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Jill Ralston for Fabulous FitÂŽ

Index What Makes a Jacket Rock!

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Easy, Comfortable, Fabulous Sleeves

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The Power of Fantasy...

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#1 vision becomes plan...

Every good design starts with a plan. The biggest challenge in fitting 600 bank managers (!) was proportion and comfort. Starting with the shoulders, we shaped each dress form for round, square, wide & narrow.

Shape shoulders on the dress form!

#2 shoulders...the anchor of your jacket.

#1 Match the shoulder slant and shoulder width...the shoulders will be the anchor for your fabric. #2 Cut the back pattern piece to cover the shoulder (the back shoulder piece is longer than the front). Add 3/8 inch ease at the back shoulder, for extreme comfort and movement... (tiny gathers). The gathers are invisible when pressed. Like this...

If your pattern does not have a wider and longer back shoulder piece, slice your pattern and spread it 3/8�. Like this...

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#3 upper chest and bust...for movement.

Check your movement areas.

You can give your pattern a little push by adding a tiny curve at the underarm. (see pattern piece below). And...

Gotta do this fitting with the right shoulder pad in place. #1 match your shoulder on the dress form, #2 fit the body with the shoulder pad placed.

#4 armhole position...

The armhole on a classic jacket is lower and wider than a skinny jacket. The opening is shaped like an egg tipped slightly forward. The armhole follows the shape of the arm.

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Here’s what it looks like...

If you find the sleeves are pulling...#1 raise the armhole position, (picture #2) Ease the back sleeve seam above and below the exact vertical elbow position. (#3) below Whatever you add (or subtract) to the arm hole...add (or subtract) the same amount to the sleeve.

Try your jacket several ways...just see the options for the fit.

Check the elbow and shoulder position by bending the flexible arms on your dress form; matching your elbow position. Just a sneak preview of shoulders and sleeves...do not miss how easy this is. Coming next. Almost all sleeve problems are blamed on the back upper arms of the sleeve. Here’s the deal. Once the bodice is balanced, and the sleeve is contoured at the upper arm and elbow for movement...you are looking at jackets re-created into infinity...each one set for dancing all night!

#5 waist and hip position...

Vertical darts on the bodice at the waist will give you lots of room to play and make changes in the silhouette. Be sure to match all of your own vertical positions on your dress form: bust, waist and hipline.

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#6 grainlines & pressure points.

The blue dots on the pattern represent areas of movement: at the shoulder. the underarm, across the back. bust. and elbow. Notice how the back pattern center seam is slightly contoured for extreme movement in this jacket. Every movement area has a seam that can be easily adjusted for silhouette.

The back sleeve is slightly eased above and below the elbow point.

as always, keep the grainline straight...

1. Match the vertical bust, waist and hip points on your jacket 2. Give all pressure ;points (movements areas), ease or extra fabric 3. Push the pattern a tiny bit by giving it an extra “hook” under the arm at the

sleeve for extra movement. You’ll never see it on the body.

possibilities are endless...

Make it easy, and start the fitting process with the body frame for the dress form you are working on. Much easier to turn a Men’s Dress Form into a Fabulous Drag Queen Dress Form; which translates to lots and lots of clothes!

Whatever the project...whatever the fit...Start by matching your body frame and shape on the dress form.

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same pattern...slight changes...

1. Match the body frame and build it out

(you will have no trouble finding the fit that gives you the freedom to move when you match the pressure points on your dress form ) 2. It works for all sizes; if you have...

(Size 8 women’s dress form measurements, but much wider shoulders? Check Size 36 Men’s Dress Form, and shape it with the Fitting System.

NO STRESS! JUST SHAPE YOUR DRESS FORM AND CREATE!

Fabulous Fit® Jill Ralston All Rights Reserved © (thank you!)

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#1 start with the bodice...

I have to say this again. When the bodice is correct on the form, your sleeve will slide onto the arm and into its opening with only a slight touch of the eye/hand connection because YOUR GRAIN LINE IS KEY! Alter your pattern by “pinching / releasing” fabric on your dress form to straighten the grainline; with the bodice falling straight from the shoulders.

You’ll see the needed

adjustments, by the grainline. It will never fail you! Keep it straight...and that does not mean by twisting, pressing or otherwise manipulating it to fall straight. Just let it fall straight.

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If, for example, the front grain line is falling to the left, or to the right, on the front of your jacket...just raise, or lower the fabric at the shoulder, or at the neckline, until your bodice is straight. It looks like this.

Then...Match the armhole to your body shape. (It looks like the shape of an egg tipped forward). Alter your pattern by “pinching / releasing� fabric on your dress form to straighten the grainline.

The classic jacket sleeve seam will be 3/4 inch to the front of the jacket side seam, as seen in the picture above. (RED) The WHITE dot is the side seam. Ease at the top sleeve at the shoulder will allow the fabric to move, yet press out invisibly.

ease at the elbow position...

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Alter your pattern by “pinching / releasing” fabric to straighten the grainline on the sleeve.

Thanks for stopping by...Best Wishes for Fabulous Sleeves! And... if anything goes wrong...take a picture and send it to us! info@fabulousfit.com

Fabulous Fit® Jill Ralston

All Rights Reserved © (thank you!)

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pinwheels...short and long...attached at the waist.

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Just follow the dots with the gathering stitch...That’s your ruffle...

The under skirt could be as non-revealing as a yard of fabric The a opening circle in the center (2 X your actual waist measurement would do) or our preferred bandeau, which is just a short ruffle without gathers to anchor the pinwheels.

The pinwheels are heavy, so be sure your anchor is strong, with a comfortable elastic.

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by Jill Ralston Don’t hesitate to ask us! info@fabulousfit.com Wishing you fabulous clothes! www.fabulousfit.com All Rights Reserved Š (thank you!)

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“We hope you enjoy!

Our business is built on happy people - Thank you for your reviews!

Wishing you fabulous clothes!”

The Fabulous Fit Team