Vogue 8359 - is something wrong with this pattern?

[StitchandRun]

Okay, I made this dress for a friend of mine as a costume (Narcissa Malfoy from the Harry Potter books.)  This is my first time sewing a Vogue pattern.  This pattern is discontinued and I had to order it online.  Now I'm wondering if it is discontinued because it is poorly designed!

The problem is with the sleeves and the armhole.  They are cut extremely tight to the point that it is difficult to put the garment on and you can't really move your arms while wearing it.  The pattern called for taffeta or peau de soie, I used a medium weight brocade.  But since any of those fabrics are equally unforgiving it shouldn't have made that much difference.  Because I was under a time constraint there was no time to rip out the sleeves, recut the armhole, purchase more fabric for new sleeves, etc.  My friend will have to wear it like it is - very uncomfortable!  The rest of the dress fits fine.  This isn't a matter of someone have unusually large arms, shoulders or back.  Both she and I are "normally" sized and proportioned and we both had the same problem.

Is it possible that the pattern itself was faulty?  (And yes, I did double check to make sure I cut the sleeves in the right size!)  Even in the picture, you can kind of see that the sleeves look "small" compared to the garment.  Any comments or suggestions on this?

[the OTHER Mom to 5 aka Tee]

I dont have anything to say about the way it turned out but that fabric is incredibly beautiful!!! 

[Doris W. in TN]

This is always why you hear us say "Make a test garment".

There's a very good chance the pattern drafting was faulty and why it was 'retired.'  I have tried  a few bad patterns, and notice it is gone from the catalog's next issue.   It is always a good idea to measure the flat pattern for all circumferences, and compare to same actual body measurements.    I've had more problems with weird pattern drafting on the "Very Easy Vogues"  than regular Vogue patterns, and won't buy them (VEVs) anymore.    I think Mrs. Smith's  eighth grade Civics  class is at the drafting table, half the time.

Your coat is beautiful, though, and   looks like  you did a fantastic job making it.

Does the envelope say it is a close-fitting design? (can't always trust that, or line drawings on the back of the envelope---ask how I know)

Do you have any scraps?  Even if you pieced them?   You could add a V-shape  panel to the sleeve, at the armpit-to-shoulder seam, to widen it, and add a panel  in the side seam so the armscyes match, and stitch the armscye  lower in the armhole to lower the whole business.   Probably nobody would know the difference and you could call it a design element.    This coat is too beautiful to toss away, and I think it is worth the trouble to save it.

[vtmartha]

Would an underarm gusset solve the tightness problem?

[KT]

I love the pattern and am wondering if just eliminating the sleeves all together would be an option for you?  I think it would be really cute and you could just make some facings for the armholes.  The armholes could be opened up for comfort and you could use it for summer!  Just a thought.

[fzxdoc]

I read your review on Patternreview. With the sleeves threatening to split and the armhole so tight, will you be making changes to the garment before it is worn as a costume? I would think that the sleeves would have to be re-cut if you have any more fabric, and the armhole enlarged for it to become a serviceable costume.

I enjoyed seeing the link to the outfit that Narcissa wore in the movie version of HP. You sure got a close match!

Kathryn