Making a Muslin part 2

Simplicity 4032

I have been working on a muslin to test Simplicity 4032.  This is a jacket that is sized for stretch fabrics.

I have bits and pieces of polar fleece left over from my warm winter leggings project and am using these to trial this pattern.  I will be making the final version in polar fleece as well.

I'm still a novice with using polar fleece - the first thing I made in my pre blog life gave me a few headaches so I vowed never to use it again.  Never is a long time in the sewing world, and I have to admit I'm starting to enjoy sewing it.

Perhaps because this jacket went together like a dream.   I cut size 12 and it fits me quite well with minimal alterations needed.  The princess seams at the back are vertical, and I think they work better on my straight, flat back than the curved seams do.

Picture time:

The front

I'm sorry everything is black on black but this is the jumper I will wear the jacket with - no good wearing it just over a t-shirt as the ease will not be right.  The sleeves are cut short  because that is all the fabric I had left - but it was really the sleeve head I wanted to test.  It was perfect, not too full - that is so often a problem with patterns.  The collar looks beautiful in real life.  Shoulders are too big - my normal problem.

The back

Hard to see in this picture, but believe me it sits nicely in real life - even when you twist to have a look in the mirror.

The side view

Ahh, a more animated view of me - I look so glum in the first photo.  This is more me :)

Waistline marking

I marked the waistline on the muslin - I had to tack it as nothing else would show.  My hand is holding my waist - and this waistline is at just the right height.  Normally I have to alter them.

The only real change I have to make is with the shoulder - that is too long and falling over my arm:

Move sleeve in half an inch.

I will also pay more attention to the seams in the final version.  In the muslin they are more like 4/8 than 5/8 inch.  The resulting fit will be better.

Again, I am really pleased with this jacket - it is working nicely.  I'm looking forward to cutting out the real one.

I may try a few more Simplicity patterns after this one - I've never really used them, but I'm wondering if the shape of the Simplicity slopers is better for me than that of some other pattern companies.

I plan to make up some stash fabric in this jacket - the 2013 Style the Stash Sew-A-Long started today.  Pop over and see some great stashes - our participants are also posting their plans.  The link is:
www.stylethestashsewalong.blogspot.com

Happy sewing everyone :)

Sarah Liz