#10 Five Essential Fit Adjustments You Should be Making

Most sewers have experienced the frustration and disappointment of fitting issues that persist, even after taking the time to adjust the pattern and sew up a sample. Fit issues often persist because the adjustments you're making aren’t addressing the real cause of the problem.

As you already know, patterns are drafted for an industry standard that doesn’t necessarily reflect the variations in individual bodies, so today I'll share five essential pattern adjustments that can significantly improve how your patterns fit.

The most common fitting challenges sewers face today often come down to proportion and shape. This is why choosing your pattern size according to your bust, waist and hip girth  measurements just isn't enough to create a garment that fits. 

The truth is that your size choice is just a starting point. There is so much more to consider if you want to align the pattern to your individual body proportion and shape. The good news is that many of the fit issues we all face can be solved on the pattern before you sew.

In this video I'll cover 5 essential pattern adjustments you can make before you sew that will improve the fit of your next garment.

If you want a step-by-step guide to understanding fit adjustments, download The Perfect Fit Guide—it’s free and designed to help you address many of these challenges.

If you'd like to learn more about how to use balance lines in fitting, the Lila sewing pattern is the perfect next step. That pattern already has the vertical and horizontal lines marked on the pattern and includes video tutorials on how to use them to improve your fitting process.

Obviously there are many more possible adjustments you can make to your pattern to perfect the fit. You'll find loads of step by step tutorials on this site, here are a few links you'll find helpful right now:

Fitting the Bust

Fitting the Shoulders

Fitting the Back

About Ease

How to Fit Before You Sew

I hope this helps make fitting easier.

Alexandra