
I’ve been wondering what the Barcelona Balcony would look like once translated into a plus size. I drew a croquis/sketch of myself then drew the dress on top. Now I’m even more excited to finish it!
In this post, we will be using the bodice lining pattern you created in Issue 4.
You are now ready for Issue 6.
Happy Patterning!
-Stini
We will be starting with the bodice front piece you made in your size from the previous post, Issue 3. I traced a fresh copy of mine for this tutorial. During this process, I frequently referred to both the image on the pattern envelope and the photo of the actual Barcelona Balcony dress, so you may want to have them handy.
Now that you have a triangle to reference, place it on your pattern piece matching up the center lines. Now try visualize the center front of your bodice pattern as a whole. How does your triangle piece look proportionally to your bodice? Does it need to be taller? Wider? I liked the size of my triangle, but there was a significant gap between the top of the triangle, and where I “thought” the bottom of the yoke would be (See Step 4, above.) I decided to split the difference.
So my triangle got a little taller, and the style line of my yoke dropped a little. We will see how it looks in the first fitting and take it from there. If your triangle was perfect the first time, 1) I’m jealous, and 2) Just trace it and move on to Step 7.
You are now ready for Issue 5.
Happy Patterning!
-Stini
After you have traced your bodice front, as explained in Issue 2, it is time to make your piece the correct size and shape. The first step is to get rid of that pesky bust dart. We will be using the most basic of “dart manipulation” to achieve this.
Now is a good time to take a couple of measurements. First take your full bust measurement (the circumference of your bust around the fullest point.) Next, take your “across bust front” measurement. Do this by starting the tape measure right underneath your armpit at the side seam of your shirt, across the fullest part of your bust to the same point under your arm on the opposite side. Sound tricky? It was more difficult to type that sentence and take the following photo than it is to actually do it. haha. Hope the photo helps! Now, why would you need this measurement? Think about it this way…a slim woman with a D cup, and a bigger girl with a B cup could possible have the same full bust measurement, right? So knowing how much of the full bust measurement is proportioned to the front only, lets you know you are leaving enough room for “the girls”. (I’m actually a plus size with a proportionally *smaller* bust, so this keeps me from making things too big in the bust.)
Ok, now that we have our measurements written down, lets get to work on sizing up that bodice front pattern piece. I often write my measurements, and do math problems on my pattern pieces, so you will probably see it scribbled on them in the photos throughout the tutorial.
MATH RECAP:
Across bust measurement: _____
Divide above by two: ______
Add 3/4 inch to allow for ease:______
Above is what you need your piece to measure across your bust line.
Subtract from what your pattern currently measures across the bust line: ________
Above is the amount you need to add to your pattern piece.
Here is a great little article on Craftsy that explains the gist of what we will be doing with our bodice pattern to size it up. I will refer to this method as “slash and spread”.
MATH RECAP:
Your waist measurement: ________
Waist measurement of your pattern piece (leave out the 5/8″ seam allowance and the dart!!!) ______
Subtract your pattern piece waist measurement from your waist measurement: _______
Add or subtract the above amount to the waistline of your pattern piece at the side seam.
Cut out your piece, and then do a happy dance! You have made the bodice front piece in your size! Congrats! After you are finished dancing, trace an extra copy of this piece to keep on file. If it fits you well, you can use it again to design more garments for yourself.
You are now ready for Barcelona Balcony Copycat: Issue 4
Happy Patterning!
-Stini
Whew! Creating a tutorial is a lot of work, you guys! So many photos! It’s fun, and certainly challenging for me. I’ve tried to cover everything as thoroughly as I can, but do please let me know if you need me to elaborate on anything, and I will go back and insert it in this post. Maybe make a Q&A addendum.
Here goes!
Hopefully if you are reading this, you have already gathered up your supplies as listed here. We will be using McCalls M6893 to create pattern pieces for our copycat look of the Barcelona Balcony dress. If you have sewn from a commercial pattern before, you probably know this already, but I feel like I should say it anyway. Pattern sizes DO NOT correlate to ready-to-wear sizing!!!! This means if you are a size 6 when you buy a dress at the mall, you are not a size 6 in a sewing pattern. You are probably an 8, or a 10. And if you are using a vintage pattern, heaven help you, because you are probably a 12 or even higher. Really old vintage patterns (we’re talking 1900’s) actually based pattern size on age. In this case a size “12”, was “Size 12 years”. Interesting, huh? (The following image is of a vintage pattern that can be purchased through Etsy, here.)
My point being, I find it best to ignore the pattern sizes, and just take your own measurements and write them down. With your measurements at hand, determine on a pattern by pattern basis what your “size” is by checking the handy little chart on the back of the pattern envelope, or on the envelope flap. This will save you a lot of aggravation. If you are plus size, like me, it is likely that this particular pattern is not available in your size, but do not fear! I will be showing you how to size it up in this post. Commence happy dance.
The first thing I noticed when I opened my pattern envelope was this neat little “Create It” page. I love anything in this world that has the same premise as a paper doll (hence my addiction to the Covet Fashion game on my iPhone, and no, they did not pay me to say that. I think I only have twenty readers, lol.) The idea is that you can mix and match skirts and bodices included in this pattern to create your own dress design. I’ve noticed the Project Runway series of patterns do this as well. I’m guessing this is something they train you to do in Fashion Design school. I could create an entire post about “Fashion Croquis”, so I’ll try to get back on track.
Cut out the following pieces according to your size: 1, 2, 8 (for reference only), 12, 13, 18
This tutorial will begin with the bodice, so you will only be using pieces 1 and 2 for right now. Put the others in safe place where they won’t blow away or be attacked and shredded by your cat.
We will be tracing pieces 1 and 2 onto a separate sheet of paper in order to keep the original pattern pieces in tact.
Method 1) I have used brown postal paper in the past because I like the larger size, but I actually have found it to be too thick. You can order brown paper online in all different weights, but I just haven’t wanted to front the money for that yet. In my studio, I have a table that I can actually pin into. (Thank you Dad, and brother-in-law!) I typically roughly cut out the pattern pieces, pin them on top of my paper using push pins or straight pins, then use my tracing wheel or pounce wheel to trace around the pattern pieces, including the darts. Afterward I use my pencil, straight ruler, and french curve to “connect the dots”.
Method 2) As it happens, we got hit with a blizzard in NC and I took most of these photos while working out of a hotel room where I was snowed-in. I took this an opportunity to trace my patterns in a different way that some of you might have easier access to. You will notice in this tutorial I am using a classroom sized “marker paper”. I carefully cut around the solid lines of my bodice front pattern piece, then used straight pins to actually pin them to my paper in a couple of places to keep it from shifting around. You could use pattern weights instead, or anything heavy you have around your house (i.e. tape dispenser, coffee mug). For the darts, I just cut into one leg and folded the paper over on the opposite line, forming the triangle cut-out that I could trace into without cutting up my pattern piece. I traced around the piece with pencil, but since my lines looked a little “wobbly”, I still went back through with a ruler to make the lines a little cleaner.
Cut out your piece, including the darts, and you are ready for Issue 3.
Happy Sewing!
-Stini
Hey Everyone!
I’m going to be creating a tutorial for how to make your own Barcelona Balcony dress. Read all about the dress, here. For those who are keeping up, I did skip ahead to Dress #6 of the Dazzling Dozen, since this eye-catching red dress was intended for Valentine’s Day.
I will be showing you how to replicate this dress, more specifically for a plus size, but anyone should be able to follow along. We will be modifying the McCall’s M6893 sewing pattern to achieve this. Never altered style lines on a pattern before? I will show you how!
Materials:
You are now ready for Issue 2.
Happy Sewing!
-Stini
Hi Everyone!
It’s snowing outside, and thus I currently find myself with some down time. I had to leave my shop early and go home so I wouldn’t be snowed in. No sewing = more time to blog!
I just came across a brilliant concept via the blog “Coletterie“, called “Wardrobe Architect“. I have hyperlinked both of those for you to investigate on your own, but in a nutshell, the Coletterie will be blogging weekly with some helpful guidelines for sewing to enhance your wardrobe. It is all too easy to only sew pretty dresses…*guilty. These helpful hints are to help you become more aware of creating items that will build your wardrobe, and hopefully reduce unnecessary garment purchases that you pick up on impulse, or because it’s on sale, when it may not be something you will ever wear because of the quality or fit. Instead, focus your sewing energy into creating garments that have flexibility in your wardrobe, and that you love to wear, and most of all that reflect you and your sense of style.
I have to say I have thought about this probably hundreds of times in the past couple of years, but never really knew how to go about it. If I could whittle down my wardrobe to what would actual fit into my closet (ha!), and know that all of these pieces are ones that I am comfortable in, fit my style, and *shock*, I actually WEAR, it would make me insanely happy. Not to mention it would take me way less time to get dressed every morning.
Wish me luck! And happy sewing!
-Stini