So I’ve been sewing for myself for a while now and I think I’m reaching the point where I’m going to have to bite the bullet and create my own sloper/patterns. The reason being that I just cannot seem to work out how to get a top to fit my chest, shoulders, back and bust all at the same time!
Example one:
Here I made the well loved Greenstyle Creations Green Tee according to my measurements at the time of bust: 33.5″, waist: 28″, hips: 38″. I used a 4 way stretch cotton lycra and made a small. 
In theory this should have given me loads of room across the chest/shoulders but it didn’t, the shoulders were still way too small. I also suspect my square shoulders, posture and poor application of the neckband are working against me.
Example two:
The Green Tee again. This time with a thinner 2-way stretch cotton jersey and a broad shoulder adjustment. Total fail. But I think this is definitely the fault of the neckband as the shoulders do fit a lot better so I’m going to remove it and try again and update this when I do!
Example three:
Here I followed Nancy Zieman’s advice on choosing the correct pattern size by using the distance measured above the bustline between the arm creases. In other words, I found the crease in my skin where my arm meets my body and measured from above the end of one crease straight across my chest to the end of the other crease. This gave me a size 10 even though my bust size said to make a 12.
The result? A dress that strains across my shoulders and back. So is this due to broad shoulders? Broad back? Forward shoulders? Square shoulders? All of the above??
Example four:
Finally I decided to make a Burda pattern as I’d read that broad shouldered people have success with their patterns. I’d also compared my cross back width to their chart and it seemed to match. Unfortunately, although the shirt seems to fit across the chest it is still too narrow across the top of my shoulders.
It IS however, my best neckband yet and I achieved this by simply measuring the circumference of the neckline with my flexible ruler at what would be the top edge of the band once finished and then using that measurement plus seam allowance as my band length.
So where to next? Drop shoulder, raglan and dolman styles of course! I’m giving up for a while and planning to make the Tilly and the Buttons Frankie Tee from her book Stretch*, Itch to Stitch’s drop shouldered Uvita Top* and the Cloud 9 Tee by Striped Swallow Designs.
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