I got a note from Peaquah this morning that I would like to open up for discussion here:
"Thank you for keeping up such a great resource sewing site! I am your visitor from Fukuoka Japan, but I'm actually a native Montanan teaching English abroad. I have a question about petite patterns. I'm too small for a vogue 6 (I fall somewhere between a 2 and a 4) so I have to size down EVERY pattern I buy. While I don't mind making minor adjustments, the mass alternations I have to do make it almost not worth it to buy patterns at all. Do you have any advice for us petites? Is there a pattern company that sells smaller patterns? Or should I just invest in a good "make your own pattern" book--in which case, what do you recommend? Thanks in advance!"
First, thanks for visiting Peaquah! It's good to hear from you, and I'm enjoying your blog. Now to the question at hand. I'm not a petite, by anyone's definition, so I can't give you personal experience, but here's what I can tell you from my own adventures in trying to fit my neice, who is a size 6P in RTW. It's tough to find patterns that fit her. While not meant as any kind of disparagement of the McCalls company, which publishes Vogue, Butterick and McCalls patterns, I can honestly say that their patterns tend to run on the roomy side. You can find a limited collection of petite sized patterns from Burda, and Burda World of Fashion magazines also has petites on occasion.
Simplicity carries more patterns in the smaller size ranges. Many of their patterns start at a size 4 (29 1/2 bust, 22 waist, 31 1/2 hip) and go up from there. Modern Sewing sells patterns based on your actual measurements. I haven't used them yet, but I have seen some reviews of their patterns and they have been positive.
I know Simplicity has teamed up with Unique Patterns to create custom measurement patterns. Unique had some issues in the past. I sewed one of them for a client and was underwhelmed with the fit, which I had to adjust pretty extensively. But that was over 2 years ago, so hopefully they have worked out the bugs. Anyone have up-to-date info?
As far as pattern making books go, I own Helen Armstrong's book Pattern Making for Fashion Design which I have found useful and clear. Other folks highly recommend Coni Crawford's book, Patternmaking Made Easy. I don't own it so I can't give a personal review.
So, dear readers, does anyone have any other recommendations for Peaquah? I'd love to hear them, and I'm sure she would too.
Happy sewing!
4 days ago
13 comments:
Yes, "How to Make Sewing Patterns" by Donald H. McCunn. I've had very good results with it.
She might also consider pattern making software like Wild Ginger.
You may also want to check the Junior section of pattern books - there's much less selection, but they are trendy and in smaller sizes. Patrones Joven is a Spanish pattern magazine devoted to Junior sizing - it's a great way to get designer patterns for a much smaller frame!
If you have access to a Japanese bookstore (:)), look at Mrs. Stylebook. You'll need to draft a sloper for yourself, but the instructions for such are included in each issue. After you have made the sloper, you can custom draft any of the designs in the magazine. I find many of them to be very well suited to a smaller frame; the proportions are excellent for true petites.
Shannon
If the spanish Patrones is still too large, try the italian Magazine "La Mia Boutique". It's hard to get but it's the first magazine I bought that actually had patterns that are way too small for me (I am a size 6)
If you'd like to sew lingerie, try the german patterns from Sewy, they have wonderful small sizes.
I also would recommend vintage patterns. Many are sold on ebay in smaller sizes. Of course the styles are from other eras, so a person will not get the latest styles right out of the package, but they can be modified.
Jalie Patterns. Unless you're smaller than the average 2-year-old, one of the sizes in the envelope should work. Once you get a couple of their basic styles perfected, making some changes to get a different look would be pretty simple. Don't overlook some of their skating patterns; a few of them could be lengthened and adapted to make dresses.
Ooops - I should have suggested pattern making software like Pattern Master Boutique, too.
I have problems fitting my dd as she is a size 2 in rtw. She is a 32 D, so her high bust measurement is never available. Even when I have sewn skirts, where her full hip is 36" her waist is a size smaller, they are still huge just too much ease for her petite frame. I always have to take in anything I make her even when her measurements match the pattern. It really is a problem, especially if you are looking to not do so many adjustments. I think that a sloper would help enormously in being able to adjust a pattern to it.
My size falls in a regular pattern range, but I have so many alterations that it's very hard to just cut out anything and sew without a day or two making changes.
So I invested in the Wild Ginger Pattern Master Boutique software. I put in my measurements and it prints pattern made to fit for me. It works and there are many things you can do with that software.
To see what it can do, go to www.patternreview.com and do an advance search for Wild Ginger. Many home designed and made garments will be shown.
Wow! Thank you everyone for the great advice. I will definitely take a look at Wild Ginger. I DO have access to tons of Japanese pattern books but...they're all in Japanese and I'm illiterate. :-) I'm so glad there's a community out here of people who are so eager to volunteer their advice! Thanks again,
Peaquah
kyushuchronicles.wordpress.com
I would second Ann's comments about Simplicity. I'm not quite as teeny as you -- 2 to 4 in RTW and 6-8 in pattern sizing -- but I'm small enough to share the petite fitting woes. Simplicity's smaller sizes fit my small frame --especially in the upper body -- nicely. My worst luck has been with Kwik Sew, which makes me sad because they have such classic designs, but they are always way too big in the shoulders/upper back. I recently experimented with a Kwik Sew jacket and realized that the armholes and sleeves were the equivalent of a 10-12 in a Simplicity jacket pattern. Argh!
I just suggested a downloadable pattern to someone on a message board, and it occurred to me that it might work for you, too, Peaquah. You input your measurements (including height) and for $3.99, they draft a pattern that you download to your computer and print at home. http://www.sewingpatterns.com/sewingframe.php?mdl=http://www.sewingpatterns.com/click2print-leka.html
Okay - that URL got cut off. Go to sewingpatterns.com and select "click2print" , then Lekala. They have a pretty good selection available.
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