As sewists, we’re always learning. New techniques, new fitting alterations, new patterns – it can be scary to take on by ourselves! Sometimes what we really need is a helping hand from someone more experienced who can help us over those hurdles.
That’s where Project Mentors come in. Say you are nervous about making your first knit dress, and you wish someone could help you understand the alterations you needs for your figure… or maybe, like me, you are confident with basics but live in fear of some more complex project! (I am absolutely terrified to make a button-up shirt. All those tiny pieces and topstitching!) A project mentor can help you get started, and most of all, tell you that everything will be ok.
Here are some of the ways a mentor can help:
- help choose the right pattern, fabric or size
- suggest fitting changes based on pictures of your muslin/practice version
- link to tutorials for alterations
- advise on construction techniques
- troubleshoot any problems that come up
- remind you are awesome, and you can do this!
So how could you find a project mentor? Easy! Head over to the trusty Curvy Collective forum, and put a post under “Find a Project Mentor!” Tell us exactly what you want to work on, and how we can help. (For example, “I’d like to try making a t-shirt, but I don’t know what fabric or pattern would be easy to work with.” or “I’m sewing pants, and I just can’t get them to fit!”) Leave contact info, like email or Twitter account, or stay in touch through the forum. Fingers crossed, someone should offer to mentor you through your project soon!
Experienced sewists, you are the other half of the equation. If you see someone asking for help in an area where you feel confident, get in touch with them! We’ve all got skills to offer, whether we’ve been sewing for months or decades. You don’t have to be an expert – just a cheerleader with some knowledge (or Google skills to find good tutorials!) If you are interested in mentoring, you can also leave a post in the “Find a Project Mentor!” forum describing your sewing strengths. Of course, if life gets too busy you can always say “not right now” to someone wanting a mentor… and since you are just helping someone through a single project, it’s not a long-term commitment.
What do you think? Would you be interested in being or finding a project mentor? If so, hop on over to the Forum and leave a comment!
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Gillian is a elementary teacher who loves to sneak sewing into her lessons as often as possible! She blogs at Crafting a Rainbow.
How do you log into the forum? I can’t find login info anywhere! Would anyone be interested in mentoring someone with fit issues?
Hi Melissa! The forum is not the most intuitive… sorry about that! You have to scroll alllllll the way to the bottom of the sidebar, and then you should see a place where you can register/sign-in. Then the link to the forum is also in the side bar, about halfway down…. If you still can’t find it, let me know! 🙂 I’m sure we can find someone to help you with fit! 🙂
What a great idea… I would love to mentor, I teach sewing and embroidering (computer) classes and have no problem fitting any person out there…. Now , trying to fit myself is another HUGE problem…..So…this is just what I need…. Please help…..
I have a 44G bust and no hips, no butt!!! What the heck is that shape???? I just want a TNT to make simple dresses as I live in Arizona and would love to wear a simple summer dress with cute strappy sandals and GO!!! I have enough fabric to make these dresses to last my entire lifetime….
I will try to go to the forum to sign up but I have been having problems with leaving a topic and message.
I Love this blog and all of you girlies who so willingly give excellent tips/ideas for us fluffy girls!!!!
I hope you sign up as a mentor! Just put a post in the forum (there’s a link in the sidebar, or you can go straight here: http://wp1094.hostgator.com/~waezmq0ac6rs/forums/forum/project-mentoring/ ) Tell us what you’d feel comfortable mentoring people in – we’ve already got a couple people asking for help with fitting here in the comments and on the forum, so I’m sure someone would love your help!
As for fitting yourself – probably best to put a separate post asking for help! Sounds like you’ve got the stash and the skills – let’s get you some cute summer dresses! 🙂
This Curvy Sewing Collective has been such a great idea. I enjoy seeing people with curves making and styling clothes that the skinny girls are wearing. We curvy ladies want to be in style too. I have sewn off and on for years but never at the level of the bloggers. I need fitting help. Where do go from here?
Janie
Hi Janie! Just head on over to the forum – there is a link in the side bar, or you can just go here: http://wp1094.hostgator.com/~waezmq0ac6rs/forums/forum/project-mentoring/
Put up a post asking for help with fitting, and if you have a project in mind, let us know what kind of thing you’ll be sewing. (i.e. “I want to sew tops but I don’t know where to start with the fitting” or “I”m looking for an easy project to get back into sewing but I don’t know where to start.”) I’m sure we can match you up with some one who can help!
This is a really amazing idea! I am learning to fit and without anyone local to offer feedback, I end up second guessing myself and doing too much internet searching until I am totally confused. So having someone to give pointers will help so much!
Thanks for adding another great resource to this site!
Hi Dana! Whenever you need a hand with a project, don’t be shy to leave a post in the forum (there’s a link in the sidebar, or you can go straight here: http://wp1094.hostgator.com/~waezmq0ac6rs/forums/forum/project-mentoring/) Fitting *can* be so confusing – especially when 5 different websites are giving different advice! I’m sure we can find someone here to help you through your next project.
This is such a great idea. I wish there were some local sewists who could mentor me, as I am a very visual and hands on type of person. It is funny because I have assisted a lot of my sewing friends but can’t figure out fit for myself.
They come to me, but I have no one to go to.
Your sewing friends are lucky to have you! I’m sure we could find you someone who could do email fittings with you… I’ve sent my expert sewing friends some pretty hilariously unflattering and NSFW pictures of muslins over the years, and I’d be totally stuck without their help!
What a great idea. I don’t have any sewists locally to me (I think the closest I know of is about 50miles away) so this is perfect for those occasions you just can’t get something right and there’s no-one to turn to. Brilliant. I don’t have any issues now to share, and I wouldn’t call myself and experienced sewist but I’ll keep it in mind.
I”m glad you think it sounds useful! I think there are lots of us in your position who don’t have someone nearby to help with fitting etc – I’m hoping this can help a few people out! 🙂
How do you go about selecting a commercial pattern even though you know it will need to be altered? When do you select the pattern by the high bust measurement and when do you choose the full bust measurement?
Also, while I’m here, what is the thought process you go through when you know your waist is X and the pattern measurement is Y and it needs to be altered. Do you refer to the pattern envelope’s stated waist measurement or the actual paper pattern?
I appreciate the opportunity to ask these questions.
Hi Nancy! Those ARE great questions – which I’m not sure I’m really qualified to answer! Are you thinking of a specific project (like a dress or a jacket) or just in general? If you’d like a project mentor to help you figure out the right answers for your body shape and the project you have in mind, then head over to the Forum (http://wp1094.hostgator.com/~waezmq0ac6rs/forums/forum/project-mentoring/) and post asking for a mentor! 🙂
I’m asking in a general sense this time. I’m just getting back into sewing and my shape and size have changed so much! I’m interested in people thought processes when they “size up” their bodies, eye the pattern envelope, and check out the paper pattern dimensions — what do they do first? How do they make their decisions so that in the end the garment fits!
Hmmm… I’d start with styles you know you like, buy the patten in your size range, and then compare a similar store garment for dimensions like shoulder width, length, etc. That should give you a good idea what pattern size to sew. I tend to sew a lot of indie patterns (helpfully I fit into most of them, but that’s not universal, obviously). Indie patterns tend to have more accurate sizing so I usually just go with my measurements. Looking for other bloggers who have a similar figure to yours might help too, and reading reviews is always good.
As for selecting based on high or full bust, My impression is that people use high bust if they are planning to do a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA). I think that depends somewhat on your shape. For example, I use full-bust measurements because even though I’ve got bewbs large enough that I’d typically have to FBA, I’ve also got a stomach to match! They balance each other out so I don’t ever FBA. Maybe some bustier gals can help you figure that one out?
I can’t answer all of your questions because I am still learning myself. But I look at the pattern size measurements (usually using high bust because I’ve learned with a D-Cup I can’t get out of a full bust adjustment….believe me, I’ve tried!) I also use the finished garment measurements which can be found on the pattern envelope or on the pattern piece. Keep in mind ease. You want to be able to move/sit and there is design ease. On the other side the big four pattern companies are known for putting in an insane amount of ease so if you go on your body measurements alone you might make something that looks like a potato sack through no fault of your own. So watch the finished garment measurements as well. Remember when adjusting to keep in mind the seam allowances.
Final tip- your front and back are not the same. I need a lot of extra room on my front because I am large busted and have a tummy. But my back is often swimming in fabric. So I’m still working out how to adjust for that without getting crazy side seams.
Just remember fitting is hard and mock-ups are your friends. I’ve done four mock-ups (all unwearable) of a simple knit top. I was really upset until I realize some of the issues I couldn’t really see on the paper pattern, I needed to see it in fabric on my body before I understood why it wasn’t working.
Sorry for the non-edited post. I am making this quick on my lunch break. Good luck! It is a lot of fun if you just remember learning to fit is part of the process.
Those are words to live by: “It is a lot of fun if you just remember learning to fit is part of the process.”
Thank you. I feel better that there really isn’t a magic formula for translating a body onto a 2 dimensional piece of paper. It’s not just taking measurements and having grand expectations that never seemed (seamed?) to work out. Thank you for sharing.
Great idea. I tried clicking to the Forum and the “Help, I Need Somebody. Help” button is overshadowing the button. I can’t access the Forum. Just FYI
Oh dear! That’s no good. Here’s a direct link to the forum strand: http://wp1094.hostgator.com/~waezmq0ac6rs/forums/forum/project-mentoring/ Hope that works better for you! 🙂