Pattern Fitting 101

Solving the Pattern Fitting Puzzle TV Show by Nancy Zieman

Pattern Fitting 101

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Solving the Pattern Fitting Puzzle TV Show by Nancy Zieman

Learn each of Nancy’s pattern fitting techniques for your next garment sewing project. During the two Sewing With Nancy episodes featuring the show, Solving the Pattern Fitting Puzzle, Nancy shares with you her favorite pivot and slide methods that are easily mastered, without cutting the original pattern pieces apart!

Solving the Pattern Fitting Puzzle Sewing With Nancy PBS Show hosted by Nancy ZiemanFitting sewing patterns can be approached as if you’re putting together a puzzle. In Solving the Pattern Fitting Puzzle, Part One, Nancy covers the fitting basics—bust, waist, and hip adjustments.

Nancy Zieman's Right Size Measurement Pattern Fitting ChartLearn a new approach to choosing the right pattern size with Nancy’s Right Size Measurement Fitting Chart.

Nancy Zieman's Right Size Measurement Pattern Fitting Chart

See how to easily measure and choose a basic pattern size.

How to Fit a Sewing Pattern with Nancy Zieman's Solving the Pattern Fitting Puzzle

Then, learn how to change the pattern with simplified pivot and slide techniques.

Free Mini Pattern Pieces from Solving the Pattern Fitting Puzzle by Nancy Zieman

You’ll find all Nancy’s pattern fitting techniques in her book, Confident Sewing Collection.

Confident Sewing Collection by Sewing With Nancy ZiemanYou can also practice these skills using mini-pattern pieces that you can download for free.

Princess Seams Mini Pattern Pieces by Nancy Zieman

Watch Solving the Pattern Fitting Puzzle on Sewing With Nancy online.

For a chance to win a Solving the Pattern Fitting Puzzle DVD from Nancy’s Notions, please leave a comment below sharing your pattern fitting puzzler.

Solving the Pattern Fitting Puzzle DVD by Nancy Zieman of TV's Sewing With Nancy PBS Show

Nancy Zieman's Giveaway Winner

The randomly chosen winner of a copy of Machine Embroidery in 6 Easy Lessons from Eileen Roche is L Watson:

I have to admit, I would need some inspiration to get started. I think I would like doing baby items, and add embroidery to handcrafted items I make for family at Christmas time. Reading other people’s comments has given me other fantastic ideas as to where I could do more embroidery. It sounds like lots of fun!

Machine Embroidery in Six Easy Steps by Elieen Roche and Nancy Zieman

 

 

Happy Sewing,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC.

Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC

Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.
The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here. Join us on Facebook, plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

65 Comments

  • Maga
    May 3, 2018

    I always feel very restricted when using a pattern with set-in sleeves and always end up ripping out the sleeves and make the dress/top sleveless so now I try to only buy raglan or shirt sleeved patterns. I would love to learn how to fix “my problem”.

  • Linda
    May 3, 2018

    I am a quilter. I make aprons and different crafts. I have tried sewing for myself but the items never fit. I thought it was maybe the style I had chosen. I have never thought about changing the pattern to make it fit my shape and do not know how. This would be a wonderful book to have. Thank you for the opportunity to win.

  • Anne Z
    May 3, 2018

    My pattern fitting puzzler is where to place darts.

  • Eileen
    May 3, 2018

    I would love to learn how to make jeans. I can’t buy any that fit well.

  • Penny Dyer
    May 3, 2018

    I learned to sew as a child but gave up showing clothes. I have had several fitting issues that I have not been able to resolve. I plan to use this method to try clothes again.

  • Marti Morgan
    May 3, 2018

    The bust!!! I just cannot seem to master that and where darts should start and end

  • Ann Hiler
    May 3, 2018

    Pants, pants, pants. Not difficult to sew but sew hard to get a good fit with an aging figure.

  • Glenda marsh
    May 3, 2018

    Have all sorts of clothing fabrics. Just need to get the fit right!

  • beth d.
    May 3, 2018

    I need help fitting my body to the pattern. I could use this dvd a lot.

  • Sheila Maffessanti
    May 3, 2018

    My pattern puzzler is that I am an in between size,so patterns are always too small or too big.This would help me learn to tailor my clothes.

  • Peggy Bibb
    May 3, 2018

    I am my own worst critic. I have made only a few garments for myself that I feel really fit well. I would love to make my own clothes that fit!

  • Julie Kill
    May 3, 2018

    I’m short (5’5″), large chested and short-waisted. I have trouble finding patterns that fit anywhere…. this would be a great way to make my own clothing and have it look like it fits properly!
    I would Love this book~

  • Karen Misner
    May 3, 2018

    The big puzzle is trying to figure out what adjustment is needed in the pattern. I know the pattern doesn’t fit and I know it needs tweaking, but zeroing in on WHERE it needs tweaking is frustrating.

  • Pat
    May 3, 2018

    I love the pivot and slide approach to adjusting patterns. So much simpler than any other I have seen. The “right size” approach also makes so much more sense than a bust measurement. Anyone who has ever tried to adjust an armhole in a garment will understand why this is such a great idea.

  • CAROL L
    May 3, 2018

    Learning how to make corrections on the pattern before cutting into the fabric would be so helpful. I usually make adjustments AFTER I cut out and sew my fabric. Pinning and altering the garment is difficult to do alone. Thank you for this opportunity.

  • Rachel
    May 3, 2018

    Combining multiple measurement changes on a single pattern has me bewildered. A video might be just what I need to solve this puzzle.

  • Martha
    May 3, 2018

    I have two puzzles when fashion sewing:
    1. When sewing for my adult daughter (a size “0” or “00” in ready-to-wear styles), I need to make even the smallest purchased pattern a couple of sizes smaller. So I tend to steer away from anything “fitted”.
    2. When sewing for another adult family member, I need a pattern that can be adjusted to actually include two or three ready-to-wear sizes (adjusting smaller above and at the waist and larger below the waist). So, I avoid anything very “fitted” for her but have trouble with some pattern styles being too “roomy”.

  • Twyla Johnson
    May 3, 2018

    Pattern puzzler is getting the right fit.

  • Twyla Johnson
    May 3, 2018

    Pattern puzzler is getting the right fit around the arms and shoulders.

  • SHERRY DEWEY
    May 3, 2018

    I have narrow shoulders, breasts removed because of cancer, and a thick waist. Make clothes for grandkids, but avoid myself.

  • Kathryn Englebretsen
    May 3, 2018

    I have a large waist and a flat butt and a round stomach. Pants are the pattern puzzler.

  • Joyce D'Agostino
    May 3, 2018

    I have used Nancy’s wonderful tips and techniques for years to sew for myself and others. Her fitting tips are the most often us d information for me. I would love to win this giveaway.

  • Judy G
    May 3, 2018

    Being large chested, short and having a lot of demands on my time, made proper clothes fitting an impossible task when my children were young. Now that I am retired and the children have flown, I have thought to get back into making my own clothes. solving the Pattern Fitting Puzzle would be a great resource in that endeavor.

  • Judy S
    May 3, 2018

    I think I pretty much hit every pattern size somewhere on my body. Some are easy, others darned near impossible to figure out. I would love this book to help me get this “figured” out. Thank you for the opportunity!

  • BevM
    May 3, 2018

    My pattern fitting puzzler is fitting sloping shoulders.

  • Peg G.
    May 3, 2018

    I gave up sewing my own clothes out of frustration with fitting my mature figure. I am puzzled at where to start making multiple changes and in what order to keep from coming up with a “Frankenstein” creation.

  • Dianne Robertson
    May 3, 2018

    I just want to say I discovered Nancy’s pivot and slide method for a full bust adjustment from Professor Pincushion on Youtube and I tried it It worked! Then I watched Nancy’s video on her channel and discovered a whole new way of fitting all my commercial patterns without cutting them up! Now I can make things fit in the bust when I am making clothes. I have the book. Some of these other ladies deserve the dvd more than I do

  • sonja dew
    May 3, 2018

    Fitting patterns has always presented a challenge for me and I have been sewing for over 50 years. I subscribe to several sewing mags and try to follow their fitting instructions, but somehow it always ends up being too complicated and leaves me frustrated, so I know I would really benefit from this method as it seems to be easier than anything I’ve tried before.

  • Janice Henson
    May 3, 2018

    Fitting is always a problem when we are not the size of the pattern. As we age things change. Learning to resize is different. I would love a new way to try on fitting problems. I am pear shapes with small shoulders.

  • Jackie Weil
    May 3, 2018

    I used to sew a lot of my clothes when I was in my 20’s, but with my current body shape, 30+ yrs later, the patterns just don’t work. I really need help with adjusting the patterns for my particular shape.

  • Noreen
    May 3, 2018

    None of my measurements fit the 3 criteria on a pattern. How is one to guess what size to purchase. And if the pattern fits one area, it isn’t going to fit another area. Nancy was one of a kind, and I’m thankful for all the knowledge she shared.

  • Suz
    May 3, 2018

    I use to love to garment sew when I was in high school; but now that I am a grandma I can’t seem to figure out what size patttern I should be buying? I would love to learn how to adjust patterns to fit me.

  • Cindy K
    May 3, 2018

    I used to sew clothes years ago. I never learned how to adjust the pattern to fit-just used the pattern as is. I could definitely use a lesson on altering patterns now that I’m sewing clothes for my granddaughters.

  • Melody Smith
    May 3, 2018

    I used to sew most of my clothes when I was younger, but since I’ve developed my “new body” I find it impossible to make anything that fits. I have a medium bust, large tummy and no hips! Talk about an odd ball figure. I mostly sew for babies now because they will always grow into it if it doesn’t fit.

  • Dena M
    May 3, 2018

    My body measurements are in different sizes for different areas. My bust is one size. My hips are another size. My waist is a third size. I have one pattern that I use most often, but haven’t been able to adjust it to my satisfaction yet. The shoulders are a little too wide and the bust is a little tight, but it fits in the waist and hips. I’ve been trying to figure out how to adjust everything to fit properly.

  • Edna Marks
    May 3, 2018

    I’m 5’4″ so petites are a little short and regulars are a little to long. Also have short waist so fitting clothes is really a challenge.

  • jo Wray
    May 3, 2018

    I didn’t have to change the pattern when I took HomEc. (Many years ago.) Knowing how would be quite helpful.

  • Melanie Shamp
    May 3, 2018

    Wow! What an eye- opener! I’ve been sewing since high school and I, too didn’t know about these clever tips! Having the Pattern Fitting Puzzler book and DVD would be a plus for me.

  • Bonnye
    May 3, 2018

    The hardest part of sewing clothing is getting the right fit. Making pattern adjustments is a challenge for me. This dvd would be nice to own.

  • Mary Green
    May 3, 2018

    I used to be size 14 but too many years and goodies have passed. My bust has sunk and my belly has surpassed my hips. I hate clothing shopping and want to start sewing for myself again. This video really has me hopeful that I can get a good fit. Thank you for keeping Nancy on the air. She has helped many of us improve our sewing skills.

  • Sharon
    May 3, 2018

    With age and menopause, my body shape has changed and not for the better. I now am so discouraged and depressed when I go shopping for clothes that I hate to go and avoid it at any cost. I thought by getting back to sewing, I may save myself some misery.

  • Suzy Violi
    May 3, 2018

    Bought this about a year ago and love how simple Nancy makes it.

  • Berenice
    May 3, 2018

    Made hundreds of dresses for others, but with a figure that is almost the same bust, waist & hips, fitting myself is a challenge that I only take on once a year. Mumus are not an option!

  • Karen Tucker
    May 3, 2018

    My top is one size, the bottom is another and I have no waistline! Fitting is a nightmare. I would love to have this book!!

  • L Watson
    May 3, 2018

    Well, I think that for the most part I have had trouble fitting into pants partly because of my hips. Even though my waist was small, I have had a very curvy hip area. And pants that would fit my hips aren’t small enough for my waist. Also, I seem to have trouble with pants being too short.

  • Joyce Schroeder
    May 3, 2018

    As a plus size woman, I find it very difficult to alter patterns to suit my shape: very hippy (2-3 sizes larger than my bust), and a suddenly full waistline. To add insult to injury, I have a swayback AND am very short, but petite sizes never fit me quite right, either! I never learned how to alter patterns to fit my oddball shape, and would absolutely love to have Nancy’s calm nature and discerning eye looking over my shoulder to help me find success! Thank you for such a great opportunity.

  • Deb
    May 4, 2018

    Fitting pants is always a challenge – waist one size, hips another when comparing to the standard measurements. Love to sew but pants are hard to make.

  • Mary Meyer
    May 4, 2018

    I have no one close to help me fit, would love to have something to help me with my arthritic-fibromyalgia condition, make fitting easier. I have almost stopped making clothing for me, and it is so hard to find clothing that fits and is too expensive. Thanks

  • Pam
    May 4, 2018

    Pants are the hardest for me to fit. And as you age, and your body changes things that once fit do longer fit as well.

  • Clovis
    May 4, 2018

    When fitting a top, my bust is large, but my waist is small. At times fitting for pants is difficult, also. Thanks for the chance to win.

  • Chrissie
    May 4, 2018

    Though I haven’t sewn anything for myself in many years, I have tried sewing clothes for our granddaughter who is very tall and doesn’t quite fit into any pattern size. It is so frustrating to spend hours and hours on an outfit for her and to find that it doesn’t fit in the shoulders or armholes or bodice. I would love to learn how to adjust patterns to make sewing for her more enjoyable and less exasperating.

  • Bonnie
    May 4, 2018

    Getting a good fit from a purchased pattern is difficult. I need help in adjusting the pattern for a more mature figure. This dvd would be a great help in solving this problem. Thanks for the giveaway!

  • Sarah
    May 4, 2018

    I often have problems with the waists on pants not being small enough, so I often end up with a tie through the waist line or wearing a belt that can dig into my waist. I would love some tips for comfortable flattering pants! It would be great to be able to make pairs of exercise and dress pants.

  • E. Watson
    May 4, 2018

    I have trouble finding garments that are the right length. I usually have to hem up my pants and dresses because I’m petite. I also often have to make the waist smaller or wear a belt(which I don’t enjoy) so that my pants stay up. 🙂

  • Debi
    May 5, 2018

    I’ve narrow shoulders with a larger bust, so pattern fitting has always been a challenge for me. I’m downloading the mini pieces right now so I can practice how yo sew better fitting tops. Thank you!

  • Debi
    May 5, 2018

    I have narrow shoulders and a larger bust so pattern fitting has been a challenge for me. I am printing these practice pieces so I can learn how to better sew custom fitted tops for me. Thank you.

  • Max
    May 5, 2018

    Pants are always difficult to get just right.

  • judy
    May 6, 2018

    I have a very short and small frame and bone structure but am now over weight and need to figure out where and how to make the adjustments.

  • Karen
    May 10, 2018

    I am a quilter who would like to sew clothes if I could find a way to make the pattern fit. This technique looks like I could do it if I had the directions right at hand. Thanks.

  • Karen
    May 10, 2018

    I always have issues with patterns fitting my larger middle section. I’m unsure what size to purchase because of having different measurements in other spots. Maybe this technique would solve my problem.

  • Louise Johnson
    May 10, 2018

    My pattern fitting puzzler centers around my small/normal shoulder width but small bra size and wide back. Then add in upper arms that are getting larger by the year! My relatively smaller waist and larger stomach and hips are easy compared to the top!!!

  • Alisa Paoletti
    May 11, 2018

    I would love to win the pattern fitting DVD. My puzzler is that I have patterns and materials to complete, but I’m afraid of staring! If I had Nancy by my side teaching me, I would have the confidence of a great instructor! And it would keep her in my life. I’ve never met Nancy in person, but I miss her!

  • Maxine
    May 13, 2018

    I have never been confident enough to alter patterns so I just make them as is and I am not comfortable in the fit but I just deal with it. I would really like to win this wonderful book.
    thank you

  • Kelly Newport
    May 18, 2018

    My mother taught to sew as a young girl, but had some bad experiences with my made-up garments being too small. I know I didn’t understand the difference in ready-made garments sizes and pattern sizes. i would love to learn about pattern fitting so that I could start sewing garments for myself again. I would surely love the DVD that Nancy has made about pattern fitting!

  • Barbara G.
    May 29, 2018

    I have never had a good fit in ready-to-wear. And they were always expensive also.
    I used to buy “Juniors”. But always had to alter them. BAD!
    Sew, it’s a lot easier watching Nancy making my dream come true with the pivot & slide. That’s why I’d love to receive her DVD to learn how to do it the proper way.
    Miss her very much.

Post a Comment