Today I am sharing an edited version of a workshop I did a few years ago that shared some really good advice on how to prepare yourself for fitting.

Everything I share in this presentation is perfect for you if you’re new to garment sewing and are beginning to struggle with fitting, or if you’ve come back from a long break from sewing for yourself and have discovered that patterns just don’t fit like they used to. If you’re an experienced sewer and an accomplished fitter, you’ll likely find these secrets, not so secret, but a good overview of the basics.

The video is just over 20 minutes long so settle in with a glass or orange juice, a cup of tea or a glass of wine. The pace is perfect for a little break from whatever you were doing and might spark and solution to a fitting issue you may be facing.

For more information on the process of fitting, pull out The Perfect Fit Guide. If you don't have it on hand, you can sign up to receive it HERE.

You can learn more about the course Fit...

I'd like to show you the broad or narrow back pattern adjustment.

You will know if you need this pattern correction if, for instance, the mid-back area of your garment feels really tight, while the front fits okay. You will only feel this tightness across the back of your garment, especially when you have a sleeve in; that’s when you'll really notice if you need to do a broad back correction. If you need to do a narrow back correction, you’re going to see some vertical drag lines that indicate excess width across your back area.

Watch the video now for the step by step tutorial on making this adjustment to your pattern.

Enjoy!

All My Best,
Alexandra

Over the last couple of weeks, we've been talking about fitting the back.

Last week I demonstrated how to assess the muslin and adjust your pattern for a rounded back fitting issue.

This week I want to show you how to adjust for a prominent shoulder blade. I thought it important to cover this fit issue because it seems most people use the rounded back pattern adjustment to solve a prominent shoulder blade issue. While the rounded back adjustment will work to some extent, you may find it will cause another fitting issue.

Watch the video to find out why and what to do instead.

Resources mentioned in this video:

Three Ways to Manage the Back Shoulder Dart

How to True Darts and Manage Dart Volume

I hope you enjoyed this video! If you found it helpful share it with a friend!

All My Best,
Alexandra

Last week that we talked about fitting the back and I demonstrated a little draping lesson to show you how important the back shoulder dart is to achieving a good fit.

This week, I want to continue the conversation about fitting the back by talking about what most people call the rounded back adjustment. I’m going to use my lovely assistant Marjie to demonstrate what how to recognize this fit issue in your sample and then how to adjust your pattern to correct it.

Next week I'll cover another common back fitting issue. I hope you'll tune in!

Resources mentioned in this video:

Three Ways to Manage the Back Shoulder Dart

How to True Darts and Manage Dart Volume

 Enjoy!

All My Best,
Alexandra

This week, I wanted to concentrate specifically on the back bodice fitting. The back of the body is obviously challenging due to the fact that we simply can't see what's going on back there. When you twist to view the back or even move your arms, you automatically change the way the garment hangs. So, what are you to do? Well, I have a couple of suggestions.

First of all, have your body measurements handy.

Of course, you'll need help to take your back body measurements, but these don't change by very much over time, so one good measurement session should be valid for quite a while. You'll need your shoulder width, your across back, and your center back neck-to-waist measurements to get you started. You're going to use these body measurements to guide you in choosing a pattern in the correct size and assessing the pattern for fit. To learn more about how to do that, you can grab your copy of the Perfect Fit Guide and watch the Fitting Fundamentals video series.

Secondly, take some fi...

This week I wanted to share how to adjust the shoulder width on a garment with straps [featuring the In-House Patterns Sophie dress].

I often see and hear comments on how making shoulder adjustments is hard, but it's actually very easy and definitely nothing to be afraid of. I am sure that after you've watched, you won't be intimidated by it any longer.

I made the Sophie dress for myself a while back and thought I'd share a photo. I made view A for it's sophisticated "little black dress" appeal.

If you're wondering what the "other" shoulder width adjustment is, you can see it here: How to Adjust Shoulder Width on a Garment with Sleeves.

Just a reminder, if you are making a shoulder width alteration on a style with separate lining patterns (like the Sophie dress), be sure to make the same adjustments to those pieces as well!

Enjoy!

All My Best,
Alexandra

Last week I showed you how to determine the shoulder slope on a sewing pattern. If you missed it, you can watch it HERE.

This week you'll learn how to translate the pattern's shoulder slope information into your degree of shoulder slope using a long forgotten tool that I am pretty sure you'll find in your junk drawer or a family member's school supply kit.

Once you've determined your degree of shoulder slope you'll have all the information you need to transfer the information to any sewing pattern.

All My Best,
Alexandra

This week I've got a really quick video that I hope you’ll find truly helpful.

It answers a question from Kelly who wanted to know how to measure her shoulder slope. A quick google search will give you several options. You can trace your shoulder line onto a piece of paper taped to the wall or use an iPhone app to determine the degree of slant. I personally haven’t found these to be very accurate because you usually need a helper to work with you, so I rely on the sample fit assessment to tell me what the shoulder slope should be.

Once you have a sample a garment that fits your shoulder angle, you can record that information for future use. So today I’m going to show you how to measure the shoulder slope on a pattern so that you can use the information for future sewing sewing projects.

Once you watch the video and understand how to measure the shoulder slope on a pattern you can convert this information to degrees if needed by using a protractor. To fuel yourself with even more kno...

Have you ever noticed that some garments just don't sit right on your shoulders?

The forward shoulder adjustment might be the solution you've been looking for. In this video tutorial, I share two essential techniques to rectify this common fitting issue.

The forward shoulder adjustment is helpful for those whose shoulder line sits more forward than average and addresses the unique curvature of your shoulder, ensuring a more comfortable fit and a better sleeve hang.

Technique 1: The Seam Position Change

This method is straightforward and popular, perfect for minor adjustments without altering the overall fit of your bodice.

This adjustment is excellent if your only issue is the shoulder seam position. However, it requires a corresponding sleeve adjustment to maintain proper fit. By moving the notch on your sleeve forward, you ensure the sleeve sits correctly on your body without altering its overall shape.

Technique 2: The True Forward Shoulder Adjustment

For those experiencing m...

Two Methods to Correct Forward Head Posture in Your Sewing Patterns

Are you struggling with fitting issues caused by forward head posture?
In this video, I'll show you an example of a forward head posture and two ways to adjust the pattern for this fitting issue.

First Adjustment Method:

Raising the Back Neckline and Moving the Shoulder Seam Forward: Learn how to create slash lines on your pattern to adjust the back neckline and shoulder seam. This method ensures that the back neckline is raised, the shoulder seam is moved forward, and the front neck drop is lowered, maintaining balance and fit.

Sleeve Adjustment: Discover how to modify your sleeve pattern to accommodate the changes made to the armhole, ensuring a seamless fit.

Second Adjustment Method:

Adjusting the Neckline Without Changing the Shoulder Point: This method is perfect if the shoulder line position is correct, but the back neck is too low, and the front neck is too high. We guide you through creating slash lines to...