Pattern cutting - pins, pins and yet more pins...

Last week at pattern cutting we traced our patterns onto toile, cut them out and sewed them together to get a first glimpse of my fitted garment. This week we fitted them in pairs to eachother. My partner was making a coat so her toile had to be fairly loose fitting and all it really needed was a bit of tweaking to make the neck wider and some darts at the back to give it a little more shape. I think I maybe even took in the sides a bit, easy, no problems there.

Mine however took a little longer, when I'd tried it on before I thought it looked quite good, but on closer inspection the arm holes needed to be made a bit bigger, darts at the waist, took in the sides, added panels at the bottom where it was too narrow, darts at the back. It took forever! my feet where killing me after an hour of standing up, it had been a long day. It did look great by the end of it, but so many pins, I felt sorry for my poor partner who had made the fateful decision to sit next to me that day (I'll be interested to see where she sits next week!!).

Excuse the terrible photos, but here is the front view, not the almost continuous darts from top to bottom... 

 and a view of the back...

 

Whilst I wasn't profusely apologising to my partner, I did have time to look around the classroom while other people were having theirs fitted. There are a number of tall willowy young-uns on my course, and they were wafting around looking amazing in theirs as once all the pining was done, they did fit really well. If you could ignore the rough fabric, and oh, did I mention the pins?

So the idea is next that we transfer these alterations onto the final block pattern which is cut out of card, and hey presto! I will have a pattern exactly to fit me! so long as I don't hit the biscuits too much in the coming years. Apparently this one 'tight fitting bodice' block can be used for shirts, slips, tops, skirts, even a corset - ha! Over the next few months I think we will learn how to make changes to the basic pattern such as pleats and other details. But for now we have a week off for half term, phew.