If you have read my last post you will know that I’m working on drafting a bespoke blouse pattern. At that stage I was ready to make a toile. I then did so, and was of course not happy with the fit. A lot more learning and pattern revisions later I’m now about to make my fifth toile!
The first fit issues related to my fulsome bust (5 inches larger than my upper bust measurement!). Like my breasts, my darts were huge, so my second toile introduced a third dart (an armhole dart) on the front bodice to reduce the size of the other two (a waist dart and a side dart). Though this was an improvement I was still unhappy with the emphasis the darts gave to my largesse!
Without the internet I might have quit at this stage. However, I then read a few articles on the Curvy Sewing Collective site that led me to switch to an armhole princess seam for my third toile. This completely resolved my “huge honking dart” issue. However, the back of my toile was hanging away from my body at the waist, pulling the bodice apart at the bottom of the centre front.
Having watched a few videos by Sew Essential that recommended it, I acquired the Palmer and Pletsch fitting book. This guided me to do high and low round back adjustments to resolve the hanging issue at the back of my bodice. Following these my fourth toile was a pretty good fit in the bodice apart from a little bagginess below my bust.
So, the bodice fits well enough bar a little tweaking required to pull it in below the bust. However, I can’t lift my arms far without pulling the whole bodice up and a lot of tightening around my upper arm. A few videos later I have realised that the sleeve I drafted is excellent for a jacket but not for a blouse. That sleeve pattern won’t be wasted as I do intend to make some jackets. However, for the blouse I have drafted a new sleeve with a lower sleevecap and I have also reduced the armhole depth on the bodice. Toile 5, here I come!
All this has emphasised to me that it was a good decision to draft my own pattern. When I was much younger I made lot of my own clothes from commercial sewing patterns. However, I was much slimmer than with a lot less slouch. I think I would now struggle to get a commercial pattern to fit me well.
Meanwhile, I have purchased some more fabric! Just over a week ago I visited Fabworks in Dewsbury with my sister and my niece and we all came away with fabric. My niece purchased fabric for historical costuming, and Marie and I purchased locally made tweed fabric for suits. Eventually (the blouses come first) I’ll be making a matching skirt and jacket with this green wool herringbone tweed, lined with the Arts and Crafts style cotton fabric lying above it. I also fell in love with the lime green ditsy fabric on top. It’s a very light cotton lawn that I think will make a lovely summer blouse.
