It’s amazing to me how much the posts change from the draft stage to the end result. I had a much different original idea than what I’m actually posting; weird how that happens, isn’t it?
Anyway, I made up the Sorbetto in a fabric that seduced me with the pretty and let me down when I actually made it up. You might recognize it as the stuff I used on the JJ blouse I made however long ago. The fabric is gorgeous, but it’s so itchy!
Here’s what my Sorbetto looks like (you’ll note I made a few changes, I documented them below.)
Not too bad from the front. 🙂
But the back is a hot mess. 😯
- Holy crap the shoulders as drafted are wide! I went with the narrowest shoulder placement, and still hacked off the entire front section where it had the fold line–I think it was around 3/4″ maybe? It was perfect.
- The bust darts for the size 12 that I mostly cut were significantly more perky than my own (rather perky if I do say so myself) bust. Next time I’ll use the lines for the size 18, and bring the bottom leg down an extra 1/4″.
- I’m ultra petite on top, and this thing is bordering on too short for me, even after cutting down to the size 18 hemline. I’m planning to add at least another 2″ for next time, depending on how deep I want the hem to be.
- I consider myself to be pretty conservative in my dressing style, but this neckline would have choked a nun. I made it about 2″ deeper and squared it (my first ever square neckline!) and I much prefer the way it looks.
- I LOVE the method of binding the neckline/armholes. I think it made for such a nice finish, and the directions were so clear even I could understand them. 🙂 I just wish the bias tape wasn’t so stiff. 😦
- I need a CB seam for this. I’ve got some serious puddling on the back side, and it doesn’t seem to be because it’s hanging up on my hips or anything. I’ve noticed that certain patterns require more of a swayback-esque adjustment than others, I don’t know if that’s just me or if that’s a difference in drafting.
- Was that a yawn? Here, have a virtual slap to wake up. 😉
- I’m also trying to decide if the slight drag lines I have near the bust are because of an issue with the bust, or if they are residual from the puddling on the back. Is that possible? I would think it would have to be–it’s not like the side seam is a wall that says “all ye wrinkles must stop at this line by order of the seamstress!”
- I tried to fix (or at least camouflage) some of the disaster that is the back with some shirring (my first time ever!), but I think that maybe just made it a bit worse.
- I’d really like to figure out what I need to do to the back to make it look a bit smoother, because I’ve been thinking up all sorts of cool ways to hack this pattern into something else. Now if only I had some sort of actual talent for that kind of thing…
Splinters & Stitches 
That’s a lot of tweaking on a pretty simple shirt! Maybe this is the wrong starting point? Perhaps a different tank top pattern using the bias binding technique would be easier?
LikeLike
I hadn’t thought of that, and really don’t know if I would be better off looking elsewhere. I just know that everyone else seems to have had fantastic luck with it, so it’s probably something I’m doing wrong.
LikeLike
I am surprised you had issues with the Sorbetto, it fit me like a dream (except for the extreme belly I had at the time, down 13 pounds, big difference). Are you sure you traced it off right? Seriously, I have done that before. Strangely it has never worked out 8-D.
LikeLike
Haha, yeah, I’ve done that too, but this time I just cut it out. I figured that it wouldn’t be too big of a deal to tape it again if I guessed wrong. I am thinking that maybe cutting it down a size (or maybe two) on the back might help? Because after looking at it some more, I think it is simply too big–at least in the back. The front is great, but it’s even more baggy on me than it is on my dressform, and well….you’ve seen how it looks on her.
LikeLike
I agree that the back looks just too big, at least at the top—the width at the hips looks about right (at least on the dress form). I haven’t made it myself so I can’t really comment on how it fits on me.
Sometimes I think these form-skimming shapes are actually the hardest—the ease needs to be just right, not too much, not to little, and in all the right places…
You could try extending the shirring up the back further (to within a couple of inches of the neck maybe), if you’re still trying to save this one (as opposed to just chalking it up to a learning experience)
LikeLike
I agree that these “skimming” garments are much more tricky than a t-shirt or a button-up blouse. I’m not too concerned about saving the one that I made, the fabric is too horrible to wear for long, which made it ideal for a trial run. I’m going to try and cut it out with a back in a size 8 or 10 (depending on how much the sizing changes) leaving it at a 12 in the hips, because I agree that it’s pretty much spot on there.
I hope you’ll still give it a try if it’s something you want to sew, I don’t think it’s a bad pattern, I’m just still trying to learn how to fit my body with something that doesn’t have stretch.
LikeLike
Back fitting is just the worst, especially because you don’t know how bad it truly is until the photos of the completed garment show you… I’ve found it nearly impossible to get a decent back fit without a CB seam.
I liked this one: Was that a yawn? Here, have a virtual slap to wake up. 😉
LikeLike
I like the fabric and as to bias tape try making your own out of softer fabric. Its dead easy with one of those folder thingy-jigs. Anyway, I like the colours. As to the fit, oh dear I see what you mean. Could you add a CB seam? Oh, not without ripping out the neckline etc … Try pinning out a vertical dart, wtitout the shirring in, to check how much width you’d have to take out …. If its worth it though :o)
Now, where are those eyes in the back of my head? I know I put them somewhere ….
LikeLike
Front looks great. How about ripping out the shirring and putting in four darts?
LikeLike
Sorry I am late to comment. I had similar issues with this top. I took a triangular wedge out of the CB seam and it made all the difference, The shoulder width was much too large on me and I graded down to the smallest size, I also took a fold in at the neck edge and dropped the neckline as it was gaping and too high. I found the armholes a bit baggy and rotated the excess into the bust dart. The front pleat was too wide on me and I have made it up with variations on the size. It was a great learning experience and I am really pleased with the results as it makes up into a very useful wardrobe staple.
LikeLike