Fitting Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Patterns for Pirates

So… I’m tall… I mean… I’m TALLLLL 🙂

5’10” no shoes ha ha ha See me towering over my tiny mom?

It makes finding RTW clothes a CHALLENGE to say the least… yes, I can pay an arm and a leg for “talls” but I want young trendy clothes!! So making my wardrobe is so rewarding for me!

Here are some tips for adding, or taking away length to a pattern for an adult… I’ve already posted how I like to do it for children here. But this method doesn’t work well for adult patterns because all the sizes are made to fit an average height adult– for women, most patterns are drafted to 5’5″. The “rule of thumb” is to add/take away 1/2″ for every 1″ that you are “off” the avg height drafted for. For example, at 5’10” there is a 5″ difference so I would need to add 2.5″ throughout the pattern. If I were 5’1″ then I would remove 2″ of length since there is a 4″ difference.

Just like children’s patterns I DO NOT recommend only adding to the bottom hemline… it will make the overall garment longer… but it will not give you a great fit. If you are shorter or taller you need to add/take away length throughout the whole pattern!

Knit patterns are much more forgiving in fit… with that being said, the four places I recommend adjusting are: at the shoulder/armscye… just under the bust line… and just under the waistline… and at the bottom hemline.

Adding throughout the pattern helps keep the bust, waist, and hip where they actually hit you 🙂 P4P uses a standard side waist length of 8″ and a waist to hip length of 8.25″ (not sure where to measure? check out our post here.) so if you know your specific length measurements between those points, you will want to add/remove the exact amount in those areas.

I have made myself enough clothing to know how much I need to add to MOST patterns designed for average height– I add about 2 1/8″ to every shirt I make myself… 2 5/8″ to tunics…I even know how much I like in each spot– shoulders a scant 1/8-1/4″, chest and waist area 3/4-1″, and bottom hem 1/2-1″.

The shoulder/armscye can be done a couple ways– I like to take a smaller seam allowance there to add some length… You can also splice your pattern straight across where the armsyce is and spread your pattern… I only add about 1/8-1/4″ to mine, but that tiny difference makes SUCH A HUGE difference in how a shirt fits me!

For the chest and waist, you can only do with overlap patterns like mine, I simply untapped it, and moved them down, adding what I needed, and retaped that section.

Or you can (with any pattern)… splice it straight across and measure what you’d like to add.

Shortening is the same method, you would just be overlapping instead of adding.

Now all you need to do it cut out and “true up” the sides… since you’re adding or taking away length the sides will not line up perfectly… you will just match them up and straighten them out with your new length.

Repeat process for the other pattern pieces 🙂

Pants, like our Peg Legs, Mama Bear Joggers or Linen Loungers should also be shortened or lengthened throughout. Each of the patterns included a finished inseam length. Measure your inseam and compare to the pattern to make your length adjustments.

Ta-Da!!!! Now you have shirts and pants that will FIT you! ALL over! 🙂

Do you have a tall skinny minny? Or a little one who needs a bigger width then their height? This is a simple easy route to mashing sizes for children to get a better fit! No more just adding to the hem!! If your child needs length they need it throughout the whole garment, not just the hem! And vice versa if your child is shorter they need it shortened throughout the whole garment.

So here is the quick guide. You will take their overall height and match that to the size chart of your pattern… for this example I’m going to be using my niece who is 44″ tall- which matches my size 5. Her chest and waist match a size 4. So I will be using the width of a 4 and the length of the 5 on every pattern piece!

**I’m going to note in here too that going more then 2 sizes is very hard to keep the proportion and shape of the pattern.

Here is a picture where I highlighted the size 4 and 5 (Size 4 in yellow and size 5 in orange). I don’t typically do this, but I did to help illustrate 🙂

And here I drew in black to show how I followed the size 4 width overall on the piece and the size 5 length. See how I made the armhole the size 5 length, and neck hole… these are places where your little ones fit will drastically improve with this method!

And again, here is the sleeve with a 4 width and 5 length. Make sure you keep EVERY piece the same length/width and your pattern will fit together beautifully 🙂

Coming from a very tall girl- if your little one needs added length they will be so much more comfortable with that longer armhole/neckhole/bodice!! I can hardly wear shirts that I don’t add that 1/8-1/4″ at my armhole… even though it seems like such a small adjustment it makes such a BIG difference in my fit! 🙂

This method can also be used with a shorter length to width— I used to do this for my little one when he was younger– he is big for age so he was in toddler sizing with a baby figure! He needed a much bigger around then his height and it worked wonderful for him!

Now go create that perfect custom fit!! 🙂

P4P University: Petite and Tall Fitting Adjustments

How to Mash Sizes for a Custom Fit!

Newest Patterns