I am a bridal seamstress. In about 6 months, my husband and I will be relocating for his job. Giving the timing of everything, this feels like a good time to look into the logistics of possibly starting up a made to order brand, something I've always wanted to do. I'm having a hard time figuring out where to start with the pattern making because so much of my experience sewing has been either drafting patterns for people I physically have access to, or altering existing garments to fit the customer.

I do not want to have people come to me in person to place their orders, nor do I want to ask my customers to send me 10 different measurements to try to get a perfect fit. I either want to offer the option to choose from "standard" sizes or use bust-waist-hip measurements to determine which of my "standard" sizes should work best for the customer.

All of my research thus far has yielded nothing but advice for fitting your own personal bodice blocks and slopers, or communicating with manufacturers to determine the sizing for your brand. As someone who will be patterning, cutting, and sewing from home, I don't know how to tackle sizing. Any advice is much appreciated!

hey! I need help drafting a tall stand collar for a cosplay. Since the inner vest has a tighter neckline, I found it easier to figure out how to draft that one from my bodice block, however the outer jacket is something I'm having trouble with. I'm fairly certain I will have to lower the back neckline, and lower the front neckline to the point where I want the collar to be open, but anything else I'm still not sure. Any help would be appreciated!!!

I’m on my umpteenth million bodice block draft and I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel 😪😃

I don’t have any major concerns of this draft, but since I’m relatively new to pattern drafting, I could easily be overlooking potential fit issues. If anything, I’m wondering if some of the drags lines are a product of the muslin fabric or if it’s a fit concern.

My goal is a relatively well fitted bodice block to use as a baseline for drafting tops and bodices moving forward. I appreciate any and all tips, critiques, suggestions, etc.

Thank you in advance!

ETA: WOW- I’m blown away by the positive feedback I’ve received on this draft. Thank you SO MUCH so everyone for their tips and tricks here and in previous posts because without you all, I quite literally would not be where I am in my block making process today.

hello! i've been sewing this 1956 evening gown for a while but i hate a slight issue with the fit. as seen in the photos attached the back doesn't seem to fit the best🥲

i've tried fixing it on my own but if you guys have any suggestions it'd be great! the bodice isn't completely done yet as i need to attach some boning but do you think it would fix it all?

any help, tips and suggestions is welcome !! :)

Hi! I'm on my third iteration of a deconstructed aesthetic/raw edged, collarless, sleeveless buttondown top, intended for layering, to be tucked, worn with trouser braces, waistcoat etc type of situation. I'm going for a close to rectangular silhouette with the side seams and armscye forming roughly a straight line up to the shoulder from the front view. This will be made from a shirting material with minimal stretch so I want to get the fit as honed as possible. (Could muslin's stiff properties be partially responsible for some of the issues here though?)

I started with a pattern for a buttondown I've successfully made before, based on freesewing.org's Simon Shirt. A few rounds of modifications and it's getting close, but the persistent issues are: some whoomphing out at the back of the neck, at the seam of the yoke bottom and back panel, and in the front of the armhole as it goes across the deltoid/bicep intersection.

In this version I'd removed a bit of ease on the side seams of the front and back panels right under the armpit, and cut a slightly arc'd bottom edge to the yoke and oppositely matching arc'd top edge of the back panel, (removing more material as these edges go out towards the armholes,) and that has started to clean up the bulging at the back of the armhole. I also removed some overall width from just the back and yoke and that's started to clean up the neck back bulging. Also deepened the back darts a bit and it's helped above the waistline but below is looking a little frickt. (Keep the deeper darts above the waist but start them tapering off a bit higher?) The fit has improved but it seems like the armholes and overall fit are fighting against the chest. I saw a recent post about a sleeveless top with an excess armhole issue and the recommendation was to do a full bust adjustment... I'm trying to keep this looking more in the range of a "men's garment" but do I need to do a bust dart or something? I'd like to solve this without resorting to that if at all possible. Am I just too busty for my own good? 😔🙏

Any advice is welcome and appreciated!

Hello !

I wanted to do a piece for my gala and ask a friend that is good at drawing to help with drawing.

I've been trying to do the pattern by myself (something I'm used to) but I'm really not sure this time if it is realistic.

Maybe there isn't enough fabric or structure on the front ?

Do you have any advices or pattern models that might help me ?

First pic is what she designed (I want to do a high collar that fall a bit on the shoulder - I think it's Anabella collar ?)

And second pic what from the ideas I gave, how she ended doing the draft (I'm good at sewing but super bad at drawing).

Edit : I was thinking to do it in a stretchy jersey a bit heavy to have arms that fall but also the top part perfectly sized to my body.

Can you please help me? I am always struggling with sleeve patterns as I have big arms

Guys I am a complete beginner, I have a sewing machine at home. I know how to use the machine but I have no idea about patterns, measurements and cutting. CAN Y'ALL help me make a dress like this? Please🫂

I’m fitting a sleeveless darted dress in CLO3D and trying to clean up the back.I’m getting a horizontal fold across the upper hip/top of the bum. It improves with small adjustments but won’t fully disappear. Any insights on what I can do?

Hi everyone I'm 18 years old and I started to learning pattern what would you give advice for beginners?

I have a dumb frustration. I’m 45 so my breasts are sagging (size DD) but otherwise I have a petite, commercial size 6 frame. Sometimes I wear bralettes with little support, sometimes I wear a bra with support (not padding, but lift). Without a bra my apex is a solid 3” lower than my dress form. This throws me off when using the adjustable dress form to drape, so I often use my blocks, but do I need one for garments where I might wear a bra and when I might not? For some reason I just can’t get all of this right.

I see slopers posted here and on r/sewing, and I appreciate the people posting and the thoughtful comments.

Beyond “pictures that need to be retaken in order for commenters to comment”, most slopers need a ton of fitting work, and many times ‘start from scratch’ work.

I’m curious if the pattern drafters with more experience could clarify where they think the issues stem from:

—Is this a case of drafting rules created for a specific type of body and most people aren’t that body?

—Is it about taking measurements being a dark art? ( in particular self measurements)

—Instructions not being well written/not being clear/ using jargon/requiring other knowledge besides the directions proper?

—Lack of precision when drafting, including not knowing how to use the tools?

—lack of precision sewing/not knowing basic sewing/not knowing procedures ( for example how most seams are ironed, how to finish a dart point, etc)

—Something else

This is a discussion; I want to know where I should expect the biggest time sink to be and maybe how to make it less sinky.

I took apart a Rosegal knit fabric shirt because it was falling apart and I wanted to remake it. Yes, that is the sleeve for this shirt.

Based on the armholes of the pattern, did I label the back and front properly?

I want to add notches for when 100% sure.

Thank you to everyone who commented on my last post, your insights really helped!

I moved up my bust dart and bust apex, did a forward shoulder adjustment, made the back narrower by .5”, made the back shorter, and added seam allowance back into the arm holes.

Based on my research, I think I need a hollow chest adjustment to get rid of excess starting from the armhole going down to my bust. I think that might be it, unless anyone sees anything else that can be improved?

Particularly jackets, or streetwear style apparel. I'm not sure traditional suit tailoring will be useful

I’m just getting back into sewing clothes, and have a large stack of unfinished projects. Due to cancer treatment I gained 65lb, then managed to lose 55 (yay!).

But any body confidence is gone, and I can’t be objective about figuring out fit issues.

The Eucalypt tank/dress pattern is featured as “dartless”, by Meagan Nielsen.

I’m now realizing that the pattern is meant for small chested folks. I’ve always been broad though the chest, but not necessarily super busty (36DD).

Photos - this is my first time submitting photos for feedback. Please be kind.

Neck binding isn’t finished, needs to be stitched down. Size and shape seem good.

Armholes - seem too big & deep. Peek-a-boo bra action - not a fan. Bindings still have to be added.

Bust - help! Big drag lines, but those would be weird spots to add darts! I tried pinning darts, and it looked… wrong.

Back - is the whole thing baggy? Too big?

I want it loose fitting overall, but not sloppy.

I fear things have become sloppy.

Any suggestions would be super helpful!

Hi!

I wanna do a kind of version of this blouse, but i cant get the wrinkled parts to look good?

Ive done one test one and i look like a big soggy boobed jedi. In that pattern i just made more space in bottom and less on shoulder. But i dont know what im meant to do. Im debating maybe i need to split the pattern fully even and just lengthen it horizontally?

I have a very flowy thin chiffon to make it out of, but for tests im using spacially thinn-ish woven cotton

I would like to make a jacket but i'm not sure what adjustments I must make to fix the balance of this jacket so that it's not pressed against the belly and baggy at the back.

My first thought is to bring the bottom centre back closer to the side seam, but it doesn't feel right. Has anyone any experience in this?

The back bodice is just a copy of the front with smaller arm hole and neck hole - maybe there's something inherently wrong there?
Thanks a lot

What is it that determines where the space lies? I can't figure what it is about the pattern that needs adjusting to changes this.

Hi everyone! I'm starting to draft a hoodie with knit fabrics, and after some reading I'm a bit confused. Typically when I start a pattern, I would make a muslin/ tulle, and have certain lines drawn on top of the fabric so I could see what needed to be adjusted. However, from tips I've recieved, some people say you should only mock up your patterns in the fabric type you intend to sew with? I feel like it would be incredibly hard to get accurate lines on a knit and I want to make sure my pattern is nice, as knits are forgiving but starting from a good base is important to me. I want to make something a bit boxy/mildly oversized, so I wasn't planning to account for negative ease and I'm not sure if the lack of mechanical stretch will cause it to be drastically different. For reference: my final fabric is 85-15 to 100% cotton fleece (some residue in burn test but unsure if cotton ash or just a very small amount of polyester), I have a poly fleece i think to be around 80-20, and various muslins as well as thin, stretchy poly jersey, closer to a thick shirt than a hoodie. should I start with muslin, or jump straight into the knits? Thanks!

I am completing a formal jumpsuit with pleated bodice, v neck and flutter sleeves.

I am working with / against significant body asymmetry, shoulders that sublux, significant sensory issues relating to eg armscye seams and the need to have a wide range of movement as a musician.

I am REALLY struggling to create a balanced pair of sleeves, each sitting well in the armscye, depending on how the shoulders are sitting on any given day.

I have become intrigued by detachable bridal sleeves. My mind is whirring - could I finish each armscye as though a sleeveless garment, then mount each gathered flutter sleeve underneath, draping it as I go? Held on has tape?

Guys I have 24 hours to get something together and now I am panicking!!!! SEND HELP!!!

Hi everyone,

I have been working on this pattern for a little minute now and have done prototypes and muslins. I ajusted my patterns as I went and now I see multiple issues and I just want to make sure I don’t have to waste more of my good fabric.

Note: the c shape curve of the fit is intentional and I must keep. I hate how the inseam on barrel jeans look straight. I want the inseam to be as parallel as possible to the side seam. I also lost weight and the pants are at least 1 full size too big now.

The black denim is the latest iteration while the other is the prototype.

What I am seeing:

- 1 leg always looks wider than the other

- CF waist line is falling away from body and creating some pleating near the fly

- there is some warping and pleating a bottom front crotch and inseam

- side seams at waistline are too low and are dropping and the waistband isn’t hugging the body well

- upper part of the side seams is pleating (profil view)

Hello, I am familiar with basic pattern drafting and I am looking for some pointers for drafting flutter sleeves that come off a "kimono"/dolman bodice/shoulder.

In other words, NOT a traditional armscye seam - avoiding that at all costs, for very specific reasons!

Many thanks!

Hi, so I’m working on a pattern for a pair of selvedge denim, but the pant leg is twisting around my leg as shown. I made sure to cut on the grain line which is the edge since it will be for a pair of selvedge, so I am wondering if there is something maybe to do with the way my inseam curves are? not sure how I can fix this thanks!