For my more advanced sewing enthusiasts, this weeks video may be a little on the obvious side but I find that I get this question a lot so I thought I would cover it for those of you who are new to pattern making and fitting. 

Watch the video now and then come back here to continue reading because there's more to the story...

If you are a bit of a pattern making and fitting veteran the fact that the front pattern is wider than the back isn't new, so to keep you engaged, I've got a puzzle for you to solve instead.

Virtually all pattern drafting systems assume a B cup size which results in a front pattern that is wider than the back by 1/2" on each side. As you increase the bust cup size, the front pattern width increases accordingly so for a D cup you may find that your front pattern is wider by 1" on each side.

So here's something for you to consider. Bust circumference and bust cup size do not necessarily correlate, meaning two people with the same bust circumference may have two ...

Recently I got an email from Gigi. She shared a lovely compliment, made a very valid comment about a blog post I did some time ago and asked a very good question. She suggested that her struggle with bicep girth adjustments was shared by many so in this week's video I share my reply to her email.

Watch the video now to get the whole story.

If you enjoyed this video, let me know! I'd love to get your feedback. If you've got a question or want to share your experience with this particular fitting adjustment, just comment below.

If you'd like to learn more strategies for recognizing, assessing and solving fit issues, there are just 3 spots left in The Fitting Fundamentals Workshop being held on March 10th right here in beautiful Victoria BC. (The cherry blossoms should be out in full bloom just for you.) 

All My Best,
Alexandra

PS
If you happen to be a Threads Magazine insider, you might also find this article by Kathleen Cheetham useful: Fitting Plus Size Sleeves. This article can als...

This week I have a follow up video to Four Things that Will Get You to a Better Fit Faster. If you didn't catch that one you might want to watch it before diving into this one.

In this week's video I'll show you how to choose your pattern size and a quick way to determine the initial pattern adjustments you'll need to make using information gathered from the sewing pattern. I'll also share how sewing patterns are developed and why the quick fit method I presented in last week's video works so well for me. 

Featured in this video is The Pattern Measurement Worksheet which is a FREE download you get when you sign up for The Perfect Fit Guide. If you would like to get your hands on the worksheet immediately, just click the image below and I'll send it to you.

As I mentioned in the video, I'm currently working on a new online course. It's called Designed to Fit: The Bodice Block. You can take a peek at the course outline and get all the details by clicking the image below.

All My B...

If you feel short on sewing time and you've been struggling with fitting your sewing projects, you need a quick start guide. Watch this video to get exactly that. I'll go over four things you can do today to get you to a better fit faster. 

After you've watched the video, I'd love to hear if this method worked for you. You can comment below, share a post in the In-House Patterns Studio Facebook group, or send me an email.

If you want to spend a little bit more time perfecting your pattern before sewing up a sample, get The Perfect Fit Guide. It's a free guide I created that outlines the 6 steps to getting the right fit on any sewing project. When you receive the guide, you'll discover all the key measurements you'll need to assess fit, how these measurements relate to the pattern, and what order to work to keep the fitting process moving forward. You'll also get tips for accurately adjusting and refining patterns for trouble free sewing.  Just click the image below to get your person...

Have you ever wondered why you have those draglines under the bust on all your T-Shirts? No matter how hard you try, you can never seem to be rid of it!

In some cases this is caused by a need for a full bust adjustment, but if you've already completed your bust adjustment and still have this problem, I've got some insight or you.  In this video, I tell you exactly why it's there and what you'll need to do to eliminate it.

After you've watched the video, let me know if you've had this issue and what you did to solve it. Leave your comments below if you've got some insight to share!

If you missed the demonstration on how to make a bust adjustment on a T-Shirt, watch this video now.

If you are interested in creating your own Custom Stretch Knit Bodice Block, you can explore the online course by clicking the image below.

All My Best,
Alexandra

Hey there! Today I found a few minutes to record this Quick Tip video while I was preparing for The Fitting Fun Workshop I'll be holding in November.  This video demonstrates how to walk your sleeve pattern to ensure that it fits in the armhole after you have completed all of your pattern adjustments for fit.  This video will show you how to walk your seam lines, transfer your pattern marking and how to determine the amount of ease in your sleeve head.

I hope you enjoy the video and learn a few tips along the way.

You can learn more about The Fitting Fun Workshop by clicking the image below. It's going to be really fun and inspiring to see the patterns and projects attendees bring to work on. I'd love to see you there!

If you don't have your copy of The Perfect Fit Guide, you can get it by clicking on the image below!

 All My Best,
Alexandra

This week I have a Quick Tip for you. I get questions about the gaping front armhole often, this issue is so common and often misunderstood even though this is probably the easiest fitting issue to correct.  Watch the video for some insight and let me know in the comments if you've used this method before. 

For further insight about the armhole fitting you can also check out this popular blog post:

Fitting and Pattern Adjustment - The Armhole

If you would like to practice this pattern adjustment using the scaled block patterns featured in the video, you can grab those by clicking the image below.

We've also got a lively group of individuals in the FREE In-House Patterns Studio Facebook Community. If you'd like to join the conversation there, just click below.

All My Best,

Alexandra

In this final video of the Pattern Fundamentals series, we're going to use the basic sleeve block to design the pattern of one of the most popular sleeve styles this year.

If you've missed the previous lessons in the series, I encourage you to watch them.  They are loaded with essential information you'll need for pattern manipulation.

Just click the links below to watch:

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS: Two Essential Skills for Successful Pattern Manipulation

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS: How to True Darts and Manage Dart Volume

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS:  Three Ways to Manage the Back Shoulder Dart

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS:  How to Create and Balance a Flared Skirt

Now let's design the trumpet sleeve pattern. Watch the video to find out how!

As I mentioned in the video, get your FREE Scaled Block Patterns to practice your pattern work. Click the image below to get started!

Click the image to  see the Pinterest Board.

 If you've enjoyed this series on pattern making and want to build your own mad...

Here is the third video from this month's series on Pattern Fundamentals.

In the last two videos I showed you how to rotate darts, how to true them up and how to manage large dart volumes.  If you missed those just click the links below to watch.

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS: Two Essential Skills for Successful Pattern Manipulation

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS: How to True Darts and Manage Dart Volume

Today's video covers three ways to manipulate the back shoulder dart. We'll cover how to rotate it to the neckline, how to create a yoke seam and how to eliminate it entirely without affecting the fit. If you've already read this popular article, you'll find that this week's video brings it all to life.

Enjoy!

As I mentioned in the video, get your FREE Scaled Block Patterns to practice your pattern work. Click the image below to get started!

Share your pattern work from the Pattern Fundamentals series on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram by posting a photo with the hashtag #inhousepatternsstudi...

I've got a new episode of Pattern Fundamentals for you!

In this week's video, I'm finishing the pattern work we started last week and giving you some inside information about darts. I'll show you how to true darts and determine their dart roof, what direction to press the dart volume and why you might want to break the general rule. I'm also going to show you how you can manage large dart volumes for a smoother fit. 

Watch now so you can put it all into action today!

As I mentioned in the video, get your FREE DOWNLOAD containing a set of scaled block patterns to practice your pattern work. Click the image below to get started!

Share your pattern work from the Pattern Fundamentals series on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram by posting a photo with the hashtag #inhousepatternsstudio. 

See you next week!

All My Best,

Alexandra