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Toile Headache

Started by nliedel, May 19, 2008, 06:36:05 AM

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nliedel

I am having a heck of a time getting it to fit right, no wrinkle, bumps, lumps, you name it. Sleeves were easy. The bodice. Give me strength. I tried the bodice from here, but it just does not work around my girls. http://blog.liedel.org/wp-content/009_phixr.jpg

In desperation, I bought another yard of muslin and tried this one, http://www.vertetsable.com/demos_patterndraft.htm and it's much closer. The neck is very wide (Yes, I know whose fault that is), but that was the style in Venetian fashion. It also tends to gap in the back by my shoulders because they are so narrow, so I sewed it up and when I cut the actual pattern I will fix that. It's fairly tight now, as long as I end it right past my last rib. I am very short waisted, with largish boobs. The armholes seem a tad tight, but from experience, if I try to open them, I get wrinkles around the boobs again. Grr.

The last problem is that I am running a  marathon in the fall, right after the faire closes and I'm losing some weight. Hopefully mostly in my butt, where it won't matter. I have been asked, since I am merchant class, to close the dress in the front, no big deal. I am going to make the lacing wider than normal and put a modesty panel behind it. As I lose weight, I can tighten the laces and hide more of the panel. Does that make sense to anyone? I've abandoned my pointed skirt theory in favor of a straight cut in the front, the bodice is giving me enough of a headache.
My journey from mundane to Ren Actor

operafantomet

All I can say is: front lacing is great... Some styles also call for a "gap" in the front, so the lacing becomes a decorative element as well as being practical:

http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/wkclass/wk9.html
http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/wkclass/wk10.html
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/venezia2/tintoretto1570s.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/venezia1/bordone1530s2.jpg

The Venetian dresses above (at least the 1530's one, the 1570 one might have a fancy embroideried chemise, as it's repeated at the shoulders) has a decorative modesty panel contrasting the bodice, but matching the trims/partlet/accessorize. Many possibilities!  :)

nliedel

The last one is closest to my vision for the dress, although not as fancy and no point.

I'm just having a devil of a time getting the armseye correct on the thing. It always leave gaps on the side of the chest.
My journey from mundane to Ren Actor

gem

There's a post right now in Garbing that discusses how to remove the gap in the armscye, but I'll go ahead and say it again!

I have the same problem you do: large chest, short waist, narrow shoulders.  Everything is always too big in the shoulders.  When using a pattern, I get the best results by mixing two sizes, and blending them together (re-tracing everything onto 1" grid paper and just making a new pattern)--a smaller size in the shoulders, and a larger size to fit the bust.

You still have to make adjustments with the mockup, of course.  To correct the gaping armscye, put a dart in the toile that takes up that extra fabric.  Lay the darted toile on top of your pattern, as flat as you can get it, and trace out the new shape.  You won't put darts in the new toile/finished garment; they're just to show you where to make the adjustments on the pattern.  This will (should) fit much better.  You'll probably find that what happens is the straps kind of angle in more.

Here is a picture that shows a mockup with gaping in the armscye.

Here is the final mockup, with the gaping corrected via the method above.

And here is the finished dress.

You just keep tweaking until it fits.

Good luck!


nliedel

#4
I'm nervous about putting a dart in the thing because I am a member of the cast and that may not go over too well. Although our wardrobe mistress is very kind and says no in the nicest ways.

Oh my goodness, I can't even see the dart! You may have large girls, narrow shoulders and a small waist, but you're a teeny little thing!! :)

I can't believe how smooth that is.

ETA:read entire post BEFORE thanking Gem. I get it now. Make the dart in the toile, take it apart, lay it as flat as you can (on muslin again, because I am one uptight chick) and re-draw it. The armsize should be right then and the bust will lie smoothly!!! I am so there. I'm off to the Fabric Store tonight to buy more muslin (I swear I should just buy the dang bolt) and play. I'm very excited now. A fix, I have a fix!!!
My journey from mundane to Ren Actor

gem

LOL--you got it!  Sorry, I forgot to very clearly state "the finished garment WILL NOT HAVE A DART!"  ;D  But you figured it out.

Go, nliedel, go!!