Comments on: Vogue 8497, Take Three

By: Noile

Noile — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:55:36 +0000

I’ll bet we’re not alone, Claire! A lycra blend does sound like the best place to begin. You might want to check the length, too. I think the overall look of the shirt will be closer to the photo if the pattern is lengthened. That’s good advice from your friend Kathy — it’s how I always try to sew now, and really keeps things in perspective, especially for problematic patterns.

Do keep me/us posted! The next person along will be just as happy as I am to hear how this pattern turned out for you. Thanks.

By: Claire D

Claire D — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:34:01 +0000

Thanks for saying it – I feel better, too! I had gotten to the same point about art-to-wear patterns in general, then had a smashing success with Marcy’s skirt V8499 (a size smaller than usual) and her felted jacket V8430 (M was still too big), so I dusted off the T-shirt CD and started tissue fitting V8497 last night and reading the directions. As I became more suspicious, thankfully, I discovered your blog. I will proceed with caution and will start with a lycra blend. The words of my friend Kathy who is an expert seamstress echo rather frequently now in my head “your first one is just a muslin…” I’ll keep you posted.

By: Noile

Noile — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 16:16:30 +0000

Hi, Claire — I don’t know that there’s any way to get “proof” that the neckline in the photo is different, but the evidence seems pretty clear when you look carefully at the photo. I don’t think there’s any way to get that clean edge next to the neck without folding the neck binding. The envelope photo gives a much more polished look to the shirt than following the directions will give you.

I guess the answer to the question “why do they do this?” is pretty simple (and infuriating!): They want as many people as possible to buy the pattern. Marcy’s patterns are almost all boxy, but boxy doesn’t sell, so they display the garments on the envelopes on dummies that are elongated and quite thin. You’ll notice that the pants and skirts are on dummies that also are on their tiptoes, which makes the garments seem even slimmer, and, yes, more elegant, more stylish, more sophisticated.

Reality is quite a different thing. I’ve pretty much stopped buying Marcy Tilton patterns because I’ve finally accepted that I have been buying in to the image, not the reality. Which is not to say that I still don’t love my Vogue 8499s (which were outlandishly large in real life), but I’m evaluating patterns, especially the “arty” ones with a much more critical eye these days.

And yes, just to say it out loud, I DO think printing a photo that shows a garment that cannot result from following the pattern directions is dishonest. And it’s dishonest when Vogue suggests that a certain fabric will work, but Marcy then says it won’t in an attempt to explain the discrepancies between what results and what should have resulted. It’s all a bit sloppy, so buyer beware!

By: Claire D

Claire D — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 15:41:42 +0000

Did you ever get any data to support that the neckline finish on Marcy’s tee doesn’t follow the directions in the actual pattern? I’ve read it umpteen times and it sounds like it’s a raw edge on the outside and a raw edge against the neck, but the photo appears to have a folded edge and a finished seam… The back of envelope drawings for A/B appear to have raw/raw like the instructions…

Why do they do this to us? Thanks for pursuing this pattern just as I was planning to take it on…

By: Noile

Noile — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:11:34 +0000

On the other hand, Carolyn GM used what looks like a fairly sturdy cotton jersey for hers, and got great results. She did mention going down a size, though, and I do think the grading at the bottom of these tops gets pretty extreme as you go up in size (I made a 12; Carolyn made an 8).

I’m tempted to say that cotton/poly interlock is always a mistake! It just doesn’t feel really nice to start with . . . unfortunately, it’s what’s easy to get locally.

Thanks for the comment, Linda L. I’m learning from other reviews, too. Good luck with your tee — I’ll watch for your review.

By: Linda L

Linda L — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:41:20 +0000

Glad to see you are making progress with this T. I recently purchased this pattern and Marcy’s CD. I like reading what others are doing so I can skip all the mistakes. Obviously cotton/cotton poly interlock is a no-no.