The second time, I made the tunic from a fabric.com sweater knit. I like it but I think I need some fashion advice.
Here it is:
Now tell me what to do to make it better, fire away I can take it! Dye the tunic? Throw it away? New belt? Let me know, please.
Now to help my ego, here is a picture of hubby and me on Christmas Eve. I just got a new haircut and I love it.
I drew names and posted the winners from my 300th post. I mailed Virginia her pattern. Can the rest of you email me at lori_michael@hughes.net with your mailing address and I will get you your patterns:
Virginia - Butterick 6678
Mary Sarah of Croshique blog - Butterick 4148
Karen of Little House in the Prairie - Butterick 3796
Dana - Vogue 633
Finally. thank you, thank you for all of the congratulations for college daughter and her graduation. We are so very proud of her and she is enjoying her time-off, finishing up a cross-stitch Santa. Also, I am taking her sewing machine to get a tune-up, she wants it in her apartment. Hurray!!
first, cute new haircut!
ReplyDeleteok, the tunic...yep, something is not quite right. it is not awful, but you have so many other things that are adorable. maybe a thinner belt. the belt is almost the same width as the hem band which makes it look "block-ish" to me. maybe a different color tee underneath.
is the hem a hem band or an actual sewn hem? if that were more narrow, it might give a better proportion.
it's close, but not quite....
Great haircut. Tunic, not so great. Not even good. Boy, am I glad I didn't buy this one! The neckline just doesn't work. If the neck was better I'd say use a luggage colored belt instead of the black, but honestly? A wadder.
ReplyDeleteI love Hot Patterns designs, but the fit often misses, at least on me. Sleeves are usually too tight.
ReplyDeleteFor this tunic, I would lose the belt, and wear a turtleneck underneath.
Sorry I have no style advice for the tunic, but I did want to say I like your new haircut. You got that right. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI don't think the tunic is bad, but you have an incredible figure and it doesn't do you justice. It's hard to tell from the photo how it fits you in the neck and shoulders. If it's good there, then what about shortening the bodice and sleeve lengths? Just kind of abbreviating it a bit?
ReplyDeleteYou're right, something's not right but I don't know what. Maybe lose the belt or go with a thinner one? I'm anxious to try this pattern for myself... I was leaning toward the dress for my first go around.
ReplyDeleteI love your new haircut! I like the tunic on you, too. I think it is hard when you have more of a straight figure (I have one of those as well, not much indentation on the waist). Tunics just aren't all that flattering to us, but it does look very nice on you.
ReplyDeleteHi Lori!
ReplyDeleteI love Hot Patterns...but have to make an alteration to every pattern in a specific place..to make them work for me.
On the BACK pattern piece--I take a 3/8" tuck at the CB neck edge, then "smush out" the little bubble that forms on the back piece, keeping it flat by taping it down.
Yes, it's a "quick and dirty" pattern alteration, but it is enough to shorten the back neck between the shoulders, and give me a better fit there.
To see if it will help your (next) tunic hang better...pinch out a bit and pin at the CB neckline, and see if that might be the answer.
Interestingly, I made this style for my 24-yr old step daughter. The wide neckline worked for her..she liked the way it slipped off the shoulder on one side...she said it was "sexy". She can't wear it to teach her 3rd grade class, LOL, but she said she'll definitely wear it (belted over a mini-skirt).
CUTE haircut! No help or advice on the HP. I generally only like their illustrations, not the actual pattern. :/
ReplyDeleteI don't get tunics. They are sack like and unflattering. So yours is fine if you like that look but a nice fitted top looks much nicer (IMHO) Lovely photo of you and DH - you look very happy! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeletedelurking with a very late comment. I've been studying this pattern alot and going back and forth on whether to get it. here are my thoughts about this on you.
ReplyDeleteOn rescuing this shirt:
1. Belt: too wide, too low, too contrasting. Try belting it one or two inches higher with a matching color skinnier belt or a self-fabric sash. It's not supposed to blouse out above the belt, it's supposed to flare out beneath it.
2. Ditch black high necked shirt with long arms underneath, especially in such a strong contrast. Do a white cami underlayer to cover bra straps if you want one/need one.
3. Collar: See if you can get the top part of that weird collar thing (can't remember the right word) they designed to fold down and lay flat so it makes a v-neck.
For future: MAIN PROBLEM with top. If you try this pattern again (I would, I have hot patterns and I fit them a zillion times until I make them work) I think that shoulder seam is hitting you way too far down the side of your arm. Like two or three inches too far down. The shoulder seam should hit you *just* past where the shoulder starts to curve down. The neckline is also an inch or two down too far on your neck. it should start where the black top starts.
Conclusion I think you need to make a smaller size or two, to fit the shoulders and neck, as that's the key fitting element in this style. Go down a size or two and do an FBA if you need room there and scale slightly bigger at the hip/bottom edge hip if you have to in order to get the gentle hourglass shape.
Okay, sorry for the novel! But I think you have the figure for this to be a very flattering style for you if you figure out the fit! Hmm.. now I'm leaning towards getting this. Love your blog, I've been reading a while.