Forward Thrusting Shoulder Line & Shoulder Bone Minor Tune-Up

This is Part 3 of the video series on adjusting or altering the slope and position of the shoulder line on your bodice pattern.  The information in this video is applicable to any bodice pattern.

Here you are going to see 2 different scenarios.  In the first situation or variation, your shoulder seam line always tends to pull toward the back.  As it does, the front neckline rides up and often times you feel like you're being choked.  This is because your natural shoulder line on your body is riding forward.  Which means that the shoulder line on the bodice back needs to become longer to go this distance over the top of your shoulder towards the front.  And the front shoulder seam line needs to get shorter or have less height to it.

In variation #2, only your shoulder bone is rocked or thrust forward not your entire shoulder line.  This means that only the shoulder point on the pattern is moved forward and the neck point is left as is.

If either of these shoulder situations are ones that you experience, then this video is for you.

And if you find this video of benefit, please share it on your blog or Facebook page.  I'm always appreciative when you share the Sure-Fit Designs videos.  Kindly, Glenda

Shoulders not level? You need this Asymmetrical Pattern Tune-Up

If you have asymmetrical shoulders, you will likely experience the visual effect first - your bodice/shirt/jacket droops on one side only.  And when looking at yourself in a mirror, you can see that your shoulders aren't level.

You'll likely appreciate watching this video on how to refine the fit of your bodice pattern so that the pattern will now conform to your unique shoulder slope.

My friend, Miss Molly Mannequin, helps me out yet once again to show you how simple it is to make this pattern refinement.

If you know anyone else with an asymmetrical body shape, feel free to pass this information along.

SFD Pants Fitting Course now on DVD

I know so many of you have wanted to attend a Sure-Fit Designs Hands-on class...but can't for any number of reason (family/work commitments, health, travel etc.), so...Sure-Fit Designs is now able to come to you.

This past weekend, I've announced the new Pants Fitting Course on DVD.  It's a 2-DVD set of pants fitting and sewing instruction - 14 comprehensive Lessons - lots of close-ups - easy to follow and understand.  You really can take your pants fitting and sewing to the next level and sew like the pros.

These next 2 videos show you highlights of the Pants Fitting Course and Lesson 1.

Lesson 1 Highlights:

Receive a 20% discount if ordered before Feb. 19. 2013.

Click on the following link - http://www.surefitdesigns.com/PantsFittingCourse.html

Sloped Shoulder Minor Tune-Up/Alteration

This is Part 2 of the short Shoulder Line video series and it offers you information on how to draw a sloping shoulder alteration on your bodice pattern.  Whether it be with the Sure-Fit Designs Dress or Shirt pattern, or with any other bodice pattern for that matter, this refinement is very easy to do.  In this video I show you a quick way to identify if you have a sloping shoulder and if you do, how to determine how much to change the shoulder slope.

If this is one of your body-fitting-issues, I know you'll appreciate this video.

Feel free to share this video on your personal blog or Facebook page.  Thanks for spreading the word about the Sure-Fit Designs fitting and sewing system.  Kindly, Glenda

Sure-Fit Designs Sew Along & Customer Comments

Just in case you haven't visited PatternReview in a while, there's a group of women who are starting a Sure-Fit Designs Sew Along.  If you're interested in participating here's the link - http://sewing.patternreview.com/SewingDiscussions/topic/75069

It should be fun and motivating for you to get together with others around the world as you discuss and work through your SFD sewing projects.

When you're done, make sure to take photos and send to - info@surefitdesigns.com

Now is a good time to share with you a lovely letter I received a couple of days ago.  I sincerely appreciate receiving your comments.

Dear Glenda,

I cannot thank you enough; you've opened up a new, exciting, fun world of sewing for me.  I've been designing & sewing in every spare moment I have over the last month; every project is filled with learning and I'm really loving the design process. Especially discovering how the same sort of design works with different fabrics and how the looks change.

It was a bit intimidating taking the SFD path initially - I would have described myself as an enthusiastic but basic home sewer, with next to no fitting experience and certainly no design experience at all. As a "mature" woman my body has changed from it's easy to fit youthful proportions and standard patterns just didn't work for me so I gave up sewing for over 20 years.   I'm ecstatic I took the plunge into SFD, because the SFD system is easy to use, the results are rewarding, and the creativity from the system is endless. Much much better than simply buying a standard pattern & (for me inevitably) being disappointed. Your internet resources are exhaustive, and the customer gallery/blogs are very inspiring.

Now that I've started sewing again & my confidence is building, I'm really realizing there are no sewing mistakes, only sewing learnings. I love my 'unpicker' now, and understand that fit will probably change a little with every garment so I just enjoy the process involved to get the design the way I want it.

The SFD pattern system is awesome; easy to follow, and inspiring to use. It's so easy to create design after design without having to troll through pattern books & pay for patterns that may or may not work. The fit is always great, and every project gets better & better.

You are probably overwhelmed by positive emails & pictures from home dressmakers much more accomplished than I am. And since you've said you're looking forward to pictures, I'll send you a few via separate emails.

What a great system!
Sigrid, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

PS - You can see Sigrid's been quite busy sewing up an SFD 'storm'.

A New Video Series - Fitting your Shoulder - Square Shoulder Adjustment/Minor-Tune-Up

At Sure-Fit Designs™, we've made a commitment to your fitting success with your sewing patterns.  In that regard, we are constantly adding new instructional and educational videos for your benefit.  As of December 2012, we now have 100 videos that I know will help many of you achieve the very best fit possible. And, they are all free - no strings attached - no registration or sign-up is required.  These videos cover all kinds of topics from drawing the Sure-Fit Designs patterns to pattern refinements and modifications to designing with your patterns.  I'll be sharing them in this blog, but if you want to, go directly to the Sure-Fit Designs Video Library.

For those of you who follow this blog and for those of you who just wander by as a result of a random search, I'll be showing you 'old' videos as well as new ones as they become available.  So if you haven't already, make sure you subscribe to this blog (the subscription link is on the lower left of this page), so that you'll then receive notification of new blogs as they are posted.

This week I'm going to start by giving you a new series of instructional videos on how to get your pattern's shoulder line to fit with your shoulder line and shape.  The first one is on how to square the shoulder.  I hope you enjoy and benefit from seeing this quick and easy pattern adjustment (or as I call them - minor tune-ups).

Also, just a quick request from me...please share any of this video content on your personal blog or Facebook page and help me to spread the word about the Sure-Fit Designs fitting and sewing system.  Thanks so much, Glenda.

Here's the Square Shoulder Minor Tune-Up/Alteration - it's amazingly quick and easy!

Here's the Horizontal 'Fish Eye' dart for the Flat Backside

Last week, I showed you Joy and Phylly's great video on drawing the Princess Line pants using their Sure-Fit Designs pants pattern.  You'll remember that Phylly commented about how great that CB leg seam is for shaping the fabric to a flat backside.  In essence, within that seam you are incorporating a vertical 'fish eye' dart.

Another option to think about is folding out a horizontal 'fish eye' dart in the pattern, which can also help to remove the back-seat 'baggies'.  So here's one of my latest videos on drawing this minor tune-up.

The back-seat baggies seem to be an issue on the aging female body though it can definitely happen with younger women as well.

If you do make this refinement to your pattern, make sure you test, test, test!  Well...one test will likely be enough, but I just wanted to emphasize the importance of testing when you make a pattern modification like this.

And I know many of you groan at the thought of having a CB seam in the back of your pants leg, but if it improves the fit no one, or very few, will ever notice it.  In fact, you'll get compliments on how well your pants are fitting.

How to Design/Draw Princess Line Pants with the Sure-Fit Designs™ Pants Pattern

If you are extremely flat and have a lot of 'baggies underneath your butt' an excellent way to get your pants pattern to fit and snug in on your leg, is to sew pants with a princess line seam.  This means that there is a seam going up the center of the back pant leg.  Because you have a seam there, it means you can simply widen the seam allowance under your butt area until the baggies are eliminated.

You'll actually find the directions for doing this in a couple of places.  First in your SFD Pants Kit instruction book, it's on page 15 #11.b.  The second location is in the new SFD Leggings Leaflet.  Just click on this link.  You'll have fun making leggings that finally fit you properly.

In addition to this, my friend Joy, from Joyful Expressions, has recently made a video with her sewing buddy, Phylly, showing how to draw these princess seam line pants using their SFD Pants Pattern.  Have fun watching these two lovely ladies as they show you this process.

The only comments I would make are - when they show you the back dart and how it relates to the pants back leg seam, the dart should have been moved over to be directly on top of the seam.  Doing this means that the gentle curve of the seam going into the dart would have the same curved shape on either side and will make sewing it much easier and it will lay flatter on your body.  I actually show how to do this in the Leggings Leaflet.

The other comment is that drawing the curved extension of the seam can also be accomplished using the SFD Designing Stylus.

Enjoy this tutorial - it's fun and easy to watch.

Thanks ladies...you did a great job.  I'm so glad you're enjoying and benefiting from fitting and sewing with Sure-Fit Designs™.

In addition to Joy's video, there is also a Sure-Fit Designs™ video that is directly related to this topic, that being the flat backside.  Perhaps you may be interested in watching this one as well if you happen to have this flat backside fitting concern.

 

New Year's Resolution? Sewing Clothes that Fit during Weight Loss

I know the holiday season can play havoc with our diets.  There's just too many tempting tasties and before you know it, you've gained a little unwanted weight.  Now it's time to change your eating habits, but in the meantime, you need something to wear that fits, is comfortable and that will be easily adjusted as you loose weight.

I've been asked frequently from those who are loosing weight for suggestions as to the best style of garments to sew during this process.  If this situation is something you're dealing with, you may be interested in watching this video.  You'll find helpful recommendations when sewing with the Sure-Fit Designs fitting and sewing system.

I know you'll just love these Easy Wrap Pants!  Instructions are found on Leaflet #8 - just Click Here!

(Feel free to share this video on your personal blog or Facebook page.  Thanks for spreading the word about Sure-Fit Designs.  Happy New Year! Glenda)

Assembling a garment - A Resource Guide

Last week I gave you a comprehensive list of where to find specific sewing instructions in each of the Sure-Fit Designs kits.  This week, I'm providing a resource of general procedural steps when assembling a garment.  Whether it be pants, a skirt, blouse or jacket this list of 'what should happen first, and second, and third etc. will apply generically to pretty much any project.

When you’ve sewn for ages your mind kicks into gear when constructing a garment.  What do you do first?  What do you sew next?  You kind of know the order in which things should be done.  But for the novice, it might not be so obvious. Use these guidelines and you’ll generally be well on your way to a comfortable level of knowing how to sew something together.

First, do as much work on a major pattern piece as possible before joining them to another major piece.  All darts, pleats, tucks and style lines (like princess lines) would be sewn first.  Sew side seams and shoulder seams only when you can’t do anything more on the major piece.  This makes pressing easier, simplifies the sewing process, makes the garment easier to handle in the machine and the entire construction process will take less time.  

 

Read through these steps first, then analyze them in relation to the garment you want to sew.  Eliminate those that don’t apply, but stay with the general flow of steps.

1. Attach any interfacing.  Whether for a blouse, dress, coat, shirt or waistband of pants or shirt, do this first.
2. Darts, tucks, pleats.  Do these next.
3. Sew style lines.  Does your pattern have style lines like princess lines or yokes?  Anything that is not a shoulder or side seam should be sewn now.
4. Pockets.  Apply them to the major piece taking care that they are balanced from one side to the other.
5. Insert the zipper.  If possible insert the zipper while the major piece is still flat, but if it is a dress with a waist seam and the zipper extends into the skirt, it will be applied later.
6. Shoulder seams generally come next.
7. Sew a 'shirt-style' sleeve.  The lower, flatter sleeve cap lends itself to sewing into the front and back armscye at this time.
8. For shirts, sew side seams from hem up through underarm to sleeve hem edge.  For pants, sew inseams and side seams.  For a dress, if the design has an attached skirt, sew the skirt and bodice side seams separately, but don't attach skirt the skirt to the bodice yet.
9. For pants, sew crotch seams.
10. Sew waistband or facings for pants/skirts. Finish elastic waists at this time.
11. Sew collar.  Prepare collar.  Make sure facings have been prepped.  Attach collar.
12. Prepare sleeve.  Prepare any detailing like plackets, gathers, etc. before stitching the underarm seam.  Apply cuffs if applicable.
13. Set in sleeve.
14. Neckline/armhole facings.  Sew the neckline or armhole facings if there is no collar.
15. Dress waist seam.  For 2-piece dresses, sew bodice to skirt at waistline.
16. Apply zipper.  For dresses with waistline seams, add the zipper now.
17. Finish hem.
18. Closures.  Buttons, buttonholes, hooks and eyes, frog closures, snaps should be sewn at this time.
19. Belts, bows or additional trimmings may happen now.
20. Always Press As You Sew!

 

The more you sew, the more your confidence grows.

(Adapted from Industry Guide to Sewing Order by Connie Crawford)


(PS - Sometimes I really detest Blogger...I simply couldn't get the text and the images lined up where I wanted them to display...But I'm sure you'll get the picture.  LOL)