Weight is a touchy issue for most people. I know it can be for me. Right now I am struggling with mine and it's effecting my desire to sew. Keeping my weight in check through our home remodeling has been challenging. I am not into looking paper thin or anything, but I like to maintain my weight. Fast food has been my "friend" over these last few months and the expected pounds came on. So now there is a choice to be made, do I sew for my bigger size or squeeze into my current clothing? Everything within me says "don't make the next size up". The hours that I have invested in making "tailored" clothing were happy hours and I don't want to leave those beautiful garments behind for a plate of fast food. So, today I am starting to look more closely at what I am eating, with the hope of losing the extra pounds. Along with that, I had a revelation during
me made June that is changing how I sew. During June, my weight was still okay, but I realized that I was avoiding wearing some of my handmade garments because they were so fitted. Looking back, I was sewing with the idea that I was going to lose a little more weight. Lesson learned, stop over-fitting sewing projects and build into place a level of comfort for a healthy weight. I know my weight will have it's up and downs in the future, but my reality is this, there is a number range that my body likes to stay in. My dream size is in my mind, but my body says we are staying here. So I am making peace with that and will be sewing for a more "normal" weight in the future.
Here are a few tips for making weight friendly garments.
1. Adding EASE! Ease is defined as those extra inches in a finished garment that one can pull away from the body. I am finding that I really like having lots of ease in my lower hips and legs. When clothing is tight, it's uncomfortable. In
Fit for real people , Pati Palmer suggests having a certain amount of ease for different garments. Here are her guidelines. You can easily add ease with a french ruler by drawing in a line outside the cutting line. Check out this book for more details. It's wonderful!
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As I look at this chart I see that most of my skirts have about 1/2 inch of ease in the waistline. I will be adding a bit to that for comfort. |
2. Considering the design/lines of a garment before sewing will tell you a lot about how your shape will fit into that design. This can be helpful in decisions of making a fitted skirt or an A line, or a boxy jacket verses a fitted one? Remember if you gain weight a boxy jacket may still fit when a fitted one get snug. A wide variety of styles in your closet can be a saving grace when the scale is moving upward.
3. Fabric selection is so important. Fabrics with a small amount of stretch go a long way for shoulders, bust-line and hips. As I use some of my non-stretch vintage fabrics, I will be adding more ease to the pattern at the lower hip-line for comfort. This will ensure freedom in movement.
4. I have given this tip before, it's worth repeating. Adding one inch seams instead of the standard 5/8 to the outer seams of a garment can be very helpful. If you need them the extra fabric is already there and can be let out pretty easily.
5. Resist over-fitting a garment. When fitting your garments. Baste the seams together. Now sit in your car. Can you reach everything easily? I say this because if I can sit in my car and be comfortable, then I know I have enough ease. Or stand in your kitchen and make a simple meal, can you reach the top shelf without splitting a seam? Test drive your garments before truly sewing up the final seams. Anyone can stand in front of a mirror and hold their breath in for a fitting, but can you pick up the baby and carry her around the house while wearing the garment, that's the question.
6. Consider adding a little elastic in the back of pants or skirts for those monthly times where the scale is going upward.
Sewing a wardrobe has become a way of life for many people, and let's face it weight loss or gain can happen a long the way. Considering weight changes is good insurance of great fitting clothing for the future.
Have a wonderful vintage day!
Gina