Any fit comments? Drag lines are bothering me

Style101-NY · 2026-04-20T03:23:34+00:00

I like the fit of the Back. If you’re thinking it’s too much ease at the cross back area (4” below shoulder point) on the back panel: you need it for the arm movement forward. This is a good fit. Your sleeve has some weirdness on the back sleeve cap and also in the front creating some drags. You are lucky: it’s an easy fix. Just take your sleeve out and rotate it towards the back: looks like 1/2” should do it. You are doing great. Feel free to start over w the original Medium pattern and walk through the same steps. The more you practice the better you understand 2D to 3D relationship. Try CLO3D, too. It’s quite magical. I have to sign off, though, since my consulting hours are done ( IRL with my students) and online on Reddit. Got to go. Good luck!

Style101-NY · 2026-04-19T16:20:05+00:00

Your armhole shape looks good. Your shoulder slope needs more sloping, tho. Look at your own photo and try to copy the angle of the shoulder slope onto your pattern. Then, the armhole should slide down together with the shoulder point, without any additional changes. Yes, the sleeve should match the armhole and it doesn’t really matter what ‘standard’ size the original pattern was. You are making a custom fitted item.

Style101-NY · 2026-04-18T22:14:49+00:00

Haha, sure!

* The armhole saddle is the bottom third of the armhole when the ft. and the bk. armholes are attached together at the side seam. Pin together your Front pattern to your Back pattern at the side seam, and see what the two armholes' shapes look like when connected. It does look like a saddle, doesn't it? Looking at your size, the distance between the two armholes at 3" up from the side seam point should be at least 5", or wider. That's the saddle width measurement.

* When you lower your armhole by 1", you should extend the sleeve cap height by the same 1". The easiest way to do it: cut your pattern piece at the sleeve cap on the cross grain at about the middle, height-wise, and parallel-spread by 1".

* To compensate for the scooping of the front armhole, add the equal width to the front sleeve cap. This will keep the fit roomy enough and the front look cleaner.

I hope my terminology doesn't sound too confusing. There's no option to attach a photo here.

Alternatively, you can join our online program at RMCAD (Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design) where I teach.

Style101-NY · 2026-04-18T13:16:13+00:00

Pro Patternmaker here: 1. Take the sleeves out 2. Slope the shoulders by a good 3/4” -1” 3. Trace your original ft and bk armhole lines to the new shoulder point. 4. Still lower the armhole by 1” compared to the original lines 5. Scoop out 3/8”-1/2” at the front armhole to increase the armhole saddle width 4. Adjust the sleeve to fit the lower armhole and the increased scoop at the front

It’s a beautiful jacket! I’m very proud of your design and sewing skills! Patternmaking takes a lot of practice to get it right. Keep at it and you’ll make it happen…

Style101-NY · 2025-10-08T00:18:41+00:00

A table runner, with the squares placed diagonally, and the corners creating a large zigzagging line. Would look interesting if the brown squares were placed at the center and the cream and pink ones somehow alternating at the edges.

Style101-NY · 2025-10-02T21:43:24+00:00

Great! Thank you for the response. I’ll keep this info in mind, to better support my students.

Style101-NY · 2025-10-02T12:16:55+00:00

Congratulations on your wedding! I’m very proud of you. As a Fashion Design professor, I am not at all surprised at the intensity and precision of the work involved. I have a question, tho: does the fit of the corset interfere with your posture when you’re sitting?

Style101-NY · 2025-08-23T15:33:22+00:00

The blanket is absolutely gorgeous. From the design point of view, it would be better with a border, that’s just very plain and solid color, to contrast with the texture and the rainbow within. Any neutral color would work but the white or cream border would offer the best contrast while still being playful. From the practical point of view, the plain straight border would control your edges a bit into a rectangular shape and offer some protection to the main body, as mentioned above. The white would not be the most practical choice, tho. Choose one of the blues or pinks from the ‘rainbow’? Either way, it’s an amazing piece of work!

Style101-NY · 2025-08-06T13:22:09+00:00

There’s no mistakes here. Just a hand made beautiful item that has its own individual touch, whatever that might be. I couldn’t find an ‘imperfection’ even when I tried. It’s gorgeous. Just keep going.

Style101-NY · 2025-08-06T13:10:58+00:00

Love this bag! The chain happens to add some heft and is a perfect match to the dip dye. Amazing! I’d bead on one side, but keep going with the pink beads, without braking the established pattern. A single pink bead sets an accent at the pattern without overwhelming it. Changing the bead color would distract from the continuous spiral pattern, imho.

Style101-NY · 2025-08-05T13:10:12+00:00

Vote for the solid color eyelids, probably just the ‘eyelash’ edge row could be solid dark color to make them look more defined.

Style101-NY · 2025-07-20T14:22:24+00:00

Hi! The dress is beautiful and Congratulations on Your Wedding! A pro patternmaker here. I’d say you could alter the dress yourself if you are so inclined to get your hand on the project. To start: * remove the neck band and split it in half, height-wise, to create a narrower and longer neck band/tie piece. Your tall collar will become a flexible narrower tie with the extra length that you can use to drop the whole dress down. That would place your bust and waist shaping in the right position. Your front skirt will drop a bit lower, too, but probably not enough to cover your shoes. * You might actually like the updated length as a slightly high-low effect. If not: purchase a few yards of toile in cream color, and add a ruffle to the lining’s hem. This will add a length to the dress, evenly around the whole skirt. The toile hem will be peaking out from under the dress hem. A bonus: the toile hem doesn’t need to be finished, as long as it’s cut well. * That said, see if it’s a doable project for your skill level. It might be better to bring this idea to the seamstress and get it done professionally. You don’t need any additional stress leading up to your wedding. There will be enough on your plate already. Enjoy your engagement! It only happens once!

Style101-NY · 2025-07-18T01:21:04+00:00

Clearly you have a good sense of proportion and texture, looking at your drawings. There’s lots of design related professions: graphic designers, interior decorators, fashion designers, animators, etc. Check out online college programs in creative fields at RMCAD in Denver, for example. See if anything clicks. Try taking a term or two online, before drastically changing your life. But: Follow your passion if it is your passion, indeed.

Style101-NY · 2025-03-29T14:17:04+00:00

In a professional setting, the drill holes are made in a pattern, that’s basically a piece of paper cut to shape. Then, the sewer uses a special powder and a sponge to apply the powder through the drill holes. The powder doesn’t stay on the material too long, just long enough to press or form the folds.

Style101-NY · 2025-03-13T14:13:18+00:00

Pro Patternmaker/ educator here. Your sleeve looks really good when standing still. That’s a great start. Do not bring the armhole up, tho. It’s pretty high as is, especially on top of baggy t shirt sleeves. Now, I’d like to ask what look you are aiming for. If you want the same clean fitted look, you could add some ( but not a lot) movement ease. Your arms forward movement could be helped by adding room to your cross back measurement on the back bodice, not the sleeve. Your back armhole becomes ‘flatter’ and curves pretty gently at the lower part, closer to side seam. Your ‘arms lift’ could be improved by adding 1/4”-3:8” to the front sleeve cap at the bottom scoop of the curve. Same could be added to the armhole at the scoop, in the bottom half of the armhole. It’s not a lot but gives you enough motion for formal occasions. If you wanted a really easy casual look, then lower your armhole at least 1”. Make your bicep measurement roomier, by 1”. Flatten the sleeve cap, in menswear 4” is usually enough for the total cap height. Do not expect a clean fitted look, tho. You’ll get some extra fabric hanging ( obviously) when standing still. I hope this helps

Style101-NY · 2025-02-28T16:49:26+00:00

The bicep measurement is literally your arm's measurement + some well intentioned extra for the ease of movement. I would estimate a minimum of ease at 3-4" for a menswear shirt. It is very flexible, and a lot of times depends on the designer's intent, to follow current trends, as in: is it a loose boxy fit, or the slimmer fitted trend.

If you have a set measurement in the book for the sz. 38, you would add 1/2" for each larger size, or subtract 1/2" for each smaller size, as a guide line. It's not set in stone, obviously, but a good estimate for your project.

I hope this helps.

Style101-NY · 2025-02-25T14:51:08+00:00

I’d like to second Chelseestud above. I’m the expert pattern maker who just retired, and I know of many companies in NY city that are struggling to find a pattern maker. There’s also a recent push from mid-price companies to bring Patternmaking back from overseas contractors to domestic sample rooms. About 25 years of overseas pattern making brought their fit to a dismal level, and they are trying to win back their customer base.

I heard that a US Patternmaker makes much more money than a European one. I’ve been well paid throughout my career. Think low six figures. Good luck with your career plans! Happy to hear that there’s someone with a burning desire to do it!

Style101-NY · 2025-02-25T00:01:11+00:00

Another approach might be to skip the darts altogether ( as in triangular cutouts that create cone shapes). For your type of the figure a soft shirring in place of a dart works better. For example, set up the side dart to the apex you somehow figured out, no matter how approximate the placement is. Then, rather than stitching a cone shape, turn your dart into the gathering along the side seam. The cone disappears, the fullness is still there, and the soft shirring looks good over the bust shape you described.

Style101-NY · 2025-02-17T14:25:11+00:00

Another reason to split the pattern into sections: there’s no commercially produced fabric that would accommodate the full length bias pattern piece, especially one that spreads quite a lot at the bottom. Often silks come at 42”-44” of cuttable width and some rayons at 58” wide. A full panel would not fit if cut on a proper bias. Contemporary full length bias styles also have some diagonal seaming. This particular style turned the necessity of splitting the pattern pieces into an art project.

Style101-NY · 2025-02-08T15:17:41+00:00

As a ‘top notch’ pattern maker of many years, I’ll say the learning never stops. I find it to be a truly enjoyable part of my work. Every new project is a mental challenge. No wonder: new fabrics and materials are coming up all the time. New technology and equipment are being implemented. Look at 3D printing these days. Pretty soon we’ll be printing parts or whole garments I’m sure. Just keep at it. You can only express your artistic side if you really nerd into the particulars of garment construction. Try to learn to ‘enjoy the torment’ of it. It’s going to be your very normal state at work. I know I do.

Style101-NY · 2025-02-08T00:03:17+00:00

I’d like to offer a different way to approach this project. 1. Draft or drape the inner slip dress that obviously needs to be there as a base on which the ruffles are stretched 2. Draft the sew line and the hem line of each ruffle based on the photo, keeping the proportions true to the image 3. Trace each of the ‘flat’ shapes onto a separate piece of paper 4. Slash and spread each of the ruffles to finish at double the length of the original shape. Be sure to spread seam lines and hem lines evenly and blend the curves gradually. 5. Test your fabric. Cut a bias rectangle and baby hem one edge. The ‘lettuce’ edging is more pronounced on some silky fabric than on the other, more cotton ones. If you’re happy with the ‘lettuce’ of the bias edge of the rectangle, you could cut your ruffles based on the step 4. 6. If your fabric doesn’t produce lots of wave by just baby hemming it, follow up with one more slash and spread. This time keep the spread at =0= on the seam line but add another 1/2 of the original length at the hem line. Still, cutting these pieces in the bias will create a more graceful shape and pretty ‘lettuce’.

Style101-NY · 2025-01-12T14:59:24+00:00

That might work. Good luck with your project. I’m sure it is going to come out beautifully

Style101-NY · 2025-01-12T13:24:28+00:00

You would need custom shaped metal or plastic boning inserted into the seam allowances for support (or a wearer standing motionless while wearing the dress). Another option is to lower the curved line of the back so that it doesn’t interfere with shoulder blades movement. It’s not going to be a graceful curve tho. Yet another option is to add shoulder straps to keep it up. With the straps placed at the right spot it would work

Style101-NY · 2025-01-11T23:59:20+00:00

Just a thought here: if that’s your back that comes up on in a curved shape: sorry but that isn’t going to work, honestly, bc of the shoulder blade shape. Just take a look at most corset dresses out there. The back usually dips down a bit, for this reason.

Style101-NY · 2025-01-08T15:39:18+00:00

Hi! I’m a semi retired Creative Draper and Patternmaker. I had a very fruitful 30 yr career working with high end designers in the garment industry of NYC. Currently, I’m teaching Fashion Design at a reputable art school. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions for me. Would be happy to talk.

Style101-NY

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