When I came across the Wiksten Tova shirt pattern a while ago, I was smitten. It looked to be a comfy lightweight shirt with possibilities.
I duly ordered the pattern, and stuck it together, and then got a bit stuck on how I might do an FBA on it. With the large yoked front, which finishes at the bust line it was proving a bit of a puzzle on how to add extra space without ruining the features of it I liked so much.
Off to Pattern Review for some advice, and I struck it lucky. The designer, Jenny, popped in and told me exactly how to do it, or at least how she had designed it to be done. Excellent!
I duly adjusted and made up the pattern in some cotton I had kicking around.
Overall, the fit was good, but the back seemed a little loose, so I added in a couple of fisheye darts at the back waist and it was much better.
Now I will say right now, the fabric was a little too crisp for this style, so suspect that with a more appropriate fabric the back darts would not be needed.
The instructions were overall pretty good, and made for a nice shirt at the end. I am really pleased with how the yoke came out.
Unfortunately, I managed to pick a fabric that is completely impossible to photograph. The details all get lost in the fabric pattern.
NOTE TO SELF: Pick a fabric with more drape and less pattern!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for that link and the info from the pattern designer -- I have this pattern too so that will come in very handy for me! Your top is very cute, but I hear you. So many times I've regretted a fabric choice because it didn't have enough drape!
ReplyDeleteI read the link at Pattern Review but can't visualize this FBA. Can you explain how you did it? I would be so very grateful!
ReplyDeleteHi Jennie, thanks for popping by.
DeleteThe FBA is not too tricky. You essentially do your standard FBA using whichever method you find easiest - I use the FFRP one.
Then you just rotate the dart you made into the shoulder seam. In this case, it means closing the dart you just made and that's it. It will leave your pattern piece looking a bit wonky, but when you attach the front to the yoke, the 'dart' you just rotated out is hidden in that seam.
Hope that helps!
So, when you say shoulder seam, are you referring to a shoulder dart that would be hidden in the seam where the side front and yoke pieces meet?
ReplyDeleteYes, that's it.
DeleteYay! I sat down with some pieces of paper, made a tiny bodice pattern, and figured it out.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I just ordered the Tova pattern (it's on sale right now, by the way).