Fitting the shell top. Towards a wearable toile.

(End August)

Still working on the wearable toile developed from Simplicity K8849 and the Wrap-A-Mouse torso model. I applied the changes detailed in the last post, then cut out in a mystery fabric, a lightweight polyester twill with quite a lot of bounce and which takes a crease when pressed.

Rather overconfidently, I clean finished the shoulder seam and applied bias binding to the neckline in the flat. Then felled the side seams before inserting sleeves and confirming sleeve and hem lengths. Bad move - because the seams had been trimmed, this made them hard to revise later. 

Went out for a test wear, and while not uncomfortable pottering round town or sitting chatting, I found the neckline was creeping back about 1/4" at high shoulder point. Later in the day, I found there wasn't enough movement ease to change the bedding. I hadn't taken any photos before I left home, however an improvised camera stand nearer to shoulder height showed problems I couldn't see in the mirror. So I unpicked the back neck binding and went through many iterations of small tweaks.

The photo sequence shows most recent at the top:

The lowest sets were just adjusting the high shoulder point. I overadjusted (at row 4) - interesting how little change made the drag lines (too little vertical fabric) become sag lines (too much fabric) either at front or back. Then decided to tackle the flow down the back shoulders first, so I could see what I was doing. Row 3 moved the back neck darts towards the spine, and shortened them 1/2", which evened out the fabric flow. Also clipped the back sleeve notch deeper, which fixed some of the pulling. I have more movement ease now. 

Row 2 tackled some asymmetry, my right hip is more forward than the left, and right shoulder blade further back. Shortened the back neck and shoulder darts right side only - much better. Row 1 shaved a mere 1/8" off the less sloping shoulder at high shoulder point, which made quite a difference to the front. 

Note to self. Could also do with an extra smidge of ease at the back hemline, maybe 1/8" each side. Plus, although I adjusted the sleeve 1/4" for bicep width below the armpit notch, I wonder if moving ease into the sleeve cap below the saddle point dot will allow me to reduce excess at the back and help the sleeve drag lines where they meet the upper back.

I'm going to call this good enough to stitch the shoulders again. I've marked the flat pattern with new dart lengths for each side, and with the high shoulder point adjustment, 1/4" LHS and 3/8" RHS. Not quite sure how I'll manage to clean finish the shoulder seams again, but hope to test wear again in the first few days of September.