NL6095 Take 2

I've asked for some fitting sessions with Judy Barlup for my birthday.  Maybe I'll get them.  If not - I plan to use my 'monthly mad money' to take some classes with Judy.  In the meantime, this weekend - I retraced the front and back of the dress.  I took a 1/4" tuck above the bust, a 1/2 tuck above the waist and a 1" tuck below the waist - that's all I did.  Taking that last tuck below the waist, smoothed out the drastic hip curve some. 

from the bust up, the fit is good.  However,
the bust darts are too high and need to be lowered by about 3/4"

from the side - the side seam pulls to the back.
and now I have those lovely diagonal lines over the butt, again.

the back is just all over too tight and the shape on the hips is still wrong.
That being said, I can move and sit comfortably in this.

Still need to take a swayback wedge out of the back and curve the back seam more.

Arg - this is hard to do by yourself.  I really need to teach JB to help with fitting. 

The Ugly Truth

NL 6095 front holding the hips out.
Drag lines from the bust to the waist.

from the side, you can see what a mess the back is.
Partly because my arm is raised.  Definitely too much fabric at the sides,
but what are those lines over my butt?  And do you see the lines going diagonally over the thighs?
 

back wrinkled mess.  Looks too tight at the bra band - but doesn't feel that way.
Sway back adjustment?  Too much length in the back?

back closer

bust, neckline and shoulders are all actually good.  The dart could be slightly longer,
but there is no pulling across the bust.
Again - I'm seeing diagonal drag lines from the side to the center front.

I had just undone the zip to pull the dress off.
JB told me to stop!  Put your arms back up.
This really shows how exaggerated the hips are.

Good idea of how Elisalex might look on me?

New Look 6095

Back to the drawing board.  I spent a good part of Sunday working on New Look 6095.  I have long wanted a proper sheath dress.  Not one with princess seams, but a dress that fits and hangs from the shoulders.  Very similar to what Carolyn builds most of her 'inspired by dresses' from. 

Today, I traced New Look 6095.  It's a very simple sheath dress with fish eye darts in the back and an angled bust dart in the front.  Nothing else. 

I traced a 16 from the shoulders through the bust, 18 at the waist and essentially a 24 at the hips.  Oh, and I tried something new while tracing - I marked the size I wanted to use and then pivoted it to the size 16 and drew the line in.  This kept the curves smooth between the sizes.

Then I grabbed a brushed cotton print.  It's black and grey on a yellow background.  When I started - I sorta didn't care if it fit or not.  But I really like the print.  I also made the cap sleeve more of a short sleeve. 

I sewed the darts in, put the zipper in the back - but left those darts out, sewed the shoulder seams, set in the sleeves.  The sleeves have a bit too much length, causing some fullness in the cap.  And then I basted the side seams. 

The front looks good - the bust darts are in the right place, the waist is in the right place, but as I tend to do - the hips are too low and there is too much fabric - jodhpur hips.  The back however is a hot mess. 

I've bought The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting to see if I can figure it out.  I have enough fabric left recut the back and the sleeves.  But of course I serged the raw edges as I was putting it together. 

Hopefully this book will help and I can figure it out.  Next time - I'll use real muslin.  Although it does get frustrating to spend what little time I have at the sewing machine working on garments that will never see the light of day.