I think you know what this is about. I should link to the fitting posts I did last summer, about my issues with bodice fitting. Readers were very helpful, and Lesley of sewniptuck gave me expert advice on fitting a small torso with a full bust. The result was a great princess seam bodice. We all have different fitting issues, and that is mine. Each time I try to fit a bodice I wish I could just scoop out an ice cream scoop or two of said bust and fit the B cup standard of most patterns. My upper body is a fitting tragedy – small, sloped shoulders, narrow upper chest, full bust, etc. On the other hand, I have a very easy bottom half to fit, with narrow hips and not much to alter other than the length and the curve at the back waist in most trouser patterns (especially Burda), so I suppose it all evens out in the end.

Before I go on to describe, briefly, the first attempt at the Fabiani dress bodice, I want to say thanks for your comments on my last post. I run away from myself sometimes (often), with things I want to write. G. has a problem with this blog for that reason, as he doesn’t understand why I would share personal illustrations here, but the truth is that I have always been exactly like this as a person. It would be difficult for me to change something so inate. Life has always been a storyline that I am trying to fit into other storylines. I’ve always believed that there is a universality to individual experiences, and besides, life is entertaining! He forgives me, I think. 🙂

In any case, I do read a lot of random things, so I could collect those ideas more often and share them. Often they are really quite random, but I collect these random things, thinking they will one day be useful or interesting to someone. A small example is the Italian idiom “Se son rose, fioriranno. Se son spine pungeranno.” (If they are roses they will flower; if they are thorns they will puncture.) I’m quoting from memory, so I hope I have that right. As always, my spelling should be questioned.

But back to the topic of the last paragraph. The first time I heard that expression, I only heard the “Se son rose fioriranno” translated to English by an English-speaking author who had lived in Italy, as, “If they are roses they will bloom.”* I liked that right from first hearing. Italian is a beautiful language, of course. I love so many of the idioms. On the other hand, I love the English language, too, and can easily fall down a rabbit hole once I start looking into etymology. Yesterday, G. and I had a conversation on the phone about how the massive amount of snow on my roof was melting with warmer temperatures, plus it was raining, so that there was a torrential flow of water from the gutters. I can’t remember how I described the flow, but G. instantly corrected me and said, “the verb would be colare in this case.” Immediately this reminded me of my dreadful French lessons at work years ago, when, while preparing for government exams I had to explain what I would do if I were in the office and I noticed water dripping/flowing/pouring “couler=to drip” from the ceiling (get out of there and go for a coffee? There once was a small earthquake when I was in the office and I actually saw the floor move. I had to walk down sixteen flights of stairs. I know, you didn’t think we have earthquakes, did you? In fact, there is a small chunk of submerged plate under this region. I’ve always loved plate tectonics.). And then we got into a discussion of the use of the word colander instead of strainer for pasta…does anyone else use the word “colander” (Italian=colino)?

*Apparently the expression is used mostly in circumstances of promise and optimism, e.g., to describe a young relationship, or a promising job or friendship, which, because of the vagaries of life, may or may not work out, but hopefully will work out. G furnished the second part of the expression for me, although I get the impression that the “if they are thorns they will wound” part is used less frequently. Italian optimism?

Anyhow, the fish vest has reached a happy conclusion, I think. The roses have flowered. I took these photos in the afternoon yesterday (hair still unwashed – sorry). The shirt is a bit too thick.

I like it better with a checked shirt. I took this photo, which if you knew me you would know is a great depiction of how I really am. I sent it to my friend to show the vest and his immediate response was “The third photo is so you.” I sent it to my mom and she said, “You are so good at selfies.”

I really like this photo because it shows my age (although I’m blocking the fish around the middle). I know that sounds weird, but I have a somewhat perverse love of seeing how my face evolves with age (approaching fifty). Every single line and crease and discontinuity tells me a story and I am proud of them all.The expression is also pure me. I was not born for diplomacy.

This one, on the other hand, is more forced.

This is also completely in character! I discovered yesterday that I need to get a new ironing board, as somehow I have damaged it to the point of it being sloped and my iron slides off it (not great for a hot iron). How I did that, I will never know.

OK, well enough about that. I’m not sure that I’m going to sew it immediately, but I have started the toile of the Fabiani dress. Dress:

Overall, I think I’ve got a reasonable fit, though it still needs some tweaks.

I’ve lowered the bust darts by about a half an inch, but they are still coming in too close to the bust point. I need to end the darts about a half inch out towards the sides. I think I’m also going to lower them slightly more and reduce the upward angle somewhat. What an indignity! 🙂

You can really see how different the fit is on me than it is on the slim model. The princess lines are coming around the sides of the bust on me but are more clearly visible in front on the model. I added a huge amount of seam allowance on the sides of the princess lines, but to be honest don’t need to tweak these much. I opened them out slightly, in a tapered wedge around the fullest part of the bust.

The one question I have is this. One of the bust darts ends about a half inch from the bust peak, which is fine. The other one ends at the bust peak. Would you do as I suggested above and reduce the length of the dart or would you add a bit of room across the middle, as in make a vertical cut, but not all the way to the neck (i.e. I don’t want to add room above the bust, as I like the fit over the shoulders and my hollow, narrow upper chest, so I would maintain the contour lines and then just open up a vertical wedge as I reach the bust and below. Thoughts? Maybe it’s not worth the effort when I can simply shorten the dart legs to bring the darts closer to the sides.

In this photo it looks as though the darts are really too high, although in reality they are not. I still think I should lower them slightly. I am including lots of photos for commentary and to perhaps help others with their own fitting.

Updated following Kate’s advice. I had just returned from a run and I quickly shortened the darts and opened up the princess lines. Much better already (needs pressing):

I think the back is basically OK, although I can fiddle with it a bit (it’s not falling correctly as it is stuck on my jeans). The zip is not in properly and I haven’t worked on the princess seams on the sides yet. It does need some work:

I think the difficulty with this dress is giving it enough room so that it has that easy shift vibe, which is what I love, especially as I am going to let it land above the knees, as it wants to, but still getting a somewhat fitted look. Anything I do to the bodice is going to have to line up with the insets that give those great vertical lines and rectangles.

Liana commented on my post the other day stating, “I worry that the linen or wool that you are planning to use will have too much drape.”

I’m planning on using linen with silk organza underlining so I should be OK. Linen in fact is the first fabric suggested for this dress on the pattern envelope. I want a summer version for Italy. I also think this would be beautiful in wool, again with silk organza underlining. I can definitely see this in knitted fabric, like a double knit or jersey, but I rarely sew with or wear those fabrics and they’re not where I’m going this time. I do love the pattern envelope version, which to me looks like a wool flannel with underlining. I have a wool flannel in a similar grey, which is my current nemisis as I work on the Valentino suit.

My plan for the first wearable toile of this dress is to use this linen that I purchased in the fall:

The tan will be used for the dress. I think it was Kate of Fabrickated who said that it wasn’t my colour after I purchased it for SWAP in the autumn, and she’s right, but I love natural colours and fabrics and so I’m going to forge ahead anyhow. I love both brights (like bright red), which is also not really my colour palette (I need muted colours), and neutrals, so what can you do? I can always put a navy blue scarf at the neck. What I like about this fabric for this dress is the fact that it will show the top stitching and lovely geometry of the dress. It also lines up with my Elizabeth Smart (the Canadian poet) inspiration. More Elizabeth Smart.

The neutral oatmeal linen that I have on top is part of my plan, too. I have been talking about doing some embroidery inspired by Canadian indigenous embroidery (specifically nineteenth century Huron/Wendat). I had the idea the other evening that I would embroider on this linen to make a sash, in a nod to the sashes worn by the voyageurs or coureurs des bois or Métis (part French, part indigenous, traditionally). Métis sashes. A lot of Canadian historical clothing, especially from the francophone part, has sashes of some kind. I am not entirely sure that this is going to work with the Fabiani dress, but if not I will make a simple shirt dress or linen coat and will wear the sash with that. It’s a good way to play with embroidery without committing to it on the front of my dress. I’ve been looking over my Trish Burr books for inspiration, as I love her birds in particular.

OK, best wishes and great Sunday making (or happy Monday, if you are across the International Date Line!)