Sewing Buddies By Kerryn Swan

Buddies By Kerryn Swan When Kerryn had two Stitches readers arrive at her shop from New Zealand, they told her they were ‘Sewing Buddies’ and they had fi nanced their holiday to the Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia from their Sewing Kitty. This is the story of their visit to Kerryn’s Fabric World …

Each woman started off putting $50 a month into a ‘kitty’ bank account. After a short time they decided that they could buy an overlocker between them. After looking around and doing a deal with Baby Lock they found they had enough money for one overlocker each. This kitty also pays for their subscription to Stitches magazine. Having a sewing buddy is fantastic as you have a good friend to help during the cutting, fi tting and fi nishing stages. The social interaction is also wonderful therapy. After being in the shop for about an hour, I showed them my Maria Martin Pattern Drafter and how I use my basic block calico pattern, which fi ts me perfectly, as a guide to pattern-adjust my commercial patterns. These in-store demo garments are used to give all of our customers inspiration, as the patterns often look better made up in quality fabrics than the illustrations on the pattern envelope; it also gives us plenty of garments to photograph for Stitches. A win, win situation for all!

During the pattern-adjusting process, I was surprised that these ‘Sewing Buddies’ didn’t really understand how to work with multi-sized patterns, and that no one is a ONE STOCK STANDARD SIZE. Demonstrating and explaining the process enabled the ‘Sewing Buddies’ to totally understand why we have multi-sized patterns.

Being fi ve standard sizes all rolled into one unique body shape means using fi ve pattern sizes to get the pattern to fi t ME. To make things more understandable, this is how it works: • Being a short person I use a size 10 across the shoulder line and anything on the pattern concerning the length. • I am a size 12 across the shoulders so I extend the size 10 shoulder out to the size 12. • Most patterns are made for a B-cup size and I am a C-cup. I come down the armhole shape and extend out to a size 14 at the front underarm. I use the size 14 for the bust-dart and the back pattern is a size 12 in width. • I have Type 2 Diabetes so I carry most of my weight around my waist. I use a size 16 waist and then back to a size 12 at the hip width. • Being short I use a size 10 in the crotch length and a size 8 in the leg length and hem circumference.

Are you a multi-sized pattern person? The chances are pretty high that you are. When you try on a ready-to-wear garment and the garment fi ts you in one area and it doesn’t fi t in another, then you are a multi-sized person as well. With this in mind, next time you are making a new garment, take a look in the mirror and recognise where your fi gure is not to the standard size you normally make. Check your measurements against the pattern and trace off the pattern, going from one size to another where needed, blending the seam lines as you go. After all, sewing is all about getting a pattern to fi t you before you cut out your quality fabrics.

Over my many years in the industry I have found women purchasing pattern after pattern trying to get a one to fi t. I say, “Hold on one minute, you are probably not a stock standard pattern size. Let’s take a look and we will discover where you are one size in some areas and another size in another area.” I suggest that they select a pattern that they like, and that is suitable for their body shape, start working on that pattern to get it to fi t fi rst and then cut out the fabric. Even test-run the pattern with calico initially and then use the calico as the master pattern. Once you have a master pattern you can adjust the design to give a different look every time you use it. It doesn’t even matter if you use the same pattern each time, the fabric will make the garment appear different, it fi ts you perfectly and is comfortable – you are the only one who knows you use the same pattern. You can even give this calico master pattern to a professional dressmaker and say, “just make it up for me as I know it already fi ts.” That will make her happy and save you money in fi tting fees.

After this discussion and demonstration, suddenly the light bulb over our ‘Sewing Buddies’ heads fl icked on and they understood what I was talking about. Their self-confi dence suddenly changed and a lot of their fi tting issues fl ew out the window. They found they got an instant need to purchase lots more fabrics, which we bundled up ready to be posted to their home addresses; this saved a hefty bill at the airport for excess luggage and any angst from their husbands that may prevent them from traveling again. Some husbands do get jealous of the amount of time we spend with our sewing machines.

Well, after a quite substantial fabric frenzy the ‘Sewing Buddies’ left the shop with very big smiles on their faces and couldn’t wait to get home to open up their parcels. The other thing the ‘Sewing Buddies’ were excited about is the fabric mail-ordering information and links to our website so they can see the fabrics ID Codes, colours and the size of the prints of the fabrics we have in stock for future ordering. Their comments were, “Thank you so much Kerryn for spending all this time with us, you’ve made us feel more confi dent with our sewing and solved a huge amount of our

sewing challenges. I think we can say you have yet more HAPPY customers!”

If you need some personalised one-on-one time with me, I charge $50 per hour and we cover the issues that you need to work with. I am happy and willing to help you, or see if you can get yourself a sewing buddy.

Bye for now and happy sewing, girls.

Kerryn Swan ‘The Doctor of Dress’ Kerryn’s Fabric World 19 Trinder Ave, Maroochydore, Qld 4558. Phone: (07) 5443 1360 Email: kfabrics@bigpond.com Website: www.kerrynsfabricworld.com