Thursday, April 23, 2009

It wants to be made

The Frankenpattern, that is.

After dinner, I retreated to the workroom and dug out my two patterns. I separated them into pieces that needed adapting and pieces that didn't. I laid the fronts and backs of both patterns on top of each other and calculated (wrong word - guesstimated) what needed to be done.

The lengths of each piece weren't far off, and the widths were more or less the same, except that B 4985 buttons and S 2601 doesn't. I laid one over the other, and put tracing paper on top of both, and extended the front of 2601 to the width of 4985, continuing the curve of the neckline.

The backs were very similar; 4985 was just a little shorter, so I shaved off 3/4" or so from 2601 - basically the same amount that I added to 2601 when I made it originally.

For the bottom portion, I used the four pattern pieces from 4985 - center back, side back, center front, side front. The only adjustment there was to lay the curved waistband from 2601 over top of the center front and adding the curve - I decided to keep the curve because that point in the front was one of my favorite features from 2601.

I kept the short sleeves I used for 2601, and I traced off the shawl collar that I hadn't bothered with last time.

2601, for some odd reason, didn't have facings. Now facings aren't always my favorite thing - can you get them to lay down and obey every single time? because I can't - but I do see the necessity of them. It struck me as wrong that 2601 didn't have them. 4985 did, but of course they were no longer the right shape, so I drafted new facings, front and back, in accordance with the new pieces.

Once I got the new tracing paper pattern finished, I did something I haven't done in a while: I made a muslin. Out of muslin.

If for no other reason than it would guarantee that it would turn out and I would wish I'd just gone ahead and used my good fabric.

Which I haven't decided on yet anyway.

Parting shot: My lilacs are blooming and my office suddenly smells much better. Much. Better.

3 comments:

luckylibbet said...

Pretty thoughtful way to approach a Frankenpattern - thanks for sharing your way.

Lovely flowers!

Pam Erny said...

Oh...I LOVE to "hack" patterns...such fun. And even better when it works :)

Pam ~Off The Cuff~

Nancy K said...

It's fun to do when it works, but if it doesn't not a whole lot lost.