Introduction and Recap
In the last couple of posts we talked about the need to choose a starting size and how this might impact the fitting process.
We discussed size charts and body measurements.
We have not yet covered using pattern or finished garment measurements for size selection1.
I have written an article about taking advantage of the multi-size pattern for pants fitting in the latest issue 39 of The Pattern Pages magazine. This is a key feature of #TopDownCenterOut.
Relatively few bodies are fit right into a single size, most people are a blend of different standard sizes in different areas of their body. It is estimated that 80% of makers vary across three sizes or more. It is common for makers to grade between sizes before cutting out the pattern tissue or fabric.
Multi-sized patterns have made it easier to blend between different sizes but it can be tricky. Conventionally this is done by marking the appropriate size at the different positions then blending between them. The drawback of this approach is that the shape of the blending line may well create new fit issues and distort the overall design.
In the Pattern Pages article I introduce the idea that rather than blending between sizes, we can customize the grading by treating the pattern as a menu with different elements that come in an array of sizes. The outcome is a customized pattern that provides a good starting point for refining the fit.
The concept here is that all patterns can be dissected into various elements that make up the pattern:
When the pattern is assembled, those elements form the garment and help the garment assume its final shape on the body.
Custom fitting then becomes the process of correctly positioning the selected elements in collaboration with the body.
A mult-size pattern provides standardized examples of how these elements change with changing body size.
For example, here is the multi-sized PatternLab sloper:
This pattern comes in 11 sizes ranges ranging over 18 inches (46 cm) of total chest circumference between the smallest and largest sizes:
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