Mini polka dots and a pussy bow - together?
It's a distinctive look, and one I appreciate on others (Jane, for example - love her polka dots!) - but I'm not sure it's for me. This style experimentation business is something I really love about sewing but nope, I don't think this experiment counts as a success.
That's fine... I'll probably wear it... and to be honest, the point of making this top was to suss out the McCall's sizing, not really to run an experiment. I have a pretty good idea of how I fit a Vogue pattern, but based on a sample of just two McCall's dresses
and this one (M5655, which I don't think I really blogged), also made in a size 10 and also pretty voluminous even after taking in:
I expected the McCall's sizing to include an absolute truckload of ease.
I was wrong!
I sewed this top last weekend, quickly but carefully (it looks nice on the inside, trust me, and the hand sewing is top of my range), thinking to be able to get a definitive answer on the McCall's sizing question and then to quickly make a different McCall's (dress) pattern.
I'm so glad I made a practice McCall's garment before cutting into expensive dress fabric... Evidently the sizing is plain inconsistent. Or is it consistent if you only ever sew the same McCall's designer / line?
The pattern:
McCalls 6793, sewn in a size M (which is I think 12-14) - and lo and behold, it fits! It looks kind of bland on, but that may be due to my absolutely unimaginative styling. I find the reasonably good fit interesting, as the pattern has zero darts - so I guess it's a poor pattern if you're curvy (luckily you curvy ladies get the Jasmine instead!).The fabric:
A nice quality cotton shirting from Tessuti Fabrics. I bought a few metres of it and have used less than half on this top - what's left should be enough for another little top, and it's still up for grabs in my giveaway.
The modifications:
Only one - I raised the lowest part of the front neckline by about about 2 inches. Just in case this becomes a work top... surprisingly this change didn't cause any problems in attaching the bias collar; notches still lined up and all was fine.
See you soon!
- Gabrielle x
