Replies

1. 
   jjgg | Dec 29, 2007 07:52am | #1

   Blingy
   I looked it up on pattern review, and no one seemed to have trouble with the collar. as a matter of fact, on person said (to quote)"the most outstanding feature of 4922 is that the drafting on this pattern is excellent - everything matches up flawlessly, the collar stand fits perfectly onto the neckline, and the sleeve fits beautifully into the armsyce with almost not easing."

1. 
   blingy | Dec 29, 2007 04:59pm | #2

   Yes I believe I read that review too.  I wish I could talk with people who made this pattern.  If you put the pattern pieces together matching the notch, then the bottom edges meet but there is a big step between the body and the band.  This measures 5/8" but if you sew a 5/8" allowance, you will end up sewing the very edges together wih no allowance.  The picture with in the instructions doesn't show this step between the band and the body, it looks flush.  Something looks very odd to me and I can't find anything in all my books about putting on this band. 

1. 
   GailAnn | Dec 29, 2007 05:09pm | #3

   Miss Blingy --  Look on the pattern envelope.  Many do have toll free numbers to call and talk to real people!  I have had to leave my name and number for a call back before, but they DID call me back.  Gail

1. 
   blingy | Dec 29, 2007 05:14pm | #4

   Yes, I do have their number but with the holiday I will have to wait.  I was hoping to have this thing done by then but I guess it will have to wait.  I sure wish there were people around this area who sew.  Jeeze, I work part time at Jo-Ann and I still don't know people who sew, quilters and crafters only!

1. 
   GailAnn | Dec 29, 2007 05:18pm | #5

   Isn't that the shame of it?  Gail

2. 
   Becky-book | Dec 29, 2007 09:46pm | #6

   The only thing I can think of is that maybe you got the wrong line on the multi sized pattern. Sometimes they are hard to distinguish!It does look like a cute blouse, maybe I'll go buy one for me!

3. 
   Teaf5 | Dec 30, 2007 02:14am | #7

   You're talking about a separate band down the fronts of the bodice for the buttons and/or buttonholes, right?  If so, are you sure that it is aligned correctly with the front bodice piece? 

   Usually, a button band goes right up to the neckline seam allowance but has a gap at the bottom, so that it doesn't add bulk when hem is turned up.  On some blouses, the button band ends just below the lowest button, and the rest of the front is finished separately, again, to avoid unnecessary bulk.

1. 
   blingy | Dec 30, 2007 03:35am | #8

   Yes I am talking about the band that goes down the front, I guess its called a facing.  If you line the notch on the band with the notch on the body, the top does not meet but at the bottom the pieces are flush.  What I did was to look through my other patterns and I found one that I have not made yet but it too has a button facing.  I compared those pieces and saw for myself that the top should meet and the bottom should not.  At first I thought maybe I had cut out 2 different sizes but I took it in to Jo-Ann's and had a few others look at it and I did not cut out the wrong sizes or pieces.  I showed them both the blouse and the pattern pieces.  In fact, there is only one 1 front and 1 facing for all the sizes.  I removed the facings from the blouse and moved them to where they should be.  I can't believe this pattern is rated so well on Pattern Reivew.com!  When I made this pattern before I must have glossed over the instructions and put the facing at the top like the picture shows and simply disregarded the notches.  No wonder people give up on home sewing!  After all this, after I get it finished, then and only then will I be able to do it all over again and make changes to get it to fit! 

1. 
   Josefly | Dec 30, 2007 08:46pm | #9

   So if you turn the pattern piece for the button band upside down and match the notches that way, does the top edge of the band line up properly with the bodice neck edge? I'm wondering if you inadvertently reversed the top and bottom of the band. Is there anything about the pattern piece for the band that distinguishes the top from the bottom? Since you used the pattern before and didn't notice the problem, it could be a simple matter of mixing up the top and bottom.

   Edited 12/30/2007 12:49 pm ET by Josefly

1. 
   Teaf5 | Dec 31, 2007 10:47pm | #10

   That makes a lot of sense!  A button band is just a rectangle, so there wouldn't be much to distinguish the top from the bottom, except possibly a slight curve at the neckline end.  You're a good detective!

1. 
   blingy | Jan 01, 2008 12:41am | #11

   Yes there is a slight curve at the neck edge of the facing so I do know which way is up.  I have come to believe that when I made this before I just moved the facing up where it should be without even looking at the notches.  I want to be clear on one thing, I am talking about laying out the actual pattern pieces together so this is not because I mismarked my fabric or anything like that.  And since I just now finished this blouse I realized that because I did move the facing into the correct position the bottom is too high.  This pattern calls for a 5/8" hem but because the facing is so high the samllest hem I could do is 1.25", which makes it a little on the short side for my liking.  No, this pattern has a problem, I am convinced of that, but now that I know it I can do what I need to do to make it work.  In fact, other than the short length it fits the best of any woven blouse I have made so far.  I will post a picture. give me a minute...

2. 
   blingy | Jan 01, 2008 01:10am | #12

   The final result...the sleeve length is my own.  The pictures are not very detailed but it shows that I did finish it!

    

   
3. 
   Josefly | Jan 01, 2008 09:14pm | #13

   Congratulations on finishing your best-fitting blouse! I hope my "upside down" suggestion wasn't insulting - it's just the kind of mistake I could easily make. I'm glad you realized it's a pattern flaw, and it's good to know about it. I had a similar problem with a pattern error last winter, and got no satisfaction by communicating with the technical people at the pattern company, who said "Just trust us - it's right!". However, the help on this forum was excellent, and I was able to make changes to be able to use the pattern anyway.

4. 
   blingy | Jan 02, 2008 02:05am | #14

   I was not in the least insulted, I am glad this forum exists where you can get all sorts of answers.  Who knows, maybe the next thing I find will be something as simple as having a piece upside down or cutting out the wrong size.  Believe me, when I post a question I rely on all possible solutions.  Thanks to all who posted about this issue!  Happy Sewing and Happy New Year!!

5. 
   jjgg | Jan 02, 2008 03:25am | #15

   Blingy,
   You are on your way to becoming a very accomplished seamstress!
   The fit of the shirt is great! good for you. This is how you learn, try and try again. I have lots and lots of projects that I never wore, things that got thrown out before they ever saw daylight. The shirt is very nice.

6. 
   Becky-book | Jan 02, 2008 05:59pm | #16

   Lovely work!! It fits you well, and that length looks good on you!Becky

7. 
   solosmocker | Jan 04, 2008 02:45am | #17

   Looks great. Great fit. solo

8. 
   FirecrackerKTM | Mar 25, 2008 08:06am | #18

   Looks great! I just made that very shirt twice, in a 3/4 sleeve red gauze and a long sleeve white stripe, and I don't remember an issue with the button facing. However, I have a tendency to line things up the way I think they should when the pattern doesn't make sense, so maybe I just disregarded it ... I know I had that same thing happen recently on ANOTHER McCall's blouse (5522) and just realigned it, ignoring the notches, and it turned out fine.

9. 
   Teaf5 | Apr 13, 2008 02:09am | #22

   Yes!  This just happened to me!  I remembered a post about a too-short button band, but couldn't remember the number.  Fitting McCalls 5522 today took forever; besides the button band with the wrong notch, one of the lower front pieces is labelled as lower back, and there were two copies of one of the major sheets of tissue in the envelope (but thankfully no missing sheets!)

   If I hadn't needed major alterations as usual, I would've cut the button band too short, too.  Again, I wonder if the pattern companies are in league with RTW manufacturers to make it impossible for us to produce reasonable garments....

10. 
    dollmarm | Mar 25, 2008 09:48pm | #19

    I love the material - it makes you think spring is already here, even thou its doesn't feel like it outside !  Nice,  :~) 

11. 
    fabricholic | Mar 25, 2008 10:54pm | #20

    You did a good job and the fabric is very pretty.Marcy

12. 
    rodezzy | Mar 25, 2008 11:10pm | #21

    Beautiful fabric, great job, good fit.