Breaking the Rules - Part 1

I’m sure you Plus-Sizers (and not so Plus-Sizers) have heard some of the following sayings:

“Wear Black, it’s slimming”

“Don’t wear patterns with big bold prints, wear small patterns”

“Don’t wear ‘busy’ patterns up top.  Wear solid colors instead.”

Well, the days of following rules in order to play tricks with eyes is over.  Why should we have to be a Plain Jane to be more appealing?  Why can’t WE wear FUN prints?  BOLD prints?  BIG patterns?  As I always say….I’m a big girl.  And wearing black will just make me look like a big girl in black.  No I don’t want to look larger than what I am.  And illusions are nice to create a slimming look but if I want to make a polka dot top, I’m going to make a polka dot top.

Okay, so this top may not be the biggest and boldest out there, but its more than what I would have done in the past.  I saw this fabric and immediately thought skirt.  But then I realized that I would once again have to find a top to match this color scheme….more money spent….more time in a store….possibly another top to have to make…..UGH!!!  Also, the fabric was entirely too pretty to be floating down near the floor and lose out on being captured in a photo.  

It needed to be a dress…ooooorrrrrrrrr…..a top???  As I continued to play with the fabric on my body in the mirror, it ended up winding itself around my shoulder and I thought…..I’m going to do it!

So I searched through my pattern inventory and came across a pattern that I have yet to use….one of the many I have yet to use.

I came across Simplicity 1945.  Not only did I want to break the bold pattern rule, but I wanted to make a not so simple top with it! 

The pattern turned out to be, yet again, a pretty straight forward pattern (thank you, Simplicity).  No tricks, no complications.  Even the folds to create the gathering on one side did not create any headache.  The stretchy fabric plays well with gathering.  I must admit that I do like how it adds a bit of playfulness to the top.  The sleeves are a perfect length for me.  I am most comfortable in shirts that fall just below my elbow.  

There are some changes that I will make the next time I use this pattern.  And luckily, I have this blog to document my thoughts so I will remember in the future!!!  Numerous Plus-Sizers are well-endowed in the bust and well….I’m not.  I rely on my bra selection to help add some curves in that area.  This pattern, is sized as a Plus Size pattern.  No additional inches were added, except of course for the sleeve adjustments that I always need.  But in the future, I will need to add in some fabric around the shoulders.  Because of my lack of cup size, I do not have help stretching the neck line for it to fall in place where I’d like.  So for my next attempt at this top, I will add maybe ¾” to 1” as seen on the pieces below.  The white paper (Reynolds Freezer Paper) has been taped to the edges of the pattern where I want the widths to be increased.  The additions are along the neckline of the three pieces (Front Right, Front Left, Back).  Adding the freezer paper is helpful because when I come back to this patter months from now, I don't have to remember what to add and where to add it.  It's already there!