fabric copyright

No. Disney get very iffy about unlicensed clothing. Be careful. Dunno about other manufacturers: probably OK unless you want to use licensed products that are film/TV?game related.

Depends on the licensing arrangement for the fabric, and how well you like lawsuits. e.g.:

Yes, I was going to mention this very thing. The language you want to look for on the selvage usually goes like this: "this product licensed for home use only." If it says anything like that, pick another fabric.

Sharon

I thank you for the info. What about printed fabric hat has no wording of any kind on the selvage? Is that safe to use? I'm trying to find info on the net but not having much luck.

Thanks

Ell

I have been reading messages on altering patterns and came across one that you wrote regarding princess seams. (it was dated 2 years ago.) I so enjoyed your explanation that I have spent some time finding another message written by you. I am making a sample dress for a young lady who measurements are 35 36

1. Where should I make alterations when there are front panel, side panels, and back piece? The dress is for her role as Jr. bridesmaid. Any help would be appreciated.

PS I like your quote about pigs.

Kate

It should be. Again, you should stay away from fabric that has any kind of licensed character (like sponge bob, raggedy anne, minnie or mickey mouse, etc.) but a floral print with nothing on the selvage should be ok. HOWEVER, if you really want to know for sure, call a copyright attorney in your state. We can give you fairly general answers. And you can find fairly general answers on some websites. I will tell you right now, if you are serious about doing this as a business, you need to find the specific correct answers for your city and state. The rules vary from location to location.

The only other place that might have an answer for you would be a fashion design school. Are there any colleges close to you that have a textiles program? I would think they would know the specifics of the fashion laws.

Sharon

Well thank you very much. What a nice note to read first thing in the morning. :)

Are you working from a pattern? If you are, you want to start by comparing her measurements to the pattern tissue paper. Be sure you measure the pattern paper because sometimes what they print on the envelope and what the tissue paper measures out to be are two totally different things! If you see a glaring difference between any of her measurements and the pattern where the difference is will need to be altered. Looks like the main place she will need things altered is through the waist. Pattern companies usually figure the waist to be 10" smaller than the hip. Hip isn't too far off from a standard size in most pattern companies. The 36" waist is 4"-6" more than what will normally be in there for most patterns. You may also have to add some through the bust; if you do, it won't be a whole lot.

You can add quite a bit since you have several panels to work with. Since you have side, front, side, back you can spread the extra inches you need around those. You'll add some to the front, some to each side panel, and some to the back. Once you know precisely how much you will need to add, then you can decide if it will be easier to add to the outside edges of each piece or slash and spread in the middle.

I would also suggest that you make a mock up or a muslin of the dress first before you cut into the fabric for the real dress. It's tricky to add just to the waist when you're talking about a dress. Since it's right in the middle, you'll have to smooth those additions out to the rest of the dress....like blending layers on a hair cut. ;) It will be tricky, but I think this is the best way to go. If you size from her waist and alter down, the pattern will probably be way too long for her. So then you have to almost remake the whole pattern. Too much work.

Holler if you need more help. If you are working from a specific pattern, post the number. Someone here may have made that particular pattern before and have good input for you.

HTH

Sharon

If I want to sell clothing I made (without the

I have actually been looking into this too recently and there seems to be a lot of contradictory information out there. I would say if you know who made the fabric, contact that company. I looked recently at Amy Butler's website because I had heard rumors that she forbids the use of her fabrics in items for sale however she recently changed this and althought her selvages say not to, her website says you can (this info is under the FAQ section, although this is not the case with items made from her patterns- those items it says are forbidden for sale). The way i understand it is if it is a licensed charachter, such as star wars, that you cannot use it because it would be a derivative product and their protection carries through to the final product. With florals, since they are not a charachter, from what i have seen, it is okay. Of course that being said, i think the best advice on here was to seek out an attorney who specializes in this because I wouldn't want to be wrong about it! :) Good luck!

-LLM

Take the paper pattern, pin it together, and pin it onto her leotard-clad body. Then you will see exactly where you need to alter it.

Thanks Sharon. The pattern is Butterick 4385. I just spoke to the mother-of-the-bride (aunt to the little girl) Turns out her measurement is now 37-36-37. I measured the pattern pieces at the bustline then subtracted 5/8 inch times 8 seams and got 42"! The pattern is marked as 36" for size 16

1/2 BUT the pattern piece for the front shows the bust size as 38 1/2. The other three dresses that have been made have shown that the size on the pattern piece is much more accurate. I don't mind if the sample dress is too large. I am sure she will be thrilled to have to have the dress taken in to fit her. The waist size on the pattern piece is 35 1/2. Since the increase is only a 1/2 inch should I enlarge all the seams just a 1/4 ?

Dear Kjb,

There is ease added to the pattern. Usually, for a close fit the difference will be 1-1/2 to 2 inches. She couldn't move if the pattern measured the same as she. You might need to create a muslin first--designers always do this before cutting into expensive fabric. Then, you can mark grainlines, slash or take in where necessary, then if the alterations are extensive, you can use the muslin as your pattern. No need to make facings or do details; just machine baste the major pattern pieces together.

Teri

The pattern pieces will always add up to a larger measurement than the body measurements, because there is built-in "wearing ease". This chart will give you more information:

instance, on a fitted garment, like the one you are making, for a 36" bust measurement the pattern will be about 39" (excluding seam allowances) 36"+ 3"=39". However, if you have measured accurately, 42" seems to me to be rather too much ease for that garment.

If you add 1/4" to all the seams, you get .25"X7=1.75"which would be too much. For that pattern, I would add an additional 1/4" to the front and back pieces at the *side seams*, and center back *only*, so you'd get .25"X6=1.5" added to the 35.5= 37". That would provide 1" of ease at the waist, and would be easier than trying to add tiny amounts to all seven seams.

If you cannot make a toile (and I'm not sure if the client is in your geographical area), another thing you might do is cut *all* seam allowances deeper (in the .875" to 1" range), in order to give yourself (or an alterationist) some wiggle room.

HTH,

Beverly

Thanks so much everyone for the help. For all the sites out there with info half tell you what you want to hear and the other half tell you what you don't. But I now have a starting off point.

Ell