Fit for a Fit

Acadia and I are not expert sewers (see? I don't even attempt to use the word seamstress). I will admit that certain parents have raised eyebrows at our methods. But, we did attempt the "traditional method" for fitting the coat. 

I mean "fitting" as alternations (taking the fabric where is sags and then letting it out when it's too tight). I like the word "fitting" better (it's shorter too!)

Anyways, we tried measuring our bodies and then putting those measurements to the pattern paper. Did we know what we were doing? No, we actually quickly abandoned the idea. Instead after we cut the fabric and thought to ourselves: "We'll just cut the pieces that we don't know bigger, so we can cut them back to their size when we do know."

Logical thinking huh? In the end, after many hours of thought and staring at the cut out fabric we came up with a decision. We would make the coats.

No, no, no we didn't put needle to thread. None of us wanted to risk that. We instead pinned each other into the coats. This accounted for most of last week, us laughing as the other strained to get the pins in. All in all, it took about two-three hours each to get a person into a coat.

In was worth in though, let me tell you. It turned out that Acadia's was way too big in the middle. Enough so that I could have stood next to her in the thing. I took it in on both sides, using a combo of yellow chalk (it turns out that it's a lifesaver for drawing on fabric) and pins. (just look at my half asleep illustration!)

Also the shoulders were too long, so we pinned those back too. On that, just draw up the top of the sleeve until it hits the knob of your shoulder. Then pin that to the shoulder, pulling it up until it hits the right place. (just look at another half asleep illustration!).

half asleep shoulder fitting

Also we were glad that we cut the sleeves bigger because it fit our arms just fine (we left roughly an inch and a half extra). Before they would have been like Axel sleeves (very tight). In length, we hemmed them to our knuckles roughly.

There weren't many other fitting problems, otherwise...just little things here and there. All I have to say is to experiment with the pinning until you find something comfortable.

Onward and upward! Now to sewing we go!

-Winn

I am attempting not to look at the countdown...*eye twitch* only 8 days left....