Wednesday, April 09, 2008
I’m Too Big For My Shirt
I’m having one of those days where I didn’t get much done. I thought about doing a lot but that’s about as far as I got, the thinking part. BUT I DID scan in the pictures from ISBN 9784579110438.
Here’s the picture from the book of the tank top I showed yesterday. I’ve altered it since then and…it’s so depressing, I’ll write about it tomorrow.
No. Actually, I’ll write about it now. The test tank top in muslin (thank goodness I made a muslin) as I mentioned before was pushing down on my boobs.
The empire style (is that what it’s called) part of it was sitting in the wrong area. It’s supposed to sit right under my boob but my damn boobs are so big I had to mush them in and it wasn’t fitting. The bottom half puffed out unattractively making me look pregnant. I didn’t take pictures of a side view because, oh my gawd, the horror! The picture, from yesterday, didn’t look that bad but in person, YIKES! So I altered it.
I thought I would add three more inches to the top half so there would be more room for the girls. Well it doesn’t smoosh my boobs down anymore. And it doesn’t make me look 8 months pregnant. But it’s still a little tight, just a tad. Then it dawned on me, to measure my chest. That’s when I realized, I’ve gained weight since I first purchased the book. Or to be more accurate, I’ve gotten bigger.
That’s why it’s so depressing. That’s why it doesn’t fit! I made the largest size, 13, and it still doesn’t fit!! Aaaarrrgggh!!!
So now I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I should alter it more to actually give me more inches around or just give up and try a different pattern.
But what’s the point? Maybe all the patterns from this book won’t fit since the largest size is 13. I really wanted to make pattern #13, the one above on the left, but it doesn’t look like there’s a lot of room in the chest area.
Maybe pattern #10, the one above on the right, has more room? I don’t know. Maybe I should measure the patterns.
Man, I’m bummed. I look at pictures of myself and am sometimes surprised that I look bigger than I imagined. Is that a weird thing to say? Well turns out I am bigger.
So yeah…don’t know what to do now. Oh I almost forgot the whole reason for my post. I got distracted by lamenting about my weight. Here’s what I meant to link to, the rest of the pictures from the book.
Oh I hate being pathetic. I had to give myself a laugh. I looked up “I’m too sexy” on youtube and sang “I’m too big for my shirt, too big for my shirt…” with a little head shake and everything. Yes I’m a goober, a big fat goober.
April 9th, 2008 at 1:48 am
You know how to deal with the shirt thing? Get a contour bra, that pushes up and your girls should be nice and rounded on top. I also would think that the line/empire line should sit just under your breasts.
If you made a larger shirt, you could use darts to make it more fitted around the breasts. You probably want to have it more fitted under the breasts, that way it should enhance your figure and not flatten it.
I had the same problem with a dress I just made. I ended up putting darts in the back and the front to make it more fitted and flattering. http://www.rasita.biz/node/1058 Only problem with the dress now is that it is a little too low cut! Maybe I will partner it with a shirt underneath.
Don’t give up but just measure, adjust and if in doubt ask for help.
April 9th, 2008 at 3:18 am
Hi - thanks so much for bothering to scan in the pictures!!!
April 9th, 2008 at 4:43 am
I’m thinking you can extend the sides of the top pieces to give yourself a little more room. Taper down to the bottom of the side top pieces so you don’t make the bottom skirt part of the shirt any wider — so no additional gathering to add to a maternity look (Boy, do I identify! And there’s no way I’ll ever be wearing real maternity wear!)
You’ll have to adjust facings as well.
April 9th, 2008 at 6:34 am
You look wonderful – don’t be so hard on yourself! Boobage is a big burden sometimes (no pun intended) and I feel your pain.
My ‘girls’ are a huge cup / small band combo and aren’t the average size you see on practically all the shirts out there so my Mom offered to purchase a Bra Pattern she found on-line. I cringed when I thought of all the fabric I’d have to buy (& industrial metal for the underwire – ha!) in order to make myself one.
April 9th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Well … it happens.
Part of the problem is that everyone in those Japanese books is cute, young, and *tiny*. Everything looks good on them. If only they had girls in different sizes and shapes to give us a better idea of how things would look on us. Personally, I was a little surprised by the popularity of the empire waisted shirts this summer, because they kinda make everyone look like they have a belly, even the skinny girls.
April 9th, 2008 at 7:59 am
You’re NOT a big fat goober! You ARE too sexy for your shirt! You are super cool and beautiful! I’ve been there though—with the size thing—it is such a horrible feeling for some reason. But, you are really beautiful, don’t forget it! I love #10—I think you should make that one–it is very, very cute.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:05 am
I agree with futuregirl. These empire waist lines make every one look preggers, even the skinny girls.
And if you are blessed in the booby department(which is me) its no easier to look hot n sexy in clothes designed to look good on the hanger.
I got my urban outfitter catalog yesterday and all the clothing models looked strung out on crack and anorexic. And the clothes looked like they found them in the dumpster of a Salvation Army. Fashion is truly silly sometimes!
April 9th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
April 9th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
The title should be “I’m too sexy for my shirt”…LOL!
And if you make the same pattern again using knit fabric, the garment will skim (not hug) your curves. It’ll make the bottom part less billowy, too.
April 9th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Oh my gosh. I WISH I could wear the cute babydoll tops that are fashionable right now. But the only way I could wear them would be if I also wore a sign that said, “I’m not pregnant. It’s just fashion.”
I don’t know anything about sewing, but I do know that having big boobies isn’t the worst problem to have. Ha ha.
April 10th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Love the patterns, everything but #19 too short ruffly cami. Maybe they thought that to fix the problem of looking pregnant is to just end the shirt way to short and then everyone can see your belly is really not pregnant after all.
I love the empire waist look. I have a bunch of empire tunics and dresses and my husband commented to me that I look pregnant when I wasn’t at the time. But since I am now, all my empire outfits represent me honestly now. Ha!
Love you whatever size you are. You are still beautiful!
April 10th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Not sure if this was suggested or not, but what about making it in a knit instead of a woven? The knit should give you some stretch up top without having to alter too much?
April 10th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
I have resisted buying any of the Japanese pattern books for women because none of them go up to my size. And, honestly, it’s depressing enough as it is to make the patterns that ARE my size.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Sorry to say, but I had to laugh with your post, you write so funny about your ‘big size’ haha, you are not big at all, believe me!
But why don’t you try to make the top in stretch fabric?
April 15th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I have the same problem with most tops like that. Sooo frustrating. I have never tried to make my own but store bought tops are the same- made for girls with small boobs I guess. Seriously my biggest shopping issue!!
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:02 am
hi kuky! don’t be discouraged. it looks like you got a japanese craft book. japanese sizes run small. my husband tried to wear an XL plain cotton tshirt and wore it once but it shrank into a size S. i’m sure your size 13 was about a US equivalent of an 8 or 10. for the record, you looked just fine. any looser and it would look like a maternity top. smile!
May 15th, 2008 at 7:16 am
You ARE NOT a GOOBER-you’re a HOOT!! Just found your blog and you are talented and fun–who cares if that style doesn’t fit! Just find one that does. THANKS for sharing your tutorials, ideas, etc!!