Hi The sleeve elastic is supposed to be on the upper part of your arm. And it is possible to do with a bodkin, that is like a tweezer. Pull it around till you get it to the first dot with the tail end and pin, then pull the end attach to the bodkin pin that end, them release the bodkin.
@@knottygnome Very True! It should be the difference between body measurement on back of pattern and finished garment measurement...Big 4 can sometimes be 2-4 inches depending
Thank you for showing the jackets and the blouse. I agree the green color is beautiful and it looks good on you. I think the way the sleeves are gathered make the volume flow down well. The shape of the sleeve and the little angles at the sleeves' hems are flattering. I am looking forward to see what you will make.
Those jackets are gorgeous, Sara! So sorry about the issues with the top! Frustrating patterns and/or instructions are no fun! The color is gorgeous on you! 💗
Your jackets look amazing! Despite having such a frustrating time with that top it really is not bad. The color is lovely. I have yet to make a pattern from any of the big 4 that doesn't need major pattern adjustments. They are almost always way bigger than they say. I typically have much better luck with the indie pattern makers. Thanks for sharing your experiences with these patterns!
That jacket is pretty dang cool! Since you explained it, I can see where some adjustments in the sewing methods make sense due to the fabric thickness, etc. Since I’m a newbie to sewing, that little walkthrough really helped me understand more about garment construction. But then you went through all that you had to do with the other pattern and I can see why people choose not to sew! Now I’m curious as to how others handled that pattern. Your mini rant made for a good video. Subscribed.
As a beginner sewer, I really rely on good instructions and correct finished measurements. As I don’t have the knowledge or confidence to change a pattern yet.
I just picked up this pattern last week and I really want to make it. I'm glad I watched your video for the warning. I really like it on you. You did a great job and it looks great on you!! Thanks for sharing your experience with it. 😀
Your black jacket turned out nicely and fits you so well. The seam finishes are great. I am planning to do that to a Ilford jacket from Friday Pattern Company. So sorry you had problems with the blouse pattern, but the color is beautiful on you. You need to make a different garment in that color! Thanks, Sara.
Thanks for a great video. Love that black jacket and the contrast seam finishes look great. I was stumped by the instructions for that sleeve elastic too. Took me a minute but the only way I see that working is if you left an opening at EACH large dot. It would be simple that way. If you were to use a safety pin and stitch the far side first you'd have to push that pin all the way around to the start again. What a pain that would be.
yes! i think somebody else in the comments figured out the right way to do the elastic. it does make sense to me now that she explained it but i don't think it's intuitive at all.
I just love your videos. You are so detailed in your reviews and I really like your choices. I agree with you about the green shirt how frustrating I would have gotten to a finish if it had been me.
Sarah...nice makes and your workmanship looks beautiful (nice topstitching). I am tall & have to work with proportions, too. With your petite frame, if you don't alter the proportions, your garments will swallow you up. I think all of these makes are very flattering on you, including your teal top. Nice job!
Love, love , love your black jacket!!! Too cute!! I love the other one too but the design of the black screams chic! Although you don’t love it, I’m glad you don’t hate your simplicity top since you made it. I’ve been debating on making it but not sure I have the time to fuss with a pattern. Thank you for sharing!
Love your grey stretch denim jacket. I also like your honesty on the teal/peplum top. I wouldn’t choose it for myself if only because I’m too old for a midriff cutout.
That black jacket is to die for! I’m going to get that pattern! So cute in the short style! Also I think the teal top looked darling on you. Yes it was a bit to big and no I’m not going to buy that pattern, but it looked really cute on you!
The blouse actually looks very good on and it is flattering--the neckline and shoulders are flattering. It would look great as a dress in a beautiful fabric as you described. The sleeves are weird and it looks like they just did not know how to design them properly. The cut-out and the peplum and the style is very cute and trendy and I bet a lot of people will try to make thiss top but the zipper in this kind of top is unusual and the sleeves are something that no one would expect. The finished product is very attractive but the design techniques are not thought out well. What beginner could make that and not be confused and frustrated? It looks cute and simple but it is actually a highly engineered piece--this is what makes sewing so confusing.
it seems like a lot of people have sewed this top successfully since i made the video so maybe i'm just a weirdo. as long as people are happy with their makes, that's what matters. even i was reasonably happy in the end after i was able to shrink my top a bit.
Love the finishing detail of the black jacket. I like Wardrobe By me patterns, there's a few i have my eye on but the Mens cargo is the TNT for my husband husband. I know that top was labor but it really does look super cute on but i agree i would have the entire sleeve hem with elastic. That color is beautiful on you😍
I think the peplum top could be a *little* better with a higher waistline, but it kinda seems off with the combination of the sharpness of the cutout with the gathering. I would try adding elastic to the waistband, but then it may ride up and be too short 😅
I love that neckline in you but I think another pattern for sleeves (maybe a butterfly cal sleeve) and the rest of the blouse. I like the detail of the elastic back,too. I have found that some patterns from the top four are not sewable. I do have several books for garment construction helps me with issues.
Oh Sarah, I feel your pain on that peplum top. We have all been there and honestly this is why so many people give up on their sewing journey before they even get started good. I’m going through this with a dress I’m making for a special occasion. It’s going to work and turn out nicely I think but only because I’m doing my own thing with it. Sometimes I think the pattern companies assume everyone is a lazy sewer and just want it done so the construction methods are horrible. Both your jackets are beautiful and I’m sure will be staples on your wardrobe for many years. Kudos on going the extra mile on the finishes. We need to have #insideout to show off all our hard work ….maybe there is a hashtag for that lol I just found #wearitinsideout 🎉
I think your top looks really cute on you; however, I do agree about the sleeves. They need to have elastic all the way around. The color looks great on you as well. Thanks for the review!
Beautiful makes. I wonder why they don’t just have you create a pleat on that sleeve 🤔 that tiny elastic seems so odd. I plan to make this but I think ill created a pleat. I love how detailed you were with this pattern review. It was helpful for me.❤
After staring at the envelope/instructions, i'm convinced that you're actually supposed to put the tiny elastic on the long part of the sleeve, which seems even more challenging b/c of all that fabric. but i suppose it would look better. i'd still rather have elastic all the way around though.
Actually, the top looks darling on you. Yes, I know you don't like it for different reasons, but from a totally objective and neutral standpoint: the color on you is fab! The general shape works on you. Believe it or not, it doesn't look too big. It has the peasant blouse vibe with without all the extra fabric. The peplum also looks good -- it hits you in a good spot. Styled with the shorts you showed, it is really pretty! I think you should put this in your summer rotation of tops to wear and see how others react. You'll get compliments on how nice it looks on you. Yes, I'm serious!
Your black trench looks so great. Super classy. I could see how the teal top would be disappointing if you were expecting a fitted top. To me, it kind of looks like the current style that's a little more loose. I still think it looks really cute on you. I would think with all of those different elements, I wouldn't like it. I don't like peplums either. But on you, the neckline and the cutout look so cute. It also strangely doesn't seem to revealing, even though there's a lot of skin showing. But I understand not enjoying a make that other people think looks good. Thank you for sharing!
i think part of what makes it not that revealing is that the neckline isn't very low (which is one of the things that drew me to the pattern in the first place). and there's not much skin on display in the cutout either. it's fun to try new things every once in awhile and not everything is going to work out. i'm ok with it.
there is no specific "petite adjustment" that i'm aware of. making things fit me usually involve multiple adjustments, like shortening sleeves/legs and SBA.
I absolutely adore that little black trenchcoat! It is so stunning on you! (Makes me want one too, LOL!) Now that top, I’m just going to agree with your comments and leave it at that! LOL! I do love the color of it though!
I buy mainly Indie patterns now. Big 4 are cheaper even in UK but I often find their instructions and measurements leave a lot to be desired sadly. Some of their simpler styles though are really good value for money so I persevere. Your black jacket is SO good and shows Big 4 at their best.
thank you! i mostly sew with indies at this point as well but i have an extensive collection of both. i do think i'm going to take a step back from buying big 4 from now on unless it's something really special.
Gathered tops are typically designed for women with heavy bust as they are minimising. Having a small bust and an unadjusted larger pattern effectively makes you look completely flat chested. I wouldnt have chosen that style but as you say- you intended to convert it to a dress - in this case I would still have fitted one long and one short dart on each side of the bodice to give a defined shape to the bust. It is very dispriting to put so much effort into a piece for it only to be used to bum around the house. I had one such experience when I was a teen and had used my carefully saved cash to buy some really lovely fabric. I didnt have the heart to deconstruct it to use the pieces in eg craft/patchwork - I should have done!
I really like the turquoise top on you, and I'm faced with an FBA , same (only reverse) problem: increaseing the top also increases the waist, which I don't need. Add a wedge to top only? 🤷♀️ I love this pattern so much I'm just going to struggle through it.
don't know if this is a useful suggestion or not, but could you bring the waist back down by shortening the elastic across the back to make it tighter?
@knottygnome Maybe. Except that might affect the final resting place of the side seam? I just re-drafted the whole front piece to actually fit a D-cup, so time will tell
I already commented on how great your sewn items look on the short reel. As to the problem shirt, wouldn’t your 1st step be to feed the elastic completely into the sleeve hem casing through the opening? Stretching from side to side & securing with pins at both ends at the marked stopping point (so elastic doesn’t snap back). Then secure both ends of elastic into place by sewing where you put the pins - one right after the other. That’s how I read instruction #23. I agree with your statement that there is no way to secure one end of the elastic and then try to feed it through the casing to the other side. It’s almost the same process as doing a waistband casing except you’re not feeding the elastic through all the way around. Reading big 4 patterns is like learning a foreign language and you sew a lot of indie patterns that use yet even different ways to describe things. It can definitely be confusing sometimes.
yeah that does make sense. i think sometimes in the moment i can miss the forest for the trees. i still think the partial elasticated sleeve looks odd though and would prefer it fully elasticated.
I always think when I make a big four pattern and it’s not right in some way that they must not use pattern testers like indies tend to do. Your black jacket looks so good on you!
the last two Simplicity patterns I made turned out much larger than I wanted despite meticulous measurement scrutinizing. My theory is they don't want garments turning out too small and build in "hidden" ease to their patterns.
I don't know if you've ever watched Star Trek The Next Generation, but the sleeves of the peplum top look a bit like Romulan uniform sleeves 😂. I'm sorry you had such a frustrating time of it. The black trench is very cool, it looks good both belted and loose.
The top is very flattering as is though at 73 the cut out leaves me flat. I quit paying much attention to instructions 50 years ago. There are many ways to skin a cat. Do it your way. Too bad you don’t like it. It’s lovely. The color is fantastic on you - It’s a very flattering neckline.
there's a view without a cutout if that's more your style. i think instructions are important for newer sewists who can't construct a garment without them. bad instructions are what put people off Big 4. i would like to see the company thrive in the future so it's disappointing to me when their patterns are lacking.
oh my goodness. I can see what you mean about that pattern--a real headache. the front neckline is very pretty on you. maybe find another pattern that has a similar neckline next time!
thanks! i'm over it at the moment but i think the Tilly and the Buttons Mabel has a pretty similar silhouette (without the cutout) so i have an alternative if i ever want to try again.
The trench looks wonderful and the Hong Kong finish really takes it up a notch. The work shirt looks very wearable and versatile. The simplicity shirt looks well made, but just seems way too big, and it may sound strange, a little bulky. There just isn’t a lot of joy on your face when you are wearing it. Love the color on you though.
I find that after 50 years of sewing that the instructions of the big four are consistently wrong and I often find mistakes in even the pattern pieces themselves. Such a shame since there were never any mistakes back in the day! Also I find that they always make the elastic pieces too long.
You are so tiny and petite that the blouse looks like you have on a size too large. Having said that, you look fine - the color is really gorgeous for you and your craft on the blouse looks ready-made. Well done!
![*Part 1* APRIL & MAY Sewing Projects 🌷New Look, Simplicity, McCall’s [Perfect Patterns for Summer!]](/img/n.gif)
I discovered your channel yesterday and L❤VE your aesthetic and personality. Great videos.
I love the sleeve detail. It is very unique and i like the way it makes the sleeve drape
i'm pretty sure at this point that i did it wrong and it's not supposed to look like that. oh well!
@@knottygnome it’s really pretty on you! I just ordered the pattern. Thank you so much for making a video with all the tips. Much appreciated.
Hi The sleeve elastic is supposed to be on the upper part of your arm. And it is possible to do with a bodkin, that is like a tweezer. Pull it around till you get it to the first dot with the tail end and pin, then pull the end attach to the bodkin pin that end, them release the bodkin.
There is probably built-in ease in the pattern - I think it looks nice! Thank you for useful information!!
but that's why we need accurate finished garment measurements. so we can determine how much ease we want and adjust accordingly!
@@knottygnome Very True! It should be the difference between body measurement on back of pattern and finished garment measurement...Big 4 can sometimes be 2-4 inches depending
Thank you for showing the jackets and the blouse. I agree the green color is beautiful and it looks good on you. I think the way the sleeves are gathered make the volume flow down well. The shape of the sleeve and the little angles at the sleeves' hems are flattering. I am looking forward to see what you will make.
Those jackets are gorgeous, Sara! So sorry about the issues with the top! Frustrating patterns and/or instructions are no fun! The color is gorgeous on you! 💗
thanks, Andra! i appreciate that you can feel my pain.
Your jackets look amazing! Despite having such a frustrating time with that top it really is not bad. The color is lovely. I have yet to make a pattern from any of the big 4 that doesn't need major pattern adjustments. They are almost always way bigger than they say. I typically have much better luck with the indie pattern makers. Thanks for sharing your experiences with these patterns!
That jacket is pretty dang cool! Since you explained it, I can see where some adjustments in the sewing methods make sense due to the fabric thickness, etc. Since I’m a newbie to sewing, that little walkthrough really helped me understand more about garment construction. But then you went through all that you had to do with the other pattern and I can see why people choose not to sew! Now I’m curious as to how others handled that pattern. Your mini rant made for a good video. Subscribed.
As a beginner sewer, I really rely on good instructions and correct finished measurements. As I don’t have the knowledge or confidence to change a pattern yet.
yes! this is why it's so disappointing when there are errors. it makes it so much harder to learn.
I just picked up this pattern last week and I really want to make it. I'm glad I watched your video for the warning. I really like it on you. You did a great job and it looks great on you!! Thanks for sharing your experience with it. 😀
glad i could help!
The colour of the top is great on you! I appreciate your review :)
i'm glad it was helpful!
The black jacket looks good sometimes things don't work out but you have to try
defiinitely!
Your black jacket turned out nicely and fits you so well. The seam finishes are great. I am planning to do that to a Ilford jacket from Friday Pattern Company. So sorry you had problems with the blouse pattern, but the color is beautiful on you. You need to make a different garment in that color! Thanks, Sara.
i'm sure i will at some point! thanks.
I really like the triangle blouse.
Love the green top on you, it looks very nice and Summery
thank you! if only the weather would cooperate.
Funny, I actually like this Simplicity blouse (teal) on you.
thank you
I love the jacket. I might give it a try with the Hong Kong seams.
I actually think it looks nice on you... especially in that jade green colour 😍
Thank you 🙏🏼
Thanks for a great video. Love that black jacket and the contrast seam finishes look great. I was stumped by the instructions for that sleeve elastic too. Took me a minute but the only way I see that working is if you left an opening at EACH large dot. It would be simple that way. If you were to use a safety pin and stitch the far side first you'd have to push that pin all the way around to the start again. What a pain that would be.
yes! i think somebody else in the comments figured out the right way to do the elastic. it does make sense to me now that she explained it but i don't think it's intuitive at all.
The green top fits you nicely. The neckline is flattering. I don't really care for the cutout detail, I think it would make it a lot less wearable.
it definitely limits where i would wear it (not to work) but i think it's fine for bumming around the house, which is what i do 90% of the time.
I just love your videos. You are so detailed in your reviews and I really like your choices. I agree with you about the green shirt how frustrating I would have gotten to a finish if it had been me.
i'm glad that you enjoyed it!
Yes I need some hong kong seams. My seam shows on my jacket when it flops open sometimes. Great sewing.
i honestly never cared before if serged seams show but i admit after doing the HK finish, it does look a lot nicer.
Sarah...nice makes and your workmanship looks beautiful (nice topstitching). I am tall & have to work with proportions, too. With your petite frame, if you don't alter the proportions, your garments will swallow you up. I think all of these makes are very flattering on you, including your teal top. Nice job!
thanks!
Love, love , love your black jacket!!! Too cute!! I love the other one too but the design of the black screams chic! Although you don’t love it, I’m glad you don’t hate your simplicity top since you made it. I’ve been debating on making it but not sure I have the time to fuss with a pattern. Thank you for sharing!
thank you! i think you would look fabulous in that trench.
Love your grey stretch denim jacket. I also like your honesty on the teal/peplum top. I wouldn’t choose it for myself if only because I’m too old for a midriff cutout.
thank you!
Everything looks great on. Teal and I would never have gotten finished.....yipes.
i almost chucked it several times!
Your little black trench is definitely worth the extra time of Hong Kong finish.
thank you!
That black jacket is to die for! I’m going to get that pattern! So cute in the short style! Also I think the teal top looked darling on you. Yes it was a bit to big and no I’m not going to buy that pattern, but it looked really cute on you!
the jacket is a really good one and definitely worth getting.
The blouse actually looks very good on and it is flattering--the neckline and shoulders are flattering. It would look great as a dress in a beautiful fabric as you described. The sleeves are weird and it looks like they just did not know how to design them properly. The cut-out and the peplum and the style is very cute and trendy and I bet a lot of people will try to make thiss top but the zipper in this kind of top is unusual and the sleeves are something that no one would expect. The finished product is very attractive but the design techniques are not thought out well. What beginner could make that and not be confused and frustrated? It looks cute and simple but it is actually a highly engineered piece--this is what makes sewing so confusing.
it seems like a lot of people have sewed this top successfully since i made the video so maybe i'm just a weirdo. as long as people are happy with their makes, that's what matters. even i was reasonably happy in the end after i was able to shrink my top a bit.
Love the finishing detail of the black jacket. I like Wardrobe By me patterns, there's a few i have my eye on but the Mens cargo is the TNT for my husband husband. I know that top was labor but it really does look super cute on but i agree i would have the entire sleeve hem with elastic. That color is beautiful on you😍
thank you! i have heard that WBM is great for men's patterns. i will keep them in mind for the future.
I think the peplum top could be a *little* better with a higher waistline, but it kinda seems off with the combination of the sharpness of the cutout with the gathering. I would try adding elastic to the waistband, but then it may ride up and be too short 😅
I love that neckline in you but I think another pattern for sleeves (maybe a butterfly cal sleeve) and the rest of the blouse. I like the detail of the elastic back,too. I have found that some patterns from the top four are not sewable. I do have several books for garment construction helps me with issues.
yes, they put out so many patterns that i suppose there are bound to be a few duds. it's very disappointing though.
Oh Sarah, I feel your pain on that peplum top. We have all been there and honestly this is why so many people give up on their sewing journey before they even get started good. I’m going through this with a dress I’m making for a special occasion. It’s going to work and turn out nicely I think but only because I’m doing my own thing with it. Sometimes I think the pattern companies assume everyone is a lazy sewer and just want it done so the construction methods are horrible. Both your jackets are beautiful and I’m sure will be staples on your wardrobe for many years. Kudos on going the extra mile on the finishes. We need to have #insideout to show off all our hard work ….maybe there is a hashtag for that lol I just found #wearitinsideout 🎉
i will have to check out the hashtag! thanks for sharing and good luck with your dress.
Thanks for an informative video!
you're welcome!
I think your top looks really cute on you; however, I do agree about the sleeves. They need to have elastic all the way around. The color looks great on you as well. Thanks for the review!
you're welcome!
Beautiful makes. I wonder why they don’t just have you create a pleat on that sleeve 🤔 that tiny elastic seems so odd. I plan to make this but I think ill created a pleat. I love how detailed you were with this pattern review. It was helpful for me.❤
After staring at the envelope/instructions, i'm convinced that you're actually supposed to put the tiny elastic on the long part of the sleeve, which seems even more challenging b/c of all that fabric. but i suppose it would look better. i'd still rather have elastic all the way around though.
Actually, the top looks darling on you. Yes, I know you don't like it for different reasons, but from a totally objective and neutral standpoint: the color on you is fab! The general shape works on you. Believe it or not, it doesn't look too big. It has the peasant blouse vibe with without all the extra fabric. The peplum also looks good -- it hits you in a good spot. Styled with the shorts you showed, it is really pretty! I think you should put this in your summer rotation of tops to wear and see how others react. You'll get compliments on how nice it looks on you. Yes, I'm serious!
thanks! since i got it to shrink it fits a lot better and i don't hate it anymore. it's still not a favorite but i wear it on occasion.
I completely agree. You look fantastic in this!
Classy black trench!!! Well worth it.
i think so too!
Your black trench looks so great. Super classy. I could see how the teal top would be disappointing if you were expecting a fitted top. To me, it kind of looks like the current style that's a little more loose. I still think it looks really cute on you. I would think with all of those different elements, I wouldn't like it. I don't like peplums either. But on you, the neckline and the cutout look so cute. It also strangely doesn't seem to revealing, even though there's a lot of skin showing. But I understand not enjoying a make that other people think looks good. Thank you for sharing!
i think part of what makes it not that revealing is that the neckline isn't very low (which is one of the things that drew me to the pattern in the first place). and there's not much skin on display in the cutout either. it's fun to try new things every once in awhile and not everything is going to work out. i'm ok with it.
Can you show how you do a petite adjustment
there is no specific "petite adjustment" that i'm aware of. making things fit me usually involve multiple adjustments, like shortening sleeves/legs and SBA.
I absolutely adore that little black trenchcoat! It is so stunning on you! (Makes me want one too, LOL!) Now that top, I’m just going to agree with your comments and leave it at that! LOL! I do love the color of it though!
i always appreciate your honesty, Myra!
I buy mainly Indie patterns now. Big 4 are cheaper even in UK but I often find their instructions and measurements leave a lot to be desired sadly. Some of their simpler styles though are really good value for money so I persevere. Your black jacket is SO good and shows Big 4 at their best.
thank you! i mostly sew with indies at this point as well but i have an extensive collection of both. i do think i'm going to take a step back from buying big 4 from now on unless it's something really special.
@sewmytime I agree concerning the big 4. Indies are worth the price
Gathered tops are typically designed for women with heavy bust as they are minimising. Having a small bust and an unadjusted larger pattern effectively makes you look completely flat chested. I wouldnt have chosen that style but as you say- you intended to convert it to a dress - in this case I would still have fitted one long and one short dart on each side of the bodice to give a defined shape to the bust. It is very dispriting to put so much effort into a piece for it only to be used to bum around the house. I had one such experience when I was a teen and had used my carefully saved cash to buy some really lovely fabric. I didnt have the heart to deconstruct it to use the pieces in eg craft/patchwork - I should have done!
I really like the turquoise top on you, and I'm faced with an FBA , same (only reverse) problem: increaseing the top also increases the waist, which I don't need. Add a wedge to top only? 🤷♀️ I love this pattern so much I'm just going to struggle through it.
don't know if this is a useful suggestion or not, but could you bring the waist back down by shortening the elastic across the back to make it tighter?
@knottygnome Maybe. Except that might affect the final resting place of the side seam? I just re-drafted the whole front piece to actually fit a D-cup, so time will tell
I made the view with the solid front(no tummy hole); it was fine...I'll make it again.
i'm glad it worked out for you
I already commented on how great your sewn items look on the short reel. As to the problem shirt, wouldn’t your 1st step be to feed the elastic completely into the sleeve hem casing through the opening? Stretching from side to side & securing with pins at both ends at the marked stopping point (so elastic doesn’t snap back). Then secure both ends of elastic into place by sewing where you put the pins - one right after the other. That’s how I read instruction #23. I agree with your statement that there is no way to secure one end of the elastic and then try to feed it through the casing to the other side. It’s almost the same process as doing a waistband casing except you’re not feeding the elastic through all the way around. Reading big 4 patterns is like learning a foreign language and you sew a lot of indie patterns that use yet even different ways to describe things. It can definitely be confusing sometimes.
yeah that does make sense. i think sometimes in the moment i can miss the forest for the trees. i still think the partial elasticated sleeve looks odd though and would prefer it fully elasticated.
I always think when I make a big four pattern and it’s not right in some way that they must not use pattern testers like indies tend to do. Your black jacket looks so good on you!
no inside knowledge but i would be very surprised if they test every pattern. there are just too many releases.
the last two Simplicity patterns I made turned out much larger than I wanted despite meticulous measurement scrutinizing. My theory is they don't want garments turning out too small and build in "hidden" ease to their patterns.
@@liza_lou you might be right! i find that really frustrating, if true
I don't know if you've ever watched Star Trek The Next Generation, but the sleeves of the peplum top look a bit like Romulan uniform sleeves 😂. I'm sorry you had such a frustrating time of it. The black trench is very cool, it looks good both belted and loose.
ha! 😂
The Hong Kong finish would be pretty for the outside.
maybe. it would definitely be a very different look!
The top is very flattering as is though at 73 the cut out leaves me flat. I quit paying much attention to instructions 50 years ago. There are many ways to skin a cat. Do it your way. Too bad you don’t like it. It’s lovely. The color is fantastic on you - It’s a very flattering neckline.
there's a view without a cutout if that's more your style. i think instructions are important for newer sewists who can't construct a garment without them. bad instructions are what put people off Big 4. i would like to see the company thrive in the future so it's disappointing to me when their patterns are lacking.
oh my goodness. I can see what you mean about that pattern--a real headache. the front neckline is very pretty on you. maybe find another pattern that has a similar neckline next time!
thanks! i'm over it at the moment but i think the Tilly and the Buttons Mabel has a pretty similar silhouette (without the cutout) so i have an alternative if i ever want to try again.
The trench looks wonderful and the Hong Kong finish really takes it up a notch. The work shirt looks very wearable and versatile. The simplicity shirt looks well made, but just seems way too big, and it may sound strange, a little bulky. There just isn’t a lot of joy on your face when you are wearing it. Love the color on you though.
thank you! the color is lovely, i agree.
I recently wanted to sew this exact top, however it looks like a disaster !
i've seen several versions on instagram. it's entirely possible that i'm the only doofus who had issues. 🤷♀️
@@knottygnome maybe, however, Id rather make my own pattern cuz this pattern is 20€ for me... Thanks for feedback! :)
XXX👍👍👍
thanks!
I find that after 50 years of sewing that the instructions of the big four are consistently wrong and I often find mistakes in even the pattern pieces themselves. Such a shame since there were never any mistakes back in the day! Also I find that they always make the elastic pieces too long.
You are so tiny and petite that the blouse looks like you have on a size too large. Having said that, you look fine - the color is really gorgeous for you and your craft on the blouse looks ready-made. Well done!
don't know if you saw the follow-up youtube short but i was able to shrink it in the wash and it fits better now. thanks for watching!
I think it’s just too big 😢😮