Soooo …. it’s finally done and I am actually really satisfied with the fit, but it took its time.
As a newbie and autodidact pattern construction is not easy, although I have had a lot of fun doing it.
Basic construction after book 1
These are my basic constructions according to the book: “Schnittkonstruktion für Damenmode” (“pattern construction for women’s fashion” – Volume 1 – Guido Hofenbitzer – Europa Lehrmittelverlag)
Looks good, doesn’t it? However, the test-version I have sewn after this pattern, did not. 🙁
Optimizations after book 2
So I read volume 2 – “Maßschnitte und Paßtform” (made to measure sewing patterns and fitting) – also by Guido Hofenbitzer – and I realized something …. it is not the basic pattern, which construction I made right, it is simply my body.
My slightly oblique, tilted forward and very narrow shoulders, with large shoulder bones, my bust-measurement compared to my underbust-measurement. My narrow hips, which somehow give me some kind of “big butt” and a lot more.
Ohoooooh, I was able to apply almost every fitting problem from the book to my body. But well, ready-to-wear-clothes never fit me, so why should a perfectly normal basic pattern construction fit me right from the start. 😉
So I corrected all these fitting problematics I found in the book step by step and finally ended up – after many further sewn test-versions and some optical adjustments to my desired look – with this pattern:
In the end – even if I think that darts are much more beautiful – I ultimately went for princess seams, because these I could adapt to my curves without creating “bulges” at other places. (reason: the darts couldn’t take that much fabric and I didn’t like the idea of having 3 darts on each side of the upper front)
Additionally I gave my dress a v-neck, a waistband and an inverted pleat in the front skirt (all with the help of the two books mentioned above), because I already had my colour-blocking concept in mind which made these additional changes necessary. 😉
Ta-dah!
My own custom fit sewing pattern – My summer-dress 2017
Oh and don’t forget, if you apply all this effort into constructing your own custom fit sewing pattern, construct this in a standard version. In other words…. construct your sewing pattern with a normal neckline, a normal waist seam and without pleats (inverted pleats or the like), so you have your own basic sewing pattern to which you can then apply any adjustments to create your desired look over and over again.
Oh by the way, as fabric I used the wonderful cotton fabric from stoffe-hemmers. Also have a look HERE (available colours, samples)