So this was my first FBA made on the top pattern using the Melissa Feyr top blocks from the Make Your Own Activewear book. I added a bit too much adjustment meaning the top has now got too much fabric but its a good start. I wore with the same trousers to make it easier to compare the two tops.
As you can see from the picture here (below) I have an issue with the basic
top (without FBA) pulling accross my bust which probably means I need a full bust
adjustment
Well I was told this by Karey a while ago now with a jacket
I made a mess of. I have kept that jacket so I can refer back when I
remake it. Its a princess line pattern so I am not going to try altering
that one just yet because this is my first FBA attempt and I made a
bit too big adjustment I think, so I need to do a second one and get the
amount I
need to add into the bust correct before going onto any more patterns.
Its certainly more comfortable though even though its now got too much
fabric accross the bust!
You can really see this on the back of the second top:
The directions sent me by Karey were from here https://patternemporium.com/blogs/education-tips/spellbound-bust-adjustment
This
is an easier method than the method for FBA given in the book ( or any of the YouTube videos I have watched!) and
defiitely works. You just pivot and redraw and its easy though from this make you do need to work out how much needs to be added. I probably should have worked this out before but never mind. I will get there eventually.
I ended
up adding too much because this top is now definitely too big accross the bust.
Doesn't matter because I will just make another one. Being in the same
fabric as well really helps to show what is happening here because it
seems to me you can buy what is sold as the same fabric in different colours yet it does
differ. I have tons of this coral stuff so its a really good experiment
to try this out now. This is a really good thing for me to learn though and is probably my natural progression sewing wise.
The problem is I do not fit one size and thats why my tops keep not fitting - or some anyway but then I suppose thats why you are meant to make a muslin of everything first. Also unfortunately it has proven that changing fabric can also mean it fits totally differently. You can see this by comparing the not good fitting top with the identical surfing top I made in a different fabric and yet the second top does fit well. Its very frustrating.
According to the adjustment I am on the upper border of a size 6. I measure 79cm upper bust, But I am bust size 85.5cm which is a size 10 then waist is 68 so that makes me a 8/10. Well I suppose that explains why a basic block does not fit right!
Well my block for this top is a size XS which is meant to be: Bust 86cm waist 66cm.
Well from the photo no it doesn't!
I did not really want to do the FBA twice so added the maximum of 10cm ( two sizes) which means 2.5cm at each armscye. It was a mistakebecause its now too big.
I am going to just add 5cm total to my next attempt. I will get there eventually and whats the worst can happen?
I end up with loads of coral tops for winter. Because despite some fit less well than I hope the final one does I will still wear all of these. And thats despite my not even liking the colour!
Well under a jacket with work trousers these will look OK though my workmates will think I never change my tops 😊
This does fit better - not pulling etc, but now its just too big and it feels too big. Theres too much fabric flapping around under my arms which is hard to see here. This is though meant to be a CLOSE FITTING top.
Thanks for reading
Stay safe
Bracken
It definitely fits better on the front but I don't understand what happened on the back, as an FBA only alters the front. The back should be exactly the same as your first make, so should fit the same.
ReplyDeleteAh that explains it. The instructions I used said to divide the amount I added into four and add to both front and back pieces. I will try a version with the FBA front and the normal Back and see how that looks. Thanks for the advice.
ReplyDelete