Professional made-to-measure digital sewing patterns — PDF · PLT · DXF AAMA
Getting garments to fit real bodies: making a toile, reading fit wrinkles, and the standard pattern adjustments — full bust, sway back, shoulder, seat and crotch — that turn a block into a personal fit.
18 articles
Wrinkles are not random. Each drag line points to its cause. Here is how to read them like a professional fitter.
A muslin is a rehearsal in cheap cloth. Here is how professionals build and read one before touching the real fabric.
Tall and plus-size fitting means adding length and girth in proportion. Here is how to do it without distorting the draft.
Petite fitting is proportion, not just size. Here is how to shorten a pattern at every level so the balance stays right.
Few people match one size at both waist and hip. Here is how to blend and reshape for a smooth fit through both.
Sleeves are altered for both length and bicep room. Here is how to change each without breaking the cap-to-armhole match.
Adding or removing bodice length at the hem distorts the fit. Here is how to do it correctly at the right lines instead.
A neckline or armhole that stands away from the body has excess edge length. Here is how to remove it without shrinking the garment.
The crotch curve is the hardest line in trouser fitting. Here is how to reshape it to stop pulling, sagging and drag lines.
The seat makes or breaks trouser fit. Here is how to add room for a full seat or remove it for a flat one, cleanly.
If your shoulder seams drift backward and sleeves pull, your shoulders sit forward. Here is how to move the seam to match.
Shoulders that slope more or less than the draft throw off the whole bodice. Here is how to re-angle the shoulder seam correctly.
A rounded back needs more length; a broad back needs more width. Here is how to add each without wrecking the armhole.
Horizontal folds above the seat mean excess back length. The sway back adjustment removes it cleanly at the center back.
When a bodice bags at the bust, the SBA removes the surplus. Here is how to take away width and dart depth without spoiling the fit.
The FBA adds room for a fuller bust without wrecking the armhole. Here is the slash-and-spread method that keeps fit intact.
Every fit adjustment depends on accurate numbers. Here is how to find the landmarks and take measurements you can trust.
A good fitting is wasted if the changes never reach the pattern. Here is how to transfer alterations accurately and keep them.
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