Ever Wonder How To Make Your Own Personal Fitting Pattern? Watch My Video Guide

HEY KIDDIES!

I talk alot about my sloper. I thought I would make a video about how I made it. I used a Butterick Fitting shell pattern, available in some stores and on their website:

BUTTERICK 5628

Vogue has one like this too

The pattern walks you through making a fitting shell. They call it a shell because it fits you so tight it's actually like a shell. The point of this is so you end up with a paper pattern of your body.. How can you use this?
Once you know how your body curves translate to paper, you can add the right amount of ease in that you feel comfortable with.  Maybe you like looser sleeves, so you can add some extra there. Want more on the hips because you have a round booty? You can add 4 inches! Once you have made a "wearable dress" pattern that has the ease you like, then you can make an EXCELLENT fitting dress in a million zillion different ways, and every time it FITS!
The process is outlined as this:

1. measure yourself and record these measurements (pattern will show you where to measure)
2. compare measurement to pattern pieces
3. modify pattern pieces to match your measurements
4. tissue fit yourself 
5. adjust based on tissue fit if needed
6. make a test pattern from pattern
7. fit test sloper on your body
8. adjust test sloper (can use pins)
9. adjust pattern (transfer your changes to paper pattern)
10. figure out how much ease you want and now add that to a COPY of you sloper
11. make a basic dress from your "sloper with ease" and verify that it fits just like you want!

I personally use mine as a starting point for every vintage garment that I reproduce. I start with the bodice and then modify the collar and the neckline to match the vintage pattern. I do the same with the skirt, change the pockets, or the length. All this is done without resizing the pattern! Here is a list of the things I have changed on my sloper to make new styles from it:

• necklines: square, V, sweetheart, portrait, scalloped
• collars: peter pan, sailor type, pilgrim type
• sleeves: sleeveless, short sleeve, long sleeve, bell shaped, raglan, kimono, scalloped
• button front
• zipper front
• princess seams
• shoulder princess seams
• pockets on outside
• pockets in side seams

And I have just only gotten started! This video will give you some advice as you work though making your own fitting shell!