SWG
COMPO
Easy Guide to
BY
Se wing Skirts
1
Which Skirt to Make? Anyone an sew a skrt so if you're just earning, a skirt s the peret starting point You an get the olor se and t you want, and the length thats exatly right for you. The number of hoies in the pattern books may seem overhemng at rst but there are realy only a few skirt styles and silhouettes to hoose rom. In this hapter youll earn how to determine whih styles work best on your gure and whih sles and fabris are best or your skill level. A simpe sle and a beautiul fabri are the best ombination or fast easy and suessfu sewng Uust look at the skirts in any Calvin Klen oletion) When you want to make a skrt quiky stay at or just below your skill level and use the tehnques and details that youve mastered If you want to streth your limits hoose skrts wth some new eementa diferent zipper applation, a more tted se, or a more hallenging fabri he more difult and time-onsumng skirts to sew are those that are tted at the waist high hip and ful hip or that have more pattern piees and onstrution detais suh as peats or pokets
1
Which Skirt to Make? Anyone an sew a skrt so if you're just earning, a skirt s the peret starting point You an get the olor se and t you want, and the length thats exatly right for you. The number of hoies in the pattern books may seem overhemng at rst but there are realy only a few skirt styles and silhouettes to hoose rom. In this hapter youll earn how to determine whih styles work best on your gure and whih sles and fabris are best or your skill level. A simpe sle and a beautiul fabri are the best ombination or fast easy and suessfu sewng Uust look at the skirts in any Calvin Klen oletion) When you want to make a skrt quiky stay at or just below your skill level and use the tehnques and details that youve mastered If you want to streth your limits hoose skrts wth some new eementa diferent zipper applation, a more tted se, or a more hallenging fabri he more difult and time-onsumng skirts to sew are those that are tted at the waist high hip and ful hip or that have more pattern piees and onstrution detais suh as peats or pokets
Choosig the Best Sle Begin in your closet. Try on your favorite skirts. Make notes and take meurements. Decide which stles and silhouettes look best on you What are the most attering lengths? Which waistband stles lengths, and widths are most comfortable? What is the hip measurement of the tted skirt that looks best on you? Next take your tape measure to the stores Try on a varie of skirts to see what works for you and what doesn't (I do this at least twice a yearlate August and March are when the stores have the best seasonal seections.) Again make notes of the most attering engths hem widths waistbands and so on. Check the fabric pes-this will help you earn which fabrics work best for which ses If you nd a skirt in the stores that ooks fabuous on you youl probably be able to nd something simiar in the pattern books
W at's Best for Me? Skirt ses fal into a few basic categories: straight Aline or ared gored pleated/tucked gathered wrap and bias. But how well a particular style will ook on you depends on your gure pe Some ses look good on almost anyone while others seem to suit a particular body shape The socalled "average or slim wellproportioned gure can wear amost any ste of skirt Four of the other common gure tpes and the styles that mos t atter them are described on the facing page The chart on ppO13 describes each of t he basic skirt styles the gure type best suited to each the range of sewing skils required and the recommended fabrics For easy reference each skirt style is coded with the appropriate gure symbos The page numbers in parentheses direct you to more detailed discussion of the suggested style variations and design detais
8
Which Skirt to Make?
FI GURE TYPES
[ x
Y
Choosing the Bes Style
STYLES, SKILLS, AND FABRICS Skir types
Style and figure notes
STRIGHT
More than any other style, straght skrts eveal the fgure An oversed top worn over a straight skirt, however, woks well on fgures wth proportonally large hps
[ A straght skrt s cut straight or tapers in slghtly) fom the fu ll hp to the hem.
Shor staight skrts endng j ust above the knee are the most fl ater ng Supershort staght skrts, such as the mcromn, are best on slm, long-legged fgures. Long straght skrts can have an ar of chic, but look dowdy f they're the wrong length . They're best f they end where the l eg begns to taper. Some rench designers use patterns that are sl ghtly "pegged at the hemcut about 1/ n narrower than th e f ull h p at each sde seam A pegged skrt tapers from ful l hp to hem, creating a cuvy, p leasng l ne for al most any figure that can wear a slm skrt.
10
Wich Skr
Make?
Suggested farics Straght skirts ft closer to the body than any other style, so t's mportant to have some experence wth fttng A tradtonal talored straght skrt m ght have darts, sof pleats, curved seams, a pper, ftted wastband, vent or kck pleat, and a linng.
Easy: A slm skrt with a pullon elastced wastband (pp. 8991 ) s an deal beginner's project A French vent p. 72) and lnng (pp 8285) are optonal. Average: Sof front pleats (pp 6-63); darts p 59), gathers (pp. 6465), or elastc pp. 96-98) n the back; machne-sttched zpper pp 78-79) at centerback seam; optonal rench vent p 72) and lnng pp. 82-85). Advanced: Dars pp. 59-60) n front and back; shaped darts for better ft or pockets pp.6669); hand-picked ipper p 79); lnng pp. 82-85)
or fitted, darted styles, the best fabrcs are midweght, sometmes termed "botom weghts that s, for skrts or pants The best choces n wools are crepe, lghtweght gabardne, fine tweeds, and twlls. Avod wool flann el; most knds are too stif and heavy for any skt. Other fabrcs that work well are lnens, slk lnen or blen ds, lght tweeds, brushed cottons, and deni mweght cottons or pull-on straght skrts, fabcs shou ld be sof and flud to avod excess bu lk at the wast and hgh hp. Slks, wool jersey, ch al ls, a nd rayon are good choces
Skir t
type A-INE/FLARED
[ An Al ine skirt is fu ler at the hem than at the waist.
Suggested fabrics
Style and figure notes The Aline or flared skirt is probaby the best style for most women t works wel on figures with a sma l waist in proportion to the hips; adds the illusion of a waist on straight upand down figures and ma y be the only stye tha t works on fulhipped figures Check the shapes of the pattern pieces on the instruction sheet The skirt shoud be flared, not rectangul ar. I f the engthwise grain is at center back or front, you may want to alter it for a more fattering efect. Aso check the finished skirt width at the hem to be sure it's exactly what you want, based on the measurements you've taken of garments in your wardrobe or in stores
Aine skirts may be fitted at the waist, high hip, and full hip, which requires skill in fitting. hey can also be full with a n elasticized waistbandsupereasy to sew and fit.
Easy: Fu l skirt with pu l on easticized waistband pp. 89-9 gathers (pp 64-65) or sof peats p. 6 machinesewn hem pp. 06-07.
Average: Fitted or partial y easticied waistband pp. 9698 zipper pp. 74-8 pocket detailing pp. 66-69 curved seams p. 53
Because Aline skirts are usual ly flowing, choose fabrics that drape and move nicely. For more fitted styes, choose wool crepe, double knits, ight gabardine, rayon and silk tweed, brushed denim, suede, silk linen. For ful, gathered, or softl y pl eated fared styes, pick silk broadcoth, crepe de chine, rayon, chalis, tissue faile, cotton knits, silk noil, wool jersey.
Advanced: Bias cut pp. 3739 ining pp. 8283 raised waistband p 0 1 ) more fitted, but the more fitted the skir, the more skills are required to make it.
Choosing the Best Style
Ski tpe
Stle and figure notes
CORED
A tue classc the gored skr s aways asho t's aso oe o the most latteg styles The vertcal les o a goed srt create a lluso o heght ad slmess
[ Ths stye cossts o our, sx, eght, o more gores shaped to ae rom wast to hem
A gored skr ca be ether straght or A-le, depedg o the cotours o the gores you ook best a sm skr, choose a goed stye that's tted at the wast ad hps a d that lares ear the hemle I a Ae s best or you, choose a skrt wth gores that lare om wast or hgh hp Shape d ad curvy gores emphasze the hps (See pp 0809 or tps o costructg a ted, lght ly ted, ad ul gored skr)
12
Wich
S o Make?
Sugested fas The more ed the skr, the more mporat your tg ablty You'll aso eed accuate sttchg ad pressg skls to acheve lat, eary vsble seams Hems ca be sew by had or mache Easy: Pu l lo elastczed wastbad (pp 89-9); addtoal ease at wast ad hps (p08) Average: Lghtly ted skt (p 1 08) vsble pper (pp 80-81 ) mach etopsttched hem (p 1 06) Advanced: tted (p 09) hadpcked or vsble pper (p 79 ad pp 80-81 ) had sew hem (p 05)
The best abrcs or ths style are ud ad drapey Wool jersey, velour, ad wool double kts are good o lghtly tted skts; wool crepe, slk tweed, a d e worsted woo or tted skrs Sk crepe de che ad rayo ae aso good choces Avod wool lael ad gabarde
Ski type PLEATED !UCKED
[ You can vay the sze, numbe and pacement of the peats to create dferent effects. 0
0
GATHERED
1 Gathers emphasize the drape and movement of soft, fud fabics.
Style and figure noes
R� uied skil s
Suggested farics
Peats create a subte vertca ne whe softeni ng the figure. A skrt wth aaoun d peats, howeve, fattes ony sim, narowhpped fgures.
Easy: So t pleats (p 61 )
Soft peats equre so fabcs, such as sk and sikies, rayon, and jersey
The positio n, decton, and depth of the peats can be vaed from those on the patten to achieve the ook that's best for you. Experiment
Gatheed skrts vsua y add weight and buk to any figure, so choose you patten a nd fabric carefuy Bewae the rectangua shaped "dirnd skrt, whch s fne fo chdren but frumpy on ost women. Check the pattern nstuction sheet to make sure the pattern pieces ae narrowe at the wast than at the hem.
Average: Pesseddown o stitched-down peats (pp 62-63)
Advanced: A-around peats, whch are extreey di fcut to f it
The best choices fo pressed o sttcheddown peats are csp fabcs, such as ight gabadine and enswea wosteds, si k twi, and broadcoth.
Begnners oen choose to make a gathered skirt as a f rst poect, but gathes take patence and fus sing to get just right.
To avoid an unfatteng pufy ook, use soft, fud fabrics, such as sk, poyeste "si kes, rayon, jesey, and chas
Easy: Gathers created by
If you're unsue whether a fabrc s to o heavy fo a gathered skrt, t probaby is
an e lasti cized wastband (p 89); short spans of gathers.
Average/Advanced: Long spans of gathes; a mut-tieed, Santa Fe stye skirt.
Caeful y positio n the gathes (p p 64-6 5) fo the most fatterng effect.
Choosing the Best Sle
13
Selecting e Pattern Keep it simple. The key to success i to begin with a loosetting style and a beautulfabc. As a rule a garment with fewer pattern pieces requires ess t ime to t and sew. Scrutinize the ilustrations n the pattern books Keep n mind that each detail-yokes pockets, pleats raised waistbands and intrcate seam treatmentsadds time and compexity to the project Buid your sks gradually. With each new garment you make plan to add another technique or tting skill to your repertOire For instance once you've made a smple sim skirt with an eastic waistband and a machinesttched hem you may want to make the same pattern again this time addng pockets to the side seams and handstitching the hem. Then you be ready for a more challengng pattern say, a darted skirt with a kick pleat and a ftted waistband
Beyond e Pattern Envelope The pattern envelope contains a lot of usefu informaton but you have to know how to interpret it Pattern ilustrations can be somewhat miseading, because the artists drawings are much taller and smmer than most rea women actually are. So keep in mind that youll probaby look ve derent n the skirt than the gure in the sketch Also if theres a photograph of a designer original remember that the pattern company does not buy the origina pattern but rather the right to copy the design so the cut of the garment wont be exactly the same Dont get distracted by detais such as a skrt pocket or the color of the garment in the iustration. Look at the lines of the draings on the back of the pattern enveope These wil show you the skirts basic silhouettethat is whether it is straight ared or gathered
14
Which Skirt to Make?
Open the envelope i the retailer will allow you to and check the line drawing on the pattern instruction sheet This is usually larger than the one on the pattern envelope and the details are easier to see. Also check the shape and grainline position o the pattern pieces Check the fnished skirt length and width, and compare these to your notes on what looks best on you Your best lengths may vary too depending on the style o the skirt Length is simple to change but widths are more dicult to adjust so you may need to t another size. Read through the pattern instructions. Be sure you understand or can learn every step Check the garment details to be sure you are conident you can master them I not see i you can simpli the skirt at least the frst time you make it
Wch
Sie to Buy
Choose a skirt pattern based on your ullhip measurement (p. 28), not your waist measurementthe waistline is easier to adjust than the hip. I your upper thighs are larger than your hips as on a pearshaped fgure) substitute your upperthigh measurement or the hip measurement when selecting the size. I the skirt is part o an ensemble pattern select the pattern size you would normally take in a blouse or jacket You dont have to buy another pattern or the skirt-simply adjust the skirt pattern to ft. It's much easier to alter a skirt than it is to alter a blouse or a jacket
Whi e you'e seaching the pattern books o a skrt be sue to aso check the pattens that show ensembles. You just might nd the pefect skirt, as well as a matchng jacket or coat.
Selecting the Pattern
15
Working with Fabrics Is impossibe o selec fabric wihou ouching i. When y ou n a fabric ha appeas o you open i ou o he engh of he garmen o examine is rape an overall eec. Crush i in your han o see if i wrinkles an if he creases isappear easily. ake he bol o a fulllengh mrror an hol he fabric up agains you raping i like a skir. San back an squin o ge a ieren perspecive-someimes a fabric ha's appeaing a close range isn when you see i from a isance. If your skir wil have pleas fol he fabric o uplicae hem. If you wan o make a sr wih gaers scrunch up he fabric o imiae a gahere eec. rom hese ess youll iscover wheher he fabric rapes smoohly an gracefully (which wil aer he gure wihou aing bulk or s siff an hreeimensional. When you begin shopping he fabrics recommene on he back of he paern envelope are a goo saring poin. These are he fabrics he paern esgner beleves wll work bes for ha garmen. Oen hese recommenaions are oo generc however an make no alowances for he sewer's abiiies. The recommenaions also fail o ake ino accoun ha he characersics of a specic fabric pe such as woo gabarine) can vary grealy Consul he char on pp. 10-3 for oher suggese fabrics for your skir sle.
A Gloss of Fashion Fabrcs Allow yoursef time to seZectjust the rightJabric-one that you will eoy sewing and wearing. Te most commo mistake that sewers make is to pair a patter with a icompatibe fabric I a fabric seems too heavy too slippe, too wrikly too ustable proe to frayig or ot quite the right color, keep ookig Most sewers have a "litte voice iside tat istictively recogizes whe a fabric ist acceptable Better to d out before the garmet is made ta durig the project or, worse yet after te skirt is ished. Whe you're ot sure how a abic will adle, buy yd to experimet with
18
Workig with Fabrics
Foolproof Fabrics Certain fabrics are like dependable old friends. They are a peasure to touch gratiing to sew and press and they wear move and ow beautifuy. Natural bers head the list o foolproof fabrics for skirts. Cotton:
Denim, brushed cotton, chambay, fne poplin, lawn Look
for ongber cottons (the best quality) which can be identied by their beautifu sheen and resistance to inkes. A pleasure to sew and press these cottons ast and last. Wool:
Wool crepe, double knits, wooljersey (though notJor nk
beginners), wool challis The weight and drape of woo makes it a
perfect skirt fabric. Wool crepe is excellent as the texture does not add bulk to the gure. Its also easy to press and sew Avoid wool annel entireyits thick and bu and doesn't press wel. Linen
Linen blends. Linen blends wel with other bers. With
linen/rayon for example you get the best of both fabrics-the drape of rayon and the stability of inen. Moygashel a brand name Irish linen doesn't wrinkle as much as other pure inens For sim and tted ared skirts choose heay weights Consider ining your inen skirt depending on the style. Silk:
Silk linen, silk noil, silk tweed, silk bradcloth Silk can be
smooth and sippery or have the look and fee of cotton or linen. Until you have more experience avoid the slippery silks such as charmeuse, crepe de chine georgette and chion
For mot krt abrc lgtwegt to mdwegt woven and ome knt a #1/80 unveralpont needle bet Wt tee abc ue a goodqualty longtaple polyeter tread and a 2m m to 2 5m m ttc lengt about 8 to 10 ttce per nc) For very lgtwegt abc uc a crepe de cne ue a maller needle #10/0) and ne treadmacne emb rodery tread or eamp le
Wt eavy dene tck or tetured abrc u e a longer ttc and l arger needle Wt denm or eample ue a #14/90 needle Even your abrc n't eavy becaue you are ttcng toug o many tcknee you may want to topttc wt a e #14/90 or pecal topttcng needle I bate wt lk tread to avod mak ng ndentaton n te abrc wen pre t beore te nal ttcng.
A Glossa of Fashion Fabrics
Th fl, wigh and drap of th fabri ar ssntial to th suss of your finishd garmnt.
Ch enging Fabcs ome farcs are more challenin to work ith ecase they reqre expertise in cttin handlin sewin pressin and handstitchin To an some experence radally comine a chalenin faric with a simpletoconstrct desn For example try makin a simple forore pllon skirt in rayon or silk crepe de chne.
ayon: A man-made fber composed oj natural materials. Rayons so and drapey characteristics which ve the faric its appeal are also what can make it hard to handle andwashed rayons especialy shift and move easily while they are ein ct and sen mpored cottonlike rayons are oen more stae and easier to handle than inexpensive domestic versions. T the winkle test: If the winkles fal ot after yo crmple the fari the rayon is proaly of ood qali and will e easier to sew. Polyester: A man-madefber that can look andJeel like silk or rayon. Poyester is dclt to ct sew press and shape The er is so stron that topstitchin oen pckers Avoid polyester "silkies nti yo're a seasoned sewer and even then test the fari rst Wool gabardine: Can be frm and crisp or so and drapey. Althoh sitale for a variety of skirt sles aardine is a diclt faric for a einner to work with ecase t eases poorly frays readily and shows stitchin errors. Gaardne also reqires expert pressin and topstitchin to ook its est.
20
Workin with Farics
Pep
g te a
Fabrc
Prepare the fabric before you sew to ensure that the nished garment will look, hang and we ar well. Most fabric wll shrnk the rs time it's laundered so you should wash or dclean it before you cut out the pattern pieces Preshrink using the same method you plan to use to launder your nshed skirt. For example if youll be washing and dng the skr by machine pretreat he fabric by machne. After pre shrinkng straghen he grain of he fabric by pulling or pressing o ensure that the nished garment ill look its best
Pes
g ad h
Pessig
Washng by hand is oen the best way to launder hand-sewn garments To preshrink the fabric either wash and d i by machine this rst time only or wash it by hand To preshr ink by hand fold the fabric and submerge it n warm to ho waer and a little detergen. The detergent removes the excess dye or nishing subsance) Then rinse and air-dry he fabrc. Undyed white and offwhie wools end to shrink a alarming rates and should always be preshrunk Lay the fabric on a large terry owel that has jus been washed in the machne (the towel should be damp no sodden) Roll the fabric and damp towel together like a elly roll, leave them overnight and he next day press the fabrc smooth to remove the moisture Some fabrics such as wool crepe must be d cleaned To pre shrink he fabric have the dry cleaner process the pece of fabric ust as if it were a garment Not all fabrics need preshrinking Many wools and silks are "needleready and need nothng more han a touchup with the iron before you lay ou and cut the pattern pieces Press the preshrunk fabric before you cut ou the patern peces and hang it on a hanger so it wont wrinkle Press and hang your patern pieces too Theyll be easier to work it h
22
Working wih Fabrics
Sagteng the Gr Even though fabric is woven straight with the lengthwise and crosswise threads at right angles to each other) it is often pulled o-grain during the nishing process or as it is wound onto the bot. If you cut and sew a garment ograin, it may never hang the way you expect it to. So before you ay out your pattern pieces, check that the fabric is on the "straight of the grain that is, with all edges sevage, and cross grain straight and at right angles. Make a snip through the selvage about 1 in to 2 in. from one of the raw edges Tear the fabric if it tears easily and without distortion, or pull one thread out and cut along the area it was pulled from (Some fabric stores wil do this when you buy the fabric.) Now fold the fabric in half, with selvages together. Press the fabric and place it on a at surface. The sevage and cross grain should be straight and at right angles to each other; cross-grain threads shoud ie on top of one another. If the fabric is ograin, pu the fabric rmly from the corners aong the bias to straighten it. If you have a lot of yardage, work down the length of the fabric, puling every 12 in. from corner to corner. This task is easily accomplished with two people, but if you're working alone, you can press the fabric, stretching it aong the bias as you work, as shown in the photo on the facing page.
To find the straight of the grain," tear the fabric or pull a thread and cut along the crosswise grain. Check that the selvage and cross grain are straight and at right angles
Preparing the Fabric
23
Getting the Right Fit at of the fun of sewing fo youself is to get the best t possible. Fitting is the pocess f adusting o alteng a commecia patten so that it wil exactly t the peson who will wea the gament. It is ae fo anyone to have pecisely the same measuements as a commecia patten and sedom can a patten be used staight out of the envelope without changes Alteing and customizing the patten ae as much a pat of ceating clothes as sewing and pessing ae Fitting has an undeseed eputation fo being dicult. t's not but it can be timeconsuming-up to onethid of the time it takes to constuct an entie gament is spent pepaing and adusting the patten Once you know how you body dies fom the patten, you can adust al you pattens fo you specic hip o waist measuements pefeed length o othe vaiations With all the time you'l invest in pefecting a patten it cetainly pays to have a colection of favotes that you can use again and again Because tting is a talandeo pocess, it helps to take a tting cass o to have a fiend who sews o a pofessiona dessmake assist you in measuing and basic tting Refeence books help too One of the secets to success in sewing is the pocess of "poong the patten When you poof a patten, you make cetain that the skit will fit aound you body and that it will be the ight length. Once that's accompished, pin the tissue pieces togethe and ty on the patten to check the se detais and silhouette When you have a patten that's exactly customized to the shape of you body you'e eady to cut out the fabic and begin sewing a gament you can be sue you'll enoy wearng. Make it you goal to add patten adjustment and tting to you epetoie of sewing skills expanding you knowledge bit by bit with each poect.
\
The Basics For many eole, tting is a myste-but it needn't be. There are four basic stes. Take them one at a time. I also hels to have a few tools handy
26
Getting the ght Ft
Four Basic Steps
Tools
If yo follow these fo simpe steps before yo ct yo fabc any fttng yo do dng constcton w ll be netn ng not a mao oeha
Adsting patterns is mch smpe and the eslts ae moe poessona yo se the ght tools Each tool has its own specc ses o the aros pattenm akng tasks; none sbstttes for anothe As yo gow moe famla wth them they' become lke extensons of yo hands
. Compae yo body measements to those of the fat patten pp. 89 2. Proo the patten to ensre that the skit w be the ght length and w t aond yo body pp 0. 3. Pn the patten peces togethe as they w l l be sewn and try on the patten p. 0 Adst fo swayback pp 01 ond tmmy p o age hips p . 4. Make any desed changes to the patten fo pockets p walkng ease p 5 lnngs p 6 o changes n ganl ne pp 79. Pnt agan necessay and tanse any fthe adjstments to the pattern.
Acqe the fol lowi ng a anged hee n ode of necessty: Of cose yo'll need a measng tape and 6in gage A n by 8n CTh rle s naable o ceating staght l i nes fnd ng rght anges engthenng shotenng and moe A metal hi p cre s st ght for cng and shapng the hips wast and egs hs pofessona patten make's tool s aal able at stoes that se pattern mak ng sppies o fom maiode soces Once yo se a metal yadstick yo'll nee agan se a wooden one t's geat fo makng c ean long staght lnes and edges hee ae seea additonal tools yo'll fnd sel when adstng yo pattenge tape stips o el astc tacn g pape and patten tsse pencis and pens chak Clochalk dessmake's pencls ghtangle le le ngth m o hand mo embodey loss and chen ll e needle scissos and applq scssos The ist wl contne to gow as yo fnd yo own way of wokn g
The Basics
27
Comparing Measurements The rst ste in altering your attern to comare your body measurements with the attern's
Measure Your Body The fo citical measemets are the wast, hgh hp/tmmy, ll hp, ad fished legth. Make a ote o these They'e esseta o ateng ad fittg yor patte. Whe measg, wea the ndecothg ad shoes yo mght wea with the sk t
Waist: Pn
Measue wastline.
Measue hgh hip o tummy
a legth o wide el astc aod yo body whee yo'd lke the skt wastlne to be. Measre oe the elastc, hod ng a fger deeath the tape mease to allow a adeqate amont o ease ().
High hip/tummy Check yo sde iew a flength mro ad mease yo hgh hip/tmmy whereer yo figre s la gest betwee 1 . and . below the wast (2) Be se the tape mease doesn't se p sghty at ceter ont. Aso mease om wast to hgh hp
Full hip Check yo sde ew
Measue full hp, and frm waist to full hp.
28
Getting the ight it
4
Measue fnshed length.
agan ad mease arod yo h ps at ther fl lest pot thi s s the ll- hp measemet. A lso mease fom yo wast to yor f hip 3).
Finished length: Measure fom the wastl ne at the sd e seam or front to the desed nished ength (4). O measue the length o your avoite ski t of s m la stye
Measure Your Pattern To make it easer to measure the patern, take t out of the envelope and spead t out on a fat, uncutteed work tabe
1
Measure the waistline, excluding the darts tucks pleats and seam allowances.
Waist: Hold the tape measure on ts edge to make it easer to fol low the paen's cuves and measue the waist aong the stitch ng ine, exclu dng seam al lowances, tucks, pleats, or das (1). Pin these n positon o smply skip over them when measuingths w l l g ive you the actua measuements o the inshed ski Because of the ease built into the patten, hs measuement should be lage than the waist size lsted on the patten enveope.
High hip/tummy: If you have a ounded tummy o high ound hips, take an additonal measuement 1 '/ to n below the waist ne of you patten
Full hip: The ull-hip measurement on the patten w ll be the same d stance fom the wast as the measuement on you body If your skit has tucks o pleats, p in them nto post ion fi st to get a true measurement o the fin shed gament (2).
Finished length: Aong the skit's cente font o side seamlne, measure fom the waistine to the botom edge o the de s red hem
2
Measure the pate at full hip with the pleats pinned in position
The Four Essential Measuremen - - - - - Wast - - - - - High hi/ummy 1'/ in to 4 in blow waist) - - - - Fll hip (9 in. blow waist Befoe altering and tng a pate, ecod the fou senal measuemen of you iy and you pate.
- - - - Lengh (from wais accordng to preference
Comparing Measurments
29
Proofing the Pattern Adjust the lenth and idth of the at patten befoe you ty it on to educe the amount ofttin you'll need to do late I' moe ecien o lenghen o horen yo paern beoe yo add widh o ha yo'll be woking o ny wih he neceary lengh Yo' l al o be able o blend he ide eamlne eai y and accaely a yo mooh he og ha ofen occ when yo change he lengh o he gamen If yo need o lenghen o hoen yo k 2 n o le mply add o bac engh a he hem yo need o ad moe han 2 in . ale he body of he kir a he lenghen/hoen i ne yor paen doen' hae a lenghen/hoen ln e add o ne o yo wll be able o ealgn he op and boom ha le of he ki To do h exend he gainlne; hen daw a ln e a a igh an gle o a he po n whee yo wan o lenghen o hoen yor kr yo k haped a he hem a in a gored flaed o pegged ki or f ha a kck plea Fench en o hem deal lenghen or horen below he fl h i p o a no o i neere wih he deign deai . Yo may need moe fabrc if yo enghen o widen he kir gnficanly. To nd o fo e do a ial ayo of yo paern pece on pape o on a grdded cing boad 30
Getting the ight Fit
Lengtheng a Pattern C along he enghen/horen lne and ape o gle a piece o ie pape alo ng one c edge oeappng he paen and e edge abo 1/ in Yo can e cap paen ie a long a i' a wde a he paen pece and a lea i n. longe han � h e amon yo'e addng o he k. On he cap e paal lel o he lenghen/hoen lne mak he amon yo wan o add o he k xend he gran lne h ogh he crap e Lne p wh he gain li ne on he ohe haf of he k i paen and ge o ape he crap e n place If yo're no alo cha ngng he wdh of he ki r mply draw he de eam i ne on he cap ie and blend he eamine o he k ha le yo ae changng he k i wdh make hee admen p and blend al he eamlne n one opeaon
To Shorten
To Lengthen Sca tue
Cn bck
Ct pte p on lene shoen lne. Ovelp pte nd sp g t ' n.
lend ln on sp sse.
Lenghehn n
gnlne thogh the sp tsse. Algn t wth the othe hlf of e gnlne nd t t n ple.
Shoreng a Pattern Ma he amout you wat to shote you pae by dawig a le paael o he egthe/shore lie. od he patte pece aog the ethe/shorte le ad the lt the od o meet he draw ie. G lue or ape he pae piece posto he plea that oms shou d be ha the otal amout o be shoeed o example, you'e shoteg he st / , he peat wi ll be wde. Mae widh adustmes, i eeded, at the hi p or wast. oec ad bled the seaml es
Dw lne pllel to the lentheshon lne to k he ont yo wsh to shoen the pte.
Fold the pte pee long the lenthehoen lne. rng the fold to t the dwn lne. Tpe o gle e fold n ple.
Plet wll ese one-hlf ont to b shoened.
Adjusting Widt Adjustg width s the most commo pate alterato, ad t pays to mase it rom the stat. Icrease or decease skrt wdth at the side seams oly. you add wdth at ceter rot or bac, he das/tucks wil be postoed too ar apart. Although you'l l decease wdth less equetly, t he same pc ples appy o both creasg ad deceasig Adus the sd e seams o he pate tssue, dawg i ew cuttg es. Ths w alow you o p the tssue togeher aog the sitch g l es ad ty o the pape patter to test the i. he ota amou o adused widh should be dided eely amog the q uartes o the sk t a exra 2 i. is eeded, o exampe, add 1/ . at each sde seam.
Proong the Pattern
31
ALULATG PATR A wo ypes of ease are bu no he patern: wearng ease and desgn ease Wearng ease s he amoun of exra fabric you need o move comforaby n a garment Desgn ease s he amoun of extra fabrc the desgner or paternmaker adds o gve the gar men a ceran sye and ook he tota amoun of ease s the dference between the se measurements on he patern enveope and the acual measuremens of he patern For exampe, the si e char on the patern enveope or n h e patern book may ndcae ha a se 1 paern has a wast of 26 n and hps of 34 n. he skr's fla patern, however, measures 27 n. a he was and 38 n. a he hp. hs means here s n. of ease n the was and 4 n n he hp, whch s sandard for a sraght skr Flt-t nt Envlo nt = Aont of
o deermne he amoun of ease n your paer, easure he fat patern (p. 29 and compare these fgures to the body measurements on he paern enveope Wrte down he aount of ease your paern aows n he was, high hp, and fu hip When you adus your paern for your body measuremens, you wan to manan hs amoun of patern ease (as shown n he char beow).
u ca a dd a ta f u 8 (2 at eac sde sea) t the wast ad/ befre the s ae beces d istrted f yu need add e wd ta s, yu s u d use a lager-sze atter t's as ssbe ae varying adustets e hp, g ad wais gures wih a ruded umy g ud h, fr exape, ay eed extra wid at e wais as we as a te hgh i t acheve a st ine ( 23) s is esecall y rue f s al wasted fgures (a easced fed wastbad, 9 wrs vey we n ese saes). Afer yu've ade a ecessay adustets, use - sde seas t bu i d extra ftg i suace hs wl al lw yu enugh exa fabrc ater the skt w hi e yu' re
ALU LATN TH E WDTH ADJ U MN Make a copy of hs char and record your body measurements, he fat-patern's measuremens, and the paern ease . The c hart wl hep you deermne how much o adus your paern a each sea m for the best f, wh e reanng he gh amoun of wearng and desgn ease.
Wait Body Measuremen
29
Pus Ease as cacuaed above)
1%
Toa
30Y
Mnus ataern Measurement
27
Adusmen to aern dsrbued eveny a sdeseam alowances)
32
Gtting the ight t
3
High hi/ tummy
Full hi
sewing; the extra seam width can always be tmmed or evened afeward. Make dots on the tissue wth a penc i to mak the amount you need to adjust the sde seams at wast, high hi p, and ful l h p. If needed, atach scrap tssue pape to the sde seams to add e nough wdth (1 ) Make sue you maintain the h p ease at your full-h p measurement. Use a h p c uve to connect the dots, add n g the same amount you added to the ful l h p al l the way down the seam to the hem, n ode to etan the og ina l s lhouette of the ski.
1 Add extra width to the side seams of the patte pieces with tissue paper.
Remember to adjust the wastband patten pece f you make any changes n the sk t width at the wastline If you add 1 in to each of the ski's sde seams, fo exampe, you'l also need to add 2 n to the waistband by addng 1 n to each wastband sde seam. As you become moe adept at making and fittng skis, you may prefer s mp y to ch alkm ak the amou nt that you need to add o subtract d ectly onto the fabric (2), and cut.
2 Mark additions directly onto fabric.
To Add Width to the Waistband C t
f
Grailine
Underlap
A hip cuve wi help you edaw the new s i houette of the ski pefectly Side seam
Side seam Scrap tissue
At each sde seam, spread he pate onhal the amount you wsh to add to the was Clue or ta scrap ssue undeeath, mannng the algnment of the granlne 2. Draw new cuttng lne on he pate issue. Mark new sde seams n e center of the add ssue 7
Proofng the Pattern
33
CustO m g e Pattern Afew simpe, optiona atertions to theat pattern mht make your garment more attractive an comfortabe Consier pockets, inings an aitiona waking ese
Addg a Pocket I your par dos o av a pok, orow o om ao patr. W you d a pok a works wl l, opy ad sav or uu us. Poso pok patt so xds o waisbad ad mark op g. I ssay, sap sid sam so i s sam as sd sam o you sk. Som sks a uvd o
sap o i p, os a srag . Posiio pok pat o skir par al g ig m a was i ad ra ski rt's sid sam oo pok Tas markgs o pok opg wi iy sips or a k maks o wrog sid o ab.
Adding a Pocket
Algn kt and k pa at watln and ac k d am ono k
34
Getting the Right it
Addig Wa g Ease
Adding Walking Ease to a Pleat, Vent, or Slit
Cnt font
Walkg ease, a secret of fe dressakers ad ever cacuated coerca patters, s a sple aterato that akes kck peats, Frech vets, slts, frot opegs, buttofrot ad wrap skrts hag perfectl y stra ght fact, the straghtess s a optca ll uso
of sk half tissu
Whe a garet s cut straght, there's a a tural te decy for t to hag ope at the he If you add wakg ease, however, skrts appear to ha g arrowstraght
Vnt
Whe you add walk g ease, you do ot chage the orgal gra l e of the garet Make ths patter ch age after al l other adustets are copleted
Scrap tissu Cut along e amlinvent fold line fr om the hem to the wais 2. Add walking ease at the tom of the hem by sreading the atem and adding scra ssue Taer the slit in the atem to nothing at the waistline 7
The aout of ease s based o the legth of the garet ad weght of the fabrc Kick Pleats, French Vents, Sli dd wa lk g ease at the
frot or back sea l e, depedg o the placeet of the k ck pleat, rech vet, or sl t dd . for a kee-legth (1 9 to 24 sk rt, 1 . for a dcalf (32 - to 36-. skrt dd s ghtly ore Cia to 1/4 ) for heavy or thck fabrcs dust the lg patter too (p 36) O t he sk rtpatter pece, cu t aog th e seal e/vet fod l e fro th e he to the wast. Tape or glue a scrap of tssue alog oe edge. Posto the other edge so that the walkg ease s added at the botto of the he ad tapers to oth g at the wast ed of the sea
Adding Walking Ease to a Wrap Skirt
Cut along the center fron from hem to waist, on the ght and le side of the ski 2. Add walking ease at the hem ring the ate slit to nothing at the waistline Add ease to a butonfront ski in the same wa
Other Skirt Styles or wrap or butto-frot styles, add 2 of
ease for kee-legth s krts, 1 for dcalf-legth skrts. dd the wal k g ease at the ceter frot, fro he to wast, o both the left ad the r ght sdes of the sk rt If your fabrc s a p ad or strpe, or f t has a strog vertcal desg, add wal kg ease at the sde seas or sk rts wth sde buttos, add wa k g ease at the frot ad back sde seas
Customizing th attrn
35
CIN CHECKLIS 1 . he he l fabr fr y k r ( . 2 1 2 . ee he fhe eh he l. Pk he he reae y wa e (. 8485) a he he aorly, r ly 1 . hrer ha he kr. 3 Mak al he a a k wh . 4 Mark he eer fr a bak wh . 5. Mar he er e wh a .
Addg a i g a kr ha ulle beef: I ve a fhe loo o he e o you are, ae he r eay o e o a o, a he ay wr kle-ree. a o, a l kee he kr abrc fo c a ake a hweh abrc oaque.
wh ecal ea uch a a Fech ve, however, ay requre a oal a ue, a how he aw below. Whe you ew, ch he l' e ea hly a rrower (/ ) o allow or roo a o kee he ea fo u ll ou.
Eve f he r ae c lue a l, I refer o cu oe ro he kr aer ece. (For a l o uee abrc, ee . 2 L fabrc are l y wove a uually have uch e ve ha he r fabrc, o o' ake he l al le ha he kr.
Cu he l o he he w be a lea hore ha he k r, whle cove he raw ee of he r he. Dere lhe f he ay requ re ha you cu he l o lhly fere leh (. 8-85 If you're o ue how you'e o o fh he l he, ly c he l 1 . horer ha your k r. r a eee.
Cu a corc a le a a. L for kr
LIING A SKIR IH A FRECH VEN a he kr aer be e f he l, fl he aer ee bak a he eale a ve fl le. rae he ee f he ve he aer. 2. ea allwae by raw a ew l e 1 % . fr he rae le, a hw he raw. h allw fr he kr' %- . ea al lwae l he l' %-. ea alowae. The kr a he he l wl be h a he ve e. 3 Nw raw he %-. ea alwae f he ve he re, a how. h e. Y' l be refr he eal e a he rer, y' l l wa he be learly arke.
% n. Sk pattem cuttng ine Taced lne 1 /4 n.
Fo lnng pat ak nw vnt ctng lne 7 � n o k vent lne
_
Skrt pattern
,
Mark seamlne at comer Seamlne for -n. allowance
Daw n sa allowanc fo lnng vent % n f new vent ctng ne
36
Gettg the ght t
Chg e Gra e of a Fred Sk The drape and latterng eect o an lne o goed ared kt can be changed gncantly by epotonng the ganne on the patern p ece. Lengthwe gan oen paced at cente ont and center back o the paten, on the lengthwe old, wh ch ake the ront and back one patern pece Th layot coon on coerca pattern becae le abrc reqred than wth othe layot t the leat atteng, however, a t ret n a wde hoette that broaden any ge and exaggerate a ty. In addton, the ba at the de ea ay tretch, ceatng an neven he Two a tenate engthwe-gan poton and one ba-gran poton o the ae krt pane are hown on p 38 reat both ront and back pattern pece n th e ae way Reeber that yo ay need addtona abrc yo change the granlne o gre ot the yardage yo ll need, do a tra ayot on paper that the wdth o yor abrc o on a grdded ctng board Yo can epoton the gan l ne or any type o abrc Lngthwise Grain in Center ofFront and Back Panels Oten ed by Raph Laren, th ct vey latterng and ng, epeca l y o the peahaped ge. Becae the l ne ha ng eveny arond the krt, an neven he e kely h ayot a perect cho ce or ayon, k n t, o other abrc th at ay tretch at the he
To ater the pattern, pl y od t he kt pane n hal, cente ea to de ea The wat hape w not atch, bt that okay Daw n a new ganne down the center o each panel (dd ea allowance at center ront and back the orgna pattern wa one pece ct on the od) Lngthwise Grain Parallel to Side Seam I the traght o the gan paralel to the de ea, th e kt ne hang at the center The cente ea on th e ba and ay tend to tetch Th ty ng c reate a tong vetca ne, whch epeca l y eectve wth tped abc
Th ayot boaden the ge and ephaze a protrdn g ty o derere, bt a good choce o a gre wth ondne at the de o the hpthe traght o the gan latten ot th e c rve. Bi Grain The 5° dagonal l ne thogh th e engthwe and crowe ga n o the abc the ba bact krt reqre ore abrc th an any o the other ayot, bt nothng ee ha ch a beat, owng dape
The b a ct w evea cve and blge, howeve, and gaent contcton and he ng take a bt o pecal cae I yo ae adaptng a pattern wth a one pece ont o back to a ba ayot, add ea aowance to the cente ront and ba ck Th way, the garent w hang wthot twtng to one de
Cutoizing the attern
37
Diferent Gra inlines - Diferent Efects How it's laid out
Center
How it looks
How it drapes
Side sam
Lengw gan n ente of fnt and bak (ypal n mmeal patem)
ulln tend to hang at e d
Side sam
Lenghwe gan n ente o ont and bak panel
ulne han eenly aound e k.
Side sam / Lengthw gan pallel to de eam
un hang at e ente o the k; d hang taghte
Ceter Side sam / Ba gan Ognal ganlne New ganlne -
38
Getting the ght it
Ru moe abr, but ha owng da
Te plet way o aer a paern fo e a t to e a gt angl e rle a a a ° ange aked on t alenatve o ark legwe and owe gran wt a CTr er Ten fod te far a a rg ang le rog e nteeto of te gra e o te e ae pepoed on ea oter Draw a le aong te fold o ark te a ganlne Mark a eod a ga n ne at 90° to te ft T way, we yo t rn ove e patten pe e o t o te eond af, yo an eay poon
Plae a- paen p ee o a nge aye of fa, keepn g te patte n a oeway ayot, a , wt e nap of e far away n on e d eon e e w ll e fang te ae way Wen g wo font o ak pee one layer of ot, e e o f p e pate pee over o e eod af o tat ey w e ro age
Finding the Bias Grainline I , I ,
"
,I I
. '
" .' I
, I
2 Fod ari at to o ga 5 ha o h ag.
Wth a C-Th ma ow ga ad thw ga.
3. aw a ga
o o aw ao a ga at 90 to th frt
Cstomiig te atter
39
Pin-Fitting Adjustments Teres no substitute for pintting our pattern and altering it as arefull as ou an before ou ut te fabri One te o-dmensonal fa patten a s been adj sted is i me o ave a ook a yo paen in ee dimensions Pin-ttng te paen on yo body st as i t ee t e in ised sk it a os yo o adjst o aspets o yo body poile at ae not a onted o by measements alone A saybak a podng tmmy and a le an aveage deie fo examp le may peven yo skit patten om fiing ell. ese vey ommon adsments ae best made on e patten tsse no beoe yo ot e gamen
T on e Pattern Pi n te paen ogee and y i on as f it ee te finsed skit Pae p ns paal le to te sti ng ines aong te seams Pn any das ks o pleats in posiion. Ho d e paen in pl ae at e aisi ne it a 1 -in -ide eng o ela si Posiion e ente onts and baks and ek te i lengt and oveal sylng in a lengt m o. takes on y a b it of pate to develop an eye o te ay te inised gament ll ook
40
Gettg the Right it
Use a lage and mio o see e bak vie. A knoledgeable end s also a gea ep! Afe yo ek e ft an d leng t and ave made te neessay adj stments see e sk needs an adjstmen t o saybak o a potdng tmmy
Adjusng for Swayback I te skt needs some adjstmen fo saybak yo nd ozonta nkles a te ente bak of e pin-itted sk patten js beo te aistband Hees o o esimate te amon yoll need to emove at ene bak o e sk to le smootly. Wi le p n-fing loe e asli ne a ente bak by s pping e patten sligly nde te elasti nil e nkles ae el im inaed Mak te paten isse it a pen o penil ig nde e e as a ente bak e amon yoll need o emove s a ly anges fom /4 in to 1 i n Pn all das pleats o tks n pae en da a ne l ine to eliminate e desied amon o patten tsse satng at ene
bak an gaay meeng e aisln e a e sie seams e ip ve is e pee oo or aing s ne aisine I yor ski a s gaers e l ne i s ess ii al so s mply a eean an even s gy ve ne om ener bak o sie seam Ovelap e patern piees or e amon o e ajsmen a e ene-bak seamne apeing o no ing a e sie seams Rera e lnes o as ks an e enerbak seam Make oresponing ajsmens o e bak aing. Avo e pns an alo ng e reran asl ine I yore okn g i o a pane may be i l o eermi ne e exa amon yo nee o remove as okay. Esmae no an ne-ne e i ae e yoe onsng e garmen Yo an make s saybak a eaion j s beore yo appl y e aisban o e sk b yo may nee o soren e zpper oo Is easies o make paten ajsmens beoe ing en obe-ek em ng e garmens onsion
I yo sk r as a rase aisban p. 01 make e saybak ajsmen by tng e paten bak aong e asne om e ene bak o VB n . om e sie seam
To adjust for swayback, lower the waistline at center back until the horizontal wrinkles are eliminated You may need to remove frm / in. to /2 in. of excess pae tissue.
To Adjust for Swayback
_
Daw a w � watl.
enr bac
P da, pla, o uk pla. Dw a w watl, limatg th d amout at t bak a l to mt watl at th d am
Adj ustng for a Round Tumy To adjust or a ound tummy you usually need to add not ony extra wdth to your pattern (pp 3 1 33), but a so extra le ngth at center ront When pin-ittng, check that the s ki t patten sts corectly at the wastne I t doesn't, you' need to corect it by addng length to the patten wth scrap tssue Ths little adjustment can actual ly m n im ze the curve vsually
Si" E
" SIz ,A iU· 40 •
5KIR
If the patte pece you'e pn-ftng sts below the wastlne because of a ptudng tumm you need to add exta length at cente font
To Adjust for a Round Tummy
Add enough length so that the pattern meets the wa st ne corecty and hangs ove the tummy smoothly. Exactly how much to add s hard to estmate, but it's best to alow a ttle extra Aveage amounts ange from 3 i n (which doesn't sound ke much, but can make a small tummy neary vanish) to about 2 n .
Srap tissue
Center fon
1 Pin da, plea, uck in place. 2. Daw a line n e scap tssue add he di amun a cene fon� rng he line nhing a he side ams
Before you begin , pi n an y peats, tucks, and darts n place. Draw a ne on the scrap tssue to ndicate the additiona patten length at center ront and tape to nothi ng at the sde seams Curve the cutting l ine s light ly outward over the tummy usng the hip curve Trm the tssue with the peats, tucks, and darts n position
A fgure wth a ound tummy raely s lattered by a dated font skt Eliminate the darts and ease the entie amount acoss the font us ing the technque known as staystitch plu s (p. 60)
