Mood:
irritatedNow Playing: "One More Time" - Daft Punk
It's raining again. After several days of no rain and pretty weather, I got spoiled. Our front yard will be a lake in the morning from all-night thunderstorms, but I got to see some beautiful lightning strikes from the Studio while sewing. And my 9th grade English teacher would be proud of the "Farewell To Arms" reference.
Finally got going on Rio's pattern. Dug out the lightbox Beloved Hubby made me and traced it off. It's a European pattern, and they like to put all the pieces on one page - sometimes less ! - in a confusing-at-first-glance jumble. So it's easier to print off one cleaned-up copy and trace the pieces. I even relabelled them in English with PaintShopPro. I think it's in German.
While I enjoy using foreign patterns, there are some problems. Rio's finished jeans are a prime example. They're too tight down the legs. Hips and waist and crotch fit perfectly on both Rio and Ken, so I must've gotten the pleats and the darts and the seam allowance correct. Since the directions are in German, I have no way of knowing for sure otherwise. They went together well - I used the same basic directions that came with Rick's green pants - and the inseam was a perfect match. But even on Ken, the finished item was simply too tight from just past the hips to the feet. Had a heckuva time getting them past Rio's slightly larger feet.
And that was with redoing the seams so close to the fabric's edge, it's probably only Fray Check holding them together ! Luckily, I did a test fit with just the outside seams sewn. If I'd had to redo the inner and outer leg seams, I'd have probably trashed the whole thing. Even though I did great with those pleats ! :) I powdered both dolls' legs for ease of dressing, and it was still struggles and pulls. Not sure where I went off the rails on this one, I even tried them on the same Ken shown modelling the pants on the pattern page. I thought it was maybe because the corduroy used in the article had some stretch, but it's doubtful it stretches more than the denim I used. But, again, I have no way of knowing, since I only know enough German to get me in trouble. And most patterns don't employ the words I know. Heck, most bar brawls don't employ the German I know...
Added about a third of an inch to each side of the 'pants back' part and according to my sometimes shaky math, that should allow me to sew a more conventional-size seam and still have the leg width Rio needs. He does have larger calves and feet than Ken. So does Rick. I made the same mistake again - I assumed that if Doll X fits/doesn't fit this one pair of pants, he/she fits all this doll's clothes. Um, the pants I used to check for fitting might be generic, or from another doll, there's no label. You'd think I'd know better by now ! Rio does fit shorts and a Fashion Avenue suit, so he just needs a looser fit, like what's on dressier male doll clothing. In any case, I like the pants I made, and I'd love to sew 'em to fit Rio. I hate to alter patterns, though. Unless I'm just adding length to the hem, it often throws the fit off. It's fun, though, to change what ya got. Makes me wonder if I've changed it enough to publish it m'self, for free.
Oh, and my poor little bottle of Fray Check is almost empty. Learned that the reason applying FC takes so long is because I had the tip cut waaay too small. Had to recut it today, because it kept clogging, and it flowed out nicely, took next to no time to apply. I'll have to remember that for the next bottle ! The next trial pair of pants will use it up, I'm sure.
Yeah, you know I have to try again. Probably tomorrow. At least I know how to sew front-closing male doll pants with pleats now !
