I did a lot of sitting this past week. I hurt my knee just over a week ago and it started to get better and then I did too much. I drive a standard car, so all that shifting was too much for my knee. So this past week I did a lot of sitting and with my leg up and doing my best not to hurt it again. I’m able to go up and down stairs again with only the littlest bit of a twinge in the knee, so I’m almost there.
My muslin did get done though. And so did my A-Line skirt pattern.
Pretty basic, just like an A-Line skirt should be. It looks a little off in the picture, but isn’t when it’s sewn up. Not sure why it looks this way.
I was having some trouble ‘squaring’ the pattern at the top where the waist and side seam meet. Seems there was just too much of a difference between my hip & waist to get a 90 degree angle on the pattern. So I raised where the hip line sat by about 4 inches so the curve is much less than it was, and also took the waist out by 1/2-inch to decrease that angle some more. This worked for the pattern, but when I put the darts in…
Well, before I put the darts in, I sewed up the muslin.
I’m going to break up my chain of thoughts here just for a moment to share I put in my first invisible zipper! I was quite pleased with how it turned out. The zipper is the same one I plan on using with my fabric, that’s why it’s black and not white.
But back to the muslin; I tried it on, then pinned in the darts and … (the frightening theatrical music would play right here) the waist didn’t want to go back over my hips. I tried to gently squeeze myself out of the muslin and those pins but it didn’t work.
This tear is what happened – the muslin tore where the pins were for the darts. I have a matching one on the back too. But not both darts, just the two farthest from the zipper.
You can see here where I closed the dart on the pattern there is quite a difference between my hips & waist. So what to do?
I haven’t had a response on the Craftsy platform when I asked a question in this class, but wanted an answer from someone with more experience than I had. I put a call in to my local sewing store and spoke with an instructor there. She suggested I use elastic for the waist!
Well, back to my comment from last week, all my skirts are either elastic waists or they are too big in the waist.
It’s funny, I started sewing over 30 years ago, yet still don’t feel like I know it all when it comes to sewing. So am glad to have resources to call on for things like this. Even if it does confirm what I am already thinking.
She also gave me a good idea saying keep the front of the skirt free of elastic and just have it in the back for the straighter look A-Line skirts are known for. I liked that idea, but it might be too much elastic for the back of the skirt.
And will I still want a zipper if I’m going to use an elastic waist? I’m thinking not.
So as soon as my knee is up to driving again, I’ll be heading to the fabric store for some wide elastic. I don’t have any in my stash and I want a wide waist band. Which I’m going to have to draft because that wasn’t part of this course.
Happy creating!
Hope your running races soon. Get your knee better!
Valerie, I am doing what I can to get my knee better. Started crocheting today. I’ll have something to show you next time we go for coffee.
Looking forward to seeing what you have finished. Keep crocheting it will keep you off your knee. 🙂
having been here and done this……..my recommendation is: use a longer zipper.
The longer zipper will open the skirt sufficiently to go over your hips; and you will
still have the nice appearance of a fitted waist.
hth,
Jewell
Jewell, this was one of the thoughts I’d had. But I wondered if the longer zipper would alter the shape or show that it’s longer? I guess I can only try. It would be really nice to have something fit that wasn’t elastic! Thank you!
Oh Michelle, I’m so sorry to hear about your knee. The extended zipper sounds like a winner. Take care
Hi Naomi, I’m thinking the extended zipper sounds good too and am thinking of picking one up tomorrow when my dear hubby drives me around for my errands. The knee is slowly getting better, but on a positive, I’m very well rested!
Michelle I have a very good pattern for a classic skirt. It is on my blog, here. http://sewingzoe.blogspot.nl/2012/03/cum-se-face-tiparul-de-fusta-clasica.html
Unfortunately it is in Romanian, but you can try the google translater and if you have questions, just ask. This Dutch patterndrafting school was founded by mr. and mrs. Danckaerts, she was a sewing teacher and he was an engineer, who helped her. They used a fixed number to round the hips, 3 cm ( over 1″) both side, just like you thought. The rest would go in darts. I never heard that the pattern failed. It is European cut, very much similar to Mueller & Son. I like their method, because they use the high hip measurement as well. Especially persons with small waist benefit from this, because you draw the hip curve with more precision, than without using the high hip. carmen
Thanks Carmen. I’m going to look at the pattern right away. And I will use Google Translate to help me with the language. So far, how the pattern sounds, it sounds just right. Just so you know, I don’t recommend this Craftsy class. The instructor never responded to any of my questions. Craftsy was wonderful and even though I was past the 30 day refund, they gave me a free class. I signed up for Suzy Furrer’s Skirt Sloper class instead. Suzy has been great to respond to any questions.
I did not like it very much, either. My focus now is sewing / couture and bramaking. In 1-2 years I shall retire, so I try to get all the information I need for future intensive hobbies. I love Suzy’s classes. I am very interested in your postings about the moulage. I liked your idea to use it as a custom fit cover for the dressform. I hope you write more about it, especially how it fits you. Did you use it to draft pattern. I do not know if you wear such things, but you can make a jumpsuit from your basic skirt pattern. Here is the alteration by Mueller &Son. It is easier to understand what to do. http://sewingzoe.blogspot.nl/2012/03/fusta-pantalon-e-foarte-simplu-de-facut.html
I haven’t made the dress form cover yet, but yes, you do use the sloper pattern to make the cover. I’ve been hesitant because from everything I’ve seen there is not real definition for the bust, which I want. I don’t just want it big there, I would really want my real shape to be there, so I haven’t tried it yet. A friend wants us to do the duct tape method, but I’m not jumping at that thought either.
Thanks for the link. I’ll take a look. 🙂