Fitting a Pattern for a Blouse or Top
Fitting Topic No. 3:
Sewing a Mockup for the Blouse or Top
This is a continuation of
Fitting Topics Nos. 1 and 2 in my series of posts on Fitting a Pattern for a
Blouse or Top. The first two topics were
posted Dec. 27, 2020 and Jan. 3, 2021.
After making a full bust adjustment to the front pattern piece of Simplicity
8061, I cut out the pattern and sewed a mockup for the top. A mockup can be made from muslin or any
other fabric that is of similar weight to what you will use for your final
garment. I am using a piece of fabric
from my stash. It is something I won’t
mind throwing away after I get the pattern to fit me and before I cut my
fashion fabric intended for the final garment.
I did not make any changes to the back piece of my pattern, but I did
make sure to mark the horizontal balance line (HBL) and checked to see it lined
up with the HBL I marked on the front pattern piece.
I placed the front, back, and sleeve pieces of Simplicity 8061 onto my fabric and cut out the mockup. Then I transferred all markings to the mockup. I marked the HBL lines in ink on the right side of the fabric so it will show in photos. Of course, I would not do this with fabric for a garment. I did it on the mockup so it will be easier to see in a photo. I used large basting stitches on the mockup so it will be easier to rip out stitches and make adjustments when I try on the mockup.
For making adjustments to the mockup, I will use information found in The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting by Sarah Veblen and a CD published by Threads titled Create a Master Bodice Pattern with Sarah Veblen. Both the book and the CD teach you how to read the drag lines and folds of the fabric to make the necessary adjustments to your test garment (mockup). I really like the 2-disc set, Create a Master Bodice Pattern, because it shows Sarah Veblen fitting a mockup on a real person while she explains each adjustment.
I can’t possibly show you
every adjustment you might need in a few posts, but I will tell you about the
ones I needed to do and will mention a few others. The way to learn to fit a mockup is to do it
yourself. It is easier if you have
someone to help you, but it is also possible to do it yourself by looking in a
mirror or fitting it on a dress form.
Doing it by yourself will take longer because you will be removing the
mockup frequently to make your changes.
I realize that during this pandemic most of us don’t have another
skilled sewer to help us. I had to
enlist the help of my husband. Although
his help was limited, it did make fitting a little easier. He was able to pin the seams for me and help
me decide if the mockup’s HBLs were straight.
If you prefer to fit the pattern tissue pieces directly to your body instead of making a mockup, you should follow the instructions for that given in Fit for Real People by Pati Palmer and Marta Alto. That book gives detailed instructions for fitting the tissue pieces with pictures and explanations of how to make alterations. I use both Fit for Real People and The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting as research tools when I am trying to fit a pattern. Both are full of excellent information regarding fitting.
I sewed the front and backs together with long stitches before I put the mockup on for the first fitting. As planned in my previous post, I sewed 1/4 inch side seams and a 1/4 inch center back seam instead of the 5/8 inch allowed on the pattern to get the extra room I needed. I did not sew in the sleeves.
I traced another back pattern piece. I decided not to increase the center back seam as I did on the first mockup because that would increase the neckline. Instead, I decided to add another 1/8 inch to each side seam in addition to the 3/8 inch I added when I took 1/4 inch side seams on the mockup instead of the 5/8 inch allowed on the pattern. Therefore, I added 1/2 inch (3/8 + 1/8) to each side seam. I will need to add the corresponding amount to the seam allowance on the sleeves also.
I decided not to make the forward shoulder adjustment to the back pattern piece. Instead, I will adjust the shoulder seam line after I sew the next mockup. I want to see if the round back adjustment changes the shoulder line enough that I may not need the forward shoulder adjustment.
The next change I made to my pattern was the round back adjustment. I marked the seam allowance for the neckline and the armscye. Then I drew a line one inch down from the neckline seam on the center back straight across to the seamline at the armscye. I made sure I did not cut through the seamline. Then I clipped from the armscye up to but not through the seamline. This made a hinge for the back to slide up 3/8 inch on the center back but remain attached at the armscye. It is very important to keep the lower portion of the back on the straight of grain when doing this! I placed a strip of paper under the open section and taped in place. When I made this adjustment, the center back curved in slightly at the neckline, so I straightened the center back. This will probably not affect the neckline because the small amount of extra fabric can be eased into the facing. If you have a larger amount, you could add a neckline dart.
Now I am ready to cut out my second mockup and baste it together. I will let you know in my next post how that turns out. If you have not started fitting a pattern, I hope you will give it a try. Just be sure to do some reading on the subject and be ready to experiment!
Judy