Perfecting the Slack with Fit For Art Pants Pattern

That's my current goal, to perfect a slacks style pattern for everyday pants (which I do wear every day.)

I'm using the pattern from Fit for Art and have also signed up for the pants fitting class on Pattern Review with Sarah Veblen.

I started with my first muslin and picked wrong.  I used a size Medium with a back 1.  There are 3 backs per size, 1 is for flat buttucks, 2 is round, and 3 is more rounded.  You pick based on hips sizes and what you think/know your backside is shaped like.  Considering I always have fabric under the butt I assumed that meant flat, which is does for the most part, but not based on my size.

My hips and abdomen (not waist) both measured 42" at the time I measure.  

The first muslin was too, tight, so I went up to the back 2, and I still didn't have enough crotch depth. I drew out the back 3 for the medium and just looking at it knew it would be too big.

That's when I decided to sign up for the online class and watch all the videos.  I started to think maybe I needed the back 3 but for the size Small.

I posted my "hello" post on the class board and Sarah popped in immediately and suggested the Small pattern with the back 3.

This afternoon I drew that one out, added extra fabric for my waist area and went to work.  Below are my muslin shots (taken with a cell phone and two mirrors.)

I'm happy with the fit and this weekend hope to sew my first pair of pants which will basically be a wearable muslin to see how they fit.  Then it's just adjust as needed and keep perfecting the pattern.

Warm Winter Coat

I finished the Lutterloh coat from Supplement 294, item #159.  I think it turned out great and trust me, I was not thinking that as I was sewing.

It is maybe a touch too big, but seriously, now I'm getting particular.

Here are some pictures.

Finished Tops from Supplement 294, Item 143, August 2014

Okay, so here we go with two finished shirts from the same pattern.  Both of them are made from a heavier weight knit, stuff from my stash, all polyester I'm guessing.  The lighter gray one is a softer fabric, the darker gray has metallic threads throughout.

Comparing it to the shirt I followed the approximate measurements off of, the fabric weight is different enough that I do think the armhole could have been a bit deeper, maybe 1/2".

Honestly, they are fine.  This is the one part of sewing that pisses me off.  We expect something to fit us perfectly, yet we wouldn't think twice buying something that fits us less well.  It fits over my bust and my waist and my hips.  Unless I put in a bust dart I will have a fold of fabric at the bust, it's the nature of the beast.

I'm really pleased with the shape of the neckline, and I prefer 3/4 length sleeves to long sleeves any day.  I have super short arms and sleeves tend to be much too long.

T-Shirt and measurement comparison

So we continue now by measuring the four different patterns and a t-shirt I like.  Some of the measurements are front/back, and some are just combined (bust and hips.)  They are not exact as I rounded a little bit, there is a slight discrepancy when drawing out ones own patterns.

All measurements above are in inches.  The patterns were drawn out at 100 cm for the bust (which is ~39 3/8") and 110 cm for hips (which is ~43 3/8".)  My bust is actually around 41-42" but I was using the high bust since my upper chest/back always need to be made smaller.

You can see above that the shoulder width is larger on  tops 1,2,4 than 3.  The smallest bust is also in top 3.  The hip is smallest on 3 and 4.  The length really isn't important.  The armhole depth is shortest on top 3.  The sleeve height isn't important either.  And the sleeve width is smallest on tops 1,3.

  

So Top 3 was the winner, the one I chose, and based on the images, it truly tells me nothing.  But shoulder width is extremely important as we all know, bust is very important, hip not so much as that can easily be made larger or smaller, and armhole depth is important as that also relates directly to the width of the sleeve.

I've since sewn up Top 3 a few times using the nicely shaped neckline from my own top.   My first was a looser fabric than the second two, it could have been smaller.  Plus I made 3/4 length sleeves for Fall.  I'm really pleased with the tops and the fit, and will post the photos in a later post.

I don't know if I necessarily learned anything from my experiment, and no, I've decided NOT to sew up all four tops, but what I do know is that we have to measure our patterns, know what we like and what fits, be willing to experiment, and not get upset when a pattern doesn't work out.

Starting the Comparison - Step 1

There's really no way to know how any pattern is going to fit.  All we can do is look at the photo, line drawing and measurement for clues.  Most of all, we have to know how we like a garment to fit and go from there.  

Let's look at each of the 4 t-shirts for clues:

Top 1 (Aug 2015, Supp 298, Item 238) shows the figure for slim fit.  It means it is especially good for a smaller shape, small bust, more petite person.  I'm not petite, but I am small in my upper chest, so I figured I give it a go.  Plus I liked the neckline.  The line drawing, which I haven't included, shows no folds, so it implies to me that it is fitted at the waist.  The sleeves are quite short.

Top 2 (August 2015, Supp 298, Item 208) does appear to have a looser fit and the line drawing does show a slight fold at the waist, implying looser fit.  The sleeves are don't appear to be as tight.  The neckline is high.  The long sleeve version looks nice too (hint to self.)

Top 3 (August 2014, Supp 294, Item  143) looks real similar to Top 2 though the neckline is higher, and the sleeves a bit shorter.  The line drawing implies nothing special.  I really can't tell many differences at this point between any of them.

Top 4 (February 2014, Supp 296, Item 181) also has a very high neckline, and shorter cap sleeves, more like Top 1.  The line drawing implies nothing, lit looks as fitted (or not) as the other tops.









So here you go, four t-shirts that all look very similar.  Maybe other Lutterloh afficianados can tell more difference than I can.  If so, please let me know.

Necklines didn't interest me too much.  In fact, I kind of think the high jewel neckline is done on perhaps to allow the seamstress to create her own neckline.

In the next post I'll start the measurement comparisons.

The little elusive "T"

It's been almost a year since I posted anything on my blog.  Guess it's time to write something again. Yes, I have been sewing and spending money on sewing.  I almost think that's the best part.  I will write a later post about what all I've done this year; a few highlights at least.

My last few posts were about Lutterloh patterns, and this one is going to be also.  I find it reassuring that I still have interest in that direction.  My problem is having interests in all sorts of directions, and sometimes it's hard to focus.

I was starting to work on my first coat, but I'm still waiting on my interfacing to arrive, so that was put off to work on a little Lutterloh t-shirt challenge put on by COME SEW LUTTERLOH WITH ME.  This is seriously the best blog I've found so far about the patterns, learning to use them, and motivation (that and the Lutterloh thread on Pattern Review.)

I decided to take it as a challenge to find MY t-shirt pattern and picked out 4 patterns, all which look about the same in the drawings.  I drew out each of the patterns using the exact same body measurements, 100 cm bust, 110 cm hip.

Then the comparison began.

It wasn't until each pattern was drawn out that I could tell what all the difference were.  And the basis of my experiment is telling me that patterns are different, a pattern that fits one person well won't necessarily fit the next person properly, we are all shaped differently, it's not only about size.

Here are the 4 tops, all are from current supplements:

Top 1 - August 2015, Supplement 298, item 238 (note the slim figure)

 Top 2 - August 2015, Supplement 298, item 208

Top 3 - August 2014, Supplement 294, item 143

 

 Top 4 - February 2015, Supplement 296, item 181

The next post will start on my findings (lots of measurements).