Tshirt Muslins...ad nauseum....

I am whining. I now don't like making muslins. I don't like it when they don't fit, and I don't like it when I don't like what I see in the photograph, even when I think it is close enough in real life.

I gave up on my PMB t shirt pattern. I couldn't make it fit. I tried. Really, I tried--but the side seams are too straight and the non-dart fit is just terrible on me. I drafted it with 1" of ease, and took out 4" total at the bust before I gave up, and switched to a different pattern. I've had this problem before--not often, but often enough that I get frustrated with the program, and switch to something else. Usually, it gets 'closer' than this, though. Not perfect (perfect is a pipe dream--I would actually settle for a more shaped side seam, however). To be totally fair, I did not use Curves to draft the tshirt pattern--and I probably would have gotten better results if I had started there because it does start with a more shaped side seam. But, honestly. As close as this is, it is just not good enough. I feel frumpy in this--and considering that this is muslin number 5 (or, was it 6?), that is not good enough. It does get all my stash sewn, but not one of those muslins is actually wearable in real life. I even made a slightly see through one that, well, someone else will be happy wearing.

So, I switched to a different pattern. A free, downloadable pattern from Burdastyle( http://www.burdastyle.com/) the Lydia pattern, which is a basic, long sleeved tshirt with a scooped neck with facing. I cut it a lot smaller on the shoulders (a 38) and a 42 on the sideseams. I shorted it a lot--the standard petite changes, including above the armhole. The first muslin was pretty close, except it was about an inch too wide all the way down the front. I used it to mark neckline choices. The second muslin was wearable, and became a (now missing in action) mock turtleneck tshirt. It was really stretchy fabric, though, not really a good muslin kind of fabric, but it is comfortable and I like wearing it. It was one of those 'I need to make something wearable' desperation pieces.

This is a picture of muslin number 3, made of a definitely NOT stretchy knit. It has no give whatsoever, but it was in the stash, and I am using up the stash. This picture of the front without sleeves or facings or hem is a lot better than the pink one. I still need a sway back adjustment, and some more hem leveling (mostly in the back), but this is a lot better than anything I got from my pmb pattern, sad to say.

Still, I don't like the process of muslins, particularly when you don't have any more muslin, and are on a 'sewing diet'. On the good side, I now have 5 empty cardboard bolts. At this rate, I will sew down the piles around the shelves by March Break. I have a couple of tshirts that fit well enough to wear in public. Not perfect, but close enough. And, this is close enough that I can sew some of the other fabric that I want for my Swap, after a couple of more muslins. But, I hate muslins. My black bag for Salvation Army is getting full.

Maybe, just maybe, I will get a few tshirts that I like out of this course. I finished this one into a scoop neck, cap sleeved tshirt for working out in. It fits well enough for that. I figure another two or three muslins will do it. But, I am tired of making muslins that are not even suitable for the black bag of doom! Eventually, I will be making up some doubled front tshirts for my Timmel Swap, when I finally get a pattern that I am happy with. I have a couple of nice strech laces that could use two layers in in the front and back. I also plan to make a nice crossover top that ties on one side from another stash fabric. I have plans. But, my plans did not include making 14 muslins before I got a good enough tshirt pattern! Ugh.