Failure/victory?

Sigh.

The shapely tank, it is finished. I actually finished the damn thing. I'd be more excited about it, but... well.

Something I will have to take into account for future attempts at making shirt-type garments: Most of these patterns are not written for a woman who is six feet tall.

It also doesn't help when you lose weight in the 6 months or so since you started said garment. I'm currently also having fun with that in the pants department - hiking them up every 5 minutes is getting old. I went into walmart on an experiment, and I was able to fit into a the smallest size jeans yet that I've tried on since I was probably 15 (18, if anyone is dying to know. This may not sound small to you, but once again, I am SIX FEET TALL in addition to being a fat chick. In comparison, my sister, who is a stick and just as tall, wears a size 10 or 12).

I'm speaking as if this is all defeat, though. The truth is, although it's a little wide, it's not so bad. And it's not so short as to be indecent. I was on when I swatched and I measured and remeasured and measured again before starting the shoulder/neckline decreases, so it's not that. It's that... well, most of these patterns do not take into account that I'm ridiculously tall.

See, I could wear it, and be constantly tugging on the hem so there'd be no gap of skin showing atwixt the top of my pants and the hem of the shirt. I'm trying to figure if there's a way I could block it (it's cotton, so I do not think this to be overly likely) where it'd be a little longer.

I have learned here, that if a pattern for a shirt looks like it'll be a bit on the short side, that I will add at least another inch to the body.


As for the pattern itself? I have come to seriously hate this pattern. Part of the reason why is because, to me, it felt unclearly written. This may be my aspie-ness showing up, but I do like patterns that lead you every step of the way and don't assume that you know what to do with minimal directions.

If I were to do it again, I think I would completely eliminate doing the waist shaping, because, haha, what waist? And the short-rows, as well. In fact, the only think I think I'd do again would be the neckline/arm shaping.


Right now, though, I'm mostly disappointed. Even though I am feeling the victory of having finished a garment, I'm disappointed that it didn't come out better... but this is my first attempt at a shirt. I can get better at this, so I need to stop being a mopey bitch and not give up.

And it's not like I can't wear it as it is.