Adjusting the Princess Slip for Me, Myself & I

I was very excited to receive the Princess Slip pattern # 0336 from VPLL for the 1912 Sewing Project.  When it comes to me and patterns it is always standard practice to make adjustments and this pattern was no exception.  I do have some body issues that complicate matters but have learned to live with them and the necessary adjustments that have to be made.  Those issues being my height, I always have to lengthen patterns, my short waist issue (I have no body – I am all legs) and the pattern adjustments that accompany my scoliosis.  I don’t have a bad curve but it does present problems that require all patterns to be tweaked in order to fit me.

In creating my pattern I traced only the top half of the pattern to make those necessary adjustments marking off a horizontal line for my high-hip and hip locations based upon the natural waistline of the pattern.  I am of the school of thought….I never cut my original pattern!!!  God forbid….I prefer to trace and mess with the tracing.  It may take longer but I am always left with a pristine pattern that can be utilized again for myself or someone else in the future.

The major adjustments I made to this pattern were as follows':

• Waist – made larger
• Adjusted the side front and side back per previous posters suggestion.  I too found that it fell too far back and cut and pasted the side front/back pieces to realign the side seam up correctly.  This in turn required a slight adjustment on the front armcye.
• Additionally the princess seam was approximately 1” too far over towards the side seam.  I realigned that so that it fell over my bust point.
• I lowered the bust 3/4” to match up to my bust point.
• I lengthened/shortened the shoulder as well on both the front and back pieces due to finding the seam falling too far towards the back.  I aligned it to center correctly at the shoulder.
• Shortened the waist 1 1/2” to match my upper body length and re-lengthened the pattern at the hip area to match the original overall length of the slip.  I did not lengthen the slip being as you have 17” of flounce to deal with and can make the length adjustments with that.
• I truly did NOT like the directions for the back placket and created a facing for both center back pieces.  I made a slight adjustment to the pattern at the base of the placket (had a placket nightmare moment which will be discussed in a later post).
• Some minor tweaks included some back darts on the center back pieces due my scoliosis and not liking the excess fabric gapping there as well as taking it in at the shoulder seam starting at the neck edge and decreasing it to match the seam allowance at the armhole.  There just was way too much fabric for my liking.  I left the front alone but if I make this again I would further adjust the pattern to take out the fullness at the center front as well.  For now that fullness can be drawn up with the eyelet trim and ribbon.

It took me two muslins to get this pattern worked out to fit my body proportions.  I am satisfied with the results but being as this project has taken me two months to complete from start to finish my final product is slightly large on me being as I have lost some weight due to a lifestyle change that my husband and myself have made for his health that was started back in January.  Not a bad thing…I am happy to have the weight gone but must now save for a new Myrna being as the present one is slightly too big.

Muslin # 1

 

Muslin# 2

   

Up next commencement of the slip itself!  Happy Sewing….