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All right reserved. The patterns and drawings in this book are for personal use of the reader. By permission of the author and publisher, they may be either hand-traced or photocopied to make single copies, but under no circumstances may they be resold or republished. It is permissible for the purchaser to make the projects contained herein and sell them at fairs, bazaars and craft shows. No other part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by an electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote a brief passage in review.
Published by KP Craft Books, an imprint of F+W Publications, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. (800) 289-0963. First edition.
Distributed in Canada by Fraser Direct
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Distributed in the U.K. and Europe by David & Charles
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Distributed in Australia by Capricorn
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2008925804
ISBN-13: 978-0-89689-574-4
ISBN-10: 0-89689-574-2
eISBN-13: 978-1-4402-2118-7
Edited by Jay Staten
Illustrations and Design: Laure Noe
Photographs: Dale Hall and Keith Glasgow
Nancy's Notions Editorial Staff: Pat Hahn and Diane Dhein
Manufactured in China.
13 12 11 10 09 5 4 3 2 1 P UBLISHERS P REFACE
It is our great pleasure to publish Nancy Ziemans Pattern Fitting with Confidence.
Like the previous books in the with Confidence series, this is an easy-to-understand, easy-to-implement guide, written by todays foremost expert. We know you will enjoy learning the techniques that will make your garment sewing successful every time.
Nancy Zieman celebrates the silver anniversary of her popular PBS television show Sewing withNancy. It is a fitting time for this book to be published. Through 25 years, Nancy has guided her audience through the techniques that make us all better craftspeople. Her easygoing manner and can do attitude is part of every show, just has it has been part of every book she has written for Krause Publications.
We invite you to get started with Pattern Fitting with Confidence, making every garment a unique, well-tailored addition to your wardrobe.
Look for Nancys other with Confidence books:
Quilt with Confidence
Machine Embroidery with Confidence
Serge with Confidence
And also The Art of Landscape Quilting
by Nancy Zieman and Natalie Sewell Table of Contents CHAPTER ONE Getting
Started Fitting is definitely a sewing basic! If something doesnt fit, you wont wear it. Take a small amount of time and follow these step-by-step fitting techniques for a pattern that is fit to be tried.
Choosing the Right Pattern Size The first step to pattern fitting withconfidence is to choose a pattern size that will give you the best fit.
It is as simple as taking one measurement.
The common measurement used to choose pattern size for a blouse, jacket or top is your bust measurement. This measurement is accurate if your figure is well proportioned, but if your bust is large in proportion to the rest of your body or if you have a broad back, the bust measurement gives you a pattern that fits your bust but gaps at the neckline, the shoulders and the armholes. Gaposis is a common fitting problem that is difficult to correct. The solution? Buy your pattern to fit your shoulder area.
The measurement used in this book to determine which pattern size fits your shoulders is the Right Size Measurement, taken above the bustline between arm creases. You wont find the Right Size Measurement printed on the back of the pattern envelope, but its quick to take and does not change even if you gain or lose weight. Choosing pattern size based on bustmeasurement can result in gaposis. NOTE FROM NANCY I find the Right Size Measurement and other body measurementsa challenge to take by myself, so I use the buddy system: I call asewing buddy to help me, and I help her.
This is the best wayto ensure accuracy. Be sure to take the Right Size Measurementwhile you are wearing a camisole or leotard so that your armcreases are evident. Right Size Measurement
Find the crease in your skin where your arm meets your body.
Measure above the end of one crease straight across the front chest to the end of the other crease.
Round off the measurement to the nearest ".
Even though the Right Size Measurement and its corresponding sizes are not written on the back of the pattern envelope, the sizing is easy to remember. Misses size 14 equals 14", and the sizes go up or down with every ". For example, if your measurement is 13", buy a size 12. If you measure 14" select a size 16. NOTE FROM NANCY You may be pleasantly surprised by the results of the Right Size Measurement.
Itis common for someone who has been sewing with a size 20 pattern in order to fither bust to find out she is actually a size 16!
If you are unsure which of two sizes to use, go with the smaller size. It is easier toincrease the bustline on a pattern than to decrease the shoulder and neck area.
Right Size Measurement Fitting Chart