how to balance sewing pattern

Alter horizontal measurements starting with the biggest curves. The balance of a design determines how a garment will feel when it is worn.

Plus Size Pants Pattern Balance A Key Step To Making Pants That Fit Katrina Kay Creations

One of the easiest to understand is making adjustments to the seam lines.

. Install the sleeves into the armholes. Draw straight lines at each corner connecting the three pattern sizes and extending beyond them. I find the easiest way to do this is by setting ruler on the pattern lines and drawing a line out to your selected measurement going up every 12 1 inch or so all the way around the pattern piece angling my ruler as I go along to follow the pattern lines.

2 Major Lateral Balance. Then you can trim as needed along neck seams etc. You can alter your plus size sewing pattern and still have fitting problems.

These are called views and are lettered on the front and back of the pattern. If youre a sewer having an understanding of balance enables you to produce beautiful comfortable garments. Now look at the outseams.

Alter length measurements on the pattern. How to shorten a sewing pattern Step 1 Measure yourself to work out how much shorter you will need your pattern piece to be. Use a ruler to taper the line downward into the seamline.

Then cut your pieces out. Make sure youre laying your patterns on the side of fabric that will go against your body so that you can make marks to guide yourself. 1 Major Vertical Balance.

Label this Upper Looper. Join the shoulder and side seams. Lay and adjust your cut pattern piece on top of the fabric you want to cut in the place you want to cut.

Label this Balanced Stitch. Bust waist hips and lengths skirt waist pants etc 2- Use the appropriate rulers for each zone. The easiest way is to simply use 12 seam allowances on all edges.

The front and back pieces when matched from the hem up at the side seams and inseams are the same shape and length The knee levels and crotch levels are in the same position on both pieces Numbers 1 2 are accomplished when the grainlines on the front piece and back piece are parallel to each other. Otherwise try to follow the shape of the line you are copying. It shows us how the garment will fit.

Threads Magazine offers some fantastic tips for getting started with this technique. 07 of 15 Utilizing a Sloper. And your calf muscle takes more fabric to go around it from inseam to outseam than your bony ol shin does.

Lay the fabric right side up and press out any wrinkles. 3 Minor Vertical Balances. Tighten the Upper Looper tension to 9 and sew down one.

This could be because your pattern is not balanced. Usually sewing patterns have something called an allowance This is the difference between our body measurements and the finished garment measurements. True to size loose-fitting etc.

Now lets move on to the next step in learning how to follow a sewing pattern. Being the most important. To do that you have to know which operations are a bottleneck in the line.

Press the exposed seam allowances under 58. Balance Points - Dress Patternmaking Home Blocks Blocks or Slopers. Next assemble the sleeves by stitching the lower sleeve to the upper sleeve.

10-minute sewing tasks. Add 12 seam allowances to the blouse sleeve too. Stitch the center front facing to the center front body pieces.

Assemble the hood and stitch to the neckline. If there are darts or pockets as in this pattern shift them 14 towards the inner seam to keep them centered. Do this for both the front and back pieces on the outside seam only.

Do not add seam allowance to the front - well address that a bit later. Take your measurements and look at the sizes of each pattern to know where you fall in each area. Pin the cut pattern pieces to the fabric or use pattern weights and outline the shapes with a pencil keeping the appropriate seam allowances in mind.

Balance is the corner-stone on which the successful production of your pattern depends and I want to talk to you about four different kinds of balances. Through capacity study and target setting you will find existing bottlenecks in the line. Keep it in place with one hand and grab a weight in the other.

Step 2 Cut along the lengthenshorten line to separate the pattern piece. There are many approaches to altering a sewing pattern. The main job in line balancing is to eliminate or reduce WIP work in process at bottleneck operations.

Create the Upper Looper Sample. 2 Major Lateral Balance. Good fit starts with your pattern.

Different views require different amounts or types of fabric. Place it on one corner or side of your pattern. Place two pieces of muslin together.

Place the edge of the pattern on the newly marked line and pin in place. Its safe to say that having an allowance is a good idea as we can easily alter the garment afterward. If youre a sewer having an understanding of balance enables you to produce beautiful comfortable garments.

Press your fabric and then hang it up until you are ready to sew cut out your size in a paper pattern staystitch your pattern pieces create a project bag or basket with everything you need for your next project prep a patch pocket sew the darts on a project wind a few bobbins organize your notions. The lines on the patterns are like this for a reason. Find out what a balanced sewing.

Theoretically assuming theres no shortage of fabric around the body the pants made from a balanced pants pattern will have the inseams and outseams hanging straight up and down your legs. See the images below for how the stitch should look once sewn. The seam allowances for the back are the same as for the front.

Balance as described here is a design principle thats achieved through an agreeable allocation of elements and features. The Basics Third Scale Blocks Measuring for Blocks Drafting Patternmaking Blocks Making the Bodice Block Set Preliminary Info Example Measurements Upper Bust Ease Bust Point to Dart Point Side Seam Dart Placement 1-Dart or 2-Dart Bodice Front. You can alter your plus siz.

Step 3 Overlap one piece on top of the other by the amount you want to shorten it then stick into place. Sew down one long edge. Label front and back.

On skirts and pants alter for the hips first. Most patterns also have a choice of minor style differences or embellishments. Make sure your pattern weights are within reach.

So if youre doing a bodice alter for the bust first. So if youre taller or shorter than parts of the pattern do this first. How to balance an imbalanced line has been explained in the following.

Label front and back. Its a good method for anyone whos new to sewing or when other methods have failed. Choose the View You Want.

11 Balance Marks