For All Newbies To Sewing

[Rowan MacD]

  I did get an answer from Margo-It was a Typo-Use Piece 6D for the doublet back.

Now some suggestions please. This is the first doublet I've made that I wanted to try to cut to fit hubby, and hubby is going to be a challenge to fit.  .   So far, I got the mock up cut out and basted together.   He has narrow shoulders, bay window and a 17-18" neck, and he complained that the armholes are too small. His measurements run the gamut from sizes 42 through size 50, per MA's chart.
   Neck-size 48
   waist-46
   shoulders-42.

  What I've done thus far:
   ~ I used size 44 pattern and added inches to side seams where Margo says to do it.  The front will close over the stomach with an approximate 1" overlap. The waist falls where it should so no need to make is longer or shorter.  Thank god for small favors.

   The shoulders are going to be the hardest part.  It looks like I may need to shorten the shoulder seams and make the collar bigger.
   I've removed about 1.5" from the top of the front seams, tapering to the bottom, but I can't figure out how to make the front of the doublet larger to accept the larger collar  at the same time.

Should I start over with a larger size?   I'm not even sure what size I should start with here.
I've had to make sooo many adjustments, now I'm worried the darn thing won't look right.  It's supposed to be snugly fitted, and I assume it's not supposed to be tight.
 

[Auryn]

Are you using a pattern that has different sizes??
If so, I would take the front pieces of the doublet front, in the next size up from what you are using, and try those.
Very often I have to mix and match sizes to make it fit properly.

[Rowan MacD]

  The pattern does have different sized 'sets' of patterns in 4 size increments from 34-56.
  You did make me think that I might be better off using a larger sized back for the doublet to give me the bigger neck, since that is the part that is giving me fits. I will have to see if the rest of the pieces match up...If they don't, then I will just use the bigger size and say screw trying to fit it very close.  Good thing I bought a tone of muslin.  I have yards of the stuff left.

[Rowan MacD]

 Well, I redid the mockup in a larger size and it fits pretty good, though the neck is still too small.   I'm going to cut out the lining and interfacing today.  Hopefully this will move on to the 'in progress' thread.   

[gem]

Rowan, reading about your issues, I seem to recall Lady Rosalind saying that she's made the MA men's doublet multiple times, and always has to fudge the collar, because there's something strange about the fit/draft. That probably doesn't help much, but at least you know it's not you/your DH!

[Rowan MacD]

  I have put up pictures in the In Progress thread.
   Yeah that collar is totally out there; never seen anything like it.  It sits way forward on the doublet, which is aggravating the neck issue.   I will have to fake something.
   So far there are a few typos in the pattern that I have had to work around  with advice from Margo on the Yahoo group.   I'm still getting used to jumping around in the manual looking for specific instructions.   

[Ms Trish]

I started learning how to use a manufactured pattern tonight! This is exciting stuff!

[Rowan MacD]

I started learning how to use a manufactured pattern tonight! This is exciting stuff!

That does sound exciting!   I gotta try to at least make a corset from scratch...

[LadyFae]

I started learning how to use a manufactured pattern tonight! This is exciting stuff!

Once you figure it out would you want to show me how to?  =)

[Ms Trish]

I started learning how to use a manufactured pattern tonight! This is exciting stuff!

That does sound exciting!   I gotta try to at least make a corset from scratch...

I did that (with a little guidance from MG)! Okay, it was a bodice but close, right? It's more involved than it looked! LOL

[Ms Trish]

I started learning how to use a manufactured pattern tonight! This is exciting stuff!

Once you figure it out would you want to show me how to?  =)

Sure thing, babe. We need a playdate soon too!

[Rowan MacD]

  The pattern does have different sized 'sets' of patterns in 4 size increments from 34-56.
  You did make me think that I might be better off using a larger sized back for the doublet to give me the bigger neck, since that is the part that is giving me fits. I will have to see if the rest of the pieces match up...If they don't, then I will just use the bigger size and say screw trying to fit it very close.  Good thing I bought a tone of muslin.  I have yards of the stuff left.

I thought I might share Margo's answer to my question of the neck sizing...

"If the neck and shoulders are within the same size grouping, i.e. on the same nested pattern piece, simply cut the appropriate size of each. If they span two size groups, you can merge the pieces by tracing the shoulders from one and the neck from the other, lining the two pieces up along the center front and the shoulder line.  You will need to make a muslin/mockup, of course, and pay attention to fitting the angle of the shoulder seams before attaching the collar, as they can often be quite different from the pattern when the size difference is a large one."

Margo