April Fit & Sew Retreat: Photo Story

The Sure-Fit Designs April Fit & Sew Retreat has come and gone.  We had ladies from Canada, southern California, Washington, Utah and Iowa.  And what a lovely mix of ladies they were. 

During the first 3 days they worked on Pants fitting, drawing of the pants pattern, and sewing the test pants. If there was time, they moved on to drawing and sewing the Yoga pants project.  It's a good way to learn about working with knit fabrics in relation to the SFD master pattern and how to size down depending on the stretchiness of the knit.

All of the Sure-Fit Designs Fitting Retreats are held in 'Our Sewing Room' in Springfield OR (sister city to Eugene OR).  Our Sewing Room is a wonderful studio to teach and work in.  Lots of daylight, high ceilings, great lighting, cutting tables - enough for everyone to have their own - and has available sewing machines if you can't (or don't want to) bring your own.  Our Sewing Room was one of the sewing studios featured in Vogue Sewing magazine a couple of years ago.  There's only about 10 of these specialized sewing studios across the USA.  I'm so fortunate that I have this fabulous facility to teach in.

Sewing machines are supplied, but you can certainly bring your own.  And if you forget a supply item such as shears, rotary cutters, tape measures, rippers, tracing carbon and tracing wheels etc. are available for your use.

We had one lady with obvious asymmetry.  It was an easy refinement by using elastic at the waist to help identify and mark the low hip.

I know lots of you resist the thought of using a center leg seam to help contour the fabric to your body curves, but once done this and you see the difference in the fit, you'll become a convert.

As you look at these photos, please be realistic about some of the wrinkles you are seeing.  Poor lighting, wrinkly fabric, stitching techniques and lack of pressing are often the culprits.

Then we moved on to bodice fitting, drawing and sewing.  As you would suspect, there were a variety of body issues to address from very full busts, broad back, sway back, rounded back and large upper arm...

...to sloping shoulders and necklines that needed a little more breathing room.

And last, but certainly not least, a few of the almost completed yoga pants.


Everyone accomplished a lot based on their ability and on their particular fitting issues.  And though some projects weren't completed, for the time that was allowed, everyone did an excellent job.  Well done ladies!


If any of you are interested in attending a Fit & Sew Retreat this year, there is still 1 space available in the May 18 - 21 Pants Fitting Intensive (a 4-day workshop) and there are 2 spaces available in the October 19 - 24 Pants & Bodice Retreat (a 6-day workshop).  For more details on fees and other important information, please click - SFD Classes & Events or call me directly at 541-344-0422 (OR - PST)