Happy New Year!

I am not one to make New Year's resolutions but I do believe in setting an intention for the year and developing a plan to follow through. (semantics perhaps?)

This year my intention is FOCUS.

In spite of this ongoing pandemic and the uncertainty it brings, I intend to move into 2022 with a dedicated focus on your fitting success. With this in mind I've filled my calendar with online courses and fitting tutorials to help you achieve that goal so If you've been struggling with fitting sewing patterns and want to commit to learning how to fit this year, I'd like you to consider declaring 2022 your year of fitting success.

 If you're with me on this you already know the declaration isn't enough, you must back intention with action and I've got just the thing that will get you started. I'll share exactly what that is next week so keep your eye on your...

This week I’m showing you my favourite pattern making and fitting tools! I’ll share which ones I use and why I’ve chosen them for the work I do. These are the perfect items to add to your wishlist.

Paper:

• Bienfang Sketching & Tracing Paper Roll, White, 50 yards x 36 inches
• PM Company Perfection Amerigo/Check-24 Wide Format Inkjet Rolls, 36 Inches x 150 Feet

Rulers and Curves

• FAIRGATE Vary Form Curve 24in Long
• FAIRGATE L-Square Ruler 24in Long
• Westcott Beveled Plastic Ruler - 2" X 18"
• Fiberglass Tape Measure - 60" - Metric/Inches
• Lance FC-1 French Curve, 9"
• Straight Edge Metal Tailor Ruler - 36" X 1 3/4"
• Sew to Grow Measuring Tape

All the Rest

• Pattern Notcher
• Pattern Weights
• Serrated Tracing Wheel
• Awl
• Invisible Tape and Dispenser
• Removable Tape
• Wrist Pin Cushion
• Pilot Color Eno Pencils and Coloured Lead
• Crayola Washable Fine Point Markers
• Unbleached Cotton Muslin

GET YOUR COPY OF THE PRINTABLE FRENCH CURVE SET
Just CLICK HERE or on the image below.

I...

I often get asked about the contents of my bookshelf, so I thought today you might be interested to see which books I use the most and would recommend that you add to your library.

Watch the video to get a glimpse inside my 5 favourite pattern making and fitting books. I share what I love about each book as well as some of the areas where the content is (just a little) lacking.

Here are my 5 favourite pattern making and fitting books:

Metric Pattern Cutting for Women's Wear by Winifred Aldrich

 Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Armstrong

 Dress Fitting: Basic Principles and Practice by Natalie Bray

 The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting by Sarah Veblen

 Fitting and Pattern Alteration: A Multi-Method Approach to the Art of Style Selection, Fitting, and Alteration by Elizabeth Liechty, Judith Rasband, Della Pottberg-Steineckert

Put one on your wishlist or send one to a sewing friend, I have no doubt you'll make good use of these books.

I hope you...

I was incredibly excited and grateful to be invited to be a guest on the Love to Sew podcast with Caroline and Helen. 

They were both extremely gracious hosts and guided our conversation with ease and expertise in spite of my nervousness. Somehow we managed to cover topics that ranged from where I grew up to how I transitioned from the fashion industry to the home sewing world and still remarkably had time to offer fitting guidance to six lucky listeners who submitted their fitting photos for the show.

If you submitted a photo, you might be one of the lucky six, but even if you weren't chosen I have no doubt you'll learn a lot from this episode. We discussed fitting issues for 3 tops and 3 pants so you'll get a good overview of some of the more difficult to diagnose issues and some very unconventional ways of solving them.

LISTEN NOW

The purpose of this post is not only to draw your attention to the episode but also to provide you with some additional resources...

Did you ever have to write a "What I Did this Summer" essay for school?

I always found summing up two months of summer activities challenging and I often felt I had to make those activities a little more exciting than they may have been, but I did enjoy hearing about my classmate's adventures.

Since I'm popping in after a summer absence, I thought you might like to get a glimpse of what I've been up to in the hope that you'll find my discoveries helpful and activities interesting.

A LITTLE SEWING...

I did manage to get in a little sewing last month and made a cozy Merino Wool Cowl Neck sweater. I purchased this cosy fabric from Riverside Textiles. Try as I might to wear less black, this was the only color available in this fabric at the time of my purchase, but I can't say I was disappointed.  I know this one will be in constant rotation as the Canadian West Coast weather cools.

I created the pattern from my Custom Stretch Knit Bodice block by referencing...

Oh those sleeves!

If you've been struggling with fitting sleeves you are in exactly the right place. Today is the day you'll get the guidance and insight you need to make those sleeves fit. In this video you're going to discover what a good fitting armhole looks like and how each part of the sleeve relates to the armhole it is set to.

Before we can even consider the sleeve we must first consider the armhole the sleeve will be set to. For the purpose of this video, I'll be talking specifically about a standard set in sleeve for woven garments and using the Kayla sewing pattern from my Fitting Essentials online course as an example.

A good armhole for a standard set-in sleeve is dependent on getting a lot of things right on the bodice. The shoulder slope, the armhole depth, the across back, the across front and the armhole width all must be correct before you can begin to assess sleeve fit.

Watch the video now to take a look at what a good armhole might look like on your pattern and...

What's your cup size? 

I'm sure this isn't a question you get often but the answer is really important if you want to achieve a good fit on the garments you create. Keep watching to discover three ways to determine your cup size and why one method might work better for you than the others.

Cup Size Theory

Before we dive into the three ways to determine your cup size, let's talk about the theory behind cup sizing. The theory goes like this: Each cup size represents a change in breast size or bust projection of 1.25 cm or ½".

In our little sewing world this means that the front bodice width and length must increase or decrease to accommodate the various cup sizes. If your cup size doesn't match that of the sewing pattern you will need to make a bust adjustment. In order to make that adjustment,  you'll need to know your personal cup size. I'd like to share three methods to determine your cup size and provide some insight as to why one method may work better than...

Every year in May I offer a Skirt Block Mini Class. When you sign up during the month of May (ending soon!) you get access to the drafting instructions and 5 email lessons that guide you through how to use them.

This mini class is only available during the month of May so if you missed out on the opportunity to sign up, I highly recommend you add your name to my mailing list so you won’t miss out again. You'll get a copy of The Perfect Fit Guide and weekly emails that will build your pattern making and fitting skills.

If you followed through with all of the lessons in the mini class you’ll already have a flared skirt pattern that you can use to follow along in this week’s project. If you haven’t created a flared skirt pattern yet, you’ll need to create one or have a commercial pattern you can use as your foundation because this week I’m showing you how to create culottes using a flared skirt pattern.

Watch the video now to...

I'm pleased to bring you the replay of the Live Q&A from February 11, 2021!

In this session I wanted to clarify the concept of garment balance and show you how you can use the balance lines to assess the fit a a garment. I hope you'll join me in thanking Tracy for allowing me to use her fitting photos.

Settle in with a cup of tea or a glass of wine and watch, there are definitely advanced fitting concepts covered in this session.

Here are the links to the extra resources mentioned throughout the session:

Three Advanced Strategies to Achieve the Fit You Want: Register Here

Australian Sewing Guild Event

In-House Patterns Studio Facebook Group

The Lila sewing pattern

How to Prepare Your Pattern for Fitting Part 1 and Part 2

Fitting Sleeves Tutorials

How to Walk a Sleeve

The Armhole Sleeve Connection

How to Eliminate a Bust Dart

Enjoy!

All My Best,
Alexandra

Last week I showed you how to prepare a commercial sewing pattern for fitting using a fairly straight forward shift style dress. Since the dress I used as an example was very similar to a basic block pattern, it was a pretty straight forward exercise, once you understand how to manage the details. If you missed part 1 of this series be sure to watch it. 

This week we’re going to talk about how to prepare the pattern for a flared jacket with a raglan sleeve which you’ll soon see is not nearly as straight forward. Watch the video now to see how to prepare the sewing pattern and find the balance lines on a not-so-basic style.

I hope this example has helped you understand how you can prepare a stylized commercial pattern for fitting and give you the ability to start using the vertical and horizontal balance lines to assess fit. If you’ve tried or used this method to assess fit, share you comments on this page. 

If you want to learn more about balance...