull suit is more flattering as it offers more support in the boob area and I think looks more slenderizing. Though I do love the hula one too.