As I'm now sewing a lot more regularly than last year, once a week for the Sew Weekly challenge, I'm feeling more calculated in how I approach a garment. I really wanna make it fit right, for me, so I went to an old sewing book (I take it out every now and again to read about darts, mostly!) that was recommended by Gertie, and mapped out my body shape and how to alter accordingly:
So I made little sketches here, so I can refer back. I have often said that I don't make a toile garment, or a practice garment when trying new patterns. I am stubborn, and hate wasting time, but when I make up a pattern, and it doesn't fit, I do get angry and then give it to a friend and feel grumpy that I didn't resize it to begin with. So I'm aiming this year to check the sizings of the pattern, and then alter it along the way.
For the Sew Weekly theme this week (Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery: choose something from the shops and then make up something similar) I've decided to measure all my bits and really shape the pattern to these measurements. Straight away, my Neck to Waist (you can see here it's 11 inches) is way shorter than the normal 15 or 16 that is usually in commercial pattern sizing (or my Vogue book says), so that's the first bit I need to alter.
It's strange, but I find it really comforting to work in inches.... but everything else in my Australian metric system is centimetres and such... never inches... so for patterns and sewing, it's just a thing I've fallen into and it's really easy to work with.
WEIRD. xoxo
*** Quick Edit: I've just spotted Tilly's post on the same subject, and she's really good with words and pictures, so if you're struggling with my explanation for the Perfect Woman (AKA how to fit the commercial patterns to you!) go and read her post asap!
that is WEIRD that you're comfortable with inches!LOL I'm PETRIFIED by inches/miles, you name it! :P
ReplyDeleteSince I started sewing I have become super comfortable with inches too. If someone told me something was 2 inches I would have a much better idea of how big it was then if they said it was 5cm.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh... SOOOOO professional!
ReplyDeleteI usually do what you did too, half make it up THEN start with the fitting and adjusting...
It's funny about the metric/imperial thing in sewing. I "think" in both of them!
Good luck. Once your clothes fit really well, your dresses will look even better! (They are already very pretty)
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