All in all, I'm happy because my sloper fits like a glove. The only thing that is bothering me are the sleeves. Where do these wrinkles come from? Is the sleeve head too short? Or are these wrinkles supposed to be there? It just doesn't look right to me. Any suggestions?
Also, as Sherry already suggested in my previous post, my muslin is a little on the tight side. I made the sloper according to my measurements following Winifred Aldrich's Metric Pattern Cutting for Women's Wear and ended up with about 2"-3" of ease at the bust and about 1"-2" at the waist. A nicely fitted cocktail dress? Sure. A blouse or dress for everyday wear? No. I would like to add a little more ease all around but without having to draft the whole thing again. Aldrich does have a draft for an easy-fitting block in her book too, but that would mean starting all over again. Shouldn't it be possible to simply add ease to this sloper?
I have four different drafting books and none of them tell me how to add ease to a block. I also checked the internet and only found some information on VintageSewing.info, where this alteration for extra ease to the front bodice is suggested:
The Mystery of Ease is one that I have never been able to figure out. I'm hoping someone wiser than me posts an answer!
ReplyDeleteAs for the sleeves, I think the sleeve cap is too short. If you were to imagine pulling the sleeve downward an inch or so, the wrinkles would even out, right? So to me, that suggests you need more length there. That Wiser Than Me person may have more to say on that. (Other than the sleeves, this looks like it fits really well!)
The bodice part is spot on - I honestly think it couldn't be more perfect!
ReplyDeleteNow the sleeves, I agree with beangirl, but first I would add a little more to your bodice shoulder - I think you could easily add 1cm to the shoulder seam length, tapering to nothing around the notches. This will have the same effect on the sleeve as adding to the sleeve head.
Also check that your ease doesn't start too low in the armhole - you only need it in the upper sleeve cap to curve around the shoulder. This probably means shoving more into a smaller space!
I would add to the sleeve head as a last resort.
Blocks: I would perfect this one, and go on to make the easy-fitting one using the same measurements, because some proportions will change. When you're developing a style pick the best block for your project. Then you'll want a skirt block, a dress block, a jacket block.....!
I agree with sherry above. I have made Winifred Aldrich's bodice block recently in Pattern cutting course and had the same problem. You need to redraw the shoulder line. DON'T just add 1cm to the length, you need to remeasure it so that the front shoulder sits on line 28-29, and the back shoulder sits on line 10-11. You'll also need to redraw the back shoulder dart as it is supposed to be in the middle of the shoulder. You'll need to redraft the sleeve too as the armscye will be different, but you'll find that the sleeve sits better. You may find that it is slightly restricting at the moment too.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to the tight fit. You may need to lower the bust point slightly. The block gives you a tight fit. You are supposed to use it as a base to creating other garments, and as such the ease is a style choice. That's what my teacher said anyway. Also, depending on body shape, sometimes your drats don't need to be quite as tight as mentioned in the book. I let mine out slightly all the way round except on the side seams.
Hope that helps. :)
I agree with the other comments and would widen the shoulders before adding to the sleeve caps. As I understand it, the armhole seam should sit at the crease that forms on your shoulder/arm joint when you raise your arms.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sherry above, both add a bit to the height of your sleeve cap, and about 1.5-2cm to the width of your shoulder seam. But the fit looks great! The bodice looks perfect.
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie!
ReplyDeleteI'm awarding you with a Beautiful blogger award. If you would like to accept it then please visit me at
http://handmadebycarolyn.blogspot.com/2010/05/beautiful-blogger-award.html
to pick it up.
Hi Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI had the exact same ease question you have! How to add ease to a sloper? Do I add it by "slashing and spreading" according to Adele Margolis' book, do I grade, or do I simply add inches to the seam lines? And how much ease should I add?
Lots of questions to answer!
I hunted down every book I could find that discussed pattern making, I went to every site I could find, and I chatted to fellow sewers on various sewing forums. And this is what I came up with:
Find the amount of ease to be added, divide it by the number of seam lines, and extend the seam line by the resulting number. For example, if you need to add 4 centimeters to the bodice's waist, divide 4 centimeters by 4 seam lines (the four seam lines are the front right, front left, back right, and back left).
This is the method I used to make a dress pattern in July 2009.
Recently, I just bought "Pattern Fitting with Confidence" by Nancy Zieman and discovered a new method, a method that might be a better choice when you are adding a lot of ease or fullness. The book calls this method "Pivot and Slide" (which I heard of before), and is used by pattern graders. I haven't yet tried it out, but it looks very promising and Nancy Zieman is an author I trust.
Have you ever heard of Pivot and Slide and tried it? If you haven't, I can send you more information about it.
Now for the other important question: how much ease to add? According to Threads Magazine and Pattern Fitting with Confidence,
bust should be 3 inches to 4 inches
waist should be 1/2 inch to 1 inch
hip should be 3 inches to 4 inches.
I hope this helps you and let me know if you require any more information. Best of luck!
Rebekah
http://www.artandneedlework.blogspot.com
Hi again Stephanie!
ReplyDeleteI just saw your post on my blog today and have gathered some more information about the Pivot and Slide method I mentioned above.
Since there are a couple scans and pictures I need to share with you, would you mind giving me your email address? You can send me an email by clicking on my profile.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Rebekah
http://www.artandneedlework.blogspot.com
Hi Stephanie -
ReplyDeleteFirst, that is a great sloper. It is difficult on so many levels to get a sloper to fit well, plus one that you sewed yourself when you don't have eyes at the back of your head. Hurrah!
Some suggestions - and many of them have been said already in the comments, so I'll be brief:
(i) It is not too tight overall. Slopers must be snug. But I might let out about 1/8" to 1/4" in the seam allowance at the sides just from below the bust to the waist i.e. a total of 0.5" all around, in just the area that's about 4" above the waist. Just that. Either the side seams or the back darts. If there is some loose fabric at the top of the back darts, add this extra to the darts. If not, add the extra to the side seams.
(ii) You could add about 3/8" to the front shoulder width on each side - so the armscye seam sits more directly on top of your shoulder point.
(iii) You could lower the waist dart point to about 1" to 1.5" below the bust apex point. This will give a less pointy bust fit
(iv) You could cut in about 1/4" to 1/2" (max) more to the back armscye. Not the whole thing - keep the shoulder point as is, but curve it in 1/2" more at the curviest part of the curve. This will give you more movement in the sleeve when you move your arm.
(v)Sleeve cap - ugg, that's my least favorite part of the draft, too. It's different every time. It's always a toss up between looking really smooth and svelte in the sleeve cap and actually being able to move my arm. I'll just suggest letting the shoulder out (point ii) and rebasting in the sleeve to see how it fits then. That could be all that's needed!
Good luck!
Hello, I was just browsing for fitting advice and found this, it mentions in the description that you can use it if you find the sleeve twists - not sure, but it may help with the back wrinkles?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.alldunndesigns.com/id65.htm
hi. gorgeous fit! here's a resource for the amount of ease to add to a block [ http://sewingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3240 ] coupled with grading principles which add ease along lines through the pattern [ http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4424/quick-reference-for-cut-and-spread-pattern-grading ]
ReplyDeletei'm working on it now, so i'm not sure if it works, but it makes sense based on all the other information i've gathered. it looks like your sloper has enough ease to be a close-fitting block, so you'd just have to grade up a bit for a looser fitting item.
excellent job!
oops, forgot to mention, ditto on LiEr's comment above (iii), lower the waist dart apex point 3/4" - 1". :-}
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your great tips, sosa!
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie, I'm really loving reading your blog and it seems that I am currently where you were 18 months ago in trying to perfect your own sloper. I've been trying to find more updates in your blog to see if you ever had success with it all... well, did you? LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm going to use lots of the suggestions your readers have posted and do more research. Back to the drawing board for me! :)
Thanks again for inspiring me to continue...
Carola
Is it just me, or does the back-neck on the Aldrich sloper go up rather high? (Mine does and it really throws off the fit.)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDid you ever find out where to add ease? I've been trying to figure this out, too, but everything tells me to add at the side seams. Somehow that doesn't seem right since I need ease everywhere, not just under my arms.
ReplyDelete