Fitting Refinement: Dealing with the Skirt Dart

    I hear this all the time - 'How can I remove the dart?' Darts in fabric help to shape the flat fabric to our body curves and actually are very special since they can give you such great fit.  When someone asks how to eliminate the darts, I often suggest ways to move them or change them into pleats, tucks or gathers, but if you're very flat in the front and still want total removal, read on.

The Sure-Fit Designs skirt darts provided on the Dress Kit Master Patterns are straight, uni-positional darts.  Both the skirt front and back darts are intended to line either a one or two-piece dress in any number of variations.

When using the skirt pattern to sew just a skirt, you may want to re-evaluate the front and back hip darts to obtain your very best fit.  What is done with the dart will depend on your body shape and the style of skirt you want.  Darts can be stitched in straight or curved lines and dealt with in a number of different ways.

The relationship between two different circumferences will determine the dart width, length and shape is best for you.  For example, if your waist is 35" (90 cm) and your hips are 45" (115 cm), this 10" (25 cm) difference will be controlled and shaped by the darts in both front and back.  The greater the difference between the two circumferences, the wider the dart will be and the greater the resulting fabric bulge. The person who has heart or diamond-shaped hips will require wider darts than the straight-shaped boyish figure. 

Your front tummy fullness, front and back hip curvature and buttock curves will affect the width of each dart.  Just always keep in mind that the given Sure-Fit Designs darts can be re-shaped to your specific needs.

The rounder, fuller heart-shaped figure may want to stitch her darts in a concave curve (inward curve).  Also she may want to shorten the dart length.  A dart should not extend beyond your fullest point or bulge.  In fact, with skirts, the dart should stop about 1/2" (1.3 cm) back from your dominant fullness.  See page 29 - Dress Kit Instruction book. 

The diamond-shaped hip figure may need to stitch the dart longer than that given on the Master Pattern.  If it stops too short or abruptly, the resulting dart tip won't give correct shaping to your fuller lower hip.  Therefore extend the dart until it best conforms to your body.

If you happen to have prominent hip bones, you can also divide the dart in two.  Usually the dart closest to the side seam is slightly shorter and aimed toward the dominant bone. The resulting two narrower darts must equal the width of the original dart.  See page 29 - Dress Kit Instruction book.

The straighter-shaped figure type may need to reduce the width of the dart since the difference between the waist and hip circumference is smaller, or you are just simply flatter in the front of your body.  To reduce the dart width in half, follow these steps.

1.  The original Sure-Fit Designs skirt front dart is 1 1/2" (3.8 cm) wide.  Redraw so that the dart is now 3.4" (1.9 cm) wide.

2.  Then to maintain similar side seam shapes from front to back skirt patterns, remove 3.8" (1 cm) from both front and back side seams beginning at the waist point and tapering to nothing at the high hip.

Now, if you have an extremely flat front and there is next to no difference between your waist and hip circumference, you may want to remove the dart completely.  This particular technique will remove some of the existing hip ease as you close the waist dart, but since the Sure-Fit Designs Skirt pattern initially gives you 3" (7.6 cm) ease at the hip level, it still should fit adequately.

1.  Draw a line parallel to CF from the tip of the dart to the hem level.

2.  Draw 2 lines from the sides of the dart to the hem level.  Cut to remove this elongated dart.

3.  Close the dart space as shown.
True/blend the waist edge curve.

This tutorial simply gives you more options of how to deal with the darts in the skirt pattern.

Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

Read More

A shaped Back Shoulder Yoke

Vest Success continued...
In early April, I published a blog called Vest Success.  One of our SFD ladies designed the Reversible Vest (a relatively new SFD downloadable Fashion Leaflet).  This particular lady had a back shoulder dart that she needed to deal with.  She needed the back shoulder dart for her slightly rounded shoulder blades, but didn't want the dart appearing in her vest.  When drawing the vest pattern, she simply transferred this dart into the armscye and the resulting slightly curved seam took care of the dart and she ended up with a yoke detail in the back of her vest.

Because her photos were somewhat dark, I simply outlined the stitching lines that she designed.  Now you can see where the back yoke is.

Not long after this blog was published, another SFD lady asked if I would show you the details for turning the back shoulder dart into a yoke with slightly curved stitching line.  The easiest way for me to do this was to film a short video showing you the process.

First, let's review how to add a back shoulder dart.
Step 1: Draw line A to B as illustrated.  This line should be at a level where the most rounding or protruding fullness is on your back/shoulder blades.  Then draw line C to D as shown.  This line does not have to be at a right angle to A-B, but the angle that you choose will affect the final position of the dart, therefore, it should be at a pleasing angle for your specific body shape.  You may need to sew a couple of tests to make sure you're pleased with the results.

Step 2: Cut from A to B and from C to D, leaving a paper hinge at the armscye point B and at point D on line A-B.

Step 3: Spread the shoulder area of the pattern open as shown always maintaining the paper hinge points.  This will open up a small dart shape in the shoulder seam line and will automatically lengthen CB.  Often people with rounded, protruding shoulder blades also have some rounding at the upper back and this extra length will help the bodice back to sit more comfortably.  Additionally, depending on how rounded your entire back is, you may also want to add a CB seam which is shaped/curved to suit your body contours.

Step 4: The more you open/lengthen CB that results in a wider dart, the more the upper and lower center back line becomes 'jogged'.  To maintain CB on the fold of the fabric, simply draw/true a new CB from the back neck point to the waist point.  Also re-establish a parallel straight of grain marking.  Depending on how accurately you measured your CB waist length and where this length is actually needed, you may now need to shorten CB at the waist edge and gently true from CB to the side seam.

Step 5:  This technique for adding a shoulder dart shouldn't distort the armscye significantly.  However, if the armscye appears to angled at the armscye hinge pivot point, make sure to blend/true to create a smooth curve.

This is what it looks like in 'real life'.

Now, on to changing this back shoulder dart into a back shoulder yoke that is slightly curved.  It really is a simple process.  Please watch this video to see how to accomplish this technique.

Just click on the forward arrow to begin play.  It's a short video and a simple process.  I know you'll find it easy to do.

Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

Read More

Comfortable Culottes

Yes, that's right, culottes are back.  Some never really stopped wearing them, simply because they are so comfortable, but now they are officially back.

 I first read this article in the Style & Travel section of the Wall Street Journal (by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan), but in doing research about culottes and their comeback, my guess is that it's appeared in other publications.  She says that they're back in a big way for the first time since the 1980's.  You all know that if we wait long enough, the fashion cycle just goes round and round.

This style typically features a  wide, and often voluminous leg that extends from a cinched waistline.  The hem can be anywhere from an inch below the knee to a couple of inches above the ankle.  What makes them so comfortable is that for a really good fit that doesn't bind and pull in the crotch, the crotch point needs to be dropped and extended.  The hang of the leg improves, they won't crawl up between your thighs, and they can give the look of a drapy skirt.

The photo below shows culottes that I designed and sewed for an article featured in Dressmaking with Stitches (an Australian publication).  Of course, the cross-over wrap blouse is also an SFD creation designed and sewn from the Dress Kit.

What to consider when wearing culottes?  Well obviously your height and shape make a difference.  Here are 5 tips that I'll share with you from the article.

• Shorter women will no doubt need heels (shoes or boots) with culottes; taller ladies can wear flats, sandals or fancy sneakers.

• Keep the top slimmed down if you have particularly voluminous legs.

• For evening wear, choose a dressier fabric like silk, or drapy polyesters.

• High-waisted culottes are the most flattering; low-waisted versions can make you look short legged.

• For fall and winter, turtlenecks and knee-high boots work best.

• Steer clear of fabrics that are too stretchy or clingy (such as jersey).

Here's a few of the featured culottes and though I'm not excited about the ones with the hemline boarder trim, they do show you alternative examples.

From InsideOutStyleBlog.com (Imogen Lamport) (who I've recommended many times for dressing for your body shape), she's just written a recent blog on how to dress and accessorize when wearing culottes.  Make sure you take a look at her blog since she offers lots of great photos and excellent accessorizing alternatives. (PS - I should also mention that Sure-Fit Designs is not associated with InsideOutStyleBlog in an way either for personal or business relationships.  I simply happen to believe that Imogen does an excellent job of all the information she presents on her blog).

And, aren't we lucky that with SFD, we don't have to rely on ill-fitting ready-to-wear.  We can sew our own and know they'll fit properly.  Fashion Leaflet #2 gives you all the details you need to design your own from your SFD Pants pattern.  Click Here.

You can choose this version with a 'gaucho' style of leg treatment, or the directions will also tell you how to add a pleat that drapes directly out of center front.  Either way, you win with comfort and fashion.

Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

Read More

Sew...What's New?

Introducing the 2015 Face-Lift!

Many of you have asked what's new in 2015 editions of the Sure-Fit Designs Kits.  First, please rest assured, that with the exception of the Shirt Kit Master Patterns, all of your other Master Patterns in the Dress, Pants and Children's Kits have NOT changed.  They are still the same great-fitting patterns we've offered you over the years.

So let's take a look at what is different.  First, we've gone to a full-color envelop for packaging all the Kits.
DRESS KIT

The Dress Kit Instruction book is now the 6th edition.  Within this instruction book, all of the technical art, that is how to draw off these master patterns to create your body blueprint, has all been updated for even greater clarity.  One new fashion design instruction for the 'S'-curved neckline blouse was added.  Due to expanded technical illustrations and the new design, the book went from 52 to 56 pages.

The Master Patterns and Dress Kit templates have NOT changed.

If you want to purchase just the 6th edition Dress Kit Instruction book, please click here.




PANTS KIT

The Pants Kit Instruction book is now the 5th edition.  Within this instruction book, all of the technical art, that is how to draw off these master patterns to create your body blueprint, has all been updated for even greater clarity.

The Pants Master Patterns have NOT changed.

If you want to purchase just the 5th edition Pants Kit Instruction book, please click here.






SHIRT KIT

The entire 5th edition Shirt Kit has changed substantially.  The Master Patterns are totally updated - meaning they no longer have seam allowances on them.  They are now consistent with all the other SFD Master Patterns, where once you have drawn your body blueprint pattern, you will now ADD the 5/8" (1.6 cm) allowance.  The Shirt Kit accessory pieces now include a flat collar and woman's cuff along with all the other collar and pocket shapes.  The instruction book, by necessity, has all new technical drawings showing exactly how to draw these new master patterns.  All the fashion art has been totally updated and offers new designing suggestions.  The book has gone from 20 to 28 pages.

If you want to purchase the 5th edition Shirt Kit, please click here.

CHILDREN'S KIT

The Children's Kit Instruction book is now the 5th edition.  Within this instruction book, all of the technical art, that is how to draw off these master patterns to create your body blueprint, has all been updated for even greater clarity.  All of the fashion art has changed and been updated.  There are a lot of fun, new ideas for sewing children's clothing.  The book has gone from 32 to 36 pages.

The Children's Master Patterns have NOT changed.

If you want to purchase just the 5th edition Children's Kit Instruction book, please click here.




MEN'S PANTS INSTRUCTIONAL PACKAGE

The Men's Pants Instructional package is now the 5th edition.  Within this instruction book, all of the technical art, that is how to draw off these master patterns to create your body blueprint, has all been updated for even greater clarity.  The fashion art has changed and been updated.  The Men's Pants instructions have always utilized the ladies' Pants Kit Master Patterns as the basis for drawing the men's pants.  Nothing has changed in that regard.

If you want to purchase the 5th edition Men's Pants Instructional Package, please click here.




HOW-TO DVD

Finally, the Sure-Fit Designs introductory DVD has been updated.   This DVD offers the basics for getting started wth the Sure-Fit Designs system of pattern fitting and designing.
It consists of 2 DVD's and offers 3hr 45min of clear, concise instruction for drawing the Dress, Pants, Shirt and now includes drawing off all patterns in the Children's Kit.  Additionally you'll see how to measure for the man's pants as well as a discussion on drawing the pattern.  If you want to purchase just the new How-To DVD, please click here.

Limited Time 'Bundle' Special
If you are interested in updating your SFD kits/supplies, we're offering a Limited Time Special for all of the above items.  Receive a 15% discount when each of the above are ordered in a 'Bundle'.  Please Click Here.

Let's take a look at some of the new design ideas and fashion art in both the Children's and Shirt Kit.

(Sorry the art isn't all laid out evenly.  I have a dickens of a time with blogger getting things positioned where I'd like them to be.)

I hope you all will enjoy the new SFD look and instruction books.

As always, I thank you for your ongoing support.
Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch! 

Read More