Welcome to the Sew Along for Simplicity #8439
Gather Supplies
Before we begin, you’ll need to buy you pattern and gather
supplies. Besides your basic sewing supplies,
here is a list of other supplies that I find useful and will be using:
- pattern paper
- tape (magic tape is transparent and can also be written on)
- highlighter
- Dritz Superboard cardboard cutting mat (can be pinned into)
- Hemmer (or yard stick) - not shown
- Chakoner chalk
- plastic see thru gridded ruler
- Seam gauge
- Double stick removable tape
- Tracing wheel
- Dressmakers Carbon
- Reader’s Digest Complete guide to sewing (1970’s version)
Everyone has
their preferred method of marking, and mine is usually the “wax” type dressmakers carbon. It makes a better line I can see,
it doesn’t rub off all over your fabric, and the line doesn’t disappear before
I need it. It's difficult to find. I buy mine in vintage shops and at Richard
the Thread online store. (The wax type is pictured on the left and the
dusty “no wax” style is on the right.) Do place a little mark of the wax type
on your selvage edge of your fabric before you prewash your materials to make
sure it will remove sufficiently.
If I can’t
mark on my fabric for any reason (the weave or fabric type won’t tolerate it)
my next “go to” is chalkoner style chalk marker. Sometimes pencil can also do
an adequate job as runner up for marks inside the seam allowance or on a dark
fabric.
My
third
favorite method is tailor tacks, or marking with needle and thread
because it's time consuming, however, some projects require it. If your
mark needs to show on the right side of the fabric then this will likely
be the best solution. This blog post should get you started: http://sewchicpatterns.blogspot.com/2012/12/sewing-tailor-tacks-that-stay.html
Materials
Do a pre-cleaning, pre-shrinking test
What is the recommended care of your fabric? Check the end of the bolt, or the
online seller listing to be sure you know the recommended cleaning method for
your fabrics and trims. Do a pre-wash
with your fabrics, linings, and trims with that recommended method before
starting any work on your garment. If
you will be dry cleaning, it is wise to take your fabric to give it a once
through. It your fabric is an unknown,
make a decision and try it! This is the only way to pre-shrink the fibers, ensure
compatibility, and avoid surprises. Should you pre-shrink interfacings? This is
a dilemma even for me. Wovens are a definite yes. Pellon, the maker of non-woven
interfacings swear they don’t shrink, but I’m not sure I believe it. I don’t
pre-shrink pellon (wetting with warm water under the tap and drip dry) but rather
I do a fuse test with my fabric to ensure compatibility before I cut. This fuse
test then goes into the washer for the final up match test. The point is to do everything you can to
ensure your materials are well-suited. Once the garment is made, it’s so very
disappointing to find out the materials are unsatisfactory, spoiling an
otherwise beautiful project.
Measuring for Size
Sew Chic patterns contain all sizes from 2-18, and
Simplicity patterns have divided their sizing into at least two size ranges
which vary from misses to women’s sizing. Not too many of us fit one size only,
so multi-sizing is really handy, and it’s expected that you will need and use
more than one size. Both Sew Chic and Simplicity patterns are made for a “B”
cup, which is to say that the pattern is drafted for a person whose full bust
is 2” more than the chest measurement- and this may or may not match the bra
you are wearing. The chest (sometimes called the high bust) gives us
an indication of the shoulder width, so with garment making, the cup size in
garment making is really a comparison of shoulder width to full bust width.
Except for the chest (which is measured under the arm and above the bust), all horizontal measurements should be parallel to the floor.
Using two
yard sticks taped together, measure from the floor to your bust point
and place
a pin. Measure the back from the floor up to that same point and place a
pin horizontally. You may need a friend....or a mirror and tape your
stick to a wall. I’ve placed a cross pin so my measuring tape can slip
in there and keep my measuring tape parallel to the floor.
Write your measurements as you go.  | |
| step 1: measure the chest |
1. Measure above the bust for a chest measurement.
 | |||
| Step 2: measure the bust |
2. With the
tape in the same location at the back, measure across the bust point.
 | |
| Step 3: measure the waist |
3.The waist is located between the hip bone and the rib cage.
Wearing a thin belt can help. Measure above or below, not over the belt.
 |
| Step 4: measure the hip |
4. This dress won’t need a hip measurement, but we’ll take it
anyway. Measure the hip across the widest, most protruding span of the buttocks.
 |
| Step 5: measure the backwaist |
5.
I’ve put a necklace on my mannequin to locate the base of
the neck and you can do the same if you have a hard time finding that
one special bone. Measure your torso length from the base of the neck to
the waist.
This is your back waist length measurement.
Now check your measurement against the pattern size chart. The
chest measurement for this pattern is 2” less than the bust chart measurement.
I’ve added this pattern measurement to my chart in red pictured below. Compare
your CHEST and BUST measurements:
IF BUST IS:
1” MORE
|
2” MORE
|
3” OR MORE
|
CHOOSE SIZE BASED ON CHEST MEASUREMENT
|
CHOOSE SIZE BASED ON YOUR BUST MEASUREMENT
|
CHOOSE SIZE BASED ON CHEST MEASUREMENT
|
Pattern will require a SMALL bust adjustment
|
No adjustment is needed
|
Pattern will require a FULL bust adjustment
|
Circle your size based on your bust or chest measurement as
recommended on the above chart. Circle your waist, hip, and backwaist too. Buy the size category that most closely
spans your group of measurements.
If your measurement runs between both categories, buy
your pattern based on your chest. A
good fit in the shoulder is the most important, and adjusting the waist and hip is
easy.
ONE WORD OF CAUTION: All of my patterns, both Sew Chic and Simplicity are drafted to be TRUE TO SIZE. If you
make a size smaller “because that’s what I usually make” it will be too
small. This pattern was designed to have
a fitted look with a minimum ease in bust waist and hip.
NEXT POST
Buy
your pattern at any of your usual Simplicity retailers and get your
other supplies together. Wash your fabrics. Next I will go over prepping
your pattern to cut, covering the full and small bust adjustment, along
with
length and width alterations and transitioning between sizes.
See you then!
Laura
