Extended size range

ISSUE 149 - RESOURCES FOR PLUS SIZE SEWING

THE Q & A SERIES

Resources for plus size sewists

Hi again,

Could you talk more about your process of expanding your size range? It's really exciting to see your sizing expand!

A common challenge for plus size sewing is a huge lack of resources around how to draft patterns for larger sizes. It seems this is a problem on an industry level in fashion, schools, etc, as well as for home sewists and indie pattern companies.

Clearly knowledge exists, as clothing and patterns have been made in larger sizes. And more and more RTW and home sewing companies are putting out more sizes.

As far as I am aware, there is no book or central resource explaining how to draft larger sizes. As far as I can tell, it seems like indie sewing companies either have people who have figured out their own plus size block / drafting system and/or have access to industry biometric data. But this assumes they either have specialised knowledge already or access to professional resources that are not available to the average home sewist. Ie. it seems like there's a bit of an information desert.

Did you run into this challenge finding useful information in your size expansion process? Did you come across any useful resources? I am so curious about the process.

Thanks kindly,

Claire

Note: This is the second part of my answer to Claire’s questions. You can read part one here.

Hi Claire, 

Unfortunately, you’re right - there isn’t a lot of information about drafting patterns for larger sizes that’s easily accessible for the home sewist. As I mentioned in the part one of my answer, there’s not even much that’s easily accessible for pattern designers! 

The indie pattern design industry has significantly contributed to expanding the available resources, so hopefully in time there will be more. In the meantime, here’s what I recommend.

CREATE A PATTERN CAPSULE

The concept of a pattern capsule is one that really excites us at In the Folds, and is part of the foundation of our monthly project subscription, Curated by ITF. 

Similar to a capsule wardrobe, a pattern capsule is where you have a small number of base patterns that you fit to your specific body shape and measurements and then adapt to your taste and style to create new designs.

If you select a pattern from a company that has drafted their patterns specifically for plus sizes, there will be less work for you to do in creating your pattern block. The main thing to remember when looking for a pattern to use as a base is that the pattern must fit you. It may not fit you perfectly straight out of the packet or off the printer (which is the case for most humans), but you don’t want to be grading up or amending issues with the pattern that are unrelated to fit. 

If you’re interested in finding base patterns to start with, this list will be helpful:

  • We recently extended our pattern sizes to a hip measurement of 184cm (72.5”) and are releasing all our new patterns in this extended size range. We are also working to update our whole portfolio to include the new size range, but you can view what’s available now here.

  • The Curvy Sewing Collective have collated a list of plus size pattern makers and also have a fantastic list of resources for pattern adjustments, fitting tips and pattern reviews. 

  • Jess, from Broad in the Seams has a list of plus size patterns. 

  • The Fat Friendly Pattern Club has a list of beginner friendly patterns. 

  • Muna and Broad patterns are specifically drafted for plus size sewists.

LEARN HOW TO FIT GARMENTS

Learning to fit our own clothes might be daunting at first, but the great thing is that we often need the same adjustments with each garment we sew. So, once you’ve identified the alterations you need to make it gets easier! 

For example, you may find for your body measurements and shape that you need to add length and do a full tummy adjustment, so each time you start on a new pattern you know to specifically check these areas first.

Learning how to fit the clothes you’re making doesn’t have to be an ordeal - there’s lots of resources that can help you do this.

To start with, our Fit Kits help identify the adjustments you need to make to a garment, and then show you how to do each one through illustrated tutorials. For example, our Barkly skirt pattern is available in our full size range and has the Barkly skirt Fit Kit that runs through the most common fitting alterations required for skirts.  (I should also mention that although it was created alongside the Barkly skirt pattern, the tutorials can be applied to most skirt patterns.) 

Ahead of the Curve from Cashmerette is a fantastic book that is described as ‘the first sewing book to empower curvy and plus size sewists to feel body confident by sewing a wardrobe that fits.’ It includes lots of photos that help plus-size sewists identify which adjustments they might need to make to a pattern.

Now that you’ve made the fit alterations on the pattern blocks and you don’t have to worry about doing them over and over again each time you sew a new garment I recommend transferring your base patterns onto card for safekeeping, and then you can move on to the fun part - pattern hacking!

LEARN HOW TO PATTERN HACK

Learning how to sew is simply a matter of skill-building. You learn and practise one skill, and then once you’ve figured it out, you move onto the next skill. Pattern hacking is no different. Once you’ve learned how to fit clothes, learning how to hack patterns into something new is just the next step! It’s just a matter of finding the resources to support you as you learn the skill (which I realise is the problem we’re addressing, but hear me out!).

The methods for hacking patterns into new designs are basically the same, regardless of the size of the intended wearer. Because of this, plus size sewists can make use of the many free online tutorials related to pattern hacking, including those on the In the Folds website.

Because we want our customers and members to become confident sewists we have also created Hack Kits specifically for some of our patterns. In our Curated by ITF membership, we’ve seen how these pattern hacking resources empower sewists to experiment with a range of styles that they may not have considered before, because they’re supported by a resource they can refer to when they have questions.

For example, our Barkly skit Hack Kit includes a range of different skirt styles with lots of techniques relevant to drafting skirts. The added benefit for our Curated by ITF members is that if/when they hit a snag during this process or need clarification about something, they can ask as many questions as they need in our online community and we (or our very clever and supportive community!) will provide the answers.

Thanks for your questions, Claire. I know you’re not the only person who has been frustrated by the lack of size inclusivity in the sewing industries, so I hope this post helps you find some plus size pattern drafting and fitting resources to support you in your sewing journey. Of course, this support can most definitely be found in our Curated by ITF community.

And if you have any further questions, please leave them in the comments section and we’ll help as much as we can.

Happy sewing,

Emily 

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • More information about our monthly sewing subscription, Curated by ITF, can be found here.

  • Read Part One of this question here - Q&A 148: Our experience in extending our pattern size range.

  • The Barkly skirt pattern, Fit Kit and Hack Kit can be purchased as a bundle here.

  • How to transfer patterns onto card - read the tutorial here.

  • The Curvy Sewing Collective resources can be found here.

  • Broad in the Seams list of plus size patterns can be found here.

  • The Fat Friendly Pattern Club list of beginner friendly sewing patterns can be found here.

  • Muna & Broad plus size patterns can be found here.

  • Ahead of the Curve by Cashmerette can be found here.

  • View all In the Folds patterns currently in available in our extended size range in our new Skills Library here and view our sizing chart here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
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ISSUE 148 - OUR EXPERIENCE IN EXTENDING OUR PATTERN SIZE RANGE

THE Q & A SERIES

Our experience in extending our pattern size range

Hi again,

Could you talk more about your process of expanding your size range? It's really exciting to see your sizing expand!

A common challenge for plus size sewing is a huge lack of resources around how to draft patterns for larger sizes. It seems this is a problem on an industry level in fashion, schools, etc, as well as for home sewists and indie pattern companies.

Clearly knowledge exists, as clothing and patterns have been made in larger sizes. And more and more RTW and home sewing companies are putting out more sizes.

As far as I am aware, there is no book or central resource explaining how to draft larger sizes. As far as I can tell, it seems like indie sewing companies either have people who have figured out their own plus size block / drafting system and/or have access to industry biometric data. But this assumes they either have specialised knowledge already or access to professional resources that are not available to the average home sewist. Ie. it seems like there's a bit of an information desert.

Did you run into this challenge finding useful information in your size expansion process? Did you come across any useful resources? I am so curious about the process.

Thanks kindly,

Claire

Hi Claire,

This is a fantastic question. You’re right - there is definitely an information desert when it comes to resources about drafting patterns in larger sizes. 

When we decided to extend the In the Folds size chart, this was by far the biggest hurdle.

I remember spending hours and hours googling everything I could think of to try and find the resources I needed to extend our size range. Or to find someone who could help us to do it.

the limitations of my fashion design degree with regards to grading for larger sizes

Although I have a Bachelor of Fashion Design and spent 4 years learning patternmaking, we unfortunately learned very little about extending the sizing of patterns. We learned to draft patterns using size 10 pattern blocks and size 10 mannequins.

We briefly learned to manually grade patterns, but never had to use the skill outside of that one lesson. The grading we were taught was an even grade - which means the pattern gets bigger or smaller by the same amount for each size. Although this works to an extent, there is a limit to how many sizes you can grade in this way. For example, if our base is a size 10, we can’t continue to grade the pattern with an even grade up to a size 36. 

the hurdles of extending a size range

To extend our size chart, what we needed to do was create a new base pattern or block, in a larger size. Then the pattern would be graded from there - which would ensure accuracy because the pattern was actually designed for a larger body, rather than just a smaller size pattern getting larger. 

After much googling, I found a company that could help me with extending our sizing. I had a few very interesting and inspiring conversations with the Director there and felt like her and her team really knew what they were doing.

Their team had a set of Alvanon mannequins and used professional 3D pattern drafting software to draft patterns and check them on 3D avatars. But they mainly worked with ready-to-wear brands, so their final products were patterns that would be sent off for commercial use, rather than home sewing.

Commercial patterns are very different to home sewing patterns

After some back and forth with the business we got our first pattern back, and at face value it looked pretty good. We conducted a fitting and there were a few minor issues that I wanted to discuss with the graders. When I started that conversation with the company, I realised that because they didn’t work within the home sewing space, it was difficult to communicate what I needed. For example, the term ‘Full Bust Adjustment’ is standard in the home sewing world, but this is not a commercial term. In industry, patterns are made in set sizes so there is no need for terms like this. Our plan was always to include a larger cup size in our extended range, so being able to articulate this in a way that would translate to our customers, was very important. 

Following some discussion, I realised that we needed to go back to the drawing board and work with a patternmaker that had experience in the home sewing space. Of course, I was disappointed that the first attempt to extend our sizing had been unsuccessful and quite costly, but it gave us a chance to get clear about what we wanted to do and what was most important to us.

I am a perfectionist and do my best to create patterns that are as close to perfect as possible, so it was important that when we eventually did release patterns in our new size range, the quality and accuracy that our customers have come to expect ran through the extended size range too. 

Plus size patternmaking is a specialist skill

My assistant, Alys, had previously worked with a patternmaker who specialised in plus size drafting and grading and I decided to try working with her. I sent off the same pattern as I had done with the other company and explained what we were trying to achieve. I could instantly tell that she understood our vision, but also had the background and technical skills to carry it out. She then sent back an altered pattern to fit our new size chart and it was time to do a fitting! 

Our patternmaker has now become our most helpful resource when it comes to extending the size range of our patterns. The skills required for this particular part of patternmaking are very niche and it is hard to find a specialist in this area who also has an understanding of the home sewing industry. Her knowledge and experience of plus size patternmaking is what has allowed us to continue to extend the sizing of the patterns in the In the Folds catalogue. 

Checking the fit: model or human?

The next step was to find a fit model to check the patterns on, which also proved difficult. I started researching whether we should be investing in an Alvanon mannequin, but at the end of the day knew this would never replace the need for a fit model.

We have a size 10 mannequin that we use for draping patterns and checking things as we go, but this never replaces the need for checking the fit of a pattern on an actual person. We tried to find a fit model with our size 24 measurements through modelling agencies in Sydney, but didn’t have any luck.

Then, we decided to look to our own network and advertised through our Instagram profile and mailing list, but of course received very few applications as most people who sit at the higher end or outside our current size range had no interest in hearing from us.

We had hoped to find someone we could work with in Sydney, but soon realised we were going to need to cast our net wider and put the call out internationally.

Thankfully, we found someone with our exact sample size measurements who was willing to try fit modelling remotely. We all knew it would be a work in progress and we would need to fine tune the process as we went. And I’m happy to say, this part of the process turned out to be a great success and we now have a fantastic relationship with our fit model. She sews the garment and photographs it on her body and answers questions about the fit.  The main thing we have learned is that it’s important to communicate exactly what we are looking for and the questions we have about the fit of the pattern. Being able to work with the same person each time means things remain consistent and we can compare feedback between patterns.

the advantages of a plus size fit model

The main advantage of using a fit model, instead of just a mannequin, is that a fit model can provide context. They can tell you how a garment feels to wear, but can also compare it to other garments (both in ready-to-wear and garments they have made themselves). This was particularly important when extending our size range. For example, our fit model could say “I often find bicep width to be a problem in ready-to-wear, but I don’t have that problem in this sample.” This kind of feedback helps us know exactly what to look for and where plus size grading sometimes goes wrong, in both ready-to-wear and sewing patterns.

an overview of our plus size pattern grading process

The process of grading for our extended size range looks like this:

  1. We send our largest size from our size A-J range (size 24) to our patternmaker. She alters the pattern to fit our size 24 block (with D cup bust).

  2. We receive the altered pattern back and send it to our fit model to sew and fit. Sometimes we go back and forth a couple of times to make sure we’ve answered all our questions about how the garment fits.

  3. We consolidate the feedback and either proceed of send feedback and alterations back to our patternmaker.

  4. If required, our patternmaker alters the pattern. If the alterations are large scale, we send the updated version back to our fit model. If the changes are minor, the pattern is altered and then goes straight for grading into the full range.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

For designers looking to extend their size range, Alex from @adifferentstitch has a great resource which covers pretty much everything you need to consider. 

You can also see all the patterns currently available in our extended size range here in our new Skills Library!

As I wrote this, I realised your question had two parts to it - what our process was for extending our size range, as well as where to find resources about drafting patterns for larger sizes. This week I’ve covered our process and in the next Q&A instalment I’ll give you some tips on drafting patterns for larger sizes.

Happy sewing,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • Opportunity Knocks: Tips for Inclusive Patterns by Alex of Fat Sewing Club - read the post here, and follow Alex on Instagram here.

  • View all In the Folds patterns currently in available in our extended size range in our new Skills Library here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
Q&A blog header-5.png
full-bicep-adjustment-dolman-sleeves.png
Q&A blog headeR.png