THE BEST OF THE BEST Your Fitting Questions Answered! thre THE BEST OF a ds SPRING 2013 Get a PERFECT FIT Tools & Techniques for Great-Fitting Garments Choose the RIGHT PATTERN SIZE for YOU Sew the Best-Fitting Pants—EVER! How to FIT KEY AREAS—Shoulders, Arms, Back, Waist & More SPRING 2013 THREADSMAGAZINE.COM Threads is now available on tablets TH166aAdp2.indd 2/28/13 10:08 AM pg 2 - (Cyan)(Magenta)(Yellow)(BlacK) TH166aAdp3.indd 2/22/13 3:59 PM pg 3 - (Cyan)(Magenta)(Yellow)(BlacK) presents... a revolutionary approach to fitting SMART FITTING with Kenneth D. King This new video series introduces his foolproof way to fi t any garment. Couture designer Kenneth D. King demonstrates his unique fi tting method of net gain, net loss, and no-net change. Everyone can benefi t from his versatile techniques and master them because they are: • logical and straightforward • easily applied to any garment • so simple anyone can do it Learn Smart Fitting from Kenneth D. King, who is also a professor at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, and do it at your own pace, in your own home, and review any part at any time. Now professional instruction can be yours at a fraction of the cost. A terrific value! The complete lesson-packed series is yours for ONLY $149.95 3 DVDs PLUS ALL THESE EXTRAS • 4 bonus articles • Extra sidebars with Prof. King • Behind-the-scenes interview • Expert tips, tricks, and secrets • And so much more To order call toll free 800-888-8286 Use code: MF800112 Or go online: ThreadsMagazine.com/SMART NEW Item Number: 031038 ©2013 The Taunton Press Inc. THE BEST OF SPRING 2013 Features GOOD MEASURES 31 Adaptable 14 Measure It Right dress form Precise and accurate measurements yield a better-fi tting garment BY BARBARA EMODI 20 Measuring and Marking Notions Tools that help you fi t and fi nish garments BY MARY ROEHR 26 Does Your Pattern Fit? Before cutting, check your pattern’s measurements against your own BY BARBARA EMODI 31 Fit for Everyone Sew removable covers to make your dress form work for multiple fi gures BY KENNETH D. KING FIT STRATEGIES 38 Muslin Refined A couture method leads to exquisite garments BY SUSAN KHALJE 44 Smart Fitting A simple way to assess and solve your fi t challenges BY KENNETH D. KING 51 Fine-tune the Tissue To audition your pattern, pin it together and try it on BY MARCY TILTON 56 The Best Custom Pants Don’t alter somebody else’s pattern—draft your own BY CLAUDETTE GRANT Cover photos: (tape measure, front) Sloan Howard; all others on front, Scott Phillips; Scott Phillips; all others on front, Sloan Howard; front) (tape measure, photos: Cover Sloan Howard (back cover) SIP29_CT_Contents.indd 4 2/28/13 2:39 PM 64 shoulder focus FOCUSED FITTING 64 Start at the Shoulders Your shoulder slope a≠ ects the fi t of every outfi t, so alter patterns to match your body 86 space for a BY JUDITH NEUKAM AND CAROL FRESIA midsection 70 Get the Right Armhole Use a muslin to adjust bust, back, and shoulder— and your armhole almost takes care of itself BY SARAH VEBLEN 76 The Perfect Sleeve Start with two simple measurements and correct the sleeve cap BY SARAH VEBLEN 56 82 Add a Bust Dart draft This adjustment for a full bust dart a pants pattern fl atters the entire silhouette BY LOUISE CUTTING 86 Full & Fabulous How to accommodate a large midsection BY KATHLEEN CHEETHAM 92 Scale It Down Fitting petite fi gures requires more than a size change BY KATHLEEN CHEETHAM 38 perfecting Departments the muslin EDITOR’S NOTE 6 Q & A 8 THREADSMAGAZINE.COM 10 TABLET EDITIONS FREE TO SUBSCRIBERS Threads’ new digital editions are the same inspirational, informative issues you love, but searchable and full of interactive extras like 360-degree garment views, videos, and photo galleries. Download the app at ThreadsMagazine.com/apps. Access is free with a Cover photos: (tape measure, front) Sloan Howard; all others on front, Scott Phillips; Scott Phillips; all others on front, Sloan Howard; front) (tape measure, photos: Cover Sloan Howard (back cover) print subscription or Threads Insider online membership. threadsmagazine.com SIP29_CT_Contents.indd 5 3/6/13 2:47 PM EDITOR’S NOTE Sewing perfection is a garment that fi ts THE BEST OF sk garment sewers why they make their own clothes, and a great fi t is inevitably a part of A their answer. None of us is a standard size— and vive la di≠ érence! Our variety of beautiful shapes From the Publisher of means that getting a good fi t from an o≠ -the-rack garment or an out-of-the-package pattern is not a ® reality for most. However, with knowledge about how to sew for fi t, you can create garments that make you look and feel spectacular. Editor Deana Tierney May Deana Tierney May To help you do that, this issue brings together some Art Director Rosann Berry Editor of the best fitting articles from Threads’ 27-year his- Senior Technical Editor Judith Neukam tory, written by renowned fitting experts. Whether Special Issues Carol Fresia you’re new to garment fitting or you want to tackle a Technical Editor particularly challenging problem, you’ll find answers Senior Editor Sarah McFarland on the following pages. Associate Editor Stephani L. Miller we’d love Get started by taking good measurements and dis- to hear covering the best tools for the job. Learn how to iden- Central Sta≠ Editor Sarah Opdahl tify and solve fitting issues. (You’ll see that there’s Senior Copy/ Jeannine Clegg from you! often more than one way to fix a problem.) Make a Production Editor muslin to experiment freely, and learn what methods Assistant Art Director Gloria Melfi Send your letters to: Threads Letters work best for you. Or, draft a pattern directly to your Administrative April Mohr * Assistant PO Box 5506 measurements, eliminating a lot of fitting adjust- Newtown, CT 06470-5506 ments right off the bat. Finally, learn how to fine-tune Contributing Editors Louise Cutting or via email the fit on the areas that need adjusting. We cover Susan Khalje [email protected] Kenneth D. King shoulders, armholes, sleeves, bust, waist, how to scale Mary Ray down a pattern, and more. Seamstress Norma Bucko With this issue in hand, you can create and sew gar- Interns Courtney Campbell ments that fit like a dream in no time! Emily Berube Happy sewing and happy fitting! Dana Finkle —Deana Tierney May Executive Editor, Books Shawna Mullen Editor For more fi tting ThreadsMagazine.com advice: Executive Web Producer Victoria North Threads magazine Web Producer Evamarie Gomez (ThreadsMagazine.com) covers garment fi tting regularly. Also look for Taunton’s SewStylish: (ISSN: 1935-8482) is published by The our popular fi tting books Taunton Press, Inc., Newtown, CT 06470-5506. Telephone 203-426- 8171. Canadian GST paid registration #123210981. and DVDs available at Write an article for Threads TauntonStore.com/ r e a d s is a reader-written magazine, and we welcome Printed in the USA sewing-crafts.html your submissions. To learn how to propose an article, go to taunton.com/threads/pages/th_author guidelines.asp. Photo: Jack Deutsch, stylist: Jessica Saal stylist: Jack Deutsch, Photo: 6 THREADS SIP29_LT.indd 6 3/1/13 3:08 PM TH166aAdp7.indd 2/21/13 1:34 PM pg 7 - (Cyan)(Magenta)(Yellow)(BlacK) ® Shop Our Online Store BOOKS, DVDs, & MORE See how tailoring improves Includes companion COUTURE step-by-step DVD everything you sew SEWING NEW! 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