Question for my fellow seamstresses (and tailors?)
So further research conducted furtively in the breaks in homework that are necessary to prevent unfortunate public relations and/or international incidents has left me confused. Some say buy patterns to your figure type and shorten or lengthen as needed to fit your height, others say buy to your stature and widen or narrow as needed to fit your figure. There doesn't seem to be a consensus. So I ask you, my flisties: Which adjustments do you find to be easier? Does it depend on the article of clothing you're sewing? Is there a sekrit hard and fast rule to apply in situations like these?
I would like to buy some more patterns for my long days of activity drought coming this summer or to just have on hand if I feel the urge to sew at midnight on Saturday again but I'm not sure what size to look for/buy.
Any help or advice you have to offer would be much appreciated.
Oh, and while I'm asking things... How do all y'all feel about pre-shrinking things like bias tape and other such notions (and if you think they should be preshrunk, how, pray tell, does one do so without ruining the folds it comes with out of the package?)
*slinks back to homework and tries not to anxiously await free time replies*
P.S. I KNOW THERE ARE FLISTIES WHO KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT THAT ARE LURKERS. OR MAYBE HAVE BEEN EATEN BY THE INTERNETS. SPEAK UP OR I SHALL SEND SEARCH PARTIES OUT.