My Fearless February challenge was to conquer my fear of pattern drafting and draft a pencil skirt pattern to fit my curves.
This is what I posted I was going to do so I would DO IT… I thought if I shared my fear it help help me conquer it and you know what… it’s working LOL
This is the first time I’ve ever drafted a pattern and thought it would be the perfect project for Fearless February as at the time I was embarking on making my first pencil skirt for a Sewing Dare. And as I had to make a few modifications to the pattern to get it to fit I thought to myself I can’t wait until I’m able to draft a skirt pattern of my own to fit me and my curves just right. Then I had a lightbulb moment and thought why not give this a shot for Fearless February as I’ve got nothing to lose and a new skill to add to my arsenal of sewing skills.
So off I headed and reached for a book I’d purchased online a few months ago by Helen Josheph-Armstrong Patternmaking for Fashion Design 5th Edition
With my Fearless February challenge and courage thanks to Victoria from Ten Thousand Hours of Sewing (who instigated the Sew-Along and all my online sewing friends supporting me I knew I could do this… so out came Helen’s book so I could get stuck in and make this pattern. I started reading and then as I was reading the instructions thoughts of “OH NO this is too hard why did I say I’d do this… Why didn’t I pick something easier” started running through my mind.
I had to conquer this fear… I had put this out for the whole WWW to see… how could I not now do this?? There it was for everyone to see… I put my hand up and I just had to conquer this fear once and for all!
These crazy mind games crept into my little ole’ brain and I put that book back on the shelf so many times and then it sat by my side everyday while I Googled about drafting a pencil skirt and I read so many blog posts and the more I read the more I thought I really do just need to do this and stop procrastinating.
Then finally I said to myself “Just follow what that darn book says and stop playing games and wasting time… just follow step by step what’s in the book and DO IT!“
So armed once more with my book I headed off to my sewing room and whipped out my measuring tape again along with my pencils, pens, rulers, rubbers, tracing paper, pattern paper and anything and everything I thought I was going to need to tackle this challenge and make myself a pencil skirt pattern!
I was doing this… I was now on a mission and you know what it’s like when a woman sets her mind to do something… There’s no stopping her and look out if you get in her way LOL…
I finally had the determination of a wild lion and I was ready to take a giant leap and attack this challenge once and for all!
This is the dress I made for Jungle January… and this is how I was feeling when I made up my mind I was going to finally conquer this fear of drafting a pattern!
Now here’s where I’m at with drafting a pencil skirt pattern…
I finally have a pattern and a muslin that fits… how exciting… I did it… I conquered my fear and I drafted that little baby!
The fit isn’t quite perfect yet although the front is sitting really well and I still have a few minor adjustments to make to the back but it’s so close and I’m almost jumping out of my skin curves already!
The reason the front is sitting so well is from a simple discovery… I have a little problem called “Pelvic Tilt”
My Pin Pal Patty Sampson at Village Dressmaker (Patty came up the term Pin Pal and don’t you just love it!) gave me some tips after she had noticed from a few of my past blog pictures that I may have Pelvic Tilt. Patty is so observant and has a keen eye for picking these things up as she’s an extremely experienced dressmaker with many years of experience making custom fitting clothing including wedding dresses.
Patty let me know how to check and identify if I had Pelvic Tilt and also how to alter a pattern to accomodate for it. I ask Patty if I could share this information with you as I thought it could be helpful for anyone else who may want to check to see if they have the same issue and if so how to adjust for it.
This is what Patty shared about identifying and adjusting a pattern for Pelvic Tilt
Patty Sampson
“A good indicator of this fitting challenge is if you put on a straight skirt and then stand sideways looking in a full length mirror. If the side seams don’t hang perpendicular to the floor then there should be an alteration done to the pattern pieces prior to cutting out a skirt (this goes for pants, also). I think that you may notice that your side seams curve toward the back a bit toward the hem. If this is the case chances are that your waist is not horizontal to the floor. This is really quite common, and it is easy to alter for that when making a skirt…more difficult when altering a ready-to-wear skirt.
Should this be something you notice when looking in the mirror here is the fix.
Alter your skirt pattern in this way….the front pattern piece should be lowered by about 3/4″ to 1″ across the top of the skirt making a gentle arc that goes from side seam to side seam. This essentially removes some of the length of the skirt front but at the top where it is needed. The goal of sewing is to have the grain lines of the fabric horizontal and perpendicular to the floor. If the front waist is lower than the back, or if there is one high hip, or a number of other posture deviations then the fabric will not hang properly.”
Armed with my new found knowledge off I went to check myself in the mirror and check I did… I checked from every angle taking close notice of my waistline and low and behold I discovered I discovered I have a Pelvic Tilt and it was so obvious now that I knew what to look for.
I went and found a skirt that had a stripe that I could use as a guide while I stood sideways in front of the mirror…. and there it was I could see I had a Pelvic Tilt by the way the seam line on the skirt was sitting under the bottom of my shirt… Patty was right!
Here you can clearly see that the front drops down in the centre and comes up at the sides… I was actually getting excited about this as I was thinking to myself… this is probably why I’ve had such a hard time getting patterns to fit me right around the waist… here I was all along thinking it was simply because I had a tummy I had to cater for… yeh I know I still have a tummy but it wasn’t only my tummy that was causing the issues for me and now I also had a solution to help me… YEAH!
Here’s a close up shot… you can clearly see the seam line on the skirt sloping down in the centre right under my tummy.
Simply by pulling up the waistband in the centre front of the skirt you can see it makes the seam on the skirt now sit horizontal making the grainline horizontal and the hemline actually sits straight also.
Here’s a close up shot of the skirt seam line and how it now sits straight simply by pulling up the waistband in the centre front…. what a difference it makes!
Now armed with this new found knowledge I went back to my paper pattern pieces and made the adjustments exactly how Patty explained them and cut out my pattern ready for my muslin… I was getting so excited now and couldn’t wait to cut out my muslin and sew this little baby up.
Final pattern adjustments were made… as you can see I’d made others before I discovered I had Pelvic Tilt and how to adjust my pattern for it. I tried on my paper pattern and I was now sure this was going to sit so much better.
By making the adjustment to cater to my pelvic tilt ook at how well the front of this skirt sites around my waistline and it’s on grain… all thanks to Patty!
The only adjustments I had to make to the muslin front was take in the side seams a little as you can see in the picture below where the second row of basted stitches for the side seam now sit… and oh how good do those front darts look?
It think the front is sitting pretty good now on my tummy and is falling perfectly. The darts also seem to be placed well and their length seems to sit in just the right place.
Here’s the view from the back… as you can see there’s a little excess fabric that I need to take out… which I’ll take out of the side seams without taking any out of the front.
Once I adjust the side seams I’ll then review how the darts are sitting. I only want to make one adjustment at a time and check on the progress of the fit as I go.
The side seam is now sitting perfectly vertical… and hopefully once the excess fabric is removed from the rear I’ll check again to ensure the side seams are sitting right. When I get all the top sections of the skirt right I’ll straighten the hemline.
As you can see I’ve made great progress with my Fearless February challenge and I know I’m going to have a great go to skirt pattern block that I’ll be able to use over and over again and will be able to whip up a pencil skirt anytime and know that I’ll be able to get a great fit and adjust for any body changes that may happen over the coming years.
A little distraction has come my way…
We’re currently experiencing an extreme cyclone “Cyclone Rusty” and to help take my mind of things I decided to have a little fun and make Zoe a little dress… as she was so envious after seeing the cute little outfits her Super Sewing Hero Kitty was wearing when he received his awards that she wanted an outfit as well.
Here’s what I made her from a pattern I drafted
Zoe’s happy now that she has a cute little outfit… and friend Kitty gave her “4 Paws Up” for it via Facebook.
Sometimes it’s nice to have a little distraction and this was definitely a project that was fun and helped take my mind of the cyclone for a while.
If you’re participating in the Fearless February challenge I hope you are making great progress too and are glad you decided to take on the challenge.
Also if you haven’t met Patty Sampson yet please drop by her new blog and say “Hello” I’m sure she’d love to meet you :)
Laura March 12, 2013 at 10:53 am
So glad to have come across your blog! I am in the midst of sorting out challenges with fitting a pencil skirt and I think I have the exact same issue! Never would have thought of that. I just made a muslin and when I tuck under the front as you suggest, it hangs perfectly! I’m going to make this adjustment and give it one more try before I break in to my “good” fabric. Thank you for sharing your learning and great job on the skirt!
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Chris Lucas March 12, 2013 at 7:24 pm
Hi Laure and welcome to my blog and I’m so glad that the tips Patty has shared with us has helped you as well. It’s amazing how such a little adjustment can make such a big difference in helping us get the right fit. It sure is a good idea to get it right before you break into you good fabric. I’ll be sure to drop by and visit your blog too as you’ve got me curious now as to “Why I Sew”
Chris Lucas recently posted..Oh My… My Fabric Stash suddenly just got bigger!
Elise Lin March 4, 2013 at 7:23 pm
Congrats on successfully drawing your own skirt! Thank you for the explanations, I wrestled with the same problem but I didn’t know it (I thought I had sway back but apparently it’s Lordosis, hopefully I can remember that word lol) . Now I see much better that I should have made different adjustments than I did. Looking forward to seeing your first skirt made from your own drafted pattern!
Elise Lin recently posted..Fearless February part 3 – the result
Chris Lucas March 4, 2013 at 8:40 pm
Hi Elise and thank you… it sure is a good feeling to have completed this challenge and finally have a skirt pattern that fits perfectly and to know how to draft one of these anytime I need to make another one. That word Lordosis sounds funny every time I say it… I’ve had fun pronouncing it and playing with it and saying it like LooordOooooSis … this makes it sounds quite posh… having a chuckle to myself as I type this. I can’t wait to make my next skirt using my pattern… I have some fabric and lining all picked out and ready to go. Promised hubby I would make him a shirt next so better stick to my promise. Oh by the way I was just looking at your blog and congratulations on your Fearless February project too…your skirt looks great!!! Shame about your sewing machine and hopefully you’ll get a new foot to fit it soon
Chris Lucas recently posted..Meet my Hollyburn skirt and her new friend Simplicity
sarah liz March 3, 2013 at 2:44 pm
Hi Chris, thanks for your comments on my blog – I’m still a little less familiar with the wordpress format. Yes, you do have a pelvic tilt, and a sway back too. We all have such interesting gaits to accomodate! Love the piccy of the dog. Glad the storm passed and you are all okay. I’ll keep in touch.
Chris Lucas March 4, 2013 at 8:03 pm
You’re welcome Sarah Liz and commenting is a great way to keep in touch and share our thoughts… love it and wish I had more time to do more of it. I love seeing what others are up to as it’s always so inspiring and interesting too. It sure does make a difference when we know what adjustments to patterns we need to accomodate and I’m so glad I’ve discovered a new one for me. Zoe said to say thank you as well lol. And yes thankfully the cyclone passed and we came out the other side of it undamaged and smiling
Chris Lucas recently posted..Plus Size Pattern Pyramid & Blog Awards
Patty Sampson March 3, 2013 at 9:45 am
Gosh Chris, that is really neat how you found a skirt that demonstrated that fitting challenge and took the time to photograph the process so that others can learn!!! You are one dedicated sewist! You will be wearing clothing that fits you perfectly and are stylish and pretty! Your enthusiasm is contagious!
Also, your little Yorkie is precious and stylish like her mom! I had a female Yorkie, “Lucy” for 14 years. She looked a lot like your baby, but her tail was docked. Perhaps that is some barbaric thing that we Americans do to our little furry friends.
Thank you also for giving my blog some PR! I spent many years at a sewing machine instead of a computer, so blogging technology is new to me!
I love it that we can always be learning. No boredom here!
XOPatty
Chris Lucas March 4, 2013 at 7:59 pm
This skirt was perfect for this project and it really shows where the issues are and by adding the elastic around the waist really made it stand out. I was so surprised at how much of a tilt I had and your solution provided the perfect outcome. I’ve finalised the rest of the adjustments and took in the back a little and made all the markings on my muslin and then unpicked the whole skirt and have now made my master pattern.
It’s all ready now to make a skirt which I’m hoping to make up in the next couple of weeks. This week I’ve had to focus on my studies and am off to Perth for a couple of days for work. Sewing is always on my mind and I think I now have a sewing addiction LOL.
We’re not sure what breed our little Zoe is as we rescued her from an animal refuge. It was love at first sight for the two of us. She’s such a little darling. The vet thinks she’s some sort of terrier cross… we call her a custom design hahaha. Yorkie sounds great and is a terrier breed and seeing as though you’ve had one that probably could be what her main trait is. Docking use to be performed here… we had a Cocker Spaniel that was docked but I don’t think they do it anymore.
Always happy to share a little blog lovin around and you are so talented and deserve a little PR for sure. There is always so much for us all to learn and definitely no time for boredom when we love sewing and blogging too
Thank you again Patty you are a real rare gem! xxx
Chris Lucas recently posted..High Waisted Pencil Skirt with Boning Completed!
Victoria March 1, 2013 at 10:47 pm
Chris you did an EXCEPTIONAL job on your skirt draft!!!! Way to go!!! This was a great undertaking that yielded excellent results. There’s nothing like making your own pattern and tweaking the fit perfectly. You’ll have a TNT pattern for years to come. It’s cool you figured out your fit challenge and mastered it. All I can say is kudos to you all around. Your fearless effort yielded great results!!!!
Chris Lucas March 2, 2013 at 9:43 am
Thank you so much Victoria and just think if it wasn’t for you I would still be facing this fear. There’s no stopping me now! You are so right about making your own pattern and getting the perfect fit. I now have the skills and knowledge to be able to adapt this pattern when ever I need and it will always be my TNT pattern. Thank you for Fearless February
Lisa H March 1, 2013 at 2:09 pm
There is so much valuable information in this post. Thank you for sharing. I will definitely check out Patty’s blog. Zoe is so cute in that adorable outfit.
Chris Lucas March 1, 2013 at 7:32 pm
There sure is and Patty is great and has so much experience and loves to share her knowledge. Zoe said to say “Thank You” too
sarah liz February 28, 2013 at 8:24 am
Hi Chris – a good dressmaking distraction while losing rooftops seems a good idea, LOL’s. Seriousl, Ihope all passed well. I’ve never lived as far north as you (Alice Springs is the furthest north I’ve ventured, and Perth furthest west, in this country). I don’t envy you the heat and tempests that you have. I think its wonderful that you sew and have managed to create a great life for yourself up there – only 20 years ago this was not possible, so the internet has certainly opened up a world of options for people in isolated regions. Where do you get your fabrics from?
Chris Lucas February 28, 2013 at 6:28 pm
Hi Sarah… sewing sure is a good distraction during a cyclone! Thankfully we made it through safe and sound and no damage to the property we’re in except losing a few branches of the trees which fortunately didn’t land on the house. We sure do have extreme weather here and it get so HOT… couldn’t live here if I had to work outside or without airconditioning. I don’t know how my hubby handles working outdoors as I couldn’t do it. If it wasn’t for the internet I don’t think I’d want to live here as we’re so disconnected and have very few shops… and oh I do miss having a choice of cafe’s and restaurants to go to. Lucky my hubby’s a good cook lol. Most of the fabrics I buy are from Fabric.com and I’ve tried several other online stores as well… unfortunately shipping costs are really high when it’s international and to a remote location and as you know fabric can be quite heavy when you buy several pieces. Also my mother in-law (Kerry) and grandmother-in-law (Shirley) surprise me and send fabric parcels which is really nice… actually I’m expecting a parcel to arrive soon as they’ve just sent me one. It’s like Christmas when I get a parcel and when I pick up a parcel from the post office I can never wait to get home and rip it open to see what I’ve got… I’m still a big kid inside LOL. I’m also waiting for a parcel from Nancy’s Notions to arrive any day and can’t wait as I ordered a clapper and tailors board and a few other bits and pieces, plus another parcel should be arriving with my latest pattern purchases from Vogue/Butterick, and another parcel from LisaH for the Plus Size Pattern Pyramid that I won and will be passing on as well. So as you can imagine the first thing I’ll be doing everyday is checking my letter box to see if one of the parcels have arrived LOL
Gjeometry February 27, 2013 at 11:28 pm
Oh, goodness, I had no idea that there was so much to know about drafting your own skirt. When we did it in a class, we did not take all that into account. Is pelvic tilt the same as a swayback? I know for me, my right side is lower then the left. Congratulations for drafting such a perfect fit skirt!
And, more importantly, lol, Kitty would like to give four paws up to you and Zoe for her absolutely adorable outfit! Well done. Many meows of praise were heard over here.
Gjeometry recently posted..Sewing with Cats: Kitty Has Graciously Accepted An Award!
Chris Lucas February 28, 2013 at 5:36 pm
It would be so great to be able to learn to draft a pattern in a class environment. I think I’ve taken the harder path and have tried to learn more than I really need but hopefully it will pay off in the long run… one can only hope LOL. I did a little research on pelvic tilt and discovered the scientific name for this is Lordosis, and also that there is a difference between Lordosis and Sway Back and this image really helps to identify between the two http://posturereview.com/images/common4patterns.gif The biggest difference is visible in the angle of the lower spine. At least now that we know what our little problems are we can adjust our patterns to accommodate for them and hopefully get a much better fit in the long run.
Now back to the important stuff lol, Zoe is so happy that Kitty thinks she looks adorable and when I told her she fluttered those LONG eyelashes of hers and OMG they are so long… I’m jealous LOL.
Judith February 27, 2013 at 5:25 am
Hey, Chris, just popping in to see how you are fairing with that little old ‘Rusty’ wind heading your way! Nothing like a Cyclone to slow your sewing down. Our news station just commented that you are in ‘lock-down’ mode – just make sure you get locked down with your machine…J
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Chris Lucas February 27, 2013 at 7:54 am
Hi Judith and thank you for thinking of me… so far we’re doing OK… although I’ll admit I’m starting to get scared now! It’s already really winding and the winds are expected to get over 250km hour and I’m not looking forward to that. We went into lock down mode on Red Alert yesterday and Cyclone Rusty isn’t expected to cross us until later today and it’s already a Category 4. I’ve never experienced a cyclone with this force yet and already hoping I don’t have to again either. My sewing machines is all safe and sound like a baby. Sewing room is as prepared as it can be with the windows all taped up and cyclone grills secured, hubby even put in extra screws in for me LOL. This cyclone sure has slowed down my sewing… but ah well I’m sure I’ll make up for it
Fiona M February 27, 2013 at 2:16 am
I saw the cyclone on the news and thought of you. I hope you are all keeping safe and that it will soon be over.
I love your little doggie!
Chris Lucas February 27, 2013 at 7:46 am
Thanks Fiona… it’s getting a little scary over here now and the winds are meant to get a lot stronger yet. So far we’re safe and secure and hoping to remain that way and come out the other side with big smiles on our face again. Oh and Zoe said to say “Thank You” as well… she really is a little gem and I loved making something for her and it definitely helped me take my mind of the cyclone for a while.
Jenny February 26, 2013 at 9:25 pm
Great post! It’s great that Patty was able to help you – information like that is invaluable. Can’t wait to see the final skirt. It’ll be great to have the pattern block for future skirts.
Jenny recently posted..Butterick 5211
Chris Lucas February 26, 2013 at 10:00 pm
You are so right Jenny… the information Patty shared has already proved to be invaluable and she has so much knowledge to share and has starting sharing it via her blog. I’d love to already have the amount of knowledge Patty has that’s for sure. She’s a beautiful person and a great teacher and loves teaching her students and share her knowledge. I too can’t wait to make a skirt using my own pattern but I’m going to work on this muslin until I get it just right