Sunday, October 4, 2015

Ottobre 05-2014 #6 - Leggings

Okay, okay. I know my Burda Challenge is late for September. I figured since it was late anyway, I might as well make a few things before I do that. I still haven’t settled on what I want to make for September. That’s pretty bad since I’ve had the magazine since mid-August. Aw well, fickle woman-mind. I’m allowed.

 

While I’m deciding, I had to make these cute Ottobre tights. They fit well, but not as well as Jalie. I’m wondering if they are still too big, I made the size 34, but I took another 1/4” off the inside seam when I was done. So that’s another 1/2” total I took off. The crotch curve also seems long. Although that would all make sense, this magazine is drafted for longer women than me. I still like the tights though. Maybe next pattern I’ll size down to a 32? My waist is several cm smaller and my hips are 1-2cm smaller than the 34. The overall length was long on these too. I cut off about 1.5” when I was done.
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I would like them slightly tighter in the ankle, but that’s an easy fix. I have the world’s smallest ankles. It’s like the foundation of my whole body is built on pencils.
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See? I think the wrinkles under the butt and above the knee are due to too long (for me) drafting. What do you guys think? I should compare these to Jalie. They always fit with no alterations.
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They are made out of a gifted wicking knit. Really nice stuff. I wore them running yesterday. Yes, I’m back to running. No hand numbness and very little back/neck pain. Man, I need to do some squats, perk up that butt a bit. Part of it is these tights. How do I fix this ladies?
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I know I always appreciate the Butt Shot on blogs. (By the way, I know there is talk of "The Blog is Dead” and all that. I love your blogs, please don’t stop. Instagram is nice for insta-pics, but bad for details. I’ll keep reading yours and you keep reading mine, k?)
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Oh, and have you seen this Jalie Hoodie Sew-A-Long?? My jacket is part way done. I’m loving it already!!

18 comments:

katherine h said...

I hope people keep writing blogs too.

These leggings don't look like they fit so great...maybe just too big overall? If Jalie works for you, I would stick with them. I find Jalie too tight in the legs for me.

Anonymous said...

Hahahaaa What do I think?? I think I'd kill for a body like yours!

No seriously, the ankles would be the only thing I would even bother fixing. Well, okay, maybe the length. But I think these are beautifully sewn and look wonderful.

Mindy

Jen L said...

I think you are right - the inseam is a bit too long in the back. I would take a wedge out, tapering to nothing at the sides. There's a fancier way to do it with a fish-eye shaped adjustment. Also looks like they are too long overall - not in the hem necessarily, but mainly in the knee area where it's bunching up. Or, the knee is in the wrong place? Nice looking fabric - it's so hard to find bottom weight wickaway in colors...

Lyndle said...

Well I'm no expert but if it's any help, my favourite leggings (copied from RTW) have the back knee portion significantly shorter than the front knee at the middle (kind of like a sway-back alteration). If you wanted to do an after-construction fix on these would it work to make two concave stitching lines (ie pointing toward the knee) above and below the knee on the back piece only? That is, taking out a curvy wedge thing above and below the back knee? That fabric there must get a bit annoying.
Would be a shame to discard such nice fabric :-)

Jne4sl said...

I think the problem with legging patterns is they can't fail no matter what fabric is thrown at them. Yes, there are stretch percentages to be followed but we all know fabrics still behave differently as far as snap back and bagging out, etc. So designers have to leave a little too much ease to avoid complete failure in some fraction of fabrics and unhappy customers. Leggings will have wrinkles unless they are well into negative ease territory. I'm guessing taking in the seams would solve yours. The ones under the butt may be a little different since they seem angled and maybe you actually need more fabric somewhere in the fork.

As far as length goes, bodies have so much variation. If I measure my outseam with a tape following the contour of my leg it is much longer than the distance from waist to floor. On others this difference is not so dramatic. This means although I'm short my legs eat up a lot of length in a close fitting design and conversely I need to hem much more in a wide leg design. For you, I think this effect is less pronounced.

Becky said...

Can't really help you with the fitting, as I'm still trying to figure out leggings that fit myself. I just wanted to say that I love your comment on blogs vs instagram--they both have their place.

okie2thfairy said...

It looks like the crotch length is too long- by at least 2 cm. The length from the crotch to leg is too long too. Love the fabric and they look great, even if they are a bit big. They would fit me- snuggly:) Glad to see you're running again. Show us how you modify them- long live the blog!

Summer Flies said...

I think they look too big overall but there is better fitting advice above. I do appreciate the detail you are giving in the Ottobre fit for you (and another blogger who has just started using them). I really like their designs but haven't made too much from them yet. I just finished a athletic look jacket not yet on the blog. Someone said they else said they fit smaller in the hips than Burda and you say they fit for tall... I'm not... so all this helps. I don't instagram, I just blog and so the blog won't die for me... I love reading the blogs too.

Ann said...

I have no fitting advice -- but you look great, and long live blogs, especially yours!

Kathy {Kathy Sews} said...

The pattern has so much potential! Really seeing how that it looks like it's drafted for someone who is a little taller then the avg American woman is actually very helpful... maybe I won't have to do all my standard lengthening alterations. Yeah, all your Jalies fit like a dream, these are not quite right as is. (PS I made my Cora tights and ran in them and they basically are really awesome)

Now, Instagram is pretty nice but I wholeheartedly agree... blogs should go on!! It would be difficult to communicate such detail as you can showing fit issues, fabrics, explaining stuff in general with multiple pictures. I am reading/writing blog posts and not stopping anytime soon.

Texan said...

I agree blogs are so good at more detail. I would miss the blogs I read a lot! I don't always leave comments but I would really miss them!

I am no help on fitting the leggings. Though I don't think they are really that bad. :O). I would wear them fitting me as they do you.

Kyla said...

I always enjoy your posts so I agree... Keep them coming! :) and I really love the color of that fabric!

Kyla said...

I always enjoy your posts so I agree... Keep them coming! :) and I really love the color of that fabric!

Kyla said...

I always enjoy your posts so I agree... Keep them coming! :) and I really love the color of that fabric!

Anonymous said...

I suspect that if you went down a size most of the problems shown would be sorted. Good to hear that you are running again.

Kristin at SunnySewing.com said...

The leggings have potential :) I agree that sizing down would be a good fix.
I'm glad you are running again!

I agree with you on the blog/instagram thing too. I like to read the details! :D

beckster said...

I think every knit behaves differently in leggings. It's hard to know what size to pick. I think these look a little big overall; maybe it's just the fabric. About blogs..... I hear the blog is dead as well, but I am devoted to your blog and a few others. Instagram is ok, but it's like email vs. face to face talk. Something is missing for me. Please keep blogging!

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