Dressmaking patterns - sizing

Jo_anne_2

Hi,

I am just about to start dressmaking again after quite a few years. My first hurdle is which size to make from my pattern and I wondered if anyone one on MSE could advise? The waist sizes given in the measurement seem quite small compared to me! In shop bought clothes I'd be a size 10-12 but on my New Look pattern is seems like I'll need to make a 16 to get the waist to fit So my question is, what is the most imprtant measurement to pick when cutting your fabric and do patterns tend to be on the generous side?

Mrs_Flittersnoop

Hi Jo-anne! Pattern sizing, like clothes sizing has fallen foul of vanity sizing over the years and so most of the time the measurements bear no resemblance to a normal living person

What you need to do is measure yourself round your bust, waist and hips and then pick a pattern which is nearest either to your bust measurement if you're making a top and one that's nearest your hip measurement if you're making trousers or a skirt. Waists are easy to make bigger; the other parts of you are slightly more difficult.

This is a very loose rule-of-thumb though, really if you have a larger bust cup size than a C, then really you ought to buy a pattern using your high bust measurement (under the arms, across the chest) and make a full bust adjustments, but that may fill you with horror at the moment.

I always recommend a brilliant fiitting book, which I have used for years,
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fit-Real-People-Clothes-Pattern/dp/0935278435/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/026-1606520-4522041?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183125355&sr=8-1
which addresses just about every fitting problem (apart from trousers, that's a separate book) you could ever come across.

Good luck, and hope it goes well!
Mrs F x

Jo_anne_2

Thanks for your very helpful reply, Mrs F. I guess this is time for me to address what size I really am and not what Next would like me to think I am! I'll try to get hold of a copy of that book, thanks for the link , and I'll get my tape measure out!

Mrs_Flittersnoop

You're very welcome. I have come to the reluctant conclusion that dress sizing is rather like age - just a number - and the best thing about dressmaking is that you don't have to put a size label inside your beautiful finished garment so no one will ever know! :rotfl:

Have fun! Mrs F x

Jo_anne_2

Mrs_Flittersnoop wrote: »

- and the best thing about dressmaking is that you don't have to put a size label inside your beautiful finished garment so no one will ever know! :rotfl:

I hadn't considered that, how liberating! :cheesy:

Mariel

I always cut the pattern to the size I am in bought stuff, it hasn't failed me yet.

LizD_2

Does depend on the fit of the garment and pattern company. E.g New Look and Simplicity tend to come up smaller.

ZIZA

What you could do is make the pattern up roughly in any old fabric-maybe an old sheet? You wouldn't need to worry about facings or zips or anything just tack the darts and seams try it on and then you can see where you need to alter the pattern. Get a friend who is quite good at sewing to help you with the fitting
You could also take the measurements of a dress that fits you well and compare them with your pattern.
And don't forget measure twice and cut once!

wendym

One of the benefits of sewing is that you can be more than one size in the same garment, particularly with multi-size patterns.

I need a large bust size, but I don't have wide shoulders or big upper arms, so I adjust the shoulder width and the sleeve head.

I have just had to cut out a new Simplicity skirt pattern in a depressingly large size.

And if you have enough fabric, cut a size bigger than you think you'll need around the hips/waist. You can always take in or trim off excess - letting in panels is a) no fun and b) almost always odd-looking.

Mariel

I agree there wendym - I recently made a skirt in a really beautiful black and red satin which I got for less than £1 and I am going to have to make it a bit bigger by cutting the side seams and letting in some 1" black ribbon. It should look ok but not as good as it is without. That will teach me to cut round an old skirt rather than look out my pattern!

wendym

Hi Mariel

What I meant to say about letting in panels was that the exception to the rule is black ribbon, which looks both stylish and interesting.

I don't recommend letting in bias panels. I made a really good job of it technically, but it looks really weird and is heading for a dressing-up box.