One of the reasons I started The Sewing Hive is because I remember being so frustrated with finding beautiful material, mostly when I traveled, and a great-looking pattern, but never having the garment fit me after all the work I had put into sewing. With a busy corporate sales job, I did not have much time to devote to understanding what was wrong, but over the years, I attended many workshops and seminars to learn what I was doing incorrectly.
What I learned was that the patterns I was sewing were 2-4 sizes too small for me and that a purchased pattern is just a starting point. I needed the skills to grade and alter the pattern to fit me. I hear this frustration often, so we are on a mission to allow you to sew garments that fit!
Let’s talk about how to create a great fitting pattern:
Rule #1: DO NOT PURCHASE THE PATTERN BASED ON THE SIZE YOU PURCHASE IN A STORE BOUGHT GARMENT….. pattern sizing is not the same as Ready To Wear! Sorry, it seems as though I just yelled. (I can wear a size 6 or 8 in pants purchased from a store, but in a pattern, I’m a size 12….) This is a common frustration with beginning sewers.
The first step is to get a good set of measurements, and we can help with that and understanding how to read a pattern’s size chart. Three major measurements are listed on most patterns: bust, waist, and hips. You’ll need to have these measurements before you purchase a pattern. What type of garment you are making determines which of those measurements you should use to pick the pattern size; For a top or dress, use your bust measurement, and for a skirt or pants, use your hip measurement.
You will most likely be grading the pattern between sizes, as commercial patterns use standardized sizing. They get larger and smaller proportionally. As the bust measurement gets larger, the shoulder seams are farther out, and the waist and hips get larger.
Unless you find a pattern with multi-cup bust sizing, remember that most patterns are based on a 2” difference between your full bust measurement and your chest wall measurement, also called a High Bust measurement. If your bust measurement is more than 2 inches larger than your chest wall, you may need to learn how to make a Full Bust Adjustment. Once you learn how to do this, you can apply this new skill to any pattern you choose. Once you learn what adjustments to make, you can apply them to all your patterns, each time getting easier!
If you want to learn how to fit a pattern, please sign up for a Pattern Fitting class and bring your pattern. Your measurements will be taken, and you will learn how to apply your measurements to the pattern!
The second important lesson I learned was that the fabric needed to fit the pattern’s intended drape……but I’ll save that for next time. Time to get sewing!