As you may remember, The Reader and I did a pattern drafting course over a couple of years. Recently, we visited Cabramatta in Sydney, where there are a good number of fabric shops. We each purchased some fabric for a dress from Sogo Fabric (in my opinion, Sogo always has the best fabric in Cabramatta). We went looking online for pattern designs that we liked to make sure we got the right quantity of fabric for the style of dress we preferred. Because we don’t have a great deal of time these days, we purchased McCalls patterns that we liked, rather than drafting our own.
I purchased McCalls M6834 (sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, 14) for myself, intending to make some changes to it. We purchased M6883 (sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, 14) for The Reader, knowing we would have to draft it down to fit her. The Reader is 15 years old, but still extremely petite in body size and height. Children’s patterns are inappropriate for her more mature shape and taste, however women’s sizes are too small for her. With bought patterns, we know we will always have to draft them down for her. For her though, a bought pattern is useful as she is not so experienced with dressmaking as I am, so the written instructions help her to learn how to put a garment together. Drafting your own is great, but it doesn’t teach you how to construct the garment.
On Saturday I laid out my pattern, ready to redraft the changes I wanted. The pattern had two princess line divisions on the front, with a pleat coming out the bottom of each. I only wanted the one, main princess line, with a pleat at the base, on each side. I therefore planned to redraft the two side sections into one. I also wanted to make the front into one piece, cut on a fold, and remove the centre pleat. I just didn’t need the skirt to be that full! I also thought that many seam lines would be a bit busy with the fabric I had chosen.
First though, I needed to work out which size to make. I usually buy size 8-10 (Australian sizes) clothing in the shops, and 8-10 usually work for me from patterns. Using my upper chest measurement for the bust measurement, as suggested in the pattern notes (which no pattern has ever suggested to me before), it turned out that my measurement of 84cm was less than even the size 6 pattern (89cm). WHAT?????
I was too small for the size 6??? I *am* fairly petite, but if I can easily purchase clothing that fits me (and I mean, walk in to ANY clothing shop and buy a piece of clothing that fits me with no problem at all), why isn’t there a pattern size that fits me? I’m not THAT small!
I am totally mystified by the sizing presented in this pattern. Totally. I ended up drafting the whole pattern down to size 4, and it fits very nicely. But that’s ridiculous – I’m NOT size 4!
The pattern was designed by Melissa Watson for Palmer/Pletsch. There was a whole heap of information in the pattern notes about fit, and it even referred the purchaser to a book called “Fit for Real People”. They REALLY want the pattern to fit well on the people who make it.
OK…, so why don’t they provide a pattern size that fits a real-sized person? I’m just grateful that I did have the skills to draft down the pattern! If I wasn’t able to, the pattern would have been a complete waste of my money.
This morning I checked The Reader’s pattern sizing (M6883). The pattern notes for this one do not say anything about using upper chest measurement for the bust measurement. That means I use my bust measurement (about 87cm) for choosing pattern size. That puts me at just under size 8 (88cm), which is the one I would choose to make. That seems about right for me. So, is it just M6834 that is ridiculous in its sizing?
I am totally mystified. I am grateful that I was able to draft down the pattern and make it in a size that does fit me. I loved wearing the dress yesterday and got several comments on it. It was very comfortable to wear. (The Gymnast said it made me look taller. I’m not sure about that!)
Trying on the slightly crumpled dress this morning for the camera. And I’m not very good at selfies, either!
I’d love to hear if anyone else has attempted to make McCalls M6834 and run into the same problems, or if it was fine for them. I’d love to hear from McCalls about why the sizing for this pattern seems so totally off. I’d love to hear from Palmer Pletsch about the fact that if they are so obsessed with the idea of fitting clothes onto bodies, why they don’t provide a pattern size for a totally reasonably-sized person.
Next weekend we’ll probably get onto The Reader’s dress. I hope it doesn’t involve quite so much head scratching.
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
I recently bought a NewLook pattern for a simple summer shift. It was from the easy range. When I looked closer at the pattern it is intended to be lined and has an invisible zipper. I’m well experienced and can manage either, but they are not traits I expect in an easy pattern.
I compared my very ample measurements to the pattern, and opted to cut out the largest, size 22, on the pattern, rationalising that I could take it in if needs be. After construction I find that the size 22 is barely big enough to accommodate my bust.
When I buy clothing I routinely buy a size 18, and it is usually a reasonable fit.
The disparity in pattern sizing is why I stopped dressmaking in the first place….such a shame, and such a waste of effort and resources when you make a garment that has no hope of fitting as the pattern sizing bears little to no resemblance with industry standards!
No, I wouldn’t consider lining or an invisible zipper to be easy either. Unless the pattern was very detailed and “taught” the dressmaker to do it. In my experience, they usually don’t!
I am grateful for my pattern drafting skills. And as I learned through this experience, it would probably have been quicker and less bewildering to have drafted the pattern myself from scratch, using my measurements. But then I never would have seen the unusual (to me, anyway) method of constructing the sleeves. I can still learn from a pattern, but it’s just the sizing that is frustrating!
Perhaps a bust alteration is something that would help you back on track if you wanted to take up dressmaking again? For those who have a “standard sized” (what is that anyway??) bust a standard pattern can work, but for those who are more well-endowed, bust alterations usually need to be done in order to make the pattern fit.
But it doesn’t change the fact that both of us can easily buy off the rack clothing that fits well/ok. So why is it so hard to find a dress pattern that works?
I have not bought a pattern for a number of years. I have done a bit of sewing in the past though and have taken some private lessons from a top designer in my youth.
It sounds as if the pattern you purchased was intended for sale in North America. It may have accidentally been placed in the wrong packet or otherwise placed in the wrong heap for destinations.
It is also possible that the pattern sizing was completely incorrect. Referring customers to a book??? Odd. Email McCalls and tell them what happened.
While you are completely honest about your measurements, you might find that such truthfulness is not universal. In some regions patterns are deliberately oversized or undersized. Another example is wedding dress patterns – these are usually sized differently. A bride who is size 12 will be sold a garment or pattern in a smaller size and miraculously it fits. Happy bride! I am waffling on here, but I think you get the picture.
Your frock fits well. The result is lovely.
I wondered whether it was a North American pattern too, however, the simple fact that there must be people my size in America and it still wouldn’t fit them either, tells me that it’s probably not.
I’ve posted on the McCalls Facebook page, and it looks like they’re reasonably responsive there, so I await a reply.
And as for the lack of truthfulness in sizing, I know that sizing is not standardised ANYWHERE. However, I would have thought that across the same brand they might be standardised! The other McCalls pattern that I bought on the same day has totally different measurements for the same sizes.
Hi Yvette & Joanne,
You can normally expect to go up 1-2 sizes above off the peg sizes when you sew. Thank you vanity sizing!
I would not be surprised to find either lining or invisible zips in an easy pattern. As long as novices have good instructions, neither pose problems in a simple garment.
Using over bust rather than bust measurement gives a better fit as it takes into account frame size & cup size (standard patterns are all Bs. Its use is becoming more common.
e.g. My daughter is petite in the frame, but a B-C cup. Not difficult to deal with by adding more to the bust and taking out a handful above the bust (the Big 3, Vogue, Butterick & McCalls are often a bit big through this area anyway). BUT a much better fit is obtained by using a smaller size that fits the frame (shoulders, neckline, chest, ribs & back) and adjusting the cup size to suit.
I hope this explanation helps!
I now have an important mission – drooling over a packet of passing thread that just arrive from Alison Cole!
Oh, this sounds familiar. I’m usually a ten, but in some shops a 12 and in others an 8, and once I made up a dress pattern for which, based on my body measurements I used the size 16 – and then had to take it in by an inch on each seam, which is ridiculous!
Yes, Betty, I totally understand the use of an upper chest measurement as that is what we used all the time in our pattern drafting course. However, even using it, the sizing of the pattern did not provide a size that I could use.
I get that pattern sizes are not standardised. That is a given. I might be a size 10 in one shop, an 8 in another, and a 10 in a dress pattern. We’re all used to that. We all accept that there is no rhyme or reason with clothing sizes.
My beef here is that I am not very small, yet even the smallest size provided by this pattern was too big for me. That’s ridiculous!
Enjoy your mission. I hope that your drool does not wreck the metal threads. 😉
Thank you one and all…these responses all make me feel much better about my experiences, and trying to fit an F cup bust into a design for a B cup. (To paraphrase a line in some movie…like fitting a bowling ball into a marble bag).
Obviously, it would have been quicker to draft the pattern from scratch! The dress is lovely, even though the fit was a problem. I thought the Palmer-Pletsch patterns were suppose to be better fit than the normal ones. Their sizing has real problems if you are too small for the smallest size. You are small but not unusually so. The arbitrary numbers aren’t a problem (just a nuisance) but their given measurements not matching the actual pattern is a problem. But you have ended up with a beautiful dress, despite the unexpected redrafting. I hope the reader’s dress turns out well. Is she using lace like the picture?
I bet you’re sitting there, shaking your head, Bel, thinking “Why didn’t she just draft it from scratch?!” 🙂 Thank you for confirming to me that my expectations that there should be a pattern size to fit me, are reasonable! I even said to my husband, “I haven’t become too thin without me noticing it, have I?” He reassured me that I’m still very healthy.
No, The Reader isn’t using lace like in the picture. I LOVE that lace, but of course, we didn’t find anything like it! She’s got a light blue georgette with little sprigs of grey/black flowers on it. It’s very pretty and she loves it. We’ll make a black slip for underneath it.
Pattern sizing has no relation to ready-to-wear sizing any more. Thanks to the vanity sizing used by so many RTW companies. As Betty commented, smaller busted women can go by the bust size on the pattern, if larger, use your upper bust so the shoulders fit and do a full bust adjustment. However, there’s still the issue of widely varying amounts of ease in the patterns.
There are pattern companies specializing in true petite patterns, the names of which escape me now. Mostly because I’m far from petite! Have you ever used the Pattern review site? People submit reviews of patterns, there’s also a forums section on sewing for petite sizes.
After spending much on patterns, I’d say get your daughter a good basic sewing book that shows how to construct garments, help her make a block (sloper?) pattern that fits, and teach her to draft her own patterns from that.