Stitch and bitch thread #4 I needle the help I can get.

[NutellaEllaElla]

Continuing our supportive little group until we run out of material

Stop it Stop it Stop it!

I do not need more patterns!

😄

But thank you, I have found just the right pattern for a top to go under a jacket I'm just finishing.

Also I have bought a new (to me) sewing machine! One step button holes here I come! Next make will be a coat for autumn using the Friday Ilford jacket pattern.

Some lovely (and tempting) patterns there.

I’ve prewashed fabric ready to tackle my dress for my friend’s party but probably won’t start until the weekend

Those are dangerous lists of indie patterns ! So many things to click through on.

Received my sewing club box today - this month I went for the Closet Core Sallie jumpsuit closetcorepatterns.com/products/sallie-jumpsuit-pattern-maxi-dress-sewing-pattern and some black jersey. Fabric is on the line drying so hopefully I'll crack on with tracing soon.

Though looking at the pattern some more - I might have another go at it fairly soon for the maxi dress (subject to fabric) , but do the kimono top. It does seem weird that this isn't listed as one of the possible views - I'm always wanting a bra friendly maxi dress.

I saw lots of lovely maxi dresses in Spain, it definitely gave me envy.

I have been making a toile of the trousers and wasn't paying enough attention because they look like assless chaps!

I’m sorry, but I’m a terrible enabler. If I’m going down, you’re all coming with me 😁

I was looking for nice tops and camisoles and ended up going down various rabbit holes. I think I’m sorted for trouser patterns but I’m definitely lacking summer tops. Think I might give the halfmoon atelier jeans a go too. My local fabric shop has some lovely Japanese selvedge denim in stock and I’ve been eyeing it up for ages.

I rescued the assess toile trousers situation! Now I'm on to the waistband and I feel like I know how to attach a regular waistband but I'm also quite meticulous about following instructions and there's something confusing me on these. It's the 2nd sentence of step 8 where it tells me to fold the top edge "back" down.... It's never been folded down before? Is it just about making sure the raw edge is folded away do you think?

Also, while I haven't finished it yet, it's miles off sitting on my natural waist where its supposed to so i need to adjust this on my toile but I can't add fabric so do i basically need to cut a whole new toile?

@NutellaEllaElla were the pieces cut on the fold? To me it looks like you fold it in half, especially as later it mentions the centre fold line.

with the rise, usually there’s something on the envelope or in the instructions to say where it should sit (ie 1” below natural waist). Patterns are often drafted for someone 5ft 4 to 5ft 6 so if you’re taller than that (or long in the body) you may need to lengthen the rise.
The book ‘fit for real people’ by Palmer and Pletch has horribly dated photos but is a real mine of information on pattern adjustments and the method of tissue fitting.

No pieces are cut on the fold actually. Yeah. i'm 5'9.5 so I guess it's not surprising i'll have to lengthen it and there are lengthening lines and the instructions tell me how to do it. I was so hoping to be finished with my toile tomorrow and to start on the main fabric but i'm going to have to cut a new toile to account for the rise aren't i? I'll google that book thanks. I might have a book somewhere as well to be fair though I prefer videos so I might look on youtube too.

Hi @NutellaEllaElla if you are doing another toile you could make it shorts length rather than full length if it's just the rise you are interested in. Saves fabric, money and a bit of time. I'm a similar height to you and am putting off trousers for fitting reasons!
I'd love to do a fitting work shop where I get help analysing the adjustments I need to make. Not sure this exists tho.
I have heard good things about that book too @Jins. I might treat myself to a copy ( but in doing so, remind myself that purchasing the book doesn't mean the information and knowledge is immediately transferred into my brain - I've still got to read the darn thing and apply it to my makes!)

And to answer your original question...
I'd interpret this as wanting you to press down a small neat edge, wrong sides together, along the long edge of the waistband, opposite to the side you are attaching to the trousers.
This, when the waistband is attached and folded back on itself will give the neat finish on the elastic casing.
You probably knew all of this but I can see how the wording of the instructions would make you stop and think. I'm regularly stopped in my tracks by things like this.

I'm also tall (but mostly in my legs) and I've recently had to add an inch to the rise for the Lander shorts. I measured my crotch depth to get an idea of what I would need to add, and then it's a bit trial and error to get it right.

Much as I’d like to take the credit for a useful tip this one was from @SBAM 🤣

I’m shorter than the standard pattern height by a way and always had to make rise adjustments but it’s easier now that I have made Sinclair’s Poppy pants a few times as they come with three different height files and the petite version was spot on. I now use the pattern pieces to check whether I’m going to need to adjust other patterns.

I tend to wear trousers and shorts most of the time so being able to make my own that actually fit has been fantastic.

God I'd love a fitting workshop too. There is a tailor in Birmingham who would probably do it but I didn't want to go on my own.

While that is a brilliant idea about making shorts, guess what...I also need to add length in the leg!

Oh and I think it's too baggy at the hip as well but it is designed to be elastic at the waist do it's hard to know how fitted it's supposed to be at the hip but it falls down without the elastic at the moment. Think I'll unpick entirely and make smaller plus rise adjustments.

Abakhan used to do a 'little black dress' course that taught some of the basics of fitting. I have one of the books that everyone recommends (Palmer Pletsch or something like that) and I find it quite heavy going, as the main problem is getting to understand what your body shape 'differences' are. Once you're there, the how to do the adjustments is really good though.

Somewhere in my PDFs there’s a fitting workbook for Sabrina slims which is pretty comprehensive. Even though the pattern is for slight stretch fabric the workbook may help so if anyone wants it feel free to message and I’ll let you have it

@kittykarate if you're looking for bra friendly maxi dresses, I can recommend New Look 6096. It's an easy pattern that comes together really quickly. I used it for my Regency dress and have since made both a short and a maxi version.

I do the bodice slightly differently as I cut 2 of everything to create a lining and then sew the lining to the outer to create a casing for the elastic at the neck. Then I hand sew the sleeves together.

Ooh that is a nice pattern! I'll pop it on my wish list.

Thank you, yes this is what I thought, i'm glad i'm not the only one who gets tripped up by small things though. As i'm still learning, i'm so aware that skipping something I don't understand could turn out to bite me later.

@kittykarate I don't know if you have the Ogden cami already but if you google Ogden Cami hack, people are always making dresses out of it.

@dubyalass When you say you measure your crotch depth to see how much you need to alter it by - do you start from where you want the waistband to sit? I don't have high waisted trousers already so this is new to me and they're supposed to sit on my natural waist above my belly button.

@Jins This feels like a lot of work and i'm impatient to get on and make the main fabric. I hope it pays off for me like it has for you!

Also, as they're half elasticated the waist will fit no matter what really but how tight are hips supposed to be?? The toile falls down without the elastic, is that a sign they're too big? I mean it's a baggy fit anyway but how big is too big. God fitting is the worst.

@NutellaEllaElla the denim shorts I just made were absolutely massive before I elasticated the waist. So much so that my friend told me she thought I needed to deal with the way I saw myself 😂

They ended up loose but not baggy but they were fully elasticated. How much ease does the pattern say there should be?

The elastic waisted trousers I made seemed enormous round the hips when I was stood up, but they looked fine while on, and all that extra space vanishes like a magic trick when I sat down.