Different Pattern Companies

I, for one, am full of admiration for your persistence, Karen. If it doesn't fit after the first couple of tries, I just give up. I'm hoping to get some determination from somewhere though, and actually get something to fit me properly one of these days.

Jane

Sandra Betzina gives the lowdown on the differences in fit of pattern companies. She also produced 'Today's Fit' patterns in conjunction with Vogue patterns. In 'Power Sewing', she charts the measurements as well as the amount of allowed ease for these patterns. There are other charts for garment ease, and walking ease. Bless her, she varies the cup size, and re-shaped the crotch to eliminate the baggy seat. I'm looking forward to trying one of her patterns. 'Today's Fit' is a re-tooling of the industry sizing block, using more realistic sizing. Use your actual full bust/full hip measurements when choosing one of her patterns, as opposed to using the high bust, as you have to do when buying any of the 'Big Four" patterns. Simplicity, McCall's. Vogue and Butterick all run large in the upper chest. (personally, I think Simplicity have all turned to sacks.) Her book, 'Power Sewing Step by Step', is well worth buying. Generally speaking, she notes that Style, New Look, Stretch and Sew, and Kwik Sew are true to size; New Look is complimentary on women who are larger or who have football player type shoulders, as the style details are in proportion. Burda patterns =wide shoulders, short crotch. Ms. Betzina also gives a rundown on independent pattern companies, whose sizing is all over the boards. Measuring the pattern and adjusting where necessary is advised. BTW, I was thrilled to get my copy of 'Power Sewing' with a 50% off coupon at Joanns. I've begun studying it in the evenings. I'm such a wild woman, heh. HTH. NAYY. Cea

There is a single simple lesson to be learned from this discussion: Measure before cutting! :)

Before you cut any garment out, get an accurate set of measurements taken. There is a chart on my web site and a set of instructions that will help anyone who doesn't know exactly what to do here. Look in Kate's Sewing Room (URL below).

Look at the fit of the garment, and determine the amount of ease it requires. Size has a place in the amount of ease allowed: bigger people need more ease in their clothes for movement and sitting. There's a chart I got from Vogue that will help you here, but be warned: it will only be an approximate guide for patterns from other companies.

McCalls used to fit like sacks: so much allowance for people buying flattering sizes that the patterns were all but useless to me. One dress fitted perfectly as a maternity frock! Those days are long gone, and like Cea, I now feel Simplicity are so big you could wander round for days looking for the arm holes! I made a couple of Simplicity patterns for the first time in 20 years last summer, and even after hacking a whopping 8" out of each garment, they still fitted like the average circus tent. I did write to Simplicity and complain, so they sent me a voucher to try again. I have yet to dare, but I did get costume patterns I would otherwise not have bothered with.

Thanks for this review, Cea.

I'd seen the book but now I will see if I can afford it - it's always good to get a personal recommendation.

I also get the 'sack' problem with Simplicity, btw.

:) Trish

Not me! I no longer have the wasp waist I did, and since I had abdominal surgery I don't like anything tight around my middle. Also, I have more "tum" than "bum". In fact, before I put on this extra weight I occasionally wore men's pants and jeans - they fit me better. Unless I make them myself, it is strictly elastic waist pants for me.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

Hi Trish,

I too have a small waist and a big bum - relativly speaking compared to normal UK RTW clothes which seemed to be designed for people with no waists - or do they think us ladies are actually men? Despite various weight fluctuations over the years, I've always had an approx. 10" differential between waist and hip measurements.....Personally, not having a time of month tummy size change problem, and a trim waistline, I don't like to wear elasticated waist anything (I think it looks frumpy)

- I must like causing myself hassle!

I've had good luck with Pattern 8612 from Simplicity, which is a work suit jacket, trousers and skirt pattern from a few years ago. I've made the trousers (only) about 5 times now. I altered the pattern by adding about 1-2" length at the top, adding a *massive* butt dart on both sides at the back, and increasing the width of the double pleats at the front. The first time I made this, I made it with the leg width as per pattern, and ended up with very wide trousers! Not quite what I was after, so next time, I tappered the legs by folding the pattern and the subsequent 4 pairs have been made to that. One other trick I use is to put a 1" longer than standard zip into the trousers - just gives your hips that little bit extra room to manouver in and out!

I use almost the same alterations to make straight skirts (massive butt darts, longer zip, extra dart in the front of the skirt).

I've found fit and flare styles to be very flattering, and long 6 gore skirts that have gores that flare out quite wide at the bottom.

Regards,

Sarah

Trishty wrote: > trousers at all because the cuts are too skimpy and flat - I like > that 1940s full leg, classic, double front pleat look.

And that looks far more flattering on more ladies than most of the styles today.

Check out

That's where I bought Sandra Betzina's Power Sewing. I'm not sure if they ship across 'the pond', but I imagine Hamilton books might have it, too. Emily

I wear sz 18-20 and am 5'6", which I suppose makes me a 'plus'. I do think Elisabeth is for plus sizes. Emily

now, now...I have to take offense at this. Before pregnancy, I was considered a "plus size"...I prefer to think that I am part of the norm. After all, plus size was a label created by the fashion industry after the decided to use living, breathing sicks as models.

Prepregnancy, I had a fairly nice shape - 38, 27, 40...not quite hourglass, but nice. I also weighed 154 (at my lowest, most often was about 163). I wore sizs 12 or 14, but sometimes even those wouldn't fit right and had to go to the dreaded "plus size" department to get the right fit....so, as far as I'm concerned plus size is a term that needs to be shot stuffed, and mounted on the wall...it's a crock of newborn dooty!

Larisa

Emily wrote:

Thank you both JJ and Sarah.

I'll check out Silhouette JJ, and I've saved your recommendations, Sarah.

I'm an English size 14 (is that US 12?), and am only just over 5' 1", so although I'm well covered, I'm not quite a petite plus. I have about 10 inches between waist and hip, too. My waist is also short, and I have short arms and legs. An old friend used to call me Stumpy ;).

Like you, Sarah, I like a neat front band on skirts and trousers, but I prefer an elasticated back, because my weight fluctuates a lot. My favourite RTW trousers were probably August Silk, which have a front waistband, side button opening with pocket (no zip), and an elasticated back waist. I've copied those a few times. And for bumming round the house I mainly wear leggings - the looser, more Indian-looking ones. Odd you should mention six-gore skirts, too, as I made one just the other week, copying RTW again - I need things that are quite fitted at the waist, then flare out, or I look a complete frump. Dirndls are not for me.

:) Trish

Plus sizing is definitely fashionista. Over the same time (1980s) that UK women went up from a 12 to an average size 14, the average shop dummy went down from a 10 to an 8, so straight away you have the problem that you don't look as good as the dummy does! In the UK, a 14 is 'large' when really it should be 'medium'. When I worked in various clothes shops, all we ever sold were size 14s, incidentally.

Over those same years, the cut of clothing has got a lot skimpier. My sister wails on and on about being a size 18. But I now have to wear a size

22 to get a cardigan the way I want it, whereas my old size 10s from the 80s still fit me fine. And of course, if you shop in more expensive shops, you go down a size, which does wonders for your self-image ;)

Can you imagine how happy the average 18th century woman was, who never knew how much she weighed because there were no weighing scales; practically never saw herself in a mirror because hardly anyone owned one; had no photographs to tell her how badly she'd aged; never read a fashion magazine because they didn't exist; and just made her own clothes to fit her own body...no size 18s back then!

:) Trish

Re: Different Pattern Companies (Trishty)

Oh heck, it's so complicated, isn't it? I didn't know Style was part of Simplicity. I haven't tried Burda yet, but I'll let you know how I get on if I try pants. I have a hell of a time getting RTW pants that fit and even in England could only wear a few makes - mostly high end-ish - like Jaegar, August Silks and Linea, with a small waist and lots of room in the butt. For years I just made simple no-sideseam pants with a harem waist, usually elasticated, but I haven't even made those for about ten years. I was thinking of getting into doing trousers again after a good article on the Threads site about different kinds of elasticated waist, which looked very tempting.

They may be, but I don't think they use the same fit model. I've found that I can wear Style tops, and it's not worth my time to try to get Simplicity tops to fit.

ymmv

jenn

-- Jenn Ridley snipped-for-privacy@chartermi.net

So true! Some of the stuff they are trying to sell in the stores makes me cringe!

I went to a restaurant the other day and saw a lady in her mid-20s eating a couple of tables over from where we were sitting. That lady's jeans were cut so low that I saw her "rear end's cleavage"--much more of her rear end than I ever wanted to! YUCK!

Karen C./KY

The top part of the Simplicity dress I'm working on sure has given me fits, that's for sure!

Karen C./KY

Oh, but I did measure before cutting! Problem is I made the first dress before I joined this group, and I didn't know about measuring and working according to high bust measurements, rather than actual bust measurements. So I worked up a size 12, rathern than a 14, which is what I used the second time around.

I can believe it. I have noticed quite a difference in the Simplicity and McCall's patterns for the two dresses I've been working on. Definitely quite a difference. I am having less trouble with the McCall's, so that one may get finished first. But I like the McCall's pattern better, so I'm anxious to get it worked up too.

Thanks!

Karen C./KY

Believe me, if it weren't that I have to learn out of necessity, I'd have given up after a few tries too! Unfortunately, they don't make much in the way of conservative clothing in RTW these days. Most of it is either so low cut or uncomfortable, it's not an option. Then, to top it all off, DD won't wear sleeveless dresses or shirts, even in summertime. I don't know why, but she has refused to wear them, since she got out of kindergarten. Then, if you do find an occasional dress that's conservative enough and looks nice, it costs $80 or more. So it's a necessity that I learn to fit her.

I've been learning quite a bit over the past couple of months, just by hanging around here and reading books I've checked out of the library. These ladies have encouraged me to work up muslins, and this has helped me more than anything else. I am bound and determined to keep at it till I can work up some wearable dresses!

Karen C./KY

I'll be very happy when it only takes me three or four to get it close to where I want it!

Thanks! But I feel like I'm soooooooooooooooo far behind where I need to be in order to get a couple of wearable dresses for DD made!

Karen C./KY