Thread: Encouragement needed to alter pattern?

Hi y'all

I want to make a full-length ghawazee coat and I bought the Al-Zahra pattern, only I'm about a 20 and the pattern is about a 16. I'm okay at altering patterns. My sticking point is the pieces are BIG and the desk I have to work on is SMALL.

I have to measure all the pattern parts carefully and then me carefully and then allow some magical amount of space so this can fit right ... and well, I'm nervous about it. I do have some sacrificial fabric that may be enough to make a mock-up for a hip-length coat just to make sure it fits.

I guess it's such a large endeavor that I'm waffling and procrastinating, even though I'm pretty capable ... errrrr

Also, I'm going to make it reversible; I've found two lovely fabrics, both medium-weight cotton. Well, basically I don't want to screw it up, but I think I can figure out the reversible part.



Has anyone done this? Or have words of wisdom/encouragement?

re sacrificial fabric: sacrificial indeed. this is perhaps the most important part. To me, swatches ( in knitting) and mock ups are what insures a smooth final product. Seems like every time I skip this step, the gods unleash their wrath at the earthling who denied them their rightful sacrificial offering... but I digress.

If you have a ruler (you know, that funky looking curvy ruler, the English term for this escapes me at the moment) you shouldn't have any trouble. I mean form a 16 to a 20 is not that much of an alteration. Also, a ghawazee coat is mostly long straight lines, no biggie. I'd say the only tricky part will be the shoulders/bust (bc I'm guessing that you have the 20 boobs to go with the 20 shoulders, like me *g*)

Oh, and unless you are 100% confident in your mockup, I would try to make it reversible just yet. That would be tempting fate into making horrible things happen to your coat.

Ruler ... ah ... see now I can't come up with the term ... ah, tape measure!

Yes with the 20 boobs. Ummm, 42DD, but with the U-cut-out at the front, that shouldn't be a huge (giggles at irony) problem. I probably have 16 shoulders to go with the girls; (makes carrying a purse over the shoulder a pain in the patootie.)

Perhaps additional sacrifices to the Goddess of Bellydance and of Alterations are in order. Appeasement, hmmm.

ere's the thingie I'm talking about: dress form, dressforms, sewing dress form, dress form double


And you can't go wrong with additional sacrifices. There's never enough appeasement for the garment gods. *g*

kemitiri, what does one use the french curve tool for? *lost*

French curves are used to draft patterns in that you can "copy" a curve exactly, or draft a new, smooth curve. They are also used in drafting and design. I lust for a large french curve! lol.

Just go for it with the sacrificial fabric, get on the floor (tile or wood helps) if you need to.

To make it reversible easiest, I would make all the pattern peices by sewing them together right sides facing, leaving a hole to turn (possibly bottom edge?) and then flat fell seam the whole shebang together. The alternative is making both coats, leaving the cuffs and bottom undone. Slip one inside the other and iron up hems and topstich them together. Et Voila! Reversible. (this works great with pants).

Originally Posted by kemintiri

ere's the thingie I'm talking about: dress form, dressforms, sewing dress form, dress form double


And you can't go wrong with additional sacrifices. There's never enough appeasement for the garment gods. *g*

Is that the coolest tool or what! I love that! That sure looks like it would make life a little easier.

hmmmm french curves be cheap on ebay ...

Here is my suggestion: First, get some tracing paper and trace the patten onto it. Use this as your template. then find an old sheet and use that as your test coat. If it works, and it is a complimentry colour, you can always use it as the lining for your next coach But this allows you to screw up or to make what adjustments you need to without dealing with the potential of messing up really good fabric!

{{{HUGS}}}

yall are wonderful as usual!

Originally Posted by whitneync

I lust for a large french curve! lol.

You and me both, honey...