I found the following question on CosPlay.com, and as it is a problem I have often dealt with myself, I'm going to save my answer here on my blog. Here is the question:

Hey does anyone know how to widen a armhole because somehow I made the sleeves way bigger then the armhole for my Lucky Star cosplay blouse. Can some one help me? Please and thank you.

I would try on the bodice to make sure it fit, first, and if the armholes were okay, I'd work instead on the sleeves.

Here are some things I might try if it was mine:

What I'd most likely do (and have done in the past) is this: on the top of the sleeve head, sew a double row of basting stitches (leaving about a 4 inch tail of thread on each end of each row) , than gently pull the ends of the threads, while adjusting the fabric into enough of a "gather" so that the sleeve now fits the arm hole.

I have found that adding the gather is the quickest solution, and the easiest to do, but it also will add a slight "pouf" to the sleeves and if you don't want that, than you may not want to use it. Using this method is recommended for a blouson sleeve look.

If the gather method, would alter the end result look too much for the look I'm trying to achieve, my next method to try, would be to add a few tiny darts: say, one at the front, one at the top, and one at the back; or maybe 3 in a row all right on top. Where I'd place the darts would be determined by the "look" I'm going for. Using this method is recommended if you are going for a fitted sleeve look.

If you have REALLY REALLY gone over board and there is just WAAAAY too much fabric in the sleeve, I would try to recut it instead, as if you've gone too big, you should be able to cut it down to the correct size. You'll have to be careful here, though cause if you cut off too much than you'll be in a worse boat than you are in already! You can take of too much fabric, but it's nearly impossible to add on extra, so be careful if you decide to trim it down, and trim down only an 1/8 inch at a time, and check between each cut.

Working with changing the armhole itself, is a bit trickier, and will likely require you to cut it down, but again, if you start cutting it down, cut in 1/8 inch slivers and check between each cut. Cutting off too much could be a disaster!

The problem with changing the armhole, it that it could change the "fit" of the garment, resulting in a tight pull across the chest, across the shoulders, or both!

If you have extra fabric, a better alternative, to cutting into the armhole, would be to cut a 1 - 2 inch wide strip of fabric, and sew it to the front side seam, thus making the entire bodice a little bit wider and widening the armhole at the same time, without creating a "pull" across the chest or shoulders.

I'd try changing the sleeve first, and only change the armhole if changing the sleeve doesn't work.

Alternately, if you have enough fabric, you could just recut the sleeve entirely.

In the future to prevent this problem, you could do what professional dressmakers and fashion designers do, and make 2 outfits. First you cut all of your pattern pieces out of a plain muslin, and sew it up, than do all the alterations to the muslin dummy. than take the stitches out and use the muslin pieces, as the pattern pieces that you use to cut out your real fabric. This way you can get all the editing and changes down before you ever cut into your more expensive cloth. This is an especially good thing to do if it's pattern you plan to make more than once too, because all you have to do is save the muslin pieces, and keep reusing them. If you plan to use them a lot, though you should sew around the edges to prevent fraying.

What's your take on this? I'd love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!

-------------
If you liked reading this blog and want to read more stuff written by me, I have lots of websites, where you can read other things I write, here are a few of the ones I like the best:

All about Lord Sesshomaru's garb & Making a Lord Sesshomaru Costume. Plus, Sesshomaru & Rin and making Rin's Costume.

Do you think Lord Sesshomaru is a Cross dresser? Join the debate and tell the world what you think!

Do you CosPlay? Here is A List of my CosPlay Aticles

This is for anyone who needs help Creating Character Profiles for their stories or for their SCA persona.

Want to join Squidoo? Than you need to read EelKat's Secrets To Squidoo Success and What Can You Do With Squidoo?

Are you seeking an online debate to join and tell the world what you think about it? Than you need to check out this List of Active Debates that are waiting for you to speak out on them!

Where
My Art is For Sale Online.

My attempts to refresh my summer wardrobe without buying anything are reaching interesting lengths. I seem to be spending all moments when not working, eating, or snoozing at the sewing machine. If my maniacal dressmaking activities are boring you, look away now (I fear that the thrill of my new clothes is certainly wearing thin on Mr B, who just mutters, 'yes, very nice' at each new item and goes back to reading his issue of 'What's Brewing?')

Here is the fruit of yesterday evening's labours. I had been looking at Mariko Fujinaka's instructions for a 'summer top' in The Crafter's Companion and decided, with some modifications, to give it a go.
Again, I used another old top as the the template, and cut out front, back, and facings:

(old top, new pieces)

I sewed the facings to the front and back, then seamed it up the sides. Then I added the now-obligatory external pockets (which you have no doubt noticed are something of a theme with me). These ones are an obvious echo of those I knitted a few weeks ago for the kaari sweater

yes, and more buttons too . . .

I then made some running stitches around the neck and along the pocket (to separate off three different sections) with sashiko thread:

I am very pleased with how neatly I managed the seams and facings:

so here's the finished top:

and me in it

Nice and simple. This was made from the remaining piece of dark indigo-dyed cotton I used for the top in the previous post, and two fat quarters (one with a wave, and one with a crane-fly print). Again, it's a Japanese dobby-weave fabric. It has a linen-like hand and hang, both of which I really like. I only have a few more fat quarters of this lovely stuff left and am tempted to combine the whole shebang into some joyous all-over garment of Japanese dobby. I may look odd, but who cares? I really enjoyed Felix's recent post, in which she talks about her forthcoming patchwork skirt as a 'portable case of ideas.' Brilliant!

I clearly missed crafting while we were away walking in Ireland over the bank holiday. I spent today's early hours thinking about the logistics of a top I've been intending to sew. So I just got up and sewed it. I used one of my favourite tops as the prototype:

This top is very close fitting with a nice, hidden side zip. I didn't fancy my chances at managing to sew in the zip neatly enough, so I decided my new top would fasten with an obi-style tie belt -- and probably needed more ease in it in order to fit over my head. I also wanted the bodice and 'skirt' bit of the tops to be in different fabrics. So I drew round the front and back of the bodice of the old top, doubling up for facings and adding in an extra half inch of ease either side. I sewed the facings and outside pieces together, turned them right way round and pressed them, then drew round the 'skirt' bit of the old top, adding seam allowances (but no extra ease this time). Then I sewed the bodice and skirt together:

and then sewed on a tie-belt, top-stitching several lines at the front:

here's the waist:

I finally sewed on some straps, and added some decorative buttons at the front:

(I heart these buttons)

. . . here are buttons and belt. . .

. . .and here's the finished article:

Jeez! I made that!
(Messy Tuesday/Sunday kitchen . . . ahem)

The top is made from two different Japanese fabrics, bought (again) at the Knitting and Stitching show in Harrogate. The quality of the cotton is just superb -- a broad weave with a slightly worn feel. I love the chrysanthemum (kiku) print against the indigo dye of the plain fabric. These are just delicious textiles. It's probably a good job that its so hard to source them, or I'd probably be beggaring myself.

In this instance, I feel oddly lucky to have been cheated in the chest department, since I reckon this is the only way such a close-fitting top might fit over one's head without a zip or other side opening. I am feeling rather smug all round, frankly. This is definitely the most successful thing I've sewn without a pattern. I really, really like it. If the weather stays like this I may even get a chance to wear it. The time is now, and in Scotland. . .

I have been feeling patriotic lately.  I was watching "Think Tank" with Ben Watternburg on PBS, when I saw Elon Musk, a native South African who has been living in the US since his late teen years, and whose most notable achievement, was creating the internet payment system PayPal.

During Ben Wattenberg's interview with him, they discussed freedom.  More specifically, freedom to "tinker" with ideas and inventions in our own backyards.  It is this freedom that allows people like Bill Gates to achieve and innovate. Now, although most of us don't aspire to be Bill Gates, I realized that, on a far more basic scale, our freedom allows us to negotiate deals with other people, and run our own businesses (within the established laws governing our activities, of course) as creatively as we like, setting the terms on our own.  Compared to some other countries in the world, that is truly a fabulous opportunity.  Because of our incredible diversity, we can benefit from the influences of so many different points of view.  We are free to agree, disagree, embrace or reject the ideas and philosophies we choose.

Our country is not without its problems, unfortunately, but it is pretty great.

As the economy continues to take a turn, it seems to me that we are ripe for people with special skills, ingenuity, and a bit of ambition, to employ themselves, whether part or full-time, and fatten their wallets a bit with the rewards of those endeavors. 

There are so many websites, magazines in the business of selling optimism -- publications featuring people laughing manically amid showers of cash, promising that ANYONE can start a business on a shoestring... you'll make your first million... all you need is a phone and a pencil...

LIES...

It is darn hard.

But, it is rewarding.

Personally, I know the dressmaking biz. I have been a custom dressmaker for about 12 years now, and it seems to me, that there are some characteristics very specific to this business.

Let me digress for a moment, and tell you what inspired this post.  I happened upon a site this morning, which seeks to promote dressmakers in the UK. The site is well designed, but clearly its goal is to fatten the wallet of the site's owner, by getting dressmakers to advertise themselves on the site, with the promise of being promoted INSTEAD of their local competition.  I am not saying that anyone selling advertising for small businesses this way is doing anything wrong...

Now, maybe you need to be a dressmaker to know this, but, a true custom dressmaker can only take on so many clients at a time, and, if she is worth her salt in a location with any reasonably affluent population, she can maintain a constant flow of business by word of mouth, by doing quality work for repeat customers, and happenstance. Having said that, a dressmaker will still find moments where she has fewer clients than she'd like, or lower paying projects than she'd like.  A listing on a referral website will give her business legitimacy while helping people who have never met or heard of her to find her. I cannot imagine how a referral website would function if it only allowed single listing per geographic area, to avoid listing "competition", when, in actual fact, one dressmaker would find her schedule full in a very short time, if she were the only choice in her region, on a highly ranked website.

 Since I have been running www.findadressmaker.com for a good while now, I can see what it really takes to make a site like mine work.  I don't think there is much incentive for anyone who isn't passionate about the business to run such a site.  After all, for it to be profitable, the listing fee would be unaffordable/impractical for most dressmakers.

The bigger picture idea here, is that these small, artisinal businesses, and the talented hands who run them -- whether they sell handmade cheese, custom rocking horses, or stained-glass windows, are so unique and special that their interests and wallets need to be protected, EVEN by those who promote them.  This is contant truth in US and abroad, in times of economic prosperity, and economic decline.

It's sooo difficult to get clothes that fit properly when you're short, right?

I'm forever cutting down everything to fit, trouser legs always need a foot chopping off (no pun intended!) and arms often need shortening too. I went to buy a pair of jeans in Fatface last week and tried on all the pairs in the shop, until I found a pair that fit nicely on the waist, hips, and looked good too. Even better, they were in the sale as well, £25 down from £45. I took them home and chopped them down. Now they look ever so strange. Somehow, they just look WRONG. I don't know why. Now I keep looking at other people's jeans and they are usually too long, but they look fine. Mine are the right length and they DON'T look fine. What gives?!

I love my colourful in-yer-face red shirt from Boden.
I want to have a load more colourful shirts in my wardrobe, but not at £80 each. So I've come up with an idea. Pay a visit to Goldhawk Road and make my own! My fashion designer friend Jane recommended I buy Vogue's dressmaking patterns online from the USA, they are much cheaper there at around $12. Butterick sell patterns for around $6. I found a site for petite plus sizes fos US sizes 14-24. Too big for me. So I did a search on Sewing Patterns and found what I wanted, a shirt pattern with turn-up cuffs I can make in a contrasting fabric...

Watch this space for some loud & special Miss Norty shirts!

Do you have any idea what is pictured above? Read on...

Warren Buffet was recently featured on a financial news/talk show, where viewers phoned in questions.

"If you had $1,000 to invest today, where would you put it?" one caller asked.

Buffet's answer (paraphrased) was, "The best investment you can make is in yourself. No matter what happens to the economy... if everything falls apart, and we start trading sharks' teeth as currency, you will always be able to survive if you excel at what you do. There is always room for the best butcher, baker, whatever your profession. Put that money towards improving yourself."

This exchange reveals that a real shift in thinking is necessary if you are really interested in having more money. The prevailing notion of investing has become handing money to someone else, and having them return it tenfold. That is flawed thinking, and his answer really got ME thinking.

If you have been led to this blog via my other ones, you probably already know that I run a dressmaker referral website. It can be found at www.findadressmaker.com, for the curious among you. The vast majority of small dressmakers who sought to advertise themselves alone on the web, would throw good money after bad in hopes of increasing their traffic. I assume that is true for many small business owners, who want to increase eyeballs, hoping that they will catch some passers-by in the crowd.

Because I can't say it any better than he can, Seth Goldin of Seth's Blog, has described the fallacy of this "silly" traffic lust in a recent blog post. Check it out.

People are full of advice, often serving their own agenda or pocketbooks. Consider what everyone telling you how to manage your business or financial life is "selling", and take your advice from those who have suceeded themselves, whether they are wearing Armani or overalls. Great advice can come from anywhere.

Wanna know what that picture is?
Read the next post to find out...

Much of my sewing had been put on hold. I have outfits in bags – pattern, fabric and thread – just waiting for me to get going. Making an article to wear has been long neglected, until yesterday. I actually sewed up a house dress I had cut out about 6 months ago. Still have to sew the buttons on, everything else is finished.

I decided on this dress and fabric because the weather was warm then – it will be warm again, right? This 100% cotton, a Christmas print from the clearance rack, made me feel like I’m wearing a summery cool breeze. It is a really nice weight, heavy enough for a dress. The yellow is soft and the snowflakes are so pretty and varied, perfect for keeping cool on a hot day at home. This Vogue pattern was simple, but I didn’t do the bottom of the button closer right and had to un-sew a bit – after I had top-stitched. Oh well, looks fine now. While putting this dress together I revisited the idea of finding my wearing style – something more artsy and fun. Probably won’t be able to give up all the off-the-racks, but to have something unique to wear around the house, shopping, even to the beach would be fun. Found this blog about sewing, in particular, wearable art. Love how she closes each entry!

Because a friend has been enjoying her class with Susan Sorrell, I took a peek at her website. The personal symbols class looks extremely interesting! One click led to another and I found posts about making a fiber art journal, too. With the activities I have planned for these next several months, I think it would be a great time to make one. She used a winter theme and that made me think I should plan for a summer theme. I have a couple of quilts I will be working on. I could document the beach I love so much-don’t know how yet, could be drawing, stamping, photography somehow turned into art. Since rubber stamping came into my life a couple of years ago, I have found being artistic more obtainable for me. And fun! But cards, scrapbooking and other paper crafts aren’t all I’m interested in – I love the feel of cloth and everything that goes with it. I am getting back to sewing again, so a journal might be fun.

The prom workshop that was offered at Countess Wear Village Hall for last Sunday only had two ladies sign up which meant that the workshop was cancelled which was a shame. It's funny because a similar thing happened last year with the Troubleshooting workshop that we did where the take up on that was quite low but not as low as two. It seems that the "dedicated to one little garment workshops" are more appealing than a general "what shall I make workshop?" Bodices are quite easy to make when you know how and being seen as sexy and fun to wear and Corsets which are trickier to make are seen as a bit risque or naughty, but obviously it's something that I think everyone should have at least one of in their wardrobe and quite a number of ladies (10 workshops' worth) and their partners have agreed with me over the last year or so!

My next workshop at the Village Hall is a boned bodice on 18th May but if anyone wants to make a corset they could also book in for this date too. A corset kit with black or white coutil lining would need to be ordered beforehand if making a corset.

So my next thought is what other workshop can I offer in the Autumn term, suggestions on a postcard please (or in a comment if you like)!

The new issue of Black Meringue magazine has just come out and I did like the first issue and this is more of the same, so now I'm going to get picky, there is a green & pink corset picture showing the back of the corset where the stylist clearly doesn't know how to lace a corset properly as there is a gap in the middle where the laces should be tied. There's also a shocker on a page in the low thirties which makes me wonder where the corset making skills were learned. I certainly wouldn't have put a picture of it in a national magazine to have it compared to some of the other lovely things that are there.

Now I'm off to finish my black and white corset that will be one of the things that I'll be showing at the Real Brides Show at Westpoint, Exeter this coming weekend. Show opens at 12 midday on Saturday and 10am on Sunday.

MY FIRST ATTEMPT

I have made clothes for myself before. Two skirts to be exact. One with an elastic waste and one with a zippered waist. Working with a quarter of the body is actually pretty easy. And skirts are pretty easy to make anyway. A dressmaker I am not...at least not yet. In a recent post I wrote that I was jonesing to make something for myself: "I’m getting really antsy to sew something for myself. And I’m feeling that it needs to be something big, like a dress or skirt or top or something..." to quote myself.

I have gone and done just that. My very first attempt at an adult-sized dress (if you're going to make fun then go ahead and leave it in a comment, I want to laugh too):

The front

The back.

 (Photo by Reagan) Where did my waist go?

I found this fabric for $1 a yard and a pattern for $3.50. So, overall this dress cost me about $8 to construct. It's a good thing because this dress stinks. It doesn't smell bad. It's crappy. But, as my husband keeps reminding me, it's my first attempt. I think Project Runway has me thinking I should be able to construct haute couture right from the start.

The fabric is as thin as Bible paper and very slinky. I was worried about it being see through and so I layered two layers of the fabric and then a layer of lining. So my waist is hiding under all that fabric. It's so thick around the middle. Doesn't help that God didn't proportion me like a Barbie doll (my proportions are more like Ken's). The dress is a little big too.

I was really proud of myself with the sleeves. I've never made sleeves before, even on kid clothes. However, I see in the photo above that they're not even. Oh well, I've always got a kid on my hip, so no one will notice. The hem actually turned out pretty even. I did spend a long time on that, comparatively. But with that kid on my hip it won't look even. This is also the first time I've ever done darts. There were six total on this dress. I'll just tell you now, and maybe you already know this: trying to make darts in slinky fabric is, well, let's just say it's difficult.

I really liked the fabric when it was rolled up on the bolt. Not too sure about it now. It does hide sewing imperfections. Small imperfections. The big ones stand out even more--I didn't even try to match up the pattern when piecing the dress together. One of the pieces is even upside down (you don't have to look that hard to see it).

So, even though it stinks, it's my stinky dress that I made and I'm going to wear it. If I only wear it once I got my money's worth out of it.

ON TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS

I am not done with the home-sewn look though. I'm moving on to bigger and better things (let's hope, right). Here's what's next:

1)This skirt

in this fabric (it's plaid with velvet flowers)

2) This outfit

The top will be

and the pants will be

 it's a white twill

3) This jacket

 The sleeves will have a straight cuff, not ruffled. The yoke will be the low neck (like in the inset) and will have a collar. The length will be longer than in the picture. It will be in this fabric

It's a shiny goldy-silvery concoction.

Total investment in these four new pieces: $19 (great use of a Christmas gift card and sales.)

Ambitious? I'd say so. But who got anywhere by sitting still? I'm learning that I have to be willing to try--and mess up along the way. That's the only way to get better. Since nobody's all that good when they first begin. Right?

What with all this torrential rain, gale force winds etc, I haven’t been able to do much in the garden lately, so my thoughts have returned to dressmaking again. Last night, after wondering just how I would go about drafting my Mrs Lovett dress pattern (it has been almost a year since my pattern-cutting class ended) it suddenly dawned on me that I could simply use parts of appropriate patterns that I already own. Cheating, yes.

After an extensive rummage through my pattern box, I realised that by piecing together a simple draw-string top pattern with Marie Antoinette-style sleeves and underskirt patterns, I would have a good basis for a Mrs Lovett costume. I already own a black corset which will go on top, once I have added a reddish brown (?) lace trim along the bottom. Hurrah!

Now, just *how* I go about finding murky brownish-grey paisley print fabric for Lovett’s skirt is quite another matter…