As you know, I LOVE t-shirts. They're just a solid part of my momiform and I can't say enough good things. But do you know what I hate about t-shirts (and all shirts really for that matter)? Full bust adjustments. Getting a perfect fit is such a pain.

So, when I heard that Sew By Pattern Pieces was testing a Fun Tee for Ladies, I knew that I needed in on this one. At first, the pattern was just going to have a bust point marked on the pattern. This actually made me all kinds of happy, because the hardest part of an FBA is literally guessing where the bust point is and then adding from there. Sadly, it was during the test that I found out that my baby had passed away. I obviously was in no mood for sewing for a body that was going to change drastically over the next few weeks.

But, Lauren trusted me enough to leave me in the group. I'd hop in every few days, look at what I saw and make little suggestions to the pattern. And that turned out to be VERY helpful. As the testing progressed, the measurement chart went from including the overbust to basing the size off of the underbust. And while that works ok for some sizes, it isn't even close for other sizes. Frustrating both for the designer and the testers!

I kept in contact with Lauren anyway, focusing on whether the pattern was going to be as awesome as I hoped. I kept crossing my fingers. Truth be told, she released the pattern without the overbust information. :(

So when she reached out the following week asking about whether it would be helpful to add the overbust measurement back in, my heart did a little dance. And no, I'm not exaggerating. I was SO happy.

Lauren had asked me to participate in a blog tour for the pattern the previous week, but I didn't want to say anything but good things. So I didn't sign up right away. But when she added the over bust measurement in, I was ready to dive in, even if I signed up on a Friday and had to have my post ready on a Tuesday. So, truth be told, with the overbust measurement, that only left me 2 complaints about the pattern. And neither are a mark against the designer so much as my own preferences.

Before we go any further, let's get the details.
My current measurements: Over bust 34. Full bust 39. Under bust 29. Waist 33. Hips 38.
I picked the US Size 6 E cup in the relaxed fit with long slim sleeves. E cup coincides with a 6" difference between over bust and full bust. If I had followed my underbust to full bust, I would have made a US 4, but the overbust measurement for that is just 31. That would have made for very ugly shoulders and also a cup size that isn't included in the pattern. The only single adjustment I made was to shorten the bodice at the shorten/lengthen line. I checked that bust point and it was so close, so I didn't adjust the over bust length. However, you can see that horizontal line in my armpit? That says, Don't be lazy, adjust the side seam. On the plus side, the armpit fits well, so I just have to blend the side seam, not the shoulder and sleeve too.

I could have also gone up to a size US 8 D because I fall in between size 6 and size 8 for my over bust measurement. The pattern includes TONS of finished measurement information. Because of that, I realize that I could have even opted for a size 10b because the shoulder of the pattern is meant to sit just past the shoulder point. SO much information. BUT, I like my shoulder points to sit a little further back, so I went with the 6E instead. So, if you're looking to find the perfect fit, definitely double check the finished measurement chart because it will tell you everything you need to know.

Which leads me to my next point, I forgot to check the sleeve length in the finished chart, which means my long sleeves are a big TOO long. Totally broke my own rules, LOL. So don't be like me, read the chart thoroughly.

I honestly made only 1 muslin of this pattern. Once I saw it, I went straight for my good fabric. My only regret was not grabbing my good fabric first! But for every time that a pattern comes out right on the first try, I have at least 100 times that it doesn't. So no shortcuts. Make your muslin and don't waste the good fabric!

And another point about fabric. If you're going to make the relaxed fit, definitely opt for something with more drape than this cotton lycra. Cotton lycra will be perfect for the slim fit as it will more skim the body. I'm thinking something along the lines of a Double Brushed Poly for my next go round. But this fabric makes my tummy look WAY bigger than it really is. I'm going to wear it anyway though, because Dr. Who is awesome. :D

Finally to the things that I didn't like about this pattern.
1- It is only t-shirt length. I LOVE a good tunic and having the perfect bust paired up with a tunic would be AWESOME! So of course, at some point in the future you may see this bodice paired with my P4P Layer Me Up.
2- I made the relaxed fit bodice which fits as intended, but its a tiny bit loose on my hips. But, the slim fit is tighter than I feel comfortable with yet. I'm some where in the middle. But drawing in the side seam in between the 2 fits would be a very simple adjustment (and 100 times easier than doing an FBA).

So there's all my good points. REALLY love the pattern. But what if you happen to not fit into 1 of the cup sizes? They go from A cup to G cup. It certainly is possible. You honestly have 2 options. 1, check to see if Lauren has time to make you your cup size. Worst thing she can say is no, right? But, if for whatever reason that doesn't work out, you still have the overbust measurements AND a perfectly marked bust point. AND AND, (yes, I used 2 ands on purpose), if you pick up One Thimble issue 13, Lauren has a complete tutorial on how to do an FBA on a knit garment. Between those 2, you get everything you need to either copy over the pre-drafted bodice OR to create your perfect FBA. Its a win/win!

If you need help, you can leave a comment below and I'll try to answer your question directly. OR, head straight over to Sew By Pattern Pieces Sewing Circle on Facebook and I'm sure any of the lovely ladies there would be glad to help. Just 1 fair warning. Lauren lives in Australia. So don't expect her to respond to you immediately at lunch time in the US. :)

So you've made it through my full on, "I love this pattern" blabbing. Here's where we get to the fun!

First, starting Friday, November 25, Sew By Pattern Pieces is having a holiday weekend sale. Ironically enough the designer lives in Australia, but I love a good sale, so you know I won't be missing out! You can use the code for the Sew By Pattern Pieces- Etsy shop.




And if you just hate Etsy (I won't judge), there is the Sew By Pattern Pieces- Craftsy. Just keep in mind that the coupons won't work on Craftsy.

Wondering what to buy?
#1- go to the Facebook group and grab the women's and girls Glamour Swirl Skirt. its free and has a shaped waistband. You can see my review for that here.
#2- The girls Fun Tee. Just like the Ladies version. All 3 of my girls like this pattern. And the especially love the puff sleeves! You can see my review for that here.
#3- The Stinger body suit is a fabulous rashguard with the same amount of detail as all of her other patterns. TONS of finished body measurements so I could be absolutely sure of a great fit. That review is here.
#4- Finally, grab the skip skirt. I haven't sewn this one yet, but just from looking at the drafting, I'm pretty sure they'll fit perfectly.

That's all super fabulous of course. But wait, there's more! Lauren is giving away a copy of the Ladies Fun Tee AND a copy of One Thimble #13. Either of those could go a long way to improving your sewing, so be sure to register to win below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway