We used Connie Crawford’s Butterick 5538 pattern at a bust cup adjustment workshop. Our tutor Marea Drayton, had lots of patterns to look at for fitting ideas, and she gave use a sheet to record our measurements and calculate the adjustments we needed for the pattern.

Marea had lots of patience, she was great at keeping up with the less demanding sewers, but most importantly Marea was genuinely interested in helping us achieve a good fit.

She used Fit for real people used because she’s Palmer Pletsch trained. Later I was told Marea used Connie Crawford’s fitting techniques. I missed out on Connie’s visit to Sydney last year but I have her books and I saw her at Sew Expo in 2011. Connie’s amazing and a straight forward speaker with industry experience. Talk about a wealth of sewing industry knowledge! Connie is a real sewing treasure.

Anyway the pics below show the steps Marea took to increase the bust width on a princess seam. This pattern below had the width added by adding a vertical line that pivots from the shoulder seam. What you see below is Marea closing the side dart and adding room at the bust point. 

I did this workshop because I do need to know how to make this adjustment for anyone who is C cup and above like Mum or SIL or my first dear niece.

Pondering my next sewing project… You can see I need to get out into the sun eventhough summer is here.

Sway back XD

I’m wearing the mustard pants Vogue 1204 I made earlier this year. I also made these in festive green and a red test pair.

The back now fits better.

We were also asked to bring Frixion pens.  I had no idea what these pens were for but I bought a couple anyway. They’re erasable pens so I suppose you can scribble out your markings and rewrite over your paper or fabric. I’ll buy anything that gives me the best outcome. Have you used these pens before? Mine pens are still in the pack!

Here’s what’s on the net about these pens…
The ink laid down by the Frixion rollerball disappears under friction! The end of the pen has a hard plastic eraser, which when rubbed over the writing causes the colour to disappear from the ink. You can then write over it again with the same pen. How does it work? It’s a type of thermo-reactive ink. The heat generated by the friction causes the ink to become translucent (at 65°C fact-hounds!). Stick it in the freezer (-20°C) and your scribblings will re-appear – albeit slightly faded.