Reinventing the wardrobe

It's been a while since I posted here, but I'm on a mission, so now is a good time to revive the blog.

I decided that I would get rid of everything that either is worn out, doesn't fit nicely, or is, for whatever reason, unflattering.

I got rid of two garbage bags worth of clothing. And there's more, but I can't very well run around naked, so for now, I'm holding onto some of it.

Most off the rack clothing has fit issues for my body type. I'm usually a size 8, so pretty average... however, I'm busty, so I need to buy at least a size 12 in tops. This doesn't mean they're going to fit though. Buying to fit my bust leads to baggy waists, and bunchy weirdness in the armscye, which isn't flattering (most of the tops I got rid of today are good examples of this problem). Having a big bust also means that tops are usually too short in the front. I also am long in the arms, so long sleeves are always too short.

What is the solution to these fitting issues? Sewing my own clothes. There are clothing companies that do cater to the curvy, busty crowd, but there's not a lot of selection, and most of them are based in Europe, so you're paying a small fortune for shipping. If it doesn't fit or you don't like it, you are spending another fortune to ship it back, at which point you may as well keep it.... and did I mention these garments are typically pretty expensive?

This is why I'm giving up on retail, and making my own. They don't make patterns for people bigger than a D cup though, so it means lots of alterations to the pattern. This is where the dreaded FULL BUST ADJUSTMENT comes in... What is a FBA, exactly? This post does a really great job explaining it, and the basics of how to do it. This is another great post explaining what a FBA is, and why just sewing a larger size is the wrong answer...

I have loads of patterns, but none for tops that I actually want to sew, so I bought some from Sewaholic. I love their patterns, because they're stylish, easy to sew, with great instructions, and I'm supporting a local Indie company.

I bought the Granville, Renfrew and Oakridge blouse patterns, and will probably do Oakridge first, because it is probably my favourite of the three. Another great thing about Sewaholic is that they post tips and tutorials on their blog, and even an experienced sewist like myself can learn a thing or two from them.

I'll be back tomorrow, as I have more to say, but for now, I'm off to raid my stash to see what I have that would suit the Oakridge blouse.