I started making up a Colette Peony over Christmas, after getting the bodice fitted in a private class blogged about here.
All went well with the sewing, the fit was good and the invisible zip went in without a hitch, happy days. Now I’ve even finally managed to hem it, which took a while as the rayon seam binding was a bit of a pain to sew on. It’s slippery and really narrow, so I kept just missing the edge of the fabric.
Anyway I finished the hem, tried it on and, well the neckline is weird! It sticks out loads!
Here’s a close up.
It’s even worse wearing a cardigan (a requirement for 80% of the times I’d be wearing this dress).
Can any master adjustment peeps give me any suggestions on how to correct this? I haven’t tacked down the facing, so could unpick that and fiddle around. I’m thinking maybe I could alter the neckline to make it deeper and less boat-necked, then just use bias binding to finish the neckline. Also the shoulders look a little long and actually end on the top of my arms, could I take those in, thus pulling the neckline in towards me a bit?
What do people suggest, as in its current state its not really wearable which is a shame as I quite like the fit and the style of the dress itself. I especially love the little gathers at the front of the skirt.
That happens me with Colette patterns too. I haven't got a fix, but hopefully someone will have! Shame as it's so pretty otherwise!
ReplyDeleteIf anyone has any suggestions I'll let you know!
DeleteHi Laura
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame as the rest of the dress looks like it fits great. I don't know what the answer is but I feel like I want to pinch out the excess to make it lie as it should & see what's going on with it, & therefore what adjustments are needed to the pattern itself. Is this your toile? What would I do? (Please remember that I'm not recommending any of this as you may remember a children's programme "Bodger & Badger"? I think that was based on me ....)BUT, to provoke others this is what I think I'd do .....
I think first I'd treat it as a toile and see what changes are needed on the pattern & transfer to make up as another toile (just the bodice) & then if it's possible to then play around with the neckline to this dress, cutting it differently/ adding pleats or darts (??? I don't know if that would look ok?!) to somehow rescue it. Or take the bodice apart & make the changes you have just discovered to the original peony. Don't get disheartened though - you have nearly got your custom fit dress! At last! That's a woo hoo in my book.
Alas, this is the real deal. I did a toile and made adjustments. because I did it in class, I didn't bother doing a 2nd toile using my adjusted pieces, as I assumed the teacher knew what they were doing and it would work out perfectly. Should've done that 2nd toile really.
DeleteOh and I do remember Bodger and Badger. I wonder though, do you have a lot of mashed potato mishaps in your life, as that's the main thing I remember about that show!
DeleteI had this issue recently with a Simplicity pattern - I took it in at the top shoulder seams - it worked on my dress, as it pulls the neckline up and in. My dress is not fitted to the extent yours is, so I'm not sure it would work? I think next time you'll need to adjust the front bodice pattern piece and shave some off the top tapering to nothing at the bust. Sorry I'm not more of a help!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestions
DeleteHave you done an FBA? Or did you cut the pattern top a size bigger than you needed to accommodate your bust? To me it looks like the bodice should be slightly smaller but with an FBA as there seems to be some excess or at least pulling (not sure from the pictures) under the bust. Might be worth a look at making a quick toille for this.
ReplyDeleteI used a larger bodice and took it in, as my high bust put me in the size 8, but my waist measurement is a size 12, so I thought making a toile from the size 8, that I couldn't pin together around my waist was a bad idea.
DeleteI have a narrow back though, so maybe I do need to use a smaller bodice size and grade up to a 12 at the waist, then do a toile on that and do an FBA.
It's all so complex and time comsuming though, and I'm so inexperienced, knowing what the right thing to do is really hard!
It's pulling (rather than excess) at the bust. So it doesn't fit there really either.
I reckon it's related to bust stuff. Try pinching out the excess at the CF - let's pretend the total width across the whole neck is 2" (so 1" would be the width needed to be adjusted on 1-half of the whole bodice). Go to your bodice pattern draw in the BP (bust point). Draw a small mark on the neckline seam 1" away from the CF. Join that mark to the BP, and then join the BP to the CF line. You've no a got a new dart! Slice, pivot, and rotate the fullness/width from that dart onto the other bust-dart(s) in the pattern. But, do remember to extend the lines from existing darts so they hit the BP first (draw them in from the bottom up to the BP - can also sometimes get called the dart apex)... you then move the apex back to it's normal position after you've finished slicing & moving the darts around. (See here re: rotating darts: http://rustybobbin.com/blog/?p=355)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comphrehensive suggestion Claire! To be honest I think I might put the Peony away for a while. I'm not ready to try it again. Just want to make the one I've got wearable at the mo.
DeleteSaying that, maybe I can pinch out the excess at the neck and make some mini darts at the neckline on this dress, turn it into a design feature!
Ah the dreaded neck gape. I concur with people above, the shoulder area of the bodice is just too large. Next time use your upper bust measurement instead and do an FBA , (or do this more if you already did it a bit!). As a busty lady its always hard to know how bodice ease is going to work until you've made the ting once.
ReplyDeleteTo fix this, I personally would take the facing off and put darts in the neckline, on the front and back (along with taking the length of the shoulder seams in a bit too). Don't try and make it lower, it will probably look worse (the lower you cut things that more that gape happens, irritatingly). I would put the darts in so they look like they were intentional, not a last minute fix. Try putting two small diagonal darts in at each side of the neckline about halfway from the middle to the shoulder, in a pair, and then just one on each side on the back. To get the right amount, put it on inside out, pin it to your bra in the middle (so it doesn't end up lopsided) and then just pinch bits out until it sits flat, and then sew them up. Remember to adjust the facing too before you sew it back on. If you have enough fabric I would cut the facings again. so you don't have to dart them too (less hassle, better result). Hope this helps.
Thanks Monkeysocks. I think you (and everyone else) is right here. You live, you learn I guess. At least now I know why I should go with my high bust measurement. I am going to try out the neckline darts thing like you suggest.
ReplyDeleteI had a similair issue with one of my Simplicity dresses a while back. I put darts in the bodice top that sat like an upside down V so that it looked as though they were kind of meant to be there, emanating out from the centre of my neckline! This was in a fabric that bore a heavy pattern, so the pattern helped disguise the bodge job. Don't despair. This is such a lovely dress and one fitting issue that once you've cracked, you'll have cracked for ever.
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen. I reckon that is what I am going to do. At least I know I'm no the only one who has had this problem!
DeleteI have to say I think you look blooming lovely. So pretty is the silhouette :) I reckon a little darting will sort out the naughty neckline and then you'll be sitting pretty.
ReplyDeleteI've had a bust alteration Eureka moment. I will pop an email to your goodself with my fascinating findings and hopefully it will help. Just realised I've managed to get a lot alliteration (whoops there I go again) this comment I will stop now. It's because I've been reading Nigella's cookbook.
xxx
I'm having the same problem with the pattern. I found your blog while searching "Colette,Peony dress, gaping neck"! Mine is mostly the back neck, as I adjusted both of the front darts while fitting, and that seems to have taken care of the front. I was thinking I would put darts in the back neckline, after I pick everything apart. I was searching to see if anyone else had tried that. Sounds like it's what is being recommended to you, so I guess I will give it a go as well.
ReplyDeleteToo bad - your dress does look nice, except for the gaping feature, and I like mine, too except for that. If I get this dress to fit, I don't think I'll be making it again - on to something else! This is my second one - the first I made was way too big, but that was my own fault - I was mistakenly checking the wrong size chart and made a much larger size than I should have. Good luck with yours!
So, I'm checking in again just to say the Peony is officially off my list. I tried the back darts and took 3/4 " on each neckline for a total of 1 1/2" off the neckline. It's better, and I can wear it now, but it's not that comfortable. It still gaps a bit at the mid-back neckline and it gets worse when you try to put a card on - it all keeps trying to bunch up higher. McCalls 2401 looks similiar, with a little more shoulder line and a bit higher neck - I think that will be my next effort.
ReplyDeleteHi Mimi,
DeleteThanks for all the info on your attempts to sort out this issue. I've unpicked the facing, but haven't made any alterations yet. To be honest I'd rather move on to something else and come back to it another time. Plus from what you say, it's a fix that might not work anyway!
Hey there :) I found your blog while searching for a fix; my peony bodice looks exactly like yours! For the record I did an FBA and started off with back gaping on my muslin, then corrected that, only to end up with front gaping in my final dress! So it's not a problem with the size because I used my high bust measurement.
ReplyDeleteSo far I've done a small fix by using twill tape to stabilize and reshape the neckline but I'm gonna try unpicking the shoulder & pinching out the extra fabric there - wish me luck! :)
Hi darling, the best way it's to go for smaller size ando do an fba. It will fix the neck
ReplyDeleteI love the fabric for this! Try altering neck to a smaller size. I had problems with my first peony but reduced the size down by 2 sizes and it's much better now. I think the hem is supposed to be kinda sticky out, I like it!
ReplyDelete