Neckline Alteration part 2

There have been a few questions about how and why I did the neckline alteration the way I did.


First of all, while I had the top on, I could see that it was gapping in the front. In fact, I am wearing this top today, and have decided to take a couple of small pleats in the CF because it is bugging me!








With the top on, I just started pinching out the fullness. I've noticed before that tops seem to need a dart right in the center front.
Well, I knew that would not look good, so I tried pinching out small darts at the side. This made the top lie flat the way I wanted it to.








Next, I decided to transfer this to the pattern piece so as not to have to actually put darts in the the top itself. In doing this, of course, this left a bump in the pattern where it would not lie flat. The biggest part of the bump was between that dart and the armhole, so I slit the pattern there until it lied flat. This left a trianglular shaped open space, which I filled with a piece of tissue paper underneath (that is why it looks like two darts, but it is just one slit opened with tissue under neath)

I'm sure I could have rotated that opening somehwere else, but it seemed the best place to do it where I did because that's where the pattern did not lie flat. You may never find this alteration in a fitting book, but it works for me on this style top. :-)

Also, in the directions for this pattern she has you take your bust and upper bust measurements. All fronts have a darted and undarted version. Depending on the difference between upper bust and full bust, you know which front to use. I used the darted front. (I did measure, but knew there would be no question! The fuller your bust, the more you need the darts in order to add to the length in the front. Otherwise, your tops will hike up in the center.) What I did like is that this is a much smaller dart than I usually have to use, so I think it looks better.

Neckline alteration and a new TNT!

Today I made TWO new tops. This pattern was quick and easy and I love it. It is the sleeveless top from Pamela's Patterns Versatile Twinset. The first one I made from a cotton knit that did not have much stretch. Whenever I make tops, I always have the problem of them being too full above the bust. It seems like I need to dart the neckline. So, that's exactly what I did - but to the pattern, not the top.






I took a little dart at the neckline, and then cut a slit from the armhole toward the dart until the pattern lay flat again. This is like rotating a dart, but what it actually did was bring the shoulder seam up and in closer to the center front. This alteration increased the armhole a bit, so I reduced it at the shoulder seam by the same amount. You can also see where I drew the purple line. I cut it there to lower the neckline just a bit. After I did this alteration, of course I had to try it out. I found this great slinky knit that I had purchased in Mazatlan a couple of years ago that I have been afraid of since I bought it! I have always heard how hard slinky is to work with, but for this simple little top, I really had no problems at all.

Here you can see the neckline of the first top and how it gapped a bit.





















Here is the second neckline, lying much more smoothly.





















Of course, the slinky fabric will lie better anyway, but I think the alteration is going to make this top a favorite TNT!

Back to the Pamela's Pattern. I LOVE this pattern. I had to make ABSOLUTELY NO FIT ALTERATIONS - NONE! ZIPPO! (OK, the neckline thing, but that's different. Usually I have to:
cut narrower in the shoulder
Wider at the hips
Do a FBA
Add A dart
Do a Forward shoulder adjustment

I did not have to do any of this. I bought this pattern because I had seen one Anne had made on the Gorgeous Things blog a while ago. I liked the little bolero pattern, so I bought it. Then I found this on the Pamela's Pattern website today:

Here are just a few things that make Pamela's Patterns different from commercial patterns:

Commercial Patterns: Shoulder seam sits too far back on the shoulder

Pamela's Patterns: A forward shoulder is built into the pattern

Commercial Patterns: Shoulder seam extends too far past the shoulder

Pamela's Patterns: Shoulder seam is smaller to give a more realistic fit

Commercial Patterns: Back neckline is not high enough, causing shirts to "fall" back

Pamela's Patterns: A high round back is incorporated to keep the shirt where it should be

Commercial Patterns: Armholes are too long, creating a pucker in the armhole area

Pamela's Patterns: The option to petite the shirt and armhole area

Commercial Patterns: Garment pulls across the bust

Pamela's Patterns: Choose from two fronts - darted and undarted for a smooth finish no matter what your cup size!

Commercial Patterns: Too much fabric in the waist area

Pamela's Patterns: Built -in "essence of waist"

Commercial Patterns: Too tight though the hips

Pamela's Patterns: More generous in the hip area

Commercial Patterns: Sizing never seems to be right

Pamela's Patterns: More realistic sizing

I would have to say that all of the above is true for me. Now I guess I'm going to have to go back to her website and consider buying another pattern!