I am going to cut fabric for a Sure-Fit Designs Dress Kit Dress Sheath. What was that you were telling me about adding 5/8” to the Center Front for testing and fitting purposes?
Rebecca,
You need to allow 5/8" on BOTH edges of CF - (CF can no longer be on the fold of the fabric) - you've got to get into it somehow.
See the attached photo. This woman has added a 5/8" seam to the CF - then she simply stitched on this 5/8" line - so that she new exactly where the 5/8" line is. Then when you put the dress on, you simply overlap the 5/8" stitching line when it's on your body. Notice that she has CF pinned closed on this stitching line.
If this doesn't clarify, we can do a quick Skype - I'll show you my pink bodice
I was digging thru my pile of "this doesn't fit - I messed it up" stack of failed experiences and I came upon my first sewing project which I attempted from a Cindy Crawford sewing pattern. I pulled out the pattern and laid out my messed-up blouse.
NO WONDER I messed this up. Clearly this pattern calls for a stretch knit and I sewed my failed attempt in a tightly woven cotton. Not to mention that the pattern just does not fit me at all.
Thanks to Glenda and Sure-Fit Designs I have a perfectly fitting body blueprint Bodice which I have drawn from the Dress Kit and with sleeves that fit my large arms.
Of course I still don't know anything about sewing with stretch fabrics, but this too will come.
As I further analyze my completed Sure-Fit Designs Dress Kit bodice with the set-in sleeves, I think that the armhole seams could be drafted a little better to give me an even better fit. My shoulders are narrow and my chest above my bust is flat. I wouldn't say I have a full bust in that I have a large cup size (I am a B), but my full bust circumference including the across my back, is a lot bigger than my narrow chest.
When I was looking through all of the videos that Sure-Fit Designs offers, I found this How-To-Video Narrow Shoulder to Full Bust with instructions to check and tune-up my armhole seams. I am going to definitely try this out. Even though I don't have a particularly full bust, I think the refinement might be beneficial to the fit of my pattern.
I used the instructions from the Sure-Kit Designs How-To VideoLowering the Dress Bodice Underarm - Minor Tune-Up, and the instructions on page 16 of the Sure-Fit Designs Dress Kit Instructions Book to tune-up my sleeve pattern.
I guess I should have read these instructions first, because with my first test bodice the sleeves were very tight since I have large upper arms. So I applied these instructions and widened the sleeve pattern upper arm width. I also lowered the underarm just a bit as this video suggests doing. Not everyone is going to need to do this, but my test muslin now has sleeves that fit and I can really move, stretch and reach up high.
Glenda, Here is a photo of my Sure-Fit Designs Dress Kit Bodice with the set-in sleeves. The sleeves are a little twisty and when I relax my arms they still feel tight (that is why I cut a slit in the sleeve). I was trying to see if I could make an adjustment on the top of the sleeve.
All in all I am pleased that I at least put in my firstever set-in sleeve, (Yeah!) but it was really, really difficult. And I think in general that sleeves stink.
I think the problem with sleeves is that they are made sideways to your body, but when you lift your arms above your head your arms point to the front of your body not the side.
Hmmmm arms and sleeves still need to be conquered. Other than that, I'm pretty please with the fit of the bodice itself.
Remember my sleeves were way too tight and you recommended that I do the "Large Upper Arm" tune-up on page 16 of the Sure-Fit Designs Dress Kit.
I studied how to sew a set-in sleeve and then studied the directions for the sleeve tune-up and then I altered my personal bodice blueprint and redrew the sleeve.
Note to self: Never, never ever draw on my personal blueprint, but instead trace a copy of it!!!
I sewed up the bodice and set in the sleeve and I think I did a really good job, especially considering this is my first sleeve sewing experience. I am very pleased with the results. I did it!!! Truly, truly awesome!
Now...my list is:
Perfect fit Bodice with sleeve (accomplished)
Perfect Sleeveless Bodice (Almost had it but I altered the blueprint instead of tracing over, so I need to redo this)
Perfect Bodice with Kimono Sleeves........I really want to try Short Kimono/ Cap Sleeve on page 18.
Pivoting Darts....moving bust dart to add to waist dart....for Kimono sleeve and heading towards a peasant blouse
My skirt blueprint is all re-drawn I just have to sew it up
And I want to try a Sleeveless Sheath Dress
I am also working on my first over-shirt from the Shirt Kit and of course I have questions
CONGRATULATIONS!!! I really want you to send a photo. I want to see the sleeve. I'm sure you did a marvelous job - and for first attempt - very well done!
Your comment about never, never drawing on your finished blueprint is really an excellent 'lesson' to share with everyone. It's always best to trace a working copy of the blueprint and THEN make your changes. Glenda
Glenda, I would not be having to do my second set of personal patterns if I had watched your How-To DVD....The DVD helped enormously and was a really fun experience. I especially liked the fashion show which beautifully answered my question, "What to do with my Personal Body Blueprint"?
But my favorite part of the DVD was Glenda's demonstration and explanation of how many combinations of different patterns are truly possible with just the SFD Dress Kit...I think the number was 3,150! Can you even imagine sewing that many patterns in your lifetime?
What I have discovered is that the personal blueprint patterns drawn from Sure-Fit Designsdon't have to be loose to fit. If your measurements are correct, your personal body blueprint pattern will fit with wearing ease automatically built in to the Sure-Fit Designs master patterns.
Generally, the mistakes I have made as a novice sewer is adding too much ease to my personal pattern, which of course was based on my experiences with store bought clothing and commercial paper patterns. It's difficult to get over the mind-set of making sure a pattern will fit "wide hips," "bulging tummy," or "big thighs."
You might want to see and hear what Glenda has to say about ease allowances and the Dress Kit patterns.
I have sewn up my test muslin for my skirt which I made from my personal body blueprint. But when I put it on it was as big as a house...a good ten inches too big!!! What did I do wrong???
In a case like this a little sleuthing work is needed. So...now measure the paper pattern. Measure from CF to side seam - MINUS the dart space - then measure CB to side seam MINUS the dart space. Add the 2 measurements together and double it for your entire circumference. This should measure approximately 50" - (with, of course, the dart space eliminated). If it measures close to 50" - then the waist should fit.
Where are 10" extra coming from? If the pattern measures correctly then the fabric can't possibly be that big. You are welcome to call me - I'm happy to help - maybe verbally we can figure out where the extra is coming from. Kindly, Glenda
I have laid out my bodice (which fits really really well and has all darts sewn in place) and my skirt pattern as a one piece dress as shown on the instructions and it really lines up perfectly. So my mistake is some really dumb beginner mistake in the sewing. All my seams are really good 5/8".
My waist measurement on the Front Bodice matches the waist measurement on the Front Skirt and as I said the vellum patterns line up almost perfectly.
My muslin test skirt is huge. I held it up and measured it with a yard stick and one side measured 29" which is a total of 60" and this was with all seams sewed at 5/8"..........HOLD THE PHONE......SCREAM!!! I didn't sew in the back darts..........Grrrrrrrrrrr. And I just checked my Back Skirt Pattern and it was drawn 2 sizes bigger than the Front Skirt Pattern. OK this accounts for why it doesn't FIT! I am going to go sit in the corner with my skirt over my head.
I have completed my redrawing and cutting out out my new personal blueprint bodice pattern. I am very excited about the fit. I had some alterations to make and was unsure about how to go about making them. But this weekend my husband and I wrapped me in duck tape and we made a personalized dress form which I have hung from a wooden hanger in my doorway.
I slipped my bodice on the form and it was easy to see the tune-ups that I need to make. I pinned my changes on the form and then tried on the pinned bodice and it fit absolutely perfect - almost like a second skin.
My question is..........NOW WHAT DO I DO??? How do I translate my changes onto my personal pattern so I don't have to keep making these changes.
For example, I have made a correction at the top of the shoulder seam to correct for my sloping shoulders. So now I have my bodice test pinned at the correction, but how to I translate that correction to my personal bodice pattern?
Rebecca, Fun (I hope) that you did a duct tape form. Sometimes, it's just easier to see the exact changes necessary when you are standing back objectively - as long as the form is EXACTLY your shape.
First, it's best if I know the tune-ups/changes you needed to make. but basically, as an example - if you had one shoulder sloping more than the other - and let's say you pinched out 1/2" at the shoulder point on the low side - then you would take off 1/2" at the shoulder point on the pattern. But if you have an asymmetrical body - then that change would only be done on the low side of the pattern - meaning, you'd need to draw off both a right and left side bodice pattern. This is just an example. It would help me to know what changes you need to make to guide you as how to translate them onto the pattern.
Just remember, whatever you did on the muslin test, do exactly the same thing on the paper pattern. And then, once the changes are translated, then you use THAT body blueprint for all subsequent design changes.
Glenda P.S. If your sloper (SFD body blueprint) really is fitting like a second skin, you may have reduced too much ease and created a moulage. See my post - 4/9/12 - What's a Sloper, Moulage or Body Blueprint?
P.P.S.S. - Rebecca has since sent photos. First she over-measure (thinking she needed to) and it was obviously too big. And then to compensate, she under-measured. As a result, the bodice did fit like a 'second skin' and is too tight. There is no ease remaining for comfort and wearing room. Please remember - accurate measuring is the first key to good fit.
Problem:
Neckline gaps and slight sag lines on upper chest above the bust.
Vertical sag lines forming a pleat material fold at each side of the bust.
Upper back above the back darts forms a soft slightly billowing pillow.
Under arm seam gaps from underarm to bottom of bust dart.
Proposed Fixes:
Raise front shoulder seam 1 meter same seam line
Raise back shoulder seam 1 meter same seam line
Take in side seam from underarm hole to 7" below underarm hole in a curve front and back
When I pinned this shoulder seams fit perfectly, neckline lays even and flat and side vertical pleat disappears and back pillow poof is gone.
What do you think of these changes...especially the underarm side seam instead of a straight line it becomes a curve??
Rebecca, With the issues you're describing, it almost sounds like the entire bodice is slightly too big. You haven't told me what your bust circumference measurement is - but would it make sense to bring the entire measurement down 1/2 dot or one entire dot? That would make the neck line smaller and likely get rid of the vertical drag lines on either side of bust and upper chest and reduce ease on that underarm seam from underarm pt 2 to top of bust dart.
I'm not sure what you mean by raising the front and back shoulder 1 METER same seam line. What is a METER? Do you mean 1 dot? But whatever it means, if the bodice now fits perfectly and eliminates the issues you've listed - then by all means - do it.
What shape of side seam curve - in or out? I would imagine an inward curve - thus removing ease and the fullness above the back dart would disappear. And sure, if you need to curve the side seam for the best fit, then by all means you can do this. It may affect some future design changes - it would likely depend on the style you want.
When I put my bodice test muslin on, I noticed there was a vertical sagging fold from the side of my bust to my armhole and a little too much fabric sitting on my chest above my bust. I proposed to fix these issues by dropping the shoulder seam 1/4" and taking in the side seam by about an 1". But when I communicated this to Glenda, she commented that it sounded like I need to step down 1 or 2 dots (measurements) in my personal pattern. This was very helpful because when I measured the change in the shoulder seam it would take me down from a 49" dot to a 48" dot, which would account for the vertical fold of excess fabric. And when I measured my change on the side seam it would take me from my mistaken 50" dot to a 47" dot.
What I like about this is that I didn't have to just make an alteration on a garment that I sewed from a traditional pattern, but I am easily able to perfect my personal blueprint pattern by accurately drawing my tune-up right on my pattern and simply erase my mistakes.
What I love about this is that......yes once again I made a silly marking mistake due to measuring myself with too large of a measurement and the Sure-Fit Design system always holds up as the true fit. Whatever you measure is what it gives you. Lesson learned - be pretty darn careful in your measuring!
Thank you Glenda for your patience...a real friend is one who when you've made a silly error, doesn't make you feel like it's permanent.
Glenda, I think that your post, Diagonal Waist, Clothing Considerations, is very important to me. At first I was discouraged by having to confront the uniqueness of my body, and even had flashes of myself dressed in a big old bag for the rest of my life. But after sleeping on your email, I have awoken renewed and amazingly inspired.
This is what you, Glenda Sparling and Sure-Fit Designs, means to me-----SELF CONFIDENCE.
So here is my wish list on how I want to dress and what I want out of Sure-Fit Designs:
I want to be able to tuck my bodice into my pants and skirts and then wear an overshirt that flows evenly down slightly past my high hip. I think that this is one of my best favorite looks. For this I need a bodice that is fitted and feminine and falls just a little below my slanted waist. The overshirt needs to perfectly fit my smaller, shorter chest and then ease in a triangle over my pear-shaped upper high hip. And my pants need to have a perfectly fitted rise that slopes. Also this same look would work with both a skirt and pants.
Then I would like a second set of bodices that perfectly fit at the top chest and bust but ease down to slightly past my high hip. These would be tops, jackets and overshirts that I could wear over my pants and skirts.
Then I really would love a dress that is form fitting that I could wear a nice overshirt or jacket with. And I would also like a dress that would be a stand alone by itself dress but is flattering to my unique body.
So there you have it. A very very very tall order. But I believe that I can do this with Sure-Fit Designs. I have already learned so much from you and I look forward to growing in yardage and self-confidance.
My clothing goals: Sure-Fit Designs Dress Kit
INSIDE BODICE -- One perfectly fitted bodice that matches my body and perfectly matches my sloping waist.
OUTSIDE BODICE -- One perfectly fitted bodice that matches my body but the length of the bodice flows to just below my high hip.
INSIDE DRESS -- One perfectly form fitted dress that exactly hugs every unique hill and valley of my body
OUTSIDE DRESS -- One perfectly fitted dress that flows over my hills yet flatters my body.
INSIDE SKIRT -- One perfectly fitted shirt that mixes and matches both my inside and outside bodice.
Sure-Fit Designs Shirt Kit
OVERSHIRT -- To wear over my inside and outside bodice with two lengths one at high hip and one below low hip
JACKETS -- The same as for Overshirt
Sure-Fit Designs Pants Kit
PANTS -- One perfectly fitted pant that matches my sloping waist in a variety of lengths
And I would really like to try those wrap pants I saw in the Fashion Leaflets.
Hi Rebecca, I'm responding to your Post: Diagonal Waist, Part 1 Rebecca.
I understand your waist tilts to the front in a deep diagonal from the small of your back. So how you need to look at this is by what you like to wear and what looks best on you.
If you want your shirts/blouses tucked in, then this will emphasize the diagonal line from back to front. And this also means that for your blouses/shirts, you only need to make sure the hem is long enough to tuck in and not worry about fit, as you'd likely not sew the waist fitting darts in anyway. BUT, if you tuck in, then the skirt waist edge or pants waist edge would need to be angled downward toward the front to fit the flow of your body.
But if you want to wear your blouses/shirts out over top of skirt/pants, then once again, you would maintain an even hem length on the blouse - so it looks best from a visual perspective and you would need to make the back as long as the front and long enough to skim over your hip area. Again, you would not likely stitch in the waist fitting darts - unless for some special design. The pant or skirt waist edge would need to be sloped as they will gravitate to your waist indent anyway.
Now to a 1 or 2 piece dress. Here's where it becomes more of a gray area. First ask yourself if you wear dresses? If so, do you want them to follow the diagonal of your waist. If the answer is NO, then you'd make a one-piece looser fitting dress in the waist area, so that it FLOWS from your bust down to your hips and doesn't emphasize your diagonal waist. If the answer is YES, then you'd need to follow the contours of your body and you'd need to slope the angle of the bodice - short back length with longer front - for a 2-piece dress, or if it's a one-piece dress, then once again you'd likely skim the side seam from your side seam down to the high hip - leaving the waist area kind of nondescript, so that it doesn't emphasize the angle of your waist.
So when you are trying to get a body blueprint, you also have to take in to consideration what is going to look best on your body. What do you wear? And what do you feel comfortable in? This is all such personal preference.
Now to the slope of the waist edge. You reference pg. 16 #11 of the Dress Kit Instruction book. You would be the opposite of this. So instead of adding height to CF, you would be reducing height, so that it does follow the angle of your waist. Then, because the side seams are the SAME length, CB would sit where it is supposed to and CF would sit lower.
Yes...I think you are getting this!! I hope this answer helps to sort it all out for you. So much of fit depends on our body shapes and what looks good on us. We may want a perfect fit, but then we must step back and ask if the body is perfect. We need to deal with this body and what looks best on it.
Also, a great new video to watch to help you identify your waist line/level is:
I have been reading from the Dress Kit Instruction Book about taking measurements...I read on page 4... "tie a string around your natural waist".
My body has a very defined waist line but it is sharply diagonal when viewed from the side. From the small of my back to the center of my front (passing exactly over my belly button) my waistline is several inches higher in the back than my waistline in the front.
I have tied a string around my waist and when I pull the string up so it lines up evenly straight across and I measure from the center of my shoulder down to the tied string the measurement is 19 1/4 inches. And when I lower the string to fall into my sharply sloping waistline and I measure from the center of my shoulder down to the tied string, the measurement is 23 inches.
This doesn't affect my bodice pattern because the apex level is figured from the center of the shoulder to my bust point. But on my skirt and eventually my pants this waistline slope will have a big effect. If I hang my skirt around my slanting waist line, my skirt hem rides 4 inches lower in the front. And if I hike the skirt up in the front, which feels really weird, I have a 4 inch high-rise waist. This is also the case with all my pants.
So my question is...in the Sure-Fit Designs system which is my waist line? Straight around from the small of my back, or sharply slanting diagonally forward?
I see the tune-up on page 16...#11 Large Abdomen, but is this me? I don't have stress wrinkles and the front is not pulling up.
I have completed my first personal pattern using the Sure-Fit Designsfitting system and now I am stepping back to examine and refine my fit. As I make these comments, keep in mind that I am a very novice seamstress and don't have a lot of sewing experience.
Judging on a scale of 1 - 10...1 being a horrible fitting garment to 10 an excellent exact perfect fit; I would say that the commercial patterns that I have been struggling with over the past five weeks to fit me are a 2. And I would say that the clothes in my closet that I have purchased from various stores are a fit of 4. After examining my fit in the mirror I would grade my Sure-Fit Designs muslin bodice pattern as a 6.
A 6 is a vast improvement over anything that I have been wearing, but I want more. What alterations or refinements can I make to improve by personal pattern from a 6 to a 10 and how in the world do I do them?
After sleeping on it and several more trips to the mirror I can see that my muslin test piece is too large and when I think about it, I realize that when I chose my measurements for my bodice pattern, I automatically added two sizes because I am a plus size and thought I would need the extra ease. And when I checked by bra cup size I discovered that instead of a C cup I was really an A-B cup! And also I forgot to turn the Armscye Template upside down on the pattern back so my armscye curve on the back is upside down. (LOL)
I have been shaking my head at all the mistakes I made, but the exciting issue is that I have caught the mistakes and I have begun to re-draw my personal bodice with the right sizes and the right techniques.
It's back to the drawing board for me.
Dear Rebecca, All things considered, and that your sewing experience is so limited, I think you've got an excellent start to a well-fitting bodice. I know that as you watch the How-to DVD, and follow along with all the exact steps shown, that you will no doubt end up with a satisfying bodice fit. Always keep in mind that I am here to help you either by phone, email or Skype.
I have set aside my first attempt to draw my personal bodice blueprint pattern. I listed the mistakes that I made my first time around and this time I am using the Sure-Fit Designs How-To DVD and following along Glenda step by step as she walks me thru the process.
What a big difference using the DVD made for me, I am definitely a visual learner. It was very fun working thru the steps to draw my personal pattern. I have my computer in my sewing room and I was using the doors of my room to tape and draw my patterns, just like Glenda was drawing them.
I now have my bodice, skirt, and sleeve drawn out and tomorrow I will begin to cut them out to craft my test garment.
What have I learned? Accurate measurements are really really important. I thought, gee how hard can it be to measure yourself, but my first attempt I was off by two sizes. So be sure to follow along with the directions in the Sure-Fit Designs How-To DVD or the Instruction Book.
Dear Rebecca...I (finally) realized that many women were finding blank wall space or backs of doors to use as a flat surface to draw off their patterns. Honestly - it is so much easier on a horizontal surface - like a table top (if you've got a table big enough). The only reason I demonstrate (in the videos) using the wall is that it is so much easier to video the process. If I were working on the table, my videographer-husband would need to be glued to the ceiling to get a good shot of what I was doing on the table. So please...use a flat table top.
P.S. In later videos, I started saying to use a table surface - but sometimes I forget to say that. What can I say?
Well, here it is 10:39 pm and I have finished drafting my first personal bodice pattern from the Sure-Fit Designssystem. What a fun experience!
At first I was a little intimidated, I have had such bad experiences from trying to figure out commercial patterns. But theSure-Fit Designs Dress Kit Instruction Book is very well laid out and clearly illustrated. Still I struggled at first trying to get the exact placement for the neck line, so I pulled up the Dress Kit How-To-Videos and watched the three part series on how to draft the bodice for the Dress Kit. And hey, is it me (being so late and all) or does Glenda Sparling look like Annette Funicello?
At any rate as soon as I turned on the videos and followed them step-by-step along with the instruction booklet I was really having a happy time, and what a sense of accomplishment. I feel like a grade school kid grinning from ear to ear as I show off my own personalized sewing pattern. The whole process took me about two hours which includes measuring myself and taking the puppies outside for a little exercise.
Also as a note, I used a pencil to draft my pattern which is a good thing and a bad thing. Good because I needed to erase and redraw my lines several times. Bad because the pencil is really dirty and messy on the vellum tracing paper. So if you are a big baby beginner like me use pencil for your first pattern, but switch to a nice pen for nice clean lasting patterns.
Hi Rebecca, Of course, the bright, fat markers I use are for demo only -- using pencil doesn't show well in the videos. But I will caution that I always use pencil for all my patterns - definitely not pen. Pen doesn't allow for errors and we all tend to do a little (or a lot) of erasing. Just make sure you've got a nice big, fat, soft eraser. I own about 3 of these and wouldn't be without them!
Designing Stylus (which is very impressive at first glance)
Waist Darts Template
Adjust-A-Bust Template (Bra cup sizes A to E)
Armscye Template (Sizes 48" - 62")
Master Patterns for Dress Front (Bodice & Skirt) Dress Back (Bodice & Skirt) Dress Sleeve (Woven) Dress Sleeve (Stretchy)
Dress Kit Instruction Book
Mixing and Matching Patterns & Instructions
My invoice with a personal note from the President, Glenda Sparling
Product Price List and Order Form
Flyer on "Pants that Mix n Multiply"
Wow...so very impressive......please don't bother me for a few days while I explore all my treasures. In fact, here's a short video that Glenda produced showing the Dress Kit Contents. You might just be interested in watching it.
You need to allow 5/8" on BOTH edges of CF - (CF can no longer be on the fold of the fabric) - you've got to get into it somehow.
