by Dave | May 30, 2015 | Blog, Fitting, Lucy's Sewing Lab
I’ve been surfing the net lately looking at perfect fitting patterns. Muslin is always the answer. Don’t you just hate that? In order to attain the perfect fit, one must sew twice. UGH! Well, I at least try, sometimes, to use a fabric I may want to wear? Usually not though. I’ve wasted so much fabric not making muslins that now I am not about to sew new patterns without making a muslin first.
Okay, so, in my wonderful internet adventures I have discovered some really good sewing sites. One in particular, from the UK has a great solution to fit. This site uses a pretty no nonsense approach, basically, if it doesn’t fit, fix it! I love it!! It’s such common sense, if you are short, make it shorter. If you are tall, make it longer. If you are big, make it bigger and if the fit is too big, make it smaller.
[envira-gallery id="808"]
[envira-gallery slug="808"]
Those are the easy adjustments. For those of us that have bodies not conforming to the ideals of pattern companies, Craftsy has an entire section on fit. The tutorials they have are easy enough for a beginner to follow. Crafty has a wonderful perfect fit tutorial about fitting the pattern before the first cut. That is something I can use for sure! I cannot imagine the time I would save! Right now, their tutorials are half off as well. I hope no matter what you do while sewing, you ENJOY!
by Dave | Apr 17, 2015 | Blog, Fitting, Lucy's Sewing Lab
Jeans shopping is the worst experience. This pair fits perfect except for_____________. I love this pair but hate the ___________ on them. Did you know the key in getting a wonderfully fitting pair of jeans is the yoke? What’s a yoke? The part just below the waistband that usually looks like a “V” is the yoke.
The yoke’s size is different for everyone unless you and your best friend have exactly the same butt. When I made my first pair of jeans they hit me about three inches below where I wanted them to hit. A friend of mine told me that getting a pair of pants that fit perfectly is most of the battle. I tried to figure out how to make them fit better. I knew they needed more fabric. I guess I had increased that area of my body without knowing it. According to this site, a wide yoke isn’t really that helpful in making room for your bootie. It’s purpose is to make the jeans look low slung and still conceal yourself.
The key to a great fit for those of us who’ve become more endowed in that area is the deep “V” yoke.
If you would like more information on how to fit some other areas, this is the answer to all your problems. She has gone way beyond the call of duty and insisted her blog would be complete and all seamstresses everywhere would love her guides.
I’ve found the best way to find the best fitting pair of jeans is to make them yourself. Always remember to read the website discussed above for any problem areas you may have. The more you study the construction of pants the easier the daunting task becomes.
Seriously, once you find a great fitting pants pattern, jeans are really nothing more than great fitting pants with a bunch of top stitching. Go for it! You’ll be glad you did.
by Dave | Apr 15, 2015 | Blog, Fitting
When working on garments it seems as though the neckline would be the least of one’s concern. The neckline kind of sets the tone of the garment. The neckline can be rather low and revealing or a wall hiding every inch of skin up to the face. There are several ways to sew a neckline v neck, scoop neck, boat neck, turtle neck, crew neck, the list goes on and on. For me, I find the neckline can be a breaking point.
Since I have started sewing I have noticed that either I am shrinking, which wouldn’t be so bad. Or I am having a problem defining the size of my shoulders. My necklines seem to reveal more about me than I would like the casual onlooker to see. I’ve considered altering them and have done a search or two on the best methods for altering necklines. A great source for alterations is located here.
I guess most importantly, is to consider the type of top that is being constructed. If it is a tank top, the fix is actually quite simple. The alteration is accomplished by shortening the top at the shoulders. This brings everything up higher on your neck. At the same time decreasing the size of the area for your arm. Make sure not to lose sight of that. You could end up with a tank top that squeezes the arm pit. This is very uncomfortable.
Another solution, quite simply put is to add elastic. This is incredibly easy. Open up the seam that connects the neckline to the rest of the top. I work with knit quite often, so for me this is a great solution. After the seam is open about two-three inches, cut a piece of elastic 2 inches shorter than the length of the neckline. Place a safety pin on one end and thread the elastic through the casing. When both ends of elastic meet, sew them together, sew up the seam recently opened and your neckline is perfect.
Another idea is to just go with it. Attach a couple of straps to mimic the look of a layered t shirt. The top stays where it should and the look is effortless. Of course all these ideas are wonderful for knits. I am really not sure how to fix the woven tops other than to add some additional gathers to shrink the opening. Let me know if you have any other ideas while you’re sewing in the comments below.
ENJOY!
by Dave | Apr 8, 2015 | Blog, Fitting
Huh? What’s a muslin and why do I need it? What is a sloper? What does any of this have to do with design? I could not believe so many people on the internet knew about these things and I didn’t! I went to school for fashion. It was 30 or so years ago, but, I went. I should know something about these things, right? Oh, yeah, it was fashion marketing. That does make a difference. So, I’ve done some research. I’ve found that I was using all these things and did not even know about it!
A muslin has less to do with muslin fabric than it has to do with preventing a mishap with the beautiful fabric you are dying to make something with. This actually takes practice and a lot of trial and error. I was lucky and didn’t mess anything up or actually need to use a muslin until I had gotten pretty confident in my sewing. I didn’t take risks. Boring! I make “wearable” muslins. Mainly because, my time is precious. But, a little more because I am cheap and do not want to waste my expensive ($6 a yard fabric). I buy flawed fabric online for under two dollars. I find it at Girl Charlee online and Walmart locally. I use these because I don’t feel guilty messing up my garments. I tend to adjust the pattern as I sew instead of when I cut. I’m just too excited for new clothes! I try the clothing on and then add fabric to make it fit, or make the seams bigger to make the fit better.
Slopers are very confusing to me. I have never in my life heard that word. I have always called it a base pattern. The definition of a sloper is a pattern without a seam allowance. The same site I found that information on also said only nubes use this term, if you are with catty people they will probably laugh at you. So, having said all that. I use two of my favorite patterns for pants and tops. I make a fabric bodice or pants form out of some discarded fabric. I try to keep it in a place readily available. Then, when I’m dreaming of this cool idea for sleeves, pant rise or flare, neckline or any other component of my clothing. I pull out the bodice, and add a few inches for gathering, make the neckline higher or whatever I’m dreaming of trying. But, I don’t call it a “sloper” I’ve always called it a bodice or a pant pattern. So, combining the two sloper and muslin you are able to design your own clothing. BAM!
Enjoy your life!
![Eat Cheesecake and Sew Pants too….without going up a size!]()
by Lucy | Mar 22, 2015 | Blog, Fitting
Who wouldn’t like to eat cheesecake and sew pants in the same size as before? Trial and error, I have found are the best tools in sewing. There are so many different ways to achieve the same end result. Or something as simple as cutting out a waistband the wrong way can make you hate your pants! That’s horrible, really. I’ve cut the waistband going the wrong way before on leggings. I couldn’t wait to get them off. I almost had to cut them off.
A week or so ago, I found this amazing website, it’s called Fabric-Incubator, the tagline is “lessons from the sustainable factory floor” sounds legit. The site has been around quite awhile too. You should check it out.
Okay so she was saying people lay out the waistband all wrong. Ready to wear waistbands are cut with the grain going around the body. The picture below is from that site, it’s a BAD example.
The manufacturer makes clothing like this because of their equipment. It just works faster. We sew our own things, we can take time and care to do the work properly. 🙂 In this fashion the legs are cut on the lengthwise grain, while the waistband is stitched in the opposite direction. This causes the waistband to shrink at a different rate than the rest of the garment. We hate this! We think we are getting fat and we aren’t actually because of the manufacturing the waistband is actually getting smaller! Go ahead, eat that cheesecake!
How do you cut the waistband properly?
Below is another picture from the website. It demonstrates the appropriate method for cutting waistbands. Nice, then you won’t have to cut your pants off after all that hard work. Learn from my mistakes. I have plenty!
I love that this has the waistband at the bottom of the pants. WOW, it makes cutting it out so much easier. Or am I the only one with short arms who cannot reach that spot it shows you to cut on?
by Lucy | Mar 17, 2015 | Blog, Fitting
Jeans shopping is the worst experience. This pair fits perfect except for_____________. I love this pair but hate the ___________ on them. Usually they don’t fit well because they are made for an average body. What average really means these days is hard to figure out. But, if you’re having problems fitting some areas, this is the answer to all your problems. She has gone way beyond the call of duty and insisted her blog would be complete and all seamstresses everywhere would love her guides.
I’ve found the best way to find the best fitting pair of jeans is to make them yourself. Always remember to read the website discussed above for any problem areas you may have. The more you study the construction of pants the easier the daunting task becomes.
Seriously, once you find a great fitting pants pattern, jeans are really nothing more than great fitting pants with a bunch of topstitching. Go for it! You’ll be glad you did.
