Sewing Lessons & FAQ

[Smuterella]

palespider, for beginner sewers it's probably better to only mess with pattern grading that's two inches smaller, unless you're more technically minded. I know I wasn't when I started sewing! If you're that close you can usually just add a bit at the sideseams but when you start getting two or more sizes smaller you have to redraft the pieces. Here's a great article about it:
http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4368/making-sense-of-pattern-grading

Smuterella, measure across the waists of the pieces and subtract the seam allowance and dart width. Give yourself a little extra ease- you don't want it your exact measurement because you need to allow for the extra fabric from the seams at the sides and the waistband. Depending on the thickness of your fabric 1/2" should do it.

Thank you!

 

[Lauren]

No worries, kamikat! I was hoping you'd reply! I absolutely despise resizing things, but I know you're a champ at it! Thanks for the good tips

 

[Lady Day]

Ill be a happy medium to these two sewing divas, Palespider

If youve never made anything at all, thats a whole other kettle of fish, and despite your enthusiasm, I would NOT jump into a garment with a patten of any kind as your first project.

I agree with Kamikat on the use a modern repo first with cheap fabric if you are super new to sewing. Their instructions are generally more newbie friendly, as opposed to vintage instructions where a gals was suppose to know how to sew when she started.

But Id also agree with Lauren if you are new and working from a vintage pattern. I wouldnt go more than a size or two (depending on how the item is to fit) or else you will have nothing but heart ache. Trust me. Oh trust me...

Good luck!
LD

 

[palespider]

I hate to disagree with such an accomplished seamstress, but palespider, I have the same measurements as you, except a little smaller in the waist. The size you pick is dependent on your high bust. right under the armpits. The hardest part to fit is your neck/shoulder areas. Patterns are generally drafted for a B-C cup bust. If you are larger than a B-C cup, then a pattern that fits your full bust will be too big in the shoulder area. It also depends on the particular style of pattern. If it's a full skirt, you don't have to worry about the hip size. If it's a straight, 20's style, you don't have to worry about waist size, ect. The first step, is to determine your high bust, then pick a style. Another option is to start with modern re-print patterns and cheap, ugly fabric. These cost less money and you won't be nervous about cutting them up. Sizes (by measurement) haven't changed. Sure, a vintage size 16 isn't the same as a modern 16, but a vintage size 38in is the same as a modern size 38in. Get used to looking at inches rather than size.
Don't be afraid to ask questions!

Kimikat- thank you sooo much for responding. I just found your blog this morning and had been looking over it all day at work. :whistling

A question about the bust area- is the upper bust the area i need to look out for ALL patterns or just Vintage patters (60's and older maybe?) I am a C cup at the most with the right bra.
I guess patterns im attracted too right now are fitted on top and flair out a bit from the waist or hip but i have been looking like mad for some patterns in pants/slacks. Pair that button or zip at the side... something tells me perhaps i might have to draft my own?

I think i will be asking alot of questions after all

 

[palespider]

palespider, for beginner sewers it's probably better to only mess with pattern grading that's two inches smaller, unless you're more technically minded. I know I wasn't when I started sewing! If you're that close you can usually just add a bit at the sideseams but when you start getting two or more sizes smaller you have to redraft the pieces. Here's a great article about it:
http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4368/making-sense-of-pattern-grading

Smuterella, measure across the waists of the pieces and subtract the seam allowance and dart width. Give yourself a little extra ease- you don't want it your exact measurement because you need to allow for the extra fabric from the seams at the sides and the waistband. Depending on the thickness of your fabric 1/2" should do it.

Thank you so much for hte artical and i was wondering if it would be as simple as adding a little extra room or even maybe gusset to allow extra room in the waist area.

 

[palespider]

Ill be a happy medium to these two sewing divas, Palespider

If youve never made anything at all, thats a whole other kettle of fish, and despite your enthusiasm, I would NOT jump into a garment with a patten of any kind as your first project.

I agree with Kamikat on the use a modern repo first with cheap fabric if you are super new to sewing. Their instructions are generally more newbie friendly, as opposed to vintage instructions where a gals was suppose to know how to sew when she started.

But Id also agree with Lauren if you are new and working from a vintage pattern. I wouldnt go more than a size or two (depending on how the item is to fit) or else you will have nothing but heart ache. Trust me. Oh trust me...

Good luck!
LD

Thank you Lady Day and i do believe you. I just get really annoyed that i can't find or afford certain things in my size and i get all "Grrrr, ill figure a way to make it myself then!"... then i realize i need to LEARN to make it. :eusa_doh:

 

[miss_smith]

sorry if its been asked before but
for someone with very beginners skill in sewing, how crazy would it be to try and size up a pattern and how close do i need the orginal pattern to be?

im a 46ish bust
41 waist
47ish hip

If you can get ahold of Margolis' "Make Your Own Dress Patterns", it has a fairly good guide to grading. However, I would do a couple of basic modern patterns to get yourself started. The first thing I tried to sew on my own was a dress and it is pretty much unwearable because I just didn't have the skills.
That said, I know they seem boring but skirts are great starter projects and there are lots of retro-inspired modern skirt patterns. One usually doesn't need to worry about a hip measurement either, and the only this to really alter is the hemline. Plus you can add all the trimmings you want!

 

[Lady Day]

I have been looking like mad for some patterns in pants/slacks. Pair that button or zip at the side... something tells me perhaps i might have to draft my own?

I made my slacks from a retro pattern that I altered to my body.
It took weeks of trail and error, and I think I cried once too before I got them to a place where I can just cut and sew with very few worries on fit.

Also look at this thread. I know, the want to make it yourself is why I started sewing, but you *have* to build a foundation first. Its crucial.

LD

 

[miss_smith]

Thank you so much for hte artical and i was wondering if it would be as simple as adding a little extra room or even maybe gusset to allow extra room in the waist area.

Unless you're only 2" off or so, unfortunately you usually can't get away with it. You have to add to what are so nicely called "fatty areas" and you can only add in certain increments. So while you might be able to increase over each breast by 1/2" amounts, you might only be able to add over the area between your breast and side seam in 1/4" amounts (confusing, I know ).

 

[Sickofitcindy]

Grading up

Palespider,
I will echo what others have said and say that you don't want to start off doing a large grade. However, I have had good luck grading up 10 inches or more. Granted not every pattern will be as successful but I have pretty much the same measurements as you and have used bust size 34 patterns. It is doable. Kamikat and Lady Day are the best I've seen at grading up. I use Kenneth King's method of using a sloper to aid in grading and it works really well.

 

[SweetieStarr]

SweetieStarr - Do you have a petite figure? I'm built like a bean pole and I find that front darts give me a pouch. I always omit then and take up any slack in the side seam.

Hi Marie Anne,

I am somewhat petite, but have an hourglass figure. I had darts in the pencil skirt that I made that worked fine. Could it be the darts need to have more material taken in?

 

[miss_smith]

Hi Marie Anne,

I am somewhat petite, but have an hourglass figure. I had darts in the pencil skirt that I made that worked fine. Could it be the darts need to have more material taken in?

It might not be the darts themselves, but the length of the dart. I have that problem, but with an opposite effect in the bust :eusa_doh:

 

[Miss Tre]

*waves hello*

I got my mom's old Singer Athena 2000 in working order. I went to Joann's and bought my needles and pins and shears oh my. All I need now is the courage to start. The last thing I made was a skirt and vest when I was 11, over 20 years ago. And that was under the guidance of the neighborhood grandmother.

I just need to find a easy easy retro inspired pattern. I will do this THIS year

 

[miss_smith]

*waves hello*

I got my mom's old Singer Athena 2000 in working order. I went to Joann's and bought my needles and pins and shears oh my. All I need now is the courage to start. The last thing I made was a skirt and vest when I was 11, over 20 years ago. And that was under the guidance of the neighborhood grandmother.

I just need to find a easy easy retro inpired pattern. I will do this THIS year

:eusa_clap Yay! You can totally do it. Make sure you check the Joann's flyers to find out when they are having a pattern sale. 99 cents, or even 3.99 is much easier to put down than $14.99 on a pattern. And figure out what pattern you want ahead of time using the pattern company websites, otherwise you might sit there for 3 hours perusing the books like I do and then still making a rash decision!

 

[MarieAnne]

It might not be the darts themselves, but the length of the dart. I have that problem, but with an opposite effect in the bust :eusa_doh:

Ooo length of the darts, that's a good one. I totally forgot about that one. There is an easy way to check how long they should be. You put an elastic around your waist. Take a ruler and line up the zero with the elastic/waist and let the ruler hang down approximately in the same place as the dart. The distance where your body is no longer in contact with the ruler is the length of the dart.

 

[miss_smith]

Ooo length of the darts, that's a good one. I totally forgot about that one. There is an easy way to check how long they should be. You put an elastic around your waist. Take a ruler and line up the zero with the elastic/waist and let the ruler hang down approximately in the same place as the dart. The distance where your body is no longer in contact with the ruler is the length of the dart.

Most helpful, as I usually just guess! I'll have to remember this one.

 

[kamikat]

A question about the bust area- is the upper bust the area i need to look out for ALL patterns or just Vintage patters (60's and older maybe?) I am a C cup at the most with the right bra.
I guess patterns im attracted too right now are fitted on top and flair out a bit from the waist or hip but i have been looking like mad for some patterns in pants/slacks. Pair that button or zip at the side... something tells me perhaps i might have to draft my own?

I think i will be asking alot of questions after all

If you are a C cup, then you do need to go by your bust measurement for patterns. Yes, this is all patterns, modern or vintage. This is because the upperchest is the hardest to fit and draft right, everything else can be added to or taken away, for the thicker/slimmer waist, flat bum, wider hips, ect. If you've never sewn anything at all, I usually recommend starting with an apron. All of the modern pattern companies, except Vogue, offer reprints of vintage aprons. This will get you started with some basic skills.

 

[1*Cool*Kitten]

vintage in today's world

I have a sewing question for you.if you would please go onto simplicity.com search for pattern #2801 I am making #B "Evening" dress. out of a pale baby blue taffita under lining with a blue,black & grey/silver "lepoard"print sheer over dress (not to be used interchangebly with other outfits,they will be sewn together but to give the appearance of being seperates from each other) now,when sewing in "dressing accessories"; in/on the left side seam, I thought i would put in a 12 - 14" side zip but that's not really authintic for a 1940's styled dress is it?!thinking that since zippers were obsolete due to the war effort maybe I should put in side snaps. Again, I figured "well, then, maybe I should just go with the original pattern and put in an invisible zipper (again not true to '40's style but then again I could be "overlooked" some by most of the loungers?right?) so now I've totally "out thought" this whole "dressing accessory" thing & now my questions to you is this.....what type of "accessory to dressing" would you do if you were in the case!?I'm not really all THAT familuar with why side "holes" were put in the dresses anyway!but then again I was going to put a "V" up at the neckiline w/a loop & button anyway.
I'm not ready to finish it up yet, so there's still room for the snaps on the left side or the side zip or the full back zip. YEIKES!HELP!!!

 

[cecil]

I have plenty of '40s dresses with zips in them, I wouldn't worry too much. Buttons were rationed too, I believe, so it's a bit of a whatever. I think it was more that CLOTHING was rationed overall, so it wasn't like you could have either five dresses with snaps or one with a zip, you got one dress and that was that.

 

[SayCici]

When I sew from 30s patterns I always use zippers when they say to bias an opening and use snaps. Might not be accurate but quicker and convenient for me, snaps are such a pain.