Expert Sewing Tip
by Karen Laqua

What Style Pattern Will Look Good on Me?

Are you tired of sewing garments that don't turn out? Do you want to learn how to achieve better results? This article will discuss some reasons why we continue to experience disappointments with garment sewing, and provide some steps toward sewing clothes successfully.

The most common complaint with garment sewing is fit, but many times the main problem is an inadequate marriage between garment style, fabric, and our individual body shape. Most of us have difficulty determining if a dress will look good on us without first trying it on. Unfortunately, this is impossible when we sew. Therefore, we try to guess or imagine the latest pattern styles on our body, and the pattern books don't help as we look at the garments displayed on perfectly shaped models. we begin to think that maybe, if we sew the particular dress pattern exactly as pictured, we well look just as beautiful and thin. Oh, if only that were true.

The best formula for discovering which patterns will work for you involves becoming aware of your own unique style and shape. Examine your favorite clothes, notice the shape and cut of styles you prefer, try on different styles in stores. Enlist a trusted and honest friend for their opinion. Notice what others wear that you like and what you are wearing when you receive complements. Keep a picture file of your preferred styles collected from catalogs and magazines. As you browse the patterns, you will be looking for patterns that have similar shapes and styles as those kept in you picture file.

As you examine your picture file, take into account several different factors including, color, shape, and proportion. Proportions are measured with your head (top to chin), with the average woman's total height being about 7 head lengths. However, if you measure the proportions of most models, you find their height equals about 8 or 9 head lengths. Notice how your proportions differ (including width), and how this might affect the overall look. Sometimes I find it helps to do a rough sketch (and I do mean rough as I am not an artist), but your goal is to get a feel for what your proposed garment might look like on your body. You can even trace the sketches from the pattern envelope onto a sketch of a person with your personal stature. Once you get a feel for what looks good on you, this process becomes much easier and faster as you can easily eliminate what you know won't work.

Know thyself is the first maxim, and remember that this process does involve some experimenting and of course, making mistakes. It is also important to select the correct pattern size.