I started the tissue fit by tracing off the bodice in size 12 and examining the way that everything aligned.  I could tell right away that the shoulder seams weren’t going to come out right.  The back shoulder was at least 1/2″ nearer the outside of my body than the front shoulder.  (Somebody has blogged about this issue, but I can’t find it to link….)

Then I pinned it together and the trouble began.  Those uneven shoulders caused a multitude of problems–gaping, pulling.  So much so that I really couldn’t tell where to start, so I added to the top of the shoulders and the side seams so that I could pin things in place in an effort to get it all lined up smoothly–grainlines straight, and centers matching my centers.

Now tissue fitting is not that difficult normally.  With a big piece of pattern tissue roughly darted to my shape, I pin my green waistband on and can usually get things pretty close to satisfactory.   With this little bodice open at the shoulders, I had a hard time!  You can imagine pinning the thing to undergarments, leaning over to get the shoulder seam to flip up to grab, just as everything shifts off grain again!

Ughh.

Just then I realized that Brunhilde was still pretty much the same as me in the shoulders and upper back.  Ahhh!

Thank heavens!  I was able to pin it loosely on her and get the grainlines straight and the shoulder seams aligned then try it on myself with much less angst.

On Brunhilde, I could easily see what needed to be done to make the shoulders line up properly.  I sliced across the lower back armhole and shifted the entire side inward 1/2″ to get it to match the front.  Then I was able to adjust the shoulder seam to match mine. I darted out some length from that back armhole, too.

At this point the bodice is looking pretty good.  I don’t believe my side seam is straight, but I’ll double check that.

This afternoon I hope to pin on the skirt and see how that looks on me.  A quick try on Brunhilde shows that I will need to shorten above the back waist a little.

It’s harder to tell in front. The waistline might be perfect there.

I’m getting excited about this one.  Maybe I’ll be able to cut fabric tonight.

I ran to Hancock’s yesterday with the idea of purchasing a patriotic print for my 2011 birthday dress. They had several, and the one I first picked had a blue background with red, white, and blue bunting printed on it–perfect!

The fabric was so stiff with sizing, or whatever that stuff is, that I could tell that it wouldn’t last through the first wash. I moved on down the rack letting my fingers tell me which cottons were worthy. This was a nice one:

I suppose this was designed as a companion print for the others, ’cause I honestly can’t see anything patriotic about it.  No matter.  It will make a dress I can wear past my birthday.

Style 2728 View A was my final pattern choice.  Here’s the line drawing to refresh your memory:

I think it will work out nicely.  Habace asked where I found the pattern, and I’m sorry to say that they are apparently no longer being produced.  This was has been in my stash for years, ever since they sold them at JoAnn’s.  I can’t even find a copyright date on it.

I’ve done the bodice tissue fit, but I’ll have to tell you about that tomorrow.  I’m hungry and I hear Mr H rummaging around in the kitchen.  Time to see what’s going on!