Wednesday 14 April 2010

15

A stay of execution of sorts

A couple of the Cool Girls have asked for a stay of execution in the t-shirt sew-along. Being a benign autocrat, I have agreed. Don't think of it as a stay of execution though (that sounds like t-shirt making is punishment), think of it as a longer gestation period. And we're gestating Cool; these things take time.

This is my first t-shirt, and although it is a little bit cool, it's not officially cool. Having the kids around 24/7 means the house is in an extreme state of disarray and I can't find my Cal Patch book. They probably flushed it down the toilet or set it on fire or ate it. But I made a couple of changes to my cowl neck top pattern to turn it into a t-shirt.

Short sleeves, semi-low round neck, hip length, normal 100% cotton pink interlock with turquoise binding at the neck. It probably fits better than any store-bought t-shirt I have but that's damning with very faint praise indeed.

I'm going to tell you my sordid secret: I'm a G-cup. Normal (non-gathered) t-shirts either fit my bust but swamp my waist or cling pornographically across my chest but fit my waist. This one more-or-less fits both but I think plain t-shirts just don't do anything for me. I am going to try again with a printed cotton with a lycra element and see how it goes. Any thoughts on the fitting? Or indeed, t-shirty attire on the large busted? I leave you with my children making fun of me, as always:

And a new deadline! Now due 15th of May (a whole two weeks extra to get prolific).

15 comments:

  1. T shirts and the big bust is better than a so called fitted shirt and the big bust.

    I'm currently wearing a gg cup. And my friend who had surgery to give her an F wonders why I laugh when she said "My shirts don't fit anymore."

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  2. That is so true. I think anything on a big bust is tricky. I guess the shirts I wear the most are gathered around the neckline so that it looks like I have two breasts rather than one (but also pregnant), or zip up hoodies that are structured enough to smooth out my waist but I can control the neckline. I hate wearing hoodies all the times though :(

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  3. i'm big in the boobs {not as HUGE as a G-cup} and i think a v-neck is flattering - anything plain coloured unless it's black i think just makes the chest area look too vast - so i think a pattern or an embellishment helps - i made some t-shirt fabric roses with fabric leaves and pin backs so you can arrange them as you wish on the t.
    your kids are great :o)

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  4. Im a DD and personally think that a scooped or sweetheart neckline is most flattering on a bigger bust.
    I find that a v-neck looks like a big arrow pointing to your cleavage!
    And turtle-necks are just a big no-no as far as I'm concerned, They make me look like i have no chest or neck, and that my boobs start from my chin!
    I think your first tee looks great on you Amanda, i would maybe shorten the length and you could definatly afford to take it in a little.
    Now please tell me you are holding your tummy in to make it look that flat!!!!.If not....I HATE YOU and I'm off to do some sit ups!....Yeh right!
    xK

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  5. Yes, I agree with vV that v-necks are good, but also with Kym that the V should be a bit sweetheartish rather than just pointy. I also really like square necks!

    Oh, Kym, the stomach is not flat at all! That's why I'm loathe to take it in because the paunch would be really obvious then.

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  6. Thank you for the stay! I'm really going to start drafting soon... Yours looks cute! I like the pink/blue combo. I actually think the fit is pretty good, although you could use a smidge more room in the bust, which is tricky to achieve without gathers or darts somewhere. I'm going to be following this path with you... My girls are *only* DD but tee shirts are still a problem.

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  7. I like the t and I think it looks good on you. Well done.

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  8. First, I think that I hate it when you say one day "I haven't started my T-shirt yet" and then the next day you blog about a really cute T-shirt you made for yourself.

    It looks really cute, though. I second the scoop neck for the bigger boobies. I've had good luck with T-shirts with about 3-5% lycra, too.

    What did you use to bind the neckline?

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  9. @KID: Ahh, I was hoping that you'd come to the rescue and tell me what I needed to fix! Thanks, I will increase it a tiny bit over the bust :)

    @auntninn: Haha, I'm tricksy like that :) The binding is just a strip of folded over stretch cotton cut a couple of inches shorter than the length of the neckline and stretched to fit.

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  10. Ottobre usually suggests ease stitching in the side seams at bust height ( ie add a little extra to the length at that place then gather it slightly back to original pattern length before sewing front and back together) but I've not tried that myself yet... I'm just slightly scared of stretch fabrics to be honest.

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  11. @Bron: That sounds like a good idea! Might try that :) Would I add the extra height at the armpit end? Definitely need to learn more sewing / fitting techniques...

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  12. Oh, the days when I had a G cup! Mine just get bigger and bigger, they swell when milky and just stay that size and then I have another baby! Currently wearing a 34JJ. Even when I was a size ten everywhere else they were still huge (and looked scarier without the extra tummy to sit on)! I must confess to not having got further than reading the blurb on the tee, I was instantly put off when I realised that my bust line wasn't in line with my arm pits :-( Will try harder from now on (or at least whent he children go back to school)!. xxx

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  13. I really like the fit on you, it makes you look very balanced and in proportion :)
    Thanks for the extra 2 weeks - I haven't evn done my measurements yet :-S

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  14. Man, me and my yearning-to-be-B-cups are actually feeling sorry for you buxom women! I saw that a Jalie pattern I just got did the same thing with little gathers at the bust line. I figured it would generate a little ripple of excitement for my otherwise austere chest, but it could certainly give your breastesses more room. I think your T looks great though.

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  15. So you've probably already drafted and sewn another by now but..yeah, add the extra at the armhole end of things, about where the sides of your bra sit.

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