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[hyperionwitch]

Wow, it's been a long time since I last posted here!

So, I am trying to make a Beatrix costume (http://auronlu.istad.org/squidoo/bea...conceptart.jpg for reference!) from Final Fantasy 9, but I'm having some trouble with the coat!

I started out making my own pattern, but I can't seem to make the back of the coat fit without bunching and wrinkling. I tried darts, but whatever I'm doing, I think I'm doing it wrong. Are there any specific ways to tailor a coat back (especially for a back with a lot of curve in it)? I really have no idea what I'm doing, haha.

Alternatively, if that doesn't work, I would also ask if anybody has a good pattern for a fitted coat/vest thing like hers! Maybe if I can't make my own pattern work, I can just use a professional one.

I know that's kind of a tall pair of orders, but I'd appreciate any help I can get. I'm a bit clueless!

[Syagria]

Without seeing a picture of exactly what's going on on the back of your coat, it's tough to diagnose the issue, as it could be any number of things. Darts should work, as long as the darts are at their widest (taking in the most material) where you are narrowest (at the waist).

Anyway, the major pattern manufacturers all have their catalogs available to browse online - Simplicity, McCall's, Butterick, and Vogue.

[Penlowe]

Your photo link is bad.
I suggest posting a different link to the character AND a photo of the not-right jacket.

[Rayonea]

I'm going to third the suggestion of a picture of the problem.

It sounds to me, though, that you might be trying to take in too much fabric with too few seams. Are you using a five-piece pattern (two pieces for the front, two for the sides, and one for the back)? If you don't have those side pieces, you might want to consider adding them in. That way you have seams that transition from the chest to the side and from the side to the back. And if you need even more seams to complete your shaping, you can still add darts in the front and back pieces.

[Ani_BEE]

I'm thinking you might want to extend a blouse pattern instead as it's very fitted in the midsection.


4th the image not loading on it's own. You have to hit enter again to get it to load.

[Syagria]

Now that I've finally gotten the image to load, based on the drawings, which are a bit sketchy, I would say you should have at least 6 pieces making up the torso: front right, front left, front side right, front side left, back right, and back left. This will give you five seams to use for tailoring (center back, two underarm side, two overbust side front). Keep in mind that all seams, except for the center back, are paired, so whatever you do to one, you need to do the same to the matching seam on the other side. Five seams should give you plenty of places to fine-tune the tailoring (again, without being able to see how it is not fitting, it's tough to diagnose); you may wish to look up tutorials on self-drafting a corset pattern, as that is one type of garment that will have the vertical seams you are looking for.

Be sure to accommodate for the difference between your waist measurement and your hip measurement. Many people do not adjust this adequately, and the reason the garment bunches up is because they have not allotted enough material over the hips. This means the garment cannot hang or drape properly, and cannot be pulled down, resulting in excess fabric around the waist/back.

That's the best I can offer!

[risamori]

It sounds like you need to make a swayback adjustment. There are a number of techniques for it, but my personal favorite is simply taking the back piece and, instead of cutting it on a fold, drawing a curve so that it tapers into the narrowest point of your back and then flares out again. This is something I would suggest doing a muslin for before cutting into your final fabric; it always takes me at least a second try to get it right, and the first time I did it, it took several attempts. But it can really improve the fit of a garment--which is the point, isn't it?