large size sewing

ALL patterns work out bigger sizes than bought clothing. You MUST buy patterns on measurements, NOT the size you would buy in the shops in RTW clothing. .

Store-bought clothing uses "vanity sizing", which means that they call a size 16 a 12, and people buy it because if it fits and it says Size 12 on the label, the wearer must be a size 12, see? No diet, you loose two whole dress sizes just by buying that label! Magic! Plus, many commercial patternmakers tend to use weird charts for grading up patterns that mean the seam at the top of the arm ends up halfway to your elbow. And (a personal gripe) they tend to either not include bust darts, or to make them for a B cup, so that on a more generously-endowed woman the front of a blouse or dress is small, the back is large, and the front hem rides up several inches.

Go to

Gail Dennis sells patterns in big sizes. She has several mailing lists for sewers of large sizes, too.

You may want to consider patternmaking software such as Pattern Master Boutique, also available from

Several people here have it and like it very much.

HTH

-- Sally Holmes Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England

Then again I wear a 28 to 30 in RTW but when I sew I can use a size 22 to 24 pattern and just increase the bust.

I guessed as much but still I wanted to think I was a smaller I guess. I wear a 22 from the store and most fit great except I have small thighs. Some pants are too big in the legs. I can alter patterns still it frustrated me that the first dress I cut was too small in a 22 and the I altered the pattern and recut it. It was cheap fabric so I had a lot. I bought quite a few patterns before I used any of them. Relearning what I learned a long time ago.