By Sarah Veblen
CONTENTS
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
Developing a Solid Approach to Fitting
Why Fitting is Complicated
Each Individual is Unique
Pattern and Fitting Basics
How Patterns are Developed
Finding Your Way Around a Pattern
Garment Silhouettes and Ease
Choosing a Pattern Size
Tools for Pattern Work and Fitting
The Interrelationship Between Patterns and Fitting
Overview of the Fitting Process
Recognizing Fitting Issues
A Framework for Fitting
The Fitting Axis
The Horizontal Balance Line
Fundamentals of Fitting Muslins
Learning to Look
The Body as “Volume”
Fitting Others and Yourself
What to Wear for a Fitting
Preparing the Test Muslin for a Fitting
Clipping and Marking During a Fitting
Pinning
Keeping the Muslin Balanced
Fitting Order
Fitting Tips
Assessing the Fit
Fundamentals of Altering Patterns
Glossary of Patternmaking Terms
Making Flat Pattern Adjustments
Transferring Muslin Markings to the Pattern
Blending Seams, Using the Rulers, and Adding Seam Allowances
Lengthening and Shortening Patterns, and Grainline Arrows
Walking and Truing a Pattern
Placing and Creating Notches
Controlling Patterns with Built-in Ease
Truing Difficult Seams
Moving the Placement of a Seam
Moving a Dart to a New Location
Truing Dart Legs
Scaling Patterns Up and Down
Working in an Efficient Order
DEVELOPING YOUR ABILITY
The Process of Fitting Garments
Skirt
Bodice with Darts
Bodice with Shoulder Princess Line
Jacket with Side Panel with Set-in Sleeve
Tunic with Armscye Princess Line
Bodice with Raglan Sleeve
Fitting Solutions for Body Types and Related Pattern Alterations
Bust
Back
Sides
Shoulder Line and Neck
Set-in Sleeves
Raglan Sleeves
Waist and Hips
Fitting Pants
Understanding Body Mass and Pants Volume
Fine-tuning the Fit
The Process of Fitting Pants
Body Type Examples
Typical Pants Pattern Alterations
GOING TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Correcting Pattern Elements Affected by Fitting Changes
Waistbands
Facings
Collars
Linings
Get Creative
Using Style Lines to Create Pleasing Proportions
Dart Equivalents
Collar Variations
Cuffs and Sleeve Hems
About the Author
Index
Introduction
There’s an aura of beauty about a woman wearing clothes that fit her well, regardless of her figure and facial features. Her clothes create a sense of balance and proportion for her body, which is flattering to her and visually pleasing to others. She’s definitely wearing her clothes, rather than her clothes wearing her.
Although styles change and clothing fads come and go, the hallmarks of well-fitting clothes remain the same:
• There are no unintended pulls or folds in the fabric.
• The fabric falls smoothly over the body.
• The garment is proportionate to the wearer’s body.
• The cut of the garment is flattering.
When wearing clothes that fit, we not only present ourselves better, but we feel more comfortable. And when we feel at ease in our clothes, we think more clearly, interact with other people better, and approach the day’s challenges and pleasures with a healthier attitude. There is no need to feel squirmy in your clothes, counting the minutes until you can get home and change into your comfy sweats. It all starts with getting a good fit.
Fitting is complicated, in part because it doesn’t stand alone. Rather, it must be tackled within the larger framework of all that is required to make a garment, from design to pattern development. To achieve success, you must have the following:
1 A fitting method to follow
2 An understanding of good fitting practices
3 An understanding of good patternmaking practices
4 The ability to recognize specific fitting issues
5 The ability to put these specific issues within the context of the garment as a whole
This book is organized so that the information builds from one section to the next. In the first part of the book, I describe the conceptual foundation. In the second part, I explain the process of fitting garments and show how to develop fitting solutions for different body types. The last section shows you how to apply changes to auxiliary pattern components so all the pieces work well together, and I also suggest some creative variations. Even though fitting is complicated, with patience and guidance, everyone can learn to fit.
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
Being a competent fitter requires both a conceptual and a practical understanding of the fitting process. Skipping the concepts and going straight to the fitting examples is like trying to build a house without first laying its foundation. Just as the house will develop cracks, your fitting will have weaknesses, which will cause confusion and less-than-perfect results.