Custom Fit Sewing Patterns

Sewing Patterns

Hi Sewing Friends:

Do you wish you could order a custom-fit sewing pattern for yourself? Well, it looks like you can do that now.

Have you heard that Simplicity and New Look are working with Unique Patterns to create custom-fit patterns?

Simplicity and New Look Patterns have formed a partnership with Unique Patterns, by Unique Solutions, the world's largest custom-fit company. They are the ones with a bodyskanner.

If you aren't near a bodyskanner location, you can request a measurement kit that will guide you through taking your own measurements. When complete, just send them in. That's all there is to it.

Once you get your measurements into the Unique Pattern system, you can order a Simplicity or New Look pattern custom-fit to your personalized measurements and they will be sent to you directly.

Check it out at http://www.uniquepatterns.com/

This sounds interesting. It saves you from altering your own pattern.

Has anyone tried it? I'd love to hear if it worked out well for you.

To Your Sewing Success,

Marian

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Sewing Techniques - Staystitching

Staystitching

Sewing Friends:

When I use a pattern, I rarely read the sewing instruction guidesheet. I just sew using my common sense techniques. I usually tell my students to throw away the guidesheets, too. Often, the guidesheets just get the students into trouble. I would rather that they didn't even read them, let alone follow them.

There is an order to sewing and many of the same techniques apply from garment to garment. Learn good techniques and use them for all your sewing to achieve greater sewing success.

In a recent email, someone asked me about "staystitching". I had mentioned it in something I wrote and she didn't see it in her pattern sewing instructions. She wanted to know if it was necessary and why.

That question made me go look at my newest patterns. I was amazed at what I found!

What happened to the staystitching instructions on sewing pattern guidesheets? They were in some of the older patterns!

I suppose the sewing pattern companies think that by eliminating some of the instructions, the pattern purchaser will think their garments are easier to sew and thus, they will sell more patterns.

You know what I mean. They promote fewer pattern pieces, 1,2, 3 easy steps and Bam! You have a garment. Quick, fast and easy are the words of the day for everything in our lives!

I am teaching some sewing classes and am very disappointed that the sewing pattern instruction sheet does not show or say anything about staystitching.

Are all sewing pattern companies eliminating this important step now or is it just true for a few?

I don't buy a lot of patterns any more, so I need your input to let me know what you are seeing in your new pattern selections from various pattern companies.

Is staystitching missing from all pattern company guidesheets now? What else is missing?

My current classes are working with Kwik Sew patterns as that is what the store owner carries. I am finding some well designed patterns there with some pretty good, easy to follow instructions, but no staystitching. I do have some other issues, but I will address those later.

I am a firm believer in staystitching to help prevent the garment from stretching during construction.

If you want to know what staystitching is or where you should use it and why, see this article, called, "Staystitching," from the Home Sewing Association Sewing Guidelines:

You will often hear staystitching referred to as "directional staystitching". That is just another term for it. "Directional" means that is done "with the grain" of the fabric. All staystitching should be done directionally.

Directional staystitching (row of stitching through one layer of fabric 1/2" from the edge) and directional stitching (row of stitching joining 2 layers of fabric 5/8" from the edge) are both done "with the grain."

You should use directional cutting, stitching and pressing when constructing a garment to end up with the most professional look when it is finished. It really does make a difference between that "homemade look" and a "custom made garment."

When undecided about which way you should cut, stitch, or press, an easy sewing rule to remember is that you should go from the wide to the narrow. Then you are cutting, stitching, and pressing "with the grain."

Another helpful hint to help you know which direction to cut, sew or press is:

When you are going "with the grain," the fabric threads lay down along the edge when you run your fingers along it. When you go "against the grain", the threads poke out.

If you aren't staystitching your garments now, I suggest that you start. You will see a definite difference that will help you achieve sewing success in sewing higher quality-looking clothing that will have that "custom made" look because it is well constructed and fits you well.

Aim for good quality construction sewing techniques in everything you sew. Sewing with these "custom" techniques is no more difficult or time consuming that sewing the "homemade look." Why not use the best?

Work on getting a good fit, add good sewing techniques and get ready for the compliments! You will love hearing, "You made that? Wow! It doesn't look homemade!" You tell them, it's not "homemade." It is "custom made". . . by your personal designer - you!

Start staystitching today!

It just makes sense!

To Your Sewing Success,

Marian

1st Step To Sewing Success

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Sewing Techniques - Staystitching

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Sewing Class Project - Midriff Sun Top And Purse

Sewing Class Project

Hi Sewing Friends:

It's always so much fun to see the faces of my students when they complete a sewing project in class. Their sense of accomplishment and pride makes teaching so worth while.

In many of my beginner sewing classes, I often will have a mixture of adults and kids. This combination often works out very well. The adults and kids help each other and it seems very very natural.

Recently, in such a class, I had a 10 year old girl who came in not knowing how to thread her sewing machine or fill her bobbin. An adult in the class who was familiar with the girl's brand of sewing machine helped to teach the girl how to do that while I prepared other things for the class. We were off to a good start.

The class made a simple midriff sun top using a preshirred cotton fabric. They learned how to measure, cut and prepare the fabric, how to sew a straight seam and finish it, how to sew a narrow hem and make narrow straps besides lots of pressing and other sewing tips.

In the end, they completed the midriff sun top and were very pleased with their accomplishment and what they had learned that they could apply to other sewing projects.

They were so enthusiastic that they didn't want to take a lunch break or even get a drink of water. Wow!

The 10 year old girl had some of the shirred fabric left over. I suggested she make a purse to match her top. By simply folding the shirred part of the fabric in half and stitching the bottom and sides and adding a strap (wider than the shoulder straps), Madie had her original "one of a kind" design purse to go with her top. A small strip of Velcro will help keep it closed. There were lots of smiles all around.

These gals are coming back for more instructions very soon and I can't wait to see how they progress.

See Madie's Midriff Sun Top

See Madie's Original Shirred Purse

There was a bit of narrow strap left over from the top that Madie is going to tie onto her pink flip flops to make her shoes match her new outfit.

There is a lot of unshirred fabric also left over from this project. Madie plans to make a pair of pull-on shorts. You may want a skirt or you can use it as a ruffle that you add to your jeans skirt to make a coordinated outfit. So cute!

The preshirred fabric is sold by the preshirred inch. Usually, the shirring is 2 to 1. However, it is a good idea to measure the unshirred part before it is cut to make sure you have enough fabric to go around your hips plus about 4 inches.

This fabric is great for all ages to sew quick and easy sun dresses, skirts, beach cover-ups, etc..

This is a fun sewing project. Try it!

It just makes sense!

To Your Sewing Success,
Marian

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Classic Sewing Patterns

Sewing Patterns

Sewing Friends:

Thank you for your comments, emails and phone calls regarding my rant on the sloppy styles! You made my day! Maybe we can start a style revolution!

This inspired me to search for some good basic classic patterns that I think might work for most of you to help give you some ideas on what to sew and how to sew them to achieve the most professional results. I plan to add my own sewing tips. techniques and suggestions to each pattern so it will be a mini sewing course in itself. I hope to develop a good "Classic Pattern List".


How do you like that idea? Tell me your thoughts!


If you have a good, well cut pattern that you recommend, please let me know so I can test it out and add it to our "Classic Pattern List".


Now think about this!


Most of us wear just a few styles on a regular basis. It is our "uniform" so to speak. Look for sewing patterns to duplicate that look. Get your fit worked out in those few patterns and then just cut and sew to your heart's content. Imagine! You just might use up some of that stash that you have.


It really is a lot of fun to sew when you know the garment will fit without trying it on, ripping and restitching a dozen times.


Stop struggling with a new pattern every time you make a pair of pants! Get a basic pant pattern perfected for your shape and then learn how to change the design (not the fit) to create any other style pants you might ever want or need. Don't confuse "style" and "fit"!


Even if you gain or lose weight, your crotch basically stays the same. And, if you were lopsided before, you still are! You may just be more or less wide, but still the same shape!


You know how to let out or take in a side seam. It's the curves, lumps, bumps and tilts that cause your frustration! Everyone has a different combination of those. You just need to find out what yours are and how to accommodate them so your garments can hang "on grain" on your body. Then the wrinkles and pulls disappear.


My Common Sense Fitting Method will help you get the best fit. Try it! It just makes sense!


I am here to help if you need it.


To Your Sewing Success,

Marian



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Fashion Trends - Sloppy Grunge Look

Hi Sewing Friends:

I just returned from vacation. We had a wonderful time with our family and visited many old friends along the way. The scenery in the Canadian Rockies is really spectacular and the weather couldn't have been better. We had sunshine every day.

Usually, when I travel, I see some fashion trend that inspires me to create more sewing projects. But, I have to tell you that after traveling North and South, East and West across our country and Northwest into Canada, I saw only two older ladies that looked nicely dressed. It didn't matter if we were in the city, at an airport, or in a park or restaurant, we saw sloppy beyond casual dressing everywhere.

It makes me wonder if, when the older generation dies off, good fashion will die with it.

My granddaughter tells me that "grunge" is in. Wear whatever, wherever, wrinkled or torn,
mismatched, ill-fitted and sloppy looking with a pair of flip-flops and you will fit in with the crowd. Make sure your hair looks messy and lots of body parts are exposed, too.

Even in church, so many people look like they just rolled out of bed. No one seems to take pride in their appearance anymore. I believe that shows a lack of respect in a house of worship. Even if you are poor and have very little, you can be clean and neat in your appearance and not look half naked in church. Sorry, but that is my opinion.

As far as I'm concerned, I will continue to wear well fitted classical style clothing. So, I guess I will be "out of style," but that's OK with me.

It just makes sense to me that if you look good, you feel good and your work is better and more professional. If we look respectful, we act respectful. It's been proven over time that clothing does affect our behavior. I think the sloppy look reflects the, "I don't want to work for it - you owe me!" sloppy attitudes so many have today.

What do you think?

I don't know how or want to sew "grunge"! So, I'm off to my sewing room to create another classic garment and will soon be sharing more sewing tips with those of you who still care how you look. Is anyone out there?

To Your Sewing Success,
Marian

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