How to Fit Commercial Patterns - DVD - Just Released

I'm asked so frequently if the Sure-Fit Designs patterns can be used to help fit your commercial patterns.  The answer, of course, is a resounding YES!

As a result of your requests and because there is very little information 'out there' on this topic, we have produced and just released the newest and latest instructional DVD on the topic Fitting Commercial Patterns.

Take advantage of the Introductory Discount.  Through August 25 you can save 20% on your copy of this DVD.  Just click here...order yours...and while in the Shopping Cart, use Discount Code FCP20 to receive your discount.

Listen as as I share my thought processes with you in how best to evaluate the fit of 6 different commercial patterns.  You'll see 3 Dress Kit Bodice examples, 2 Pants pattern examples, and 1 Shirt pattern example.  I'll discuss ease relationships, dart placement, changing the dart to gathers, evaluating princess line patterns, asymmetrical styles, shoulder slope and yoke development, crotch lengths and shapes along with much, much more.

In this 1 hr 45 min DVD, you'll find 8 chapters chocked full of examples and information.  Here are a few photo highlights from the DVD.

 Here's a very short video describing the highlights of this new DVD - Fitting Commercial Patterns.  Please take a couple of minutes to learn more.

This is a new DVD product you won't want to miss.  So take advantage of the Introductory Discount.  Through August 25 you can save 20% on your copy of this DVD.  Just click here...order yours...and while in the Shopping Cart, use Discount Code FCP20.

Kindly,
Glenda...the Good Stitch!

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April Fit & Sew Retreat: Photo Story

The Sure-Fit Designs April Fit & Sew Retreat has come and gone.  We had ladies from Canada, southern California, Washington, Utah and Iowa.  And what a lovely mix of ladies they were. 

During the first 3 days they worked on Pants fitting, drawing of the pants pattern, and sewing the test pants. If there was time, they moved on to drawing and sewing the Yoga pants project.  It's a good way to learn about working with knit fabrics in relation to the SFD master pattern and how to size down depending on the stretchiness of the knit.

All of the Sure-Fit Designs Fitting Retreats are held in 'Our Sewing Room' in Springfield OR (sister city to Eugene OR).  Our Sewing Room is a wonderful studio to teach and work in.  Lots of daylight, high ceilings, great lighting, cutting tables - enough for everyone to have their own - and has available sewing machines if you can't (or don't want to) bring your own.  Our Sewing Room was one of the sewing studios featured in Vogue Sewing magazine a couple of years ago.  There's only about 10 of these specialized sewing studios across the USA.  I'm so fortunate that I have this fabulous facility to teach in.

Sewing machines are supplied, but you can certainly bring your own.  And if you forget a supply item such as shears, rotary cutters, tape measures, rippers, tracing carbon and tracing wheels etc. are available for your use.

We had one lady with obvious asymmetry.  It was an easy refinement by using elastic at the waist to help identify and mark the low hip.

I know lots of you resist the thought of using a center leg seam to help contour the fabric to your body curves, but once done this and you see the difference in the fit, you'll become a convert.

As you look at these photos, please be realistic about some of the wrinkles you are seeing.  Poor lighting, wrinkly fabric, stitching techniques and lack of pressing are often the culprits.

Then we moved on to bodice fitting, drawing and sewing.  As you would suspect, there were a variety of body issues to address from very full busts, broad back, sway back, rounded back and large upper arm...

...to sloping shoulders and necklines that needed a little more breathing room.

And last, but certainly not least, a few of the almost completed yoga pants.


Everyone accomplished a lot based on their ability and on their particular fitting issues.  And though some projects weren't completed, for the time that was allowed, everyone did an excellent job.  Well done ladies!


If any of you are interested in attending a Fit & Sew Retreat this year, there is still 1 space available in the May 18 - 21 Pants Fitting Intensive (a 4-day workshop) and there are 2 spaces available in the October 19 - 24 Pants & Bodice Retreat (a 6-day workshop).  For more details on fees and other important information, please click - SFD Classes & Events or call me directly at 541-344-0422 (OR - PST)

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Why can't bridesmaids come in one size?

Why can't bridesmaids come in one size?  When there's no dressmaker available and a wedding in 4 months, Helen W. from Australia needed to sew the bridesmaid dresses herself.  And of course, each of the 4 attendants were of different height and shape.

Helen combined the best of both worlds.  She used the commercial pattern for the pleated skirt styling, but the SFD Dress Kit bodice came to the rescue for the fit on the bodice.  She drafted the bodices from the Master Pattern and then used the SFD Sleeve pattern with an adaptation for the specific sleeve design from the commercial pattern.

Helen was a proud mother.  Her beautiful daughter looked lovely and she received many compliments on the bridesmaid dresses on the way they fit so well.  Let's take a closer look.

Ladies....you all look lovely!
Helen, thanks so much for sharing your well-deserved compliments with all of the SFD readers.
Kindly,
Glenda

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Fitting Commercial Patterns - Last But not Least!

This video is the last in this short mini-series on fitting commercial patterns using your Sure-Fit Designs bodice blueprint from the SFD Dress Kit.

My intention was that this video information has helped you to feel more comfortable working with your body blueprint in coordination with your commercial patterns.  Some patterns are going to be far more complicated than others.  I encourage you to initially start off with something simple.

FCP - Example #3:

Another way in which to incorporate some of the design features from a commercial pattern, is simply to use a specific pattern piece.  Perhaps you see a collar that you dearly love and have to have.  If you're unsure  of how to draw it yourself, simply use the element from the commercial pattern and apply it on to your SFD blueprint/sloper.  And depending on the shape and placement of the collar, you may need to re-draw the SFD neckline.  Once again, just copy it off of the commercial pattern...then apply their collar.  Of course, during construction, you'd follow along with their sewing construction steps.  You end up blending the best of both worlds.

Have fun!
Glenda

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Fitting Commercial Patterns - Example 2

Here's another visual example of working with a commercial pattern that may be of interest to you.

FCP - Example #2

Also, if you already own Sew Sensational Shirts, you'll know this is a design that is easily drafted from 'scratch' using your SFD Shirt Kit.

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Fitting Commercial Patterns - Example 1

The FCP (Fitting Commercial Patterns) video mini-series.

Example #1:

I encourage you to share these videos on your own sewing blog or Facebook page.  Your sewing friends may be interested.

Kindly,
Glenda

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Fitting Commercial Patterns - General Guideline Video

Last week I offered information on helping you to work with and fit your commercial patterns.  So, going on with this major topic, the next 4 videos are a 'mini-series' that will help to shed some light on this process.  This video gives you a visual explanation of the general steps to consider.

PS - Don't you just wish you could choose the video capture that is displayed for the video.  You Tube gives us three images to choose from and sometimes none of them are that great.  But oh well, the service is free (so far), so we can't complain too much.

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Fitting Commercial Patterns

Many of you often ask if your Sure-Fit Designs body blueprint can be used to help you fit commercial patterns.  The answer is a resounding 'YES'!  When you have your personal pattern blueprinted to your unique body shape, then you definitely can use it as a guide when working with your stash of commercial patterns.

Keep in mind, that generally speaking, no two commercial patterns are identical, so the steps and guidelines to do this process will vary from design to design.  But there are some general guidelines that will make this process easier.

Here you go...

1. Size: Choose a size that is the closest to your size – e.g. bust to bust circumference, hip to hip circumference.

2. Seam allowances: Since most commercial patterns already have a seam allowance of (5/8”) (1.6cm) wide, make sure your Sure-Fit Designs body blueprint also has the seam allowance in place.  Or if working with a sloper without seam allowances, make sure you mark and remove allowances from commercial pattern.

3. Darts:  Does the commercial pattern have darts – in any location?  If it has darts, you will use your SFD Dress Kit bodice; if it has no darts, you will likely use your SFD Shirt Kit for comparison.

4. Dart location: Where are the darts?  Have they been moved into a design feature like a princess line, gathers or tucks?

5. Neckline:  Is it with or without a collar?  What type of collar? What is the shape of the neckline – ‘V’, u-shaped, heart etc?

6. CF detail: What’s happening at CF?  Does it button up the front thereby requiring button extensions and a facing, is it a pullover with CF on the fold, does it have a zipper? How does it finish?  Whatever the commercial pattern detail, can it be copied directly onto your SFD bodice?

7. Armhole shape:  SFD v.s. the commercial pattern armscye will no doubt be different shapes.  The SFD armhole is likely higher and a closer fit to your body.  Listen to the General Guidelines video explaining the reason for this.  The commercial pattern armhole, depending on its intended design and ease, will likely be lower, deeper.  This can give more ease, but not necessarily the better fit.

8. Sleeve:  If you use the commercial pattern armhole, you should/must use the corresponding sleeve.  If you prefer your SFD armhole, you should/must use your SFD sleeve.

9. Garment Ease: Analyze the look and feel of the commercial pattern.  Is it intended to be loose with lots of ease, or more fitted and shaped to the body?  Read the pattern back details for intended ease and fit.

10. Design Details:  Read the pattern back information.  Is the pattern supposed to have shoulder pads etc?

11. Differences: No two patterns will be alike.  Working with and fitting your commercial patterns will always be a process of individual evaluation based on that specific pattern.

12. General Steps: Lay the commercial pattern over top of your SFD body blueprint, then line up the CF with the SFD CF (or CB with the SFD CB) and shoulder line to shoulder line.  Where are the differences?  What’s wider or narrower, longer or shorter?  Can you copy a special commercial pattern design detail directly onto your SFD body blueprint?  Then lay a piece of tracing vellum over top and create a 3rd layer, incorporating your good fit from SFD and the special design feature from the commercial pattern.

Next week, I'll start showing you 4 videos on this topic.  Until then...

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Wearing Ease in the SFD patterns

What I have discovered is that the personal blueprint patterns drawn from Sure-Fit Designs don't have to be loose to fit. If your measurements are correct, your personal body blueprint pattern will fit with wearing ease automatically built in to the Sure-Fit Designs master patterns.

Generally, the mistakes I have made as a novice sewer is adding too much ease to my personal pattern, which of course was based on my experiences with store bought clothing and commercial paper patterns. It's difficult to get over the mind-set of making sure a pattern will fit "wide hips," "bulging tummy," or "big thighs."

You might want to see and hear what Glenda has to say about ease allowances and the Dress Kit patterns.

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Help - What to do with a Diagonal Waist?

I have been reading from the Dress Kit Instruction Book about taking measurements...I read on page 4... "tie a string around your natural waist".

My body has a very defined waist line but it is sharply diagonal when viewed from the side.  From the small of my back to the center of my front (passing exactly over my belly button) my waistline is several inches higher in the back than my waistline in the front.

I have tied a string around my waist and when I  pull the string up so it lines up evenly straight across and I measure from the center of my shoulder down to the tied string the measurement is 19 1/4 inches. And when I lower the string to fall into my sharply sloping waistline and I measure from the center of my shoulder down to the tied string, the measurement is 23 inches.

This doesn't affect my bodice pattern because the apex level is figured from the center of the shoulder to my bust point. But on my skirt and eventually my pants this waistline slope will have a big effect.  If I hang my skirt around my slanting waist line, my skirt hem rides 4 inches lower in the front.  And if I hike the skirt up in the front, which feels really weird, I have a 4 inch high-rise waist.  This is also the case with all my pants.

So my question is...in the Sure-Fit Designs system which is my waist line?  Straight around from the small of my back, or sharply slanting diagonally forward?

I see the tune-up on page 16...#11 Large Abdomen, but is this me?  I don't have stress wrinkles and the front is not pulling up.

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Fitting the Big 4 – Commercial Patterns with SFD

So many of you have asked for detailed information about how to fit your stash of commercial patterns using your Sure-Fit Designs body blueprint.  Therefore the SFD May Newsletter focuses on this very topic.

To access this newsletter Click Here!

You’ll be able to see 4 different videos as well as read guidelines for fitting your commercial patterns.  There’s a treasure chest of information provided in this newsletter, so take the time to follow the links.

Enjoy your fitting and sewing with Sure-Fit Designs!
Glenda

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