Make it Fun, Make it Fabulous by fabulousfit

Make It Fun, Make It Fabulous!

Jill Ralston for Fabulous FitÂŽ

Index Power of Play

Master the Art of Not Draping

Fabulous Fitting Pants!

I love this! Thank you, Amanda! Creative Energy.. From my friend, Amanda Neighbors. Designer. “I learned to dance with the elephant in the room”. The magnitude of the “big, mama elephant”? Well, Amanda’s challenge is certainly bigger than most. Ahh….with a huge breath and a prayer, my advice; “Just keep sewing, Amanda. Creativity WORKS!! Creativity has taken me through tough stuff I never thought I would face. Creativity heals mind, body and soul because it’s positive energy. In my life, creating really simple clothes that I can top stitch or detail like crazy fills the day with something fabulous…and fun...in the best and worst of times. The concept is simple: You’ll have patterns for one basic top, one basic dress, one basic jacket/coat, one basic skirt, and one basic pant. From each pattern; the clothes can be slouchy, they can be easy, they can be fitted, they can be layered. The patterns will be changed one hundred + times, and, always...Comfortable and powerful clothes. Amanda is a shining star in my life. You’ll love these pictures of a beautiful lady who has truly mastered the art of PLAY… Amanda has an amazing story. She has overcome obstacles that have disrupted her life in every way. But…through the challenges, Amanda has creatively mastered life...design...and PLAY! We love you and your spirit, Amanda! Thank you for showing us “how to dance…even when the elephant is in the room”. Amanda Neighbors, Ft. Worth, TX.

So whether or not we are dodging or dancing… We DO have fitting challenges…and the answer all starts with simplicity. I am not a teacher; and this is not a draping class. At all. My draping technique is this: #1 Cut out my most basic pattern that resembles the vision in my head, #2 Put it on my dress form #3 Play Way too simple!

Let’s do this! Our bodies are all so different, but the rules are all the same. (I will keep saying this.) The different body types used in the pictures represent a target market of 24 to 35 and since I am beyond that age group…let’s extend this to “ageless, timeless clothes”. If the bust is lower, make sure the form is smaller and build out the bust with the Bust Pads at the lowest position.If you need to raise the shoulders in order to make the bust even lower; then bump up the shoulders with the Shoulder Pads to elongate the bust. If your bottom got flatter; build out the thighs and the bottom on your dress form will match. If your waist does not exist; create “no torso” by bringing the Side Back Pads down to the indentation of the waist. Raise or lower the waist tape to match your vertical waist position.

fabric and curves...

Create blouses to infinity...#1 address the shoulder slant, the upper chest, and the armhole positions. The most common issue I hear is creating beautiful bust lines. Although the bodies will have different pressure points for movement, the adjustment is the same. We’ll use the bust as an example, but the rule would also apply to square wide shoulders where the arm might show pressure at the sleeve. When the fabric pulls across the bust, you’ll feel the blouse slipping back, see creases under the arms, and a shoulder slant that doesn’t match the shoulders. By releasing the fabric of the pull, the fabric will fall naturally over the curve.

Once the correct chest position and shoulder slant are determined, the sleeve and armhole will need to be matched to the crease of the arm

The adjustment on the bodice at the armhole will change the line at the arm crease. Re-trace the line to match the original armhole, which will then once again, match the sleeve.If the sleeve pulls, you can make the adjustment by releasing the fabric to straighten the grainline and fill in the space both on the bodice and on the sleeve. Remember: For every action there is a reaction. If you remove a pull on the bodice you must make the same adjustment on the sleeve at the same point. Making an adjustment on the bodice and then trying to match the sleeve will not work. Make the exact same adjustment on the sleeve that you have on the bodiceâ&#x20AC;Śand at the same point. I love this alteration for large bust lines, and it also works for a straight bodice cut on medium anda even small silhouettes. This is an amazing alteration to play with and try on many different shapes. The cut creates a slouchy look for smaller people with broad shoulders, and tailored for the size it was meant for. (Hmmmâ&#x20AC;ŚI am always amazed by why works so well on so many different bodies.) The sleeve is important in movement, of course, but most of the problems that will ever arise are in the bodice. This is where balance starts. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see that with only slight alterations, you can change the bodice from the straight grain to the bias. Be sure to check the fabric as silk, for example, will fall much closer to the body (and therefore smaller in size) on the bias than linen. The bust position can be higher or lower according to the dart on the side. For a blouse with a more defined bust line, create princess seams to follow the curve and cut the fabric on the straight grain. You can make all of the adjustments, right on your dress form.

Even though the blouse is cut from exactly the same pattern, (that we have sliced and played with), the balance will fit many shapes. In manufacturing, the key is finding the balance in fit, according to the size ratio of your target market. Finding the target market and the balance for every shape in each size range is no easy task! Butâ&#x20AC;Śit is a million dollar pattern when you take the time to do this. More than. If you are a designer, you must PLAY on every different body shape. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even think about not doing that! The bias cut slouch blouse is my newest fav by far. Not having enough pins for the side I walked away from the dress form for the pins and saw the droop. Loved itâ&#x20AC;Ś so tried it on all the bodies and yes, this was good. It has ease built into the side seams rather than a defined dart, and it gives a layered slouchy, square body look. Design takes its own path when you focus on the grainline or go with a mistake.

To review.

You know why the collar slips back…right? You know why the bodice twists… right? You know why the shoulder pulls… right? And you know why the blouse pokes out in front…right? You also know how to fix it…right? If you missed this, email us immediately (with pictures)... at info@fabulousfit.com You probably can guess where we will be going with this pattern; slicing and changing, adding

sleeves and turning it into a dress. In order to do the dress…we’ll need a simple skirt. I LOVE THESE SKIRTS! Easy, sh-measy, skirts!!

Thank You! Jill Ralston

next...

STATE OF MIND...STATE OF PLAY! In the “State of Play” almost anything can happen....and I am #thankful that my friend is a master at cut. Max worked in the design rooms of Versace and Dolce Gabbana, at Ittierre; super mecca of couture fashion manufacturing. His cut has the born with touch quality that comes only from the DNA of a proud Italian family of couturiers. Cut is innate...they say “ It cannot be learned...only passed to generations”, like wearing Patek Philippe, I wondered? Maybe so, but while working on projects with Max, I soon found out that nothing can be recreated more easily than a fabulous cut. That’s how I learned the art of not draping. Seriously.

When I met Max our communication was limited by language. He

did not speak English, and I did not speak Italian. At all. Bearing the language obstacles... the project for boutique “uniforms” for 600 Wells Fargo managers, happened. There were basically 5 pieces for each woman: 2 jackets, 1 pant, 1 skirt and 1 blouse. The tailored , yet easy and simple jacket pattern was key. The jacket needed to move and have shape; but beyond just that, we wanted it to stand out on it’s own with style. (Like even for those days when you just don’t have it...) Easy, comfortable shape. The pattern was certainly not conventional, but we thought surely... this was a universal cut that could stop the tracks for “every single body feels great in these clothes!”. The cut alone took two weeks. With 13 Regular Sizes and 12 Petite Sizes...(which were tested on the dress forms, by us, in each size with all of the measurements and various shapes too match), we had a winning formula. Each sample was tested from a ratio of measurements from 600 women. By creating a “pear,” an “apple”, an “after baby shape”... “grandmother”...You name it shape; every shape in every size...the cut was magic. The clothes felt and looked fabulous. The success of the project was amazing. Life changing. Plus...Max mastered English and I learned the art of not draping.

One pattern, one cut...many ways!

Fit really can be simple. In our 20 year design friendship, Max and I have worked techniques and details endlessly, into the night... but the joy of re-creating one pattern, infinite ways, is what I love most. Instant gratification. Once you get that first cut...you can take it to the limit with necklines, openings...blouses going into dresses...and on and on. (Jacket fitting lesson in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jackets the Rock!â&#x20AC;?)

more about curves... 1. Choose a pattern for each piece...skirt, pants, etc. and re-create the shape to match your own; comfort zones, and curves. 2. Create a fabulous blouse pattern, rather than a “new blouse”. Play with the muslin as it falls over the curves of the dress form, and reshape it...over and over again, into many different styles. This becomes the piece to use a hundred different ways. 3. Anchor jackets and dresses at the shoulder slant and upper chest; matching the arm crease. Even when working on a drop shoulder, the arm crease is considered in the fall of the fabric. If there is too much fabric, pinch it. Seriously. Then raise your arm to test. Pants and skirts are anchored at the waist. Bustiers are anchored under the bust. Every piece has a sequence...always starting from the anchor point, at the top, and following the lines of the body, working down. I absolutely know that every little bit of ease counts. I know that for every action there is a re-action, and I know that when there is an unwanted wrinkle...go to the problem. “Creating a cut” (the mystery you might read about in Gods and Kings) is about following the shape of the movement of the body. Why don’t they just say that, I wonder. Higher, smaller armholes, with ease in the bodice at the bust, will give movement. The “cut” is in the bodice. A full bust, once again, needs fabric from waist to high armhole for shape and ease. The cut is about addressing the movement point with ease. Ease can be placed just at the bust line and 3/8 inches down from the arm hole on the side seam. Cut = Curves of the body. Follow them. Ease the fabric. Give them movement. And so with my one pattern (for each piece that I am obsessed to create), I fill my house with many different styles of clothes. (I live alone, so it works.) Best, and easiest, way to create a beautiful bust line in clothes, is to re-create the bust on your dress form, and check the curves for silhouette.

CREATING A FULL BUST 1. Dress form = 36” full bust / 31” under bust. Without pads. 2. (2) sets of bust pads: place one bust pad feathered with flat end facing the side at a 90 degree angle toward the side armplate; place second bust pad flat and facing the shoulder. Dress form now measures 39” full bust/ 31 “ under bust 3. Filler pads placed just at the fullest part of the bust line. (reach in through the armhole and place 1 filler pad, just at the top of the bust point on the form. Dress form measures 40” full bust/ 31 under bust 4. Side back pads placed along the side of the dress form. Measures 41” full bust 32” under bust The cover should be size large to accommodate a 41” bust. The covers are stretchy and have a good memory, but be sure the cover is large enough at the bust so as not to compress the bust with a too small cover. The covers can also be taken in at the waist with a slight zig zag stitch for super hourglass shaped ladies. From here you can check the Princess option or the Dart option or the Slouch option, for your design...depending on the fabric and the look. (See Create Your Million Dollar Pattern!)

SPECIAL FITTING NEEDS Consider the logic of the Princess lines, and the ease at the curve on a bust line, and how this relates to a spinal curve, a rib cage curve, or a forward neck curve. 1. Create the curve on the dress form. 2. Create the curve on the seam of the fabric.

3. Give the fabric invisible ease to glide over the curve. The issue becomes nonexistent. Comfort...

SMALL BUST LINES Even with lesser curves, fabric is so attuned to the small curves and movement of the body that the allure is all youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see, even with the low cut.

Cut is creative balance in movement...PLAY.

katemoorephotos...

SOME IDEAS TO PLAY WITH Something I keep seeing on the streets is the mid-calf dirndl skirt with the see-through layers! Only problem with the semi- see-through dirndl skirt is this…If you are “a woman of a certain age”…or certain body shape, or just had the baby shape…not good. Just not enough interest in that dirndl to be “style” if you might be over 30, or maybe 40; even though we love transparent in the sun. So I’m changing the look to give it the feeling, but adding just a little more interest without going back to that parachute shape. I love this skirt for every size. The larger the size the fewer the gathers. Just works with ratios. I decided to change the look from classic side seams to center seams, The front seam is cut on the straight grain, and the back seam is on the “off grain” (not quite bias) , which makes the fabric drag at the center back. THINK: fabric skims butt, slit front. When seams are cut diagonally (bias), the grain line follows the shape of the body in the back and the fabric falls close against the front of the legs. This is the easy skirt; the serve at the barbeque, sit down with conversation and fabric flowing with leg poking through the slit skirt…like that. “Lifestyle”. Basically, it’s just a rendition of the “I love you so much, dirndl, (but look like an old lady in that)!”, type skirt!

With just a little slicing and turning the fabric upside down, the line of the basic dirndle becomes something completely different. Just gather the extra fabric back into the skirt like a upside down ruffle. Something like this...

HERE’S ANOTHER “SAW IT ON THE STREET FIND”! The look was: a skirt, a tank, and thong sandals. The pockets made it “mom” in a good way, and the slits made it “lady”. (Forgot my phone, or we would have had a picture!) THINK: Amal Clooney type. The skirt hem was sweeping with slits up the sides and cut so simply that I could not resist owning it. Rushing home to lay it out I realized that as soon as I put the skirt together with every detail captured in my brain...(pretty simple skirt so no effort), I realized straight away that without “beautiful mom with kids in tow”...it lost it’s luster. And so I changed it. Just a little more shape for those of us who do not tower over heads, while sweeping through the deli for ice cream on a warm summer day.

TWO PIECES OF FABRIC I chose to cut the sides on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;off-biasâ&#x20AC;? for fun, but the original dirndl shape will be straight on the sides. The skirt is simply wrapped around 3 inches from front to back with shape at the waist and well planned gathers. The skirt is then sewn with a double stitch on the side. Start by tucking the fabric under an elastic band at the waist to see where the best distribution of gathers should be. Let the fabric gather and fall over the upper hip and hip line. The best way to do this is by wrapping an elastic waist band around the dress form and tucking the fabric under. Pull the fabric slightly up in the front and notice the change in the shape of the silhouette. Then pull the fabric up on the sides to check the shape again. The elastic will hold the fabric in place while you play with the fabric for your shape.

From here you can cut and shape to match every silhouette and style, with pockets, unusual seams and well place gathers. Although I love these skirts for summer and resort they are great in silk with boots.

Review 1. Find a super basic pattern 2. Follow the steps starting with the shoulder points on jackets and tops, and waist points for pants and skirts. Re-create the pattern to address all of the movement areas of the body on your dress form. 3. For custom or personal use, mark movement points to match your lifestyle... (ie..”.Must have lots of bust ease for hysterical laughing”, (mark point) “absolutely no waistband exactly at the waist”... wherever that is, (mark best line) “comfortable sleeves to roll up for kids play...” (Mark armhole depth.) Reality. The fun front slit might look fabulous, but “ wind meets soccer mom” in your new favorite skirt is a re-think. Lifestyle. Wearing “almost finished clothes” around the house for awhile is a great test. If a skirt pokes out when I sit at my computer...(never!) ...how would I feel at dinner? What happens to clothes when your doing the real stuff? Style is not about labels. Style is about being comfortable in creating your look. When you love clothes...grab the upper edge of creativity. You’ll know more than many fashion designers. Develop one great design...then a group of designs, then cut the design, shape the design, sew the design, test the design, and finally... recreate the design. All for you. I call it mediation.

fabulous fitting pants! Only thing better than a great fitting pair of pants is a great fitting pattern matched to your dress form to be created over and over! Pants are everywhere! From the office to the playground to the most elegant night out… and there are just as many shapes and silhouettes as there are places to wear them. But shopping for (or sewing), that “go-to” comfortable pair of pants can make one want to scream! This is because so few of us have the standard body shape and standardized measurements that manufacturers (and pattern companies) have proven by resource that we have. If we just vary a slight bit from the standards, every time we wear those pants, we will be reminded that our body varies just slight bit from the standards. Think uncomfortable. So, what’s the solution? Taking the time to develop a basic pants pattern that fits and feels so good that it can be changed a hundred ways in design, and still be the easy “go-to” pants that you re-create for years and years.

the dress form... A dress form makes it easy to develop a great fitting pair of pants, because you can see where the pull or pinch is at every area…whatever your body shape or size. (Even if your form does not have legs…there is still a way to make this work!) The dress form makes the fitting easier because once you start twisting your body to check the mirror, the fit will become distorted. The dress form also eliminates the bother of repeated fittings, and the need for help from a friend. While it is possible to fit pants directly on your body, it is nearly impossible to see a new shape or

design develop, within your fit and comfort zone, without a dress form that matches a real body. Hello, “New fitting assistant”! Ready for action, day or night!

shaping your dress form In preparing your dress form for a pants fitting, be sure that the areas (horizontal and vertical) of the: Waist, Upper Hip (love handles) and Stomach, Thighs and Back Hip (widest point) match your body in shape and measurements. For example, if your butt is flat and it’s the thigh area that determines the hipline width, mimic that on the form with the Thigh Pads. If your bottom is round and your thighs are flat… give your form the butt… placing the Back Hip Pads at the vertical and horizontal positions on the form to match your own.

perfecting the fit To begin, take careful measurements, wearing exactly the underclothes that you would wear. Measure the following (A): • Waist • High Hip (at the top of the hip bones, about 2-4” /5-10cm below the waist…across love handles and stomach • Full Hip (the fullest part of the hip, usually7-9”/ 18-23cm below the waist) Use your circumference measurements to pad the dress form to match your shape and size, and to determine the appropriate pattern size. Choose a pattern size based on the largest lower body measurement. An easy fitting basic pant pattern will do. If you are planning to make pleated pants, it is best to start with a pleated pants pattern as it is easier to remove the pleats in designing than to add pleat fullness later.

When fitting on pattern tissue, the crotch length and crotch depth measurements, which are difficult to measure accurately, are also needed (B). In draping, these areas are fit, rather than measured, directly on the body. This is where your dress form and sample favorite pants come in.

here is an easy check… Find that most comfortable “go-to” pair of pants in your closet. If you are creating palazzo pants, check out your sweat pants; if you are creating classic pants, go for your worn to death trousers/ jeans, and try them on. Is there anything you would change about the height of the waist? Make a note of any changes that you would make. Do you roll your sweat pants down at the waist? Just measure the rise, (front waist to back waist center seam), when they are rolled and comfortable. Then mark the length of the seam in front, and in back. The total of the two, will match. Mark the position and lay them flat, inside out, on the table next to the pattern piece. Mark the vertical knee position, and the vertical length from top of waistband to the widest part of the butt. How does the line of the rise, compare to the line on the pattern piece? How does the line and height of the crotch curve compare? Re-trace the line on the pattern for the front and back seam (rise) to match the line of the pants that you love… both in depth and curve shape. Make any obvious circumference adjustments to the pattern tissue and then cut the pants out of muslin. Machine baste pleats, darts, side seams, and crotch seam. Try on the basted pants and pin the zipper opening closed. The pants should hang straight from the hip without wrinkles, sagging or pulling. Inseams and side seams should hang perpendicular to the floor and the pants should feel comfortable when walking or sitting, standing or bending. Adjust the fit, if necessary, by taking in or letting out the side seams. Work from the fullest part of the body up toward the waist, and then down toward the knees. If the “test’ pants feel too tight, cut the next larger size (comparing the rise, front and back, and the vertical stress position at the knee or back hip). If the pants are too large, pin in the fullness and trim away the excess after the test is complete.

In movement, the waist (or upper hip) is the anchor from where your fabric will fall. The vertical stretch line (even if your fabric is not stretch) anchors from the waist position to all of the areas of the body that bend. Have you ever loved a pair of pants, or even shorts, but felt a “pull” on the front thigh/leg as you walked? When each movement area at the horizontal and vertical positions are matched to yours, you will see why this happens. The vertical length of the fabric on the front leg is too long (or too short) to the knee, in this case. Try pinching… or releasing the fabric… and the “pull” will magically disappear. The next crucial fit consideration is the length and the depth of the crotch seam. If the “rise” (crotch depth) is too long, the pants will feel uncomfortable, and make your legs appear short. If the crotch depth is too short the pants will have wrinkles at the crotch and upper thighs. To shorten the depth of the “rise” (C): On the pattern tissue, measure up ¼” (6mm) from the crotch point and retrace the shape of the curve. If the crotch seam feels extremely long, measure up ½” (13mm) and continue in ¼” (6mm) increments until you achieve the best fit. To lengthen the depth of the “rise” (D): On the pattern tissue, measure down ¼” (6mm) from the crotch point and retrace the shape of the curve. If the crotch seams feels extremely short, measure down ½” (13mm) and continue in ¼” increments until you achieve the best fit. The vertical stretch line (even if your fabric is not stretch) anchors from the waist position to all of the areas of the body that bend. Have you ever loved a pair of pants, or even shorts, but felt a “pull” on the front thigh/leg as you walked?

When each movement area at the horizontal and vertical positions are matched to yours, you will see why this happens. The vertical length of the fabric on the front leg is too long (or too short) to the knee, in this case. Try pinching… or releasing the fabric… and the “pull” will magically disappear. The next crucial fit consideration is the length and the depth of the crotch seam. If the “rise” (crotch depth) is too long, the pants will feel uncomfortable, and make your legs appear short. If the crotch depth is too short the pants will have wrinkles at the crotch and upper thighs. To shorten the depth of the “rise” (C): On the pattern tissue, measure up ¼” (6mm) from the crotch point and retrace the shape of the curve. If the crotch seam feels extremely long, measure up ½” (13mm) and continue in ¼” (6mm) increments until you achieve the best fit. To lengthen the depth of the “rise” (D): On the pattern tissue, measure down ¼” (6mm) from the crotch point and retrace the shape of the curve. If the crotch seams feels extremely short, measure down ½” (13mm) and continue in ¼” increments until you achieve the best fit. Note: The front and back pattern pieces may not need the same adjustments. For example, the front may need to be shortened, and the back may need to be lengthened. Re-cut and baste the muslin with the new crotch seam and try the pants on again. It may be necessary to adjust the length of the crotch point at the waistline. Make these adjustments in increments of ¼” (6mm) until you achieve the best fit. (E) Although the making of two or more “test” pants may seem tedious, it is well

worth the time. Once you have identified the necessary adjustments, you can confidently cut and sew all your pants patterns, knowing they will fit perfectly. To lengthen the depth of the “rise” (D): On the pattern tissue, measure down ¼” (6mm) from the crotch point and retrace the shape of the curve. If the crotch seams feels extremely short, measure down ½” (13mm) and continue in ¼” increments until you achieve the best fit. Note: The front and back pattern pieces may not need the same adjustments. For example, the front may need to be shortened, and the back may need to be lengthened. Re-cut and baste the muslin with the new crotch seam and try the pants on again. It may be necessary to adjust the length of the crotch point at the waistline. Make these adjustments in increments of ¼” (6mm) until you achieve the best fit. (E) Although the making of two or more “test” pants may seem tedious, it is well worth the time. Once you have identified the necessary adjustments, you can confidently cut and sew all your pants patterns, knowing they will fit perfectly.

creating the design... Now it is time to design! If your dress form does not have legs, release the inseam basting stitches and pleats (if the muslin features pleats) so that the pants resemble a long skirt. Slip the pants over the dress form that matches the curves of your body. Pin the center front and center back seams, including the zipper opening, to the center front and back of the dress form. From here, you can design any of the most flattering silhouettes and classic styles by simply playing with the details on “your body” on the dress form. Shape, fold, pinch, pleat…

Play with the number and length of the darts; the fullness and direction of the pleats; the shape and location of the pockets. The possibilities are endless and timeless! Here are some helpful design hints: • Darts eliminate fabric fullness • Inverted pleats hide a protruding tummy • Large and low pockets draw attention away from hips • Gathers look softer than pleats It is not necessary for the right and left sides to be symmetric in your design, because only one side will be used to mark and make your new “pattern”. (If your body is asymmetrical, you will need both sides.) Pin pleats, darts, and other design features in place without removing the “test” pants from the dress form. Pencil mark the pockets to check the best shape or distance from the side seams. Cut the waistband pattern piece, fold under the seam allowances and pin it onto the dress form. Check to see that the waist height suits the pants design. Make any adjustments. With a colored pen or chalk, mark all the seams and design features, including pleats or darts, on the best looking half of the “test” pants. To mark, draw dashed lines on each side of every pin, remove the pins and connect the markings to make seam lines and to indicate design features. After all marking is done, remove any remaining pins and slip the pants off the dress form. Baste the inseam (legs) and then the crotch seam from front to back. (For that super-skinny “control the inner thigh fit…sew the inseam from leg to leg in a u-shape, rather than the classic fit of legs sewn first, rise sewn last.) Try on the pants, and mark any changes in fit or design.

Once you are satisfied with the fit and design of the pants, pull out all the basting stitches and create your new pattern, or make changes to the original pattern tissue. After you have cut your fashion fabric, baste the design features and side seams, and return the pants to the dress form for a final check of the fit and shape. Finish sewing according to the pattern instructions, and you will have a pair of pants with a fabulous fit!

“We hope you enjoy! Our business is built on happy people - Thank you for your reviews! Wishing you fabulous clothes!” The Fabulous Fit Team