A BIG Thank you!

  What's in the blog?

1. A big, big thank you!
2. Narrowing the Pants Leg
3. Your favorite sewing notion

A Great Big Thanks

Glenda the Good Stitch is saying many, many thanks to all of you who took the time to complete the survey questions from last week.  Wow!  Did you ever provide lots of food for thought and great topics for the Good Stitch to discuss in the coming weeks and months.

I generally don't repeat blog information very often, but we've had an influx of new SFD followers, and obviously they don't all know what you might know.

Narrowing the Pants Leg

One respondent asked about the leg width of the SFD Pants pattern.  She said that due to her larger hip circumference, when the pants pattern was said and done, she felt the leg width was too wide.  Even though the leg width doesn't grade out as wide as was needed for the hip circumference, for her height, she wanted the leg narrower.  Personal preference comes into play her, as some ladies might say the leg width was just fine.

So here's a video showing you how to narrow the leg.  It's very simple to do as long as you keep the amount removed basically the same on the inseam and side seam.

I often get asked how long the pant length should be.  First, it all depends on the height of heel you'll be wearing with that particular style of pants.  Generally, the higher the heel height the longer the pant length. 

In addition to heel height, you also need to think about hem circumference.  Here's a little rule of thumb for the length and circumference of the hem:  The skinnier/narrower the width of the pants leg (like in skinny jeans), the shorter the pant length should likely be.  The wider the circumference of the pant hem (as in flared leg pants), the longer the pant leg should likely be.

Once again, for those of you how are relatively new to Sure-Fit Designs and may not be aware of all the educational resources we offer, make sure you spend some time in the SFD Learning Center Video Library.

Your Most Favorite and Useful Sewing Notion??

And on a totally different topic, please use the comment box below to tell me the most important (sewing) notion you'd simply never want to be without when garment sewing.

Thanks so much,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

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T-Shirt Tactics

Everybody loves to wear T-shirts.  For some they are a wardrobe staple - for others they are only occasional wear.  Whatever their place is in your clothing needs, you have choices within the Sure-Fit Designs fitting and designing system as to how you approach this style of garment.

Typically, the T-shirt is relatively close fitting and does not have a bust dart and is sewn from a knit fabric.  The no-bust dart feature does present a problem for you full-busted women.  You all know you will always achieve a superior fit when your pattern has a bust dart.

The Sure-Fit Designs pattern kits provide either the darted bodice pattern from the Dress Kit, or the undarted pattern from the Shirt Kit.  Most of you already know that the Dress Kit bodice has 2 1/2" (6.4 cm) ease in the bust circumference, whereas the Shirt Kit has 5-6" (12.7 - 15.2 cm) ease in the chest circumference.

Which kit to use for your T-shirt?   Since the T-Shirt is usually undarted with a closer fit to the body, you'd use the Dress Kit bodice (with the bust dart).  If you use the Shirt Kit, you'll have a looser fit and a much deeper armscye.

Ah Ha!  In comes my new article, T-Shirt Tactics, where I offer an alternative which uses the Dress Kit bodice and I show you how to remove the dart!  The result offers a fit that is closer to your body, the armscye is not as deep as with the Shirt Kit, and this process generally provides an excellent T-shirt alternative.

Yes I know it doesn't have a bust dart anymore, so you full-busted ladies will inevitably end up with some folding in the armscye that points toward your bust.  And no doubt, the shirt will likely hike up somewhat in the front because your don't have that bust dart shaping your bustline.  But since you are going to be sewing with a forgiving knit fabric, usually these issues are minimized.  But at least, you have 3 great choices now to design your favorite T-shirt with the Sure-Fit Designs patterns.

• Dress Kit bodice with dart

• Shirt Kit pattern - no dart - deeper armscye

• Dress Kit bodice without dart

To download your copy of the T-Shirt Tactics article with instructions to remove the dart, please Click Here, then simply scroll toward the middle of the page where you'll see the link for the .pdf file.

Just for fun and for interest, I finished my T-shirt with a self-fabric 2 1/2" wide band at the hem level, scooped the neck edge 2" all the way around and then filled in with a 1 1/2" self-fabric band.  A small tab was inserted at CF while applying the neck band and finished with a decorative button.

And another great benefit is that it can be 'Made in a Day'!  It's just one more quick project for you.

Give it a try and send me your comments and photos.  When you send your photos, I'll put together a T-Shirt collage...and show off all of your work.  Please send photos to info@surefitdesigns.com.
Enjoy,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

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Darts and Side Seams: - Perfecting the Dart

I may have talked about this topic before - perfecting the dart extension point and the effect on the side seam.  But even if I have, it's well worth talking about again.  And now there are photos to help explain the situation and what happens.

Depending on two factors, 1) the width of the dart (A, B, C etc), and 2) the angle of the dart - it's position on the side seam in relation to your apex position, both can affect the amount of dart extension that is required for it to properly sew in straight with the side seam cut edge.

If the dart extension isn't long enough, it means that when the dart is folded in the correct finished location, the seam allowance edges won't meet when stitching the side seams.

Here's what it looks like if it's not 'perfected'.  The above photo shows the 'inside' of the bodice pattern.  The photo below shows the 'right' side of the pattern.

Even though I demo and teach how to 'perfect' the dart during the Fit & Sew Retreats, I've seen ladies skip this step (easy to forget when there's so much happening in this workshop) and then pull on the edge of the dart until it does meet the side seam when sewing front to back bodice.  Then, when the bodice is on your body, it will create a pull (drag) line from that lower dart leg toward the side and center of the bodice.  (Sorry I don't have a photo of the drag line...I accidentally deleted it when clearing the images from the camera).

But the next photo shows you how the drag line has disappeared when the seam is opened up and the dart extension point is released.

If this happens to you, it's easy to confuse this drag line as a 'fit' issue and not the 'pattern' issue that it is.  When the dart is 'perfected' properly, the drag line goes away.

The Adjust-A-Bust template is a great tool for getting the correct width of dart, but it's impossible on this template to provide all the possible scenarios for the dart's extension point.  It's always best to perfect the dart when drawing your bodice blueprint.

 Here's a short video tutorial on 'Perfecting the Dart'.   Even though I'm showing transferring the dart to the lower side seam location, the process of folding the dart in position and cutting along the seam allowance cutting edge, is still the same no matter the location of the dart.  You may end up with a really wide and long dart extension, but that can be trimmed out later.

You'll also find written directions for Perfecting the Dart on page 8 of the Dress Kit Instruction Book - 5th Edition.

Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

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Ipads & Watching SFD Videos

Periodically I get emails from you ladies letting me know that you can't watch the SFD videos from the SFDLearningCenter Video Library on your Ipad tablets or Iphones.

Until I finally got with it and purchased an Ipad, I thought all Ipads and Androids were the same.  Wrong!!!!  As most of you know (which I didn't know), the Ipad is an Apple product, and the Android tablet is anything else, like from Samsung, Nexus, Sony etc.

When I researched the problem of not being able to view the SFD videos from the Learning Center, I was told that all tablets, Apple or otherwise, could not play videos because they weren't allowed to have the required Flash software installed on the device.  Of course, because I was talking with technical support from my website host, I took this information as gospel.  He was only partially correct.

Steve Jobs, Apple, when designing their tablets and Iphones, did in fact, not allow Flash software to be installed.  So this accounts for why some of you were able to view the videos on your Android tablets, whereas Apple Ipad users couldn't.

When I recently came of age and recently purchased my Ipad, I discovered all kinds of things relevant to this topic and then had choices to make.  Fortunately I got a really good geek (at Costco) who showed me the features and benefits of each.  When I was leaning toward the Ipad (no video from my site), he said, 'Let me see what I can do about that!'

Lo and behold, he came up with a solution which I want to share with you.  There actually is an app out there that you can purchase for only $4.99 (at least that's what I paid for it) that you can install on your Ipad/Iphone and when you use it for your browser (instead of the installed Safari browser), you can watch all the videos from the Learning Center!  Yahoo!!!

It's called Photon Browser.  Here's the link -  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/appsverse-photon-browser-tabbed/id430200224?mt=8  So far, it's been really reliable.  Or if you do a search for 'How to get Flash on an Ipad (or Iphone) using Photon Browser, you should come up with this app.

It's not just SFD videos you'll be able to watch, it's on any site where videos are embedded in the web page.  It doesn't cost much and for me, it was well worth the small investment.

So there ya' go!  Now you can watch all the videos (from websites) that you want!

Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

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Fit for a J-Cup - No more FBA

Hello to all my full-busted friends. 

Not too long ago, I received this lovely email from one of our UK customers, who had this to say, 'Just wanted to say thank you so much for the wonderful Dress Kit. My daughter is blessed with J cups and struggles to find clothes to fit properly.  Although I am an experienced seamstress, my efforts to make clothes for her have ended up as hours of trial and error from cutting the pattern to finishing the garment (including countless fittings), and the garments never quite look professional.  They are only saved by the neatness of my work.

I found Sure-Fit Designs by accident when, for the umpteenth time, I was looking for a way to do an FBA for J cups.  Ignoring my two attempts to adjust measurements before making the actual pattern, I started at the beginning and followed your instructions to the letter.  The result, after simply adjusting the side seam to accommodate the Beyond E bust dart and narrowing the chest, was so amazing!  My first muslin was near perfect.

I can't thank you enough.  It was well worth the agonizing 2 week wait for the kit to arrive in the UK.'
K.R. - UK

Here is her lovely young daughter who wishes to remain anonymous.  She graciously agreed to share these photos with all of you.

Her 'practice' test blouse sewn from large-checked gingham.
Notice the horizontal checks of this gingham are hanging near to totally parallel to the floor.  That's a real compliment to the Beyond E instructions and SFD Adjust-A-Bust template.

 

Here is her 'practice' sleeveless blouse.

Many ladies venture into using the Sure-Fit Designs Dress Kit - specifically the bodice pattern - because they'll never need to do another FBA.  For all my newbies, or small-busted women who don't need this, an FBA is a Full Bust Adjustment.  You typically need to slash the pattern in a myriad of directions to spread the front open to make it wider and longer.  But not with the Sure-Fit Designs Adjust-A-Bust template.  This Bust template comes with the SFD Dress Kit and gives you dart shapes from A through E.

And when you are larger than an E bra cup size, I offer two resources showing you how to extend this template to make it the width of dart you need.

Read this article - Beyond E - in the SFD Learning Center Article Library.  Just click on this Beyond E link and look for article F.5.

Additionally here is the video showing you how to actually construct this template.

One other comment I suggested for her next blouse, is that for very full-busted ladies, you can always give one more measurement dot to the front of the pattern and one less measurement dot to the back bodice.  E.g. If you were 40" around for a total bust circumference, you'd use the 41" dot in the front and use the 39" dot for the back bodice.  Here is a short video showing you how to do this on the SFD Shirt Kit.  And even though it's the Shirt Kit, the concept is still the same.

For the newcomers to SFD, you too can achieve this kind of fitting success!

Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

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Planning Ahead - PPO

Project management, planning & organization (and thinking ahead).  As with any project, PPO is very important!  Unless, of course, you've already done it a million times before and you know the process inside out.  So when planning a sewing project, you kind of have to think it through on the front end.  Not just fabric you want to sew it from, but when you're designing from a your body blueprint (a sloper), you need to think through the entire project.

This is actually easier than it may initially sound, since the majority of you reading this blog already know how to sew.  The following are preliminary questions:

• What do you want it to look like?

• What are the dominant design features?

• What pattern pieces will be the major players - like fronts - back - sleeve?

• What pattern pieces are needed in the supporting role - like facings - plackets - collar - cuffs?

• What length do you want?

• How much ease do you want?

• Will it be sewn from a knit or woven fabric?

• How is it all going to go together - the sewing construction steps?

• Do you know of a garment in ready-to-wear (or perhaps one hanging in your wardrobe) that you can copy?

• Do you have an old commercial pattern somewhere in your pattern stash that can help?

To help you 'see your way' through the initial designing of a sewing project, we produced a video looking at what to evaluate when drawing and copying a ready-to-wear blouse.  Blogger cooperated this time and let me paste this video into the blog.  I hope you'll take the few minutes to watch my thought process and also where to get SFD resources to help you find the information you need for your desired sewing project.

Perhaps this will help you in designing your next project with your SFD body blueprint.  Whether it's a blouse (from the Dress Kit), pants or a dartless casual shirt (from the Shirt Kit) the information presented should assist.

Here's a photo of the finished blouse.   You know the old saying 'Practice makes perfect'... and though it's not difficult...it does get easier with each new project.

 

Yes, it's a sheer fabric, which I seldom wear.  And if you'd like to know more about working with sheers (and my sheer experience), make sure you reference these 2 short blogs:

http://surefitdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/09/sheer-experiences.html and

http://surefitdesigns.blogspot.com/2013/05/sheer-experience-revisited.html 

Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

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Pretty Princess - Part 1

Everybody loves the princess line design line and so they should. This bodice design line (if fitted properly to the position and fullness of your bust) is extremely flattering. The design lines are visually slenderizing because they are vertical.

I've previously discussed princess line designing and there are instructions on page 32 of the Dress Kit Instruction book but still I receive questions on how to incorporate more waistline shaping, how to do the princess line in the back of the bodice and how to draw the princess line that is offset more toward the underarm and that has a little portion of bust fitting dart remaining.

To help you better understand princess lines and how to design them, I've added 4 more instructional videos (completely free).  (P.S. If you haven't been to the SFDLearningCenter in awhile, there are a number of new videos on a variety of topics.)

In this blog, I'll review the two options for princess line placement - either in the shoulder line or going into the armscye. The easiest one to design and sew is the princess line into the shoulder line. The armscye princess seam is only slightly more challenging to sew, but not to design, and that's because you'll have two opposing curves to sew together. And...the larger your bust, and the lower the armscye curvature, the greater the seamline curves will be and hence a little more challenging to sew together.

This blouse features the princess line that is designed up to the shoulder line.

This video shows the basic process of designing a princess line into the shoulder seam.

                                          

This video shows the basic process of designing a princess line into the armscye.

Next week I'll show you more in-depth detail on how to shape this princess line through your midriff to your waist level.

Kindly,

Glenda...the Good Stitch!

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Just a Reminder...

Many of you ask for help. And all of you know, or should know by now, that I am more than willing to offer input, suggestions and solutions for whatever your issue happens to be.

But...I do need to remind you that sometimes your verbal description of what is going on can be 'Greek' to me. You all know how it is so easy to mis-interpret what someone has written.

A picture really is worth a thousand words.

What am I talking about??? When you ask for help via email, please include a photo (or photos) of whatever your question is about. That way I have a better opportunity to evaluate your situation, figure out what you've done (some times I can...some times I can't) and offer suggestions.

There is a page on our websites dedicated entirely to our Customer Support. If you haven't yet run across this page, please click here - Customer Support.

If your question happens to be about the fit of your body blueprint, please make sure you have watched this video first.

Even though I'm demonstrating on a Pants pattern, the same concepts and general cautions also apply to all the Sure-Fit Designs master patterns. How you've drawn your pattern is extremely important.

In my fitting classes, I see all kinds of ways and attitudes about what someone thinks is accurate and how fastidious they are in taking care that the dots and connecting lines are accurate....and then I see others who also think the same thing, but the pattern reflects less attention to detail. This same lack of attention to detail is often reflected in their sewing technique, which of course can change the finished result. Please take your time. So many of you know that the pattern drawing process is truly easy to do and doesn't take much time, but you also know that attention to detail will affect the resulting fit.

And, if you are wondering about a particular style or design or process and wondering where the information is found within the Sure-Fit Designs system, please, please, please download this free Sure-Fit Designs INDEX (which was compiled by Sara Gray - a SFD customer).

Just go to FREE STUFF and scroll down the page. You'll see it. Sara did a remarkable job of indexing where all the information is found within the SFD fitting system materials. It's easy to read and easy to find what you're looking for. Please look here first. Then if you can't find what you're seeking, email me for help.

And last, but certainly not least, if you are wanting help with fitting suggestions or how to design something, you might likely just find the answer in the SFD Video Library - http://www.sfdlearningcenter.com/Video_Library.html or in the Article Library http://www.sfdlearningcenter.com/Article_Library.html

Each month I try to add at least one more video or one more article. I don't always have time to announce these in the newsletter (or anywhere else for that matter). But it really is worth your time to check back to these resources regularly to see if anything is new.

Thanks so much for continuing to be a loyal Sure-Fit Designs user and customer. I truly do enjoy hearing from you.




Kindly,

Glenda

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The Double Welt Pocket

The welt part of a welt pocket is the narrow strip of fabric that forms the decorative and functional upper and lower lip of the opening for the pocket. Welt pockets can have a single or a double welt lip. These directions will be for a double welt. As with many construction techniques, there are many different ways to do most jobs. This is just one way that seems to works well.

Though there will be a pocket bag inside, the finished double welt pocket looks very much like a large bound buttonhole.

1. Mark pocket position on right side of fabric with your choice of marking method - tailor's chalk, tracing carbon or machine basting would work.

2. Cut the welt strips 1" (2.5 cm) wide for a finished 1/4" (6 mm) wide welt and at least 2" (5.1 cm) longer than the desired pocket opening.

3. Fold welt in half, raw/cut edges together. Place the welt on the right side of the garment. Place the fold of the welt toward the outside and the cut edge is on marked pocket position.

4. Stitch down the middle of each welt. Backstitch at both ends. Lines of stitching must be perfectly straight and parallel. If they're not, this won't turn out properly - start again!

5. Cut the pocket opening. Cut down the middle stopping ½” – ¾” (1.3-1.9 cm) before end of pocket. Clip diagonally to backstitched points. Keep diagonal triangle longer, it’s easier to work with. 

6. Turn welts toward inside, carefully press. The welts should just fill the opening with the folded edge of the welts just touching one another.

7. Inside pocket bag - cut the pocket bag the width of the welt plus double the depth you want the pocket to be.

8. On the inside, begin by stitching the (upper) edge of the pocket bag to the cut/raw edge of the top welt. With right sides together, begin on the welt extension, then as you stitch, you'll also sew through the fashion fabric on exactly the previous stitching. Be careful not to catch the triangle in this stitching.

9. a) Fold so that the lower welt is positioned to expose the cut edge of the welt and the bag is "down".

9. b) Then fold the remaining edge pocket bag up to meet the cut edge of the welt thereby covering up the pocket opening hole. Flip over so that you can see where to stitch, then sew beginning on the welt extension through the fashion fabric toward the other end.

10. Fold the fashion fabric back to expose the welt extension and the triangular wedge tab. Stitch across the triangle flush to the body of the garment, stitching through the welt extensions and pocket bag.

11. Trim pocket bag width as desired. Then sew sides of pocket bag together including welt extensions.  

If you've never sewn a double welt pocket, I highly recommend creating a sample from fabric that is lightweight, yet has a relatively crisp 'hand' so that when you press the fold in the welts and when you turn the welts to the inside they will press nice and flat.

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Introducing Sally Silhouette

Going shopping?  Let Sally Silhouette tag along.

Sally is a well-proportioned silhouette illustration.  She's extremely useful when copying fashion designs and garment styles from ready-to-wear, pattern catalogues or magazines.

Just fold her up and tuck a few copies of her in your handbag.  You just never know when you'll see that next exciting design you'd like to copy, design and sew for yourself.

And this is the best part...you don't have to have artistic abilities with Sally as your sketch buddy.  Just sketch the style lines you're seeing in the garment directly on her body frame.  Make any special notes in the space provided.  

If you also happen to have a small, retractable tape measure in your handbag, make sure you measure design details, like strategic seam placements, hem lengths, color combinations or anything else that is unique to that garment.  Remember to check out the back of the garment and jot those details down too.

From this handy sketch, it's easy to replicate the design with your Sure-Fit Designs body blueprint.

Years ago, we used to carry a Sketch-A-Style notepad in the Sure-Fit Designs product line, but now with digital everything, we'd like to offer this to you as a complimentary gift...simply because we very much appreciate each and every one of you as our customer.

Just click through to the Sure-Fit Designs Learning Center Free Stuff.  It's the first item shown.  There are 2 links - one for FULL size Sally, which is great to use at home, and one for PURSE size Sally, which is perfect to tuck in your handbag.

Please take a few minutes to watch this short video introducing you to Sally Silhouette!

http://youtu.be/aRy1nbcnNr0

Enjoy!
Glenda
(PS - You're welcome to make as many copies of Sally for your own personal use.  But if you want to share 'Sally' on your own sewing sites or blogs, please acknowledge the source by giving a link to Sure-Fit Designs Learning Center Free Stuff)

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SFD Super Index by Sara

Way back when in the fall of 2013 - (doesn't that just seem like ages ago?) - in one of the SFD newsletters, I let all of you know that Sara Gray (www.sewtogether.net) indexed the entire SFD fitting system and resources.  Bless her heart...she felt she couldn't go ahead with her first muslin test until she knew where everything was located in all the SFD books, kits and leaflets.

Years ago we used to have an SFD Easy Find Index, but when we updated and digitized everything in 2010, that index was no longer relevant.  Sara set about indexing the entire SFD fitting system for herself.  She used a spreadsheet (Excel), categorized, labeled and numbered every little piece of information and design aspect of SFD where it was located and what kind of information you'd see if you went to that particular page/book.  And when she was done, she offered it to me to share with all of you!  Of course I proofed it to make sure everything was in it's proper home, but the bulk of the work is all thanks to Sara.

Here's what it looks like:

The reason I'm bringing the Super Index to your attention once more, is that recently a customer told me she didn't understand the index, what it was about, how to use it etc.  So for those of you reading this blog, who perhaps don't yet have this valuable resource, this is just like trying to find a recipe.  You want Potato Salad - you go to the index and look up 'Salads' then follow alphabetically until you get to the 'P's'.  Your cook book either has a recipe for Potato Salad or not.

It's basically the same with the SFD Super Index (Sara's great name).  As an example: if you want to design and sew Yoga pants, you go to the general category 'Pants' then go alphabetically to 'Yoga'.  the Index tells you what resource to look in - in this case you'd go to the designing book - Pants that Mix n Multiply page 14.  If you want information on adding pleats to a skirt, go to 'Skirts', then to 'Pleated' and you'll see all the options available.

Another reason I'm bringing this up is because when we introduced the new Collar Collection and 5th Edition Dress Kit Instruction book (Jan 1, 2014) Sara was willing to modify the Super Index to reflect the new designs and page changes.

So here it is again and well worth your time to download this Index.  This really is a fabulous resource that is completely indexed and categorized for your easy reference.  There's a Color Key, Source Key and Info Key, which Sara explains on page 1.

So if you haven't already downloaded your complimentary copy, just go to Free Stuff in the Learning Center and click on through to get your Super Index.  It will take the guesswork out of trying to find something you may just be looking for.

P.S.  And while your at it, if you feel so inclined, take a moment to send Sara an email thanking her for diligence in producing this index and in sharing it with you. sara@sewtogether.net

Kindly,
Glenda

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Help me out - Your suggestions welcome! and...Happy New Year!

As we officially close 2013 and open up 2014, first, I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year. 2013 has gone way too fast, but it's been a great year. 

Second, I'd like to request your suggestions.  You all know that we post lots of complimentary, tutorial-type of videos to help you with your fitting, designing and sewing success.  To date, Sure-Fit Designs now has over 120 instructional 'helps' up on You Tube.  We intend to keep that number growing throughout 2014.

During the past 3 months, we've knocked off a number of them that were on my 'Video To-Do List', so now I need your help and suggestions.  Usually, the tutorials stem from suggestions and requests you ask for, issues I see happening with our customers as they are drawing off their patterns and some of the topics come from what I see occurring in my fitting retreats.  When I see something happen more than 2 or 3 times, I figure there might be a few others out there that are experiencing the same issue.

What would you like to see explained or addressed in new videos?  Please take a few minutes to leave a comment on this blog page.  When you're commenting, please be specific.  Remember, I attempt to focus on only one single topic at a time and something that can be dealt with in no more than about 10 minutes of video time.  And...if you can't get the Comment Box on this blog page to work properly, simply drop me an email at info@surefitdesigns.com.

As you are contemplating your input, think of topics relating to drawing out your body blueprints, fitting and minor tune-ups and adjustments, designing questions and/or sewing issues you might want information on.







And before I close this very short, end-of-the-year blog, I must give credit to my ever-resourceful and creative husband (Wes), who, as many of you know is our videographer.

We've graduated from our humble beginnings of a friend's borrowed camera, to top-of-the-line movie production video cam and cameras, equipment, and complex editing software.  Everything now is shot in HD (and uploaded to YouTube in HD too), so that you receive the best clarity possible.

It's been a creative learning experience for both of us...we've loved the challenge...and there's more to come.

I really do want your input, so take a few minutes to offer your video topic suggestions.  And don't be afraid to offer more than one suggestion - I will appreciate and evaluate all of them.

Thank you all for a great 2013!  We wish you all the best in the coming year and may you have many hours of rewarding sewing.
Happy New Year,
Glenda

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Princess-Seamed Pants

I still hear lots of ladies groan every time I suggest using a seam up the center of the pants leg.  For some reason or other, they must think there is some stigma attached to using a seam up the center of the leg of the pants pattern.

But when you have quite a flat backside, or when you have a large high hip or abdomenal circumference (meaning a large waist and stomach area) going to a flat backside or pencil thin legs, this center leg seam is truly a life-saver.  With this seam, you can deepen the stitching curve under your backside and you can use it to help taper the legs.  Those of you who have seen this process and the results being pants that fit so well, are true converts.

But have you thought of using this same seaming concept up the front of your pants leg?  In this photo, you'll see pants front - with one 'regular' leg and one 'seamed' leg.

Please keep in mind these are 'test' pants - hence all the other wrinkles - but you can likely see the remarkable difference between the leg with or without the center seam.  It simply fits so much better.

Here's the completed side and back views.

 Do you remember my NY trip blog?  Well, while 'shopping' those famous 5th. Ave stores, another design I saw LOTS of  was pants with seams - down the back and front of the pants leg.  Designer's simply know you can get a superior fit when you incorporate these leg seams for shaping.  Here's a photo of the front of a pair of pants (sorry I wasn't holding them totally upright), but you can still see the front leg seam.  By the way, these exposed zippers are very popular too.  (FYI - These pants were priced at $249.00).  How simple are these for us talented seamstresses!

Now, to make this happen, I suggest watching this video.  This concept of adding seams to the interior of both the front and back legs of your pants pattern is significant enough to have made a video on the process.  Please take a few minutes to watch.

(Well, this is crazy, but I'm having great difficulty accessing this video from YouTube and putting it in this blog.  So until I get that figured out, please just click on this link and it will take you directly to the video on the YouTube site.  It's called

Princess LinePant Leg Seams: How-To by Sure-Fit Designs™-
Click here -

 http://youtu.be/mywTxfQKl5k

Just give this a try to see how simple and effective the pants princess seam can be to help refine your pants fit.
Kindly,
Glenda

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