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[lesmisloony]

Hi all!  I'm Loony, and I'm delurking a bit to ask some advice... or, I guess... feedback?  Something like that.

I've decided to venture into the world of sewing (and will have help from my very talented grandmother) this summer, and of course I want a robe à la française.  This will be my first attempt at a ballgown, but with the help of google I'

Comments

[jehanni]

Here's a long-winded answer to "are these patterns good?"

With all patterns, there are a number of variables. Some patterns are drafted from historical garments that exist, some from garments the drafter originally draped to her (or his) own figure, some from an idealized set of measurements called a basic block--which I believe is the general practise of large companies like Simplicity.

If the pattern came from a historical garment, it's possible that the figure pecularities of the historical person it was made for have been replicated: as an extreme example, if she was hunchbacked, and the person who drafted the pattern didn't realize it, the garment will best fit a person who is hunchbacked.

If a pattern comes from a gown made by the drafter, and the drafter is tall and thin, she may make patterns that best fit other tall, thin people. (This is not always the case: Some small companies work from basic blocks. Some redraft every size, and some scale up or down from a standard size. There are as many techniques as there are small pattern companies.)

If the pattern is from a commercial company like Simplicity, the pattern will best fit people who are most similar to their basic block. (Also, as noted by one of your other posters, by the philosophy of fit the company uses. Modern garments are cut to fit very differently than historical ones. And people have different reasons for making historical-looking garments, from halloween costumes and dress-up to community theater to living history to re-enactment. The ease of wearing and tolerance of modern convenience varies.)

You can overcome or adapt for all of these issues with careful measurements and fittings. Almost everyone I know adjusts their patterns at least slightly, because the sewer (sewist? seamstress? ;-) is longer or shorter waisted, bigger or smaller busted, slightly uneven left to right, or whatever, than the pattern is. My own experience with the JP Ryan Stays, for instance, is that I need to make them longer waisted, and bigger through the bust. But I don't consider needing to make adjustments a flaw in the pattern, it's because I'm not the ideal body shape for those stays.