Sorbetto Top 2: Adventures in pattern fitting.

So, I've decided to learn how to make my own clothes, and I have a long way to go, but I'm not going to let a little pattern-fitting setback stop me!  

I went back to the Sorbetto Top pattern a second time (getting back on the horse, or whatever analogy might be more appropriate!).  This time I cut up an old bed sheet to practice with the fitting.  I initially thought I would just cut out a smaller size, but here's the thing - even dropping two dress sizes was only going to reduce the shoulder width by about 4mm max.  What is it with this top, or is it just me?  My shoulder width is 34cm, and a size 10 on the Sorbetto measures 40cm!  No wonder I had a problem with it!!   

What I did in the end was reduce the size of the back by cutting 2cm off the inside edge of the back pattern piece, so reducing the width by 4cm overall but between the shoulder blades!  Unorthodox, but I couldn't see any other way of doing it.  The front neckline had fit ok so I just cut the pattern down to a size 10, although this time I included the pleat.

It was better, but still not perfect, and this time I did take pictures:

The back was far better, but look at those armholes - I just seem to have shifted the problem around!  Here's a closer look:

How do I fix this without just adding more darts?  Also, I just have to admit that the straight up-down shape of the Sorbetto is not flattering on me at the moment!  There, I said it! I think I need a little more ease at hip level!  

I resorted to a time honoured course of action - if in doubt, google it!  My search came up trumps and I found this tutorial on the Burda website for adjusting dodgy armholes, and decided to give it a go.  Oh, and guess which pattern she's hacking in the tutorial....

Collette 0003 - otherwise known as the Sorbetto Top!  I feel so much better now!  Here's my little montage of the steps I went through to make the adjustment:

Hmmm....looks a bit odd now, but I decided to withhold judgement until I'd cut it out and made it up.  At least it looks a lot like the one she made in the tutorial.  

So, I cut out another front, put in the darts and sewed it up.  I did find that I needed to redraw the armhole again but other than that it went together pretty well.

And here's the result:

A definite improvement, although I think the bust dart could still do with being a bit lower.  I may try out this tutorial to lower the dart, or else I could use this one to do a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA).  Phew!  I can't believe how much tinkering it is taking to make one simple top fit.  It has made me realise that I will need to make a muslin for any future patterns that I decide to make - a step that I would gladly have skipped but, let's face, I clearly don't have average measurements so no pattern's going to fit as is.  But hey, I guess that's one big advantage in making your own clothes as opposed to buying off the peg.  

I sense I have many more pattern fitting adventures to come before I work out what's right for me!