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Permalink Reply by Alanapr on April 9, 2010 at 12:23pm

I find a lot of Simplicity patterns are sized too big. I always buy the smallest "multiple size" pattern to make sure I can get my size. I made the mistake of making my wedding dress from a Simplicity pattern (had always used McCall's up till then), without checking the size. Spent the night before my wedding taking the dress in - not easy, since it was a princess style, and I had used a lace trim in both the front seams.

Learned a lot that night LOL

Permalink Reply by Cheryl Keith on April 28, 2010 at 1:57pm

To get a sense of how much circumference "ease" any company (Butterick, Simplicity, McCall's, Vogue, etc.) builds into their patterns, you need to start with the company's basic fitting shell pattern and the chart of measurements on the back of any of their pattens. If the measurement chart says the waist size should be 26" for the size you think you want to make, measure the true "size" of the waist for the fitting shell pattern. It will be something like 28" (without seam allowances). That's because you need room to move inside the garment so the 2" is the "ease" the company uses as the MINIMUM space for a fitted (close to the body) garment with a waist. You like your clothing "looser"? Look for the description on the back of your fashion pattern to see if it says "fitted" (which you already know you DON'T want) or something more suggestive of what you really want. Select a fashion pattern. NOW, measure the "waist" of the fashion pattern for the size you'll be using. Go to your closet and select any garment that fits the way you want the new one to fit you. Measure the "waist" on that garment. Compare the desirable "waist" measurement from the existing garment to the fashion pattern measurement. If the pattern measurement is too big, you'll know that the description (when you see the same thing on some other pattern envelope) means MORE generous "ease" than you like. If it is too small, then there is LESS generous than you like even though it is more than in a "fitted" pattern from that company. Your challenge is to decipher what the company means in the description. Keep notes for each company and each key measurement (waist, bust, hip, etc.) Then you can always pick a pattern from that company in your desired size which will fit the way you like it to fit with little or no trial-and-error adjustments. A muslin will then be a very RARE exercise as you go from one creation to another.