tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post2475677683381305406..comments2024-03-14T16:03:32.434-04:00Comments on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing: Dealing with Pattern EaseGertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-51857209797454100982016-01-29T15:49:58.333-05:002016-01-29T15:49:58.333-05:00OHMIGOSH, thank you! I know I'm late to the pa...OHMIGOSH, thank you! I know I'm late to the party, but this is the most helpful information on ease that I've seen yet. The back of the pattern usually has me off the chart (I would be a 22), but in reality I'm a 16/20 blend with the kind of fit that I prefer. <br /><br />Thanks for this! Pinning it for always. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17720524434589115460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-1209554843127965392015-05-06T09:47:51.844-04:002015-05-06T09:47:51.844-04:00This is a great article - have just put it on my S...This is a great article - have just put it on my Sew In Brighton sewing school facebook page!<br /><br />We spend the entire first session on our Making Clothes From Pattern course measuring 15 different body measures and adjusting the pattern - NOT going by the size they recommend you make on the envelope as it will be huge as you say! This is the course if anyone happens to be from Sussex/Brighton area and needs help.<br />http://sewinbrighton.co.uk/makingclothes.html<br /><br />Thanks Gertie,<br />KatKat Neeserhttp://sewinbrighton.co.uk/makingclothes.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-4042682823489382322014-02-27T21:34:09.858-05:002014-02-27T21:34:09.858-05:00Hi Gertie, how fabulous to read this. I've had...Hi Gertie, how fabulous to read this. I've had such difficulties with sizing. Body measurements put me at size 14-16, which results in garments that hang off me (in this case a dress which is meant to be well fitted at bust waist and hips) by inches. I've just looked at the final garment measurements on the pattern pieces and compared them to ready to wear dresses that fit me well - size 12!!!!!! which is what I buy ready to wear. How ridiculous. Thanks again,<br />Caroline.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-91516337645300584752014-01-22T16:33:09.043-05:002014-01-22T16:33:09.043-05:00Thanks for this. I really struggle to get things t...Thanks for this. I really struggle to get things to fit. I'm a novice, with an odd shape - 36" 37 39! No waist at all. I'm a brick - and it's soooo depressing to make something, only to find it just doesn't fit properly - always, always too tight around the missing waist, yet I'm not sure how to grade around that. Thanks again.Lornanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-58090554874578574952013-06-09T12:59:38.692-04:002013-06-09T12:59:38.692-04:00thanks admin good blog and text. mirc indir mevlan...thanks admin good blog and text. <a href="http://www.mirc-indir.net" title="mirc indir" rel="nofollow">mirc indir</a> <a href="http://www.mevlanasozleri.org" title="mevlana sözleri" rel="nofollow">mevlana sözleri</a> <a href="http://www.kapaksozler.net" title="kapak sözler" rel="nofollow">kapak sözler</a> <a href="http://www.abiyemodeli.net" title="abiye modelleri, elbise modelleri" rel="nofollow">abiye modelleri</a> <a href="http://www.canlikadin.com" title="moda sitesi" rel="nofollow">moda sitesi</a><br />Siberbackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07964696345098510838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-65487586019186115112013-05-16T09:38:00.090-04:002013-05-16T09:38:00.090-04:00Thank you! I've avoided Big 4 patterns for 10...Thank you! I've avoided Big 4 patterns for 10 years because of this. I've learned to sew vintage and from Japanese pattern books to get a good fit, now I'm giving Simplicity another try...Karahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12235320595509571248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-65771441393320166842013-05-04T03:33:03.855-04:002013-05-04T03:33:03.855-04:00 I normally wear a 6-8 in off-the-rack pants and a... I normally wear a 6-8 in off-the-rack pants and a 10-12 in off the rack dresses. Every pattern I have ever made puts me at a size 20-22. Without fail, the results are an exeedingly voluminous garment. I just made a mock up for a very fitted Victorian jacket and followed the sizing chart carefully. The result was enormous; even without wearing my corset, I was drowning in the jacket. Is this a common problem? Melissa McDermotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06517018399943459273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-55526735223625257132013-01-23T11:46:30.492-05:002013-01-23T11:46:30.492-05:00Maybe ppl "should" know how to flat meas...Maybe ppl "should" know how to flat measure, and tissue fit a pattern, but they don't! Even though I do know how, I don't want to do all that fiddling around before I can start cutting. So, I've had dresses too big, dresses too small...I'm now willing to fiddle! BUT, the finished measurements aren't on the envelopes most of the time, and sewing used to be economical, but it isn't anymore and to buy 2-3 patterns till I get the right one, is insane. I won't believe that they can't design patters that work like rtw because rtw clothes have been designed and they fit me just fine. Although it's important to have alterations skills as a sewist, it shouldn't be a prerequisite!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-28724652053243706362012-12-30T17:14:31.016-05:002012-12-30T17:14:31.016-05:00Thank you so much for this! I'm new to sewing...Thank you so much for this! I'm new to sewing, and have been pulling my hair out in confusion over sizing charts... now I know how to easily find out what size I should be going for! Going to head into town tomorrow and pick up a pattern or two.WinterRosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08295245743981416378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-57097872084602852912012-11-28T10:37:24.376-05:002012-11-28T10:37:24.376-05:00Thanks so much for posting this!! I've always ...Thanks so much for posting this!! I've always been so confused by pattern sizes. I still have a lot to learn though since I have a thick waist and no hips :) I find that most patterns have a 10 inch waist-to-hip difference. Yep, I'm learning how to grade a pattern LOL! I've decided to start making muslins of all my patterns. I think that's the only way to truly know how something will fit.<br /><br />I do have one warning though. I just made a pencil skirt made by an independent pattern maker and it had absolutely no ease. So when I decided to make one size smaller...it really is one size smaller. It's a little too tight :( Turtle Park Totshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17058131895498583976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-16887286728535318032012-09-10T08:35:54.658-04:002012-09-10T08:35:54.658-04:00I find ease confusing....it makes it so hard to fi...I find ease confusing....it makes it so hard to find which pattern to choose. I just tend to pick the bigger size (reasoning its easier to take away than add) and hope for the best.M'ladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02697943030492173302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-13297142932804931562012-07-31T13:12:21.798-04:002012-07-31T13:12:21.798-04:00Thanks! This is great. Very clear and easy to use....Thanks! This is great. Very clear and easy to use. I usually make my own patterns, but will try to replicate the measurements of a store-bought dress I like to re-make it.Clare Hodgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09970749379527936182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-21961013036324412202012-06-04T09:30:11.930-04:002012-06-04T09:30:11.930-04:00Thanks for this post, Gertie. It's very refres...Thanks for this post, Gertie. It's very refreshing. I've never considered this to be a "problem." I really don't understand why people are mystified or surprised by this issue. On <br /><br />Elizabethe- I am totally in the same boat. I started sewing again last summer after many years out of the sew-boat - and started using Colette, Big Four, and others - whereas i grew up using Burda. I love the ease of having seam allowances built in, but before I even started sewing again I went through my old books and every time I received a new patter, I checked the finished measurements available, measured the patterns themselves, minusing seam allowances - and then picked the appropriate size. <br /><br />A lot of my vintage patterns actually tell you to tissue fit....Francescahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03715570187712365610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-82517305071494479952012-05-30T05:39:14.836-04:002012-05-30T05:39:14.836-04:00I am also coming to that conclusion. I am on the b...I am also coming to that conclusion. I am on the bigger side of normal, but too small for plus sized patterns, and usually, the larger patterns are not stocked, or are all gone, so I will always buy the normal size patterns, and just add to them...except lately, I've noticed that my finished dresses are ALWAYS too big at the waist, and I didn't need to add the extra size on. I also find that I have to drastically alter the bust line, as my boobs are kinda huge in relation to the rest of me...so, busts almost never work for me, but I am almost always at least a size smaller than the pattern says I am everywhere else. I have never seen a finished garment size on a pattern; I wonder if I have never read it through? I will be looking for that in the future!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00827565948387573902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-37522204720605199142012-05-20T19:41:14.421-04:002012-05-20T19:41:14.421-04:00But in general, I have no patience for this as a c...<i>But in general, I have no patience for this as a complaint (as an observation, I have no problem). If you do any research at all, read any books at all they always talk about fit, how to tissue fit, how to flat measure, and how to choose your pattern size before you go "whack, whack" into your fabric ;). And in general, I'd rather there was more ease than less, because you can make a garment smaller if you sew it too big, but not bigger if you sew it too small.</i><br /><br />I do consider it a problem because if someone is following their instructions to choose a pattern size, they'll end up with the wrong size. Yes, ok, you can do the measurements, tissue fit etc but generally people buy patterns to minimise all of this mucking around. It's one thing to be making alterations to the pattern to fit your particular figure quirks, it's another to have to remove inches all over the shop to get it to vaguely resemble the fit on the envelope. If they just put <b>"arbitrarily, picked out of the air measurements - do not use these as a reference"</b> it would be much closer to the truth.<br />It is quite obvious with the more fitted styles that the garment made for the model on the envelope could not have been made using their measurement system. I'm not even talking about FBA's and other figure irregularities. I really think that looking at the pic on the envelope should give you some idea of how that garment will fit you if you follow their measurement system, close, baggy etc. - isn't that what it's for? (well, apparently not)tigergirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09229270869667028807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-39207572664769826872012-05-17T07:08:13.772-04:002012-05-17T07:08:13.772-04:00Great tips.
I've sewn few burda paterns (skirt...Great tips.<br />I've sewn few burda paterns (skirts mainly) and didn't consider the "ease issue" at all.<br />Now, I don't know if the german brand doesn't have all the ease the american pattern companies have.Or simply I just choose a smaller size ,and probably gained few cm reducing the seam allowances.<br />now it's all clear!<br />I've bought vogue 2960 a wile ago and am planning to make it.<br />Iìll try to work out which size suits me better!<br />Grazie Lauraantoniettahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16089370530809919618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-18057278598462911872012-05-15T01:51:26.570-04:002012-05-15T01:51:26.570-04:00The way I understood it, it's that the Big 4 p...The way I understood it, it's that the Big 4 pattern companies haven't changed the sizing on their envelopes since the 50's (ish) but instead they've just added more ease to the patterns to make them fit modern bodies. <br /><br />According to the measurements on most pattern envelopes, I should be wearing an AUS 16 with 18 hips. However, when I actually cut out the patterns, I'm generally a 10-12. Which is a truckload of ease (especially when these are fitted patterns, like boned bodices!). I pretty much ignore the pattern envelope measurements these days and go strictly by the 'finished measurements' listed on the pattern pieces. <br /><br />It's utterly ridiculous and really frustrating for beginner sewists! No wonder so many beginners are put off!Abi C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/18182055345544898034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-22514308888121706952012-05-14T15:42:20.584-04:002012-05-14T15:42:20.584-04:00So glad you wrote about this! I'm fairly new t...So glad you wrote about this! I'm fairly new to sewing garments and have been mostly relying on trial and error. Very helpful advice!!Bridgettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10640747585046953061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-39814865013922790692012-05-14T13:05:28.515-04:002012-05-14T13:05:28.515-04:00I think a lot of ease is built in to most patterns...I think a lot of ease is built in to most patterns to supposedly fit a range of figures so no one can complain that it is too small, but I think they shoot themselves in the foot by offering numeric sizes instead of SML. Seeing numeric automatically makes me think that it should fit even closer to my actual size. Less specificity is better. <br />The best thing you can do is go by finished garment measurements and compare that to a RTW item that you own that it similar cut and most importantly- fabrication.<br />Sizing is so wonky these days that there really is no "right" answer for what size you are. Sizing has become part of the designers point of view rather than industry standards.<br />When you purchase a pattern you should only go by your hips and bust as these are the widest point. All other points should be considered detailpatternmakerhttp://www.patterntable.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-24057156314091350182012-05-13T22:42:44.002-04:002012-05-13T22:42:44.002-04:00I always go by finished measurements. The problem ...I always go by finished measurements. The problem I run into, however, is comparing my measurements to finished garment measurements while taking into account that I will need to do a FBA.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-16223892890650032562012-05-13T11:11:12.793-04:002012-05-13T11:11:12.793-04:00Thanks for this post, Gertie. It's very refres...Thanks for this post, Gertie. It's very refreshing. I've never considered this to be a "problem." I really don't understand why people are mystified or surprised by this issue. On many patterns, they print the actual amount of ease they add to the pattern, and it's usually 5 or 6 inches, (even if they don't have the finished measurements), it's not like they are trying to hide it.<br /><br />The problem is completely eliminated by simply tissue fitting before you cut out your fabric. I sometimes do a basic tissue fit before I even cut out the size I'm going to use, just to figure out what size I need. It's not hard, and I suspect that back when the knowledge was passed down more thoroughly, everyone did this as a matter of course.<br /><br />But in general, I have no patience for this as a complaint (as an observation, I have no problem). If you do any research at all, read any books at all they always talk about fit, how to tissue fit, how to flat measure, and how to choose your pattern size before you go "whack, whack" into your fabric ;). And in general, I'd rather there was more ease than less, because you can make a garment smaller if you sew it too big, but not bigger if you sew it too small.elizabethenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-38973744863240000922012-05-12T11:59:43.123-04:002012-05-12T11:59:43.123-04:00when i started sewing i caught on to the fact tha...when i started sewing i caught on to the fact that huge amounts of ease were added to patterns, so i always bought a smaller size, now i draft my own patterns i am amazed at how little ease i include beyond my actual body measurements, clothes are more body conscious now not like the late 80's early 90's when everything was boxy and oversized, this is why i learned to draft patterns, now my clothes always fit.Viviennenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-63345372962820359502012-05-11T17:29:59.845-04:002012-05-11T17:29:59.845-04:00Thanks for the post. I completely forgot about the...Thanks for the post. I completely forgot about the ease. I'll definitely be paying more attention to the pattern to note the size of what the finished product would be.LaTushahttp://www.simplesewingpatterns.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-50883628035127551742012-05-11T13:46:31.287-04:002012-05-11T13:46:31.287-04:00I've been sewing for over 50 years, and as I&#...I've been sewing for over 50 years, and as I've gotten older my bust has gotten larger, but my shoulders and neck haven't. Pattern makers seem to believe that if one has a 36DD bust, one must naturally have also grown some huge shoulders and a football player's neck. I start with a size 8 pattern for my neck and upper chest, size out to a 10 or 12<br />for shoulder width, and do a full bust adjustment. I always make a muslin (often using old fabric out of my stash, because muslin won't drape like chiffon!) and tweak the muslin until I'm happy. When I was young, I fit perfectly into a Vogue size 10 -- nowadays, you just can't tell. You just have to experiment.Sewing Grandmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-45560871446023163472012-05-11T13:00:57.883-04:002012-05-11T13:00:57.883-04:00As others have said , a very interesting topic, an...As others have said , a very interesting topic, and one I've pondered over many times. I think I must be by far the oldest poster on here - won't say how old! And I don't have any problems with "ease " of patterns now. I'm a 12- 14.<br />But I wish the pattern-makers would make it clearer if there are seam allowances or not.PatFnoreply@blogger.com