Palmer Pletsch Sewing Blog https://palmerpletsch.blog The Official Blog for Palmer Pletsch Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:17:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://palmerpletsch.blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/cropped-cropped-palmer-pletsch-red-32x32.png Palmer Pletsch Sewing Blog https://palmerpletsch.blog 32 32 LEARN TO FIT PRINCESS BUST WITH PALMER/PLETSCH https://palmerpletsch.blog/learn-to-fit-princess-bust-with-palmer-pletsch/ https://palmerpletsch.blog/learn-to-fit-princess-bust-with-palmer-pletsch/#comments Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:01:11 +0000 https://palmerpletsch.blog/?p=7957

LEARN TO FIT PRINCESS BUST WITH PALMER/PLETSCH

by Pati Palmer with Tammie Pontsler, Palmer/Pletsch Butterick Pattern Designers

We needed a shoulder princess pattern for teaching altering a full bust. Tammie Ponstler, who designs our Palmer/Pletsch patterns for Butterick, came up with several design options and ran them by our fit teachers. This princess seam pattern B7055 was the winner. They loved the details and the alteration lines drawn on the tissue. (See Resources at the end for a looser dolman shoulder princess shirt.)

Tammie is finishing her thesis for her MFA at Savannah College of Art and Design. I told her I’d sew the blouse for the blog so she could study! Sounded fair to me. After all, she wrote the excellent guidesheet full of fitting and sewing tips. Read about her online seminars for altering for a princess bust at end of blog.

I used a rayon challis print. It sewed and pressed beautifully.

In the 1970s I taught timesaving sewing tips like not sewing details in a print where no one could see them. An example was the Vogue Givenchy pattern below right.

Pati Palmer's rayon challis blouse made using Butterick Palmr/Pletsch pattern B7055

Now, in 2025, I sewed all the details on this shirt in a print.

line art Butterick B7055
Pati in B7055 blouse - front view
Pati in B7055 blouse - back view

Please read to the end of this blog. My blouse was not PERFECT! I had two odd wrinkles I could not figure out, so I took the finished blouse to a 5-day Jeans Workshop in Portland to get help from a few sewing experts who happened to be in the room:

Left to right, Helen Bartley, jeans book author and main Portland workshop instructor, couture intructor Marla Kazell, and Lyndsey Stanfill, Palmer/Pletsch workshops in Louisville, Kentucky. I will explain their suggestions, which worked.

Thanks for taking my finished photos, Lyndsey. The blouse is going to look great with jeans I made in Helen’s workshop.

PATI’S TISSUE-FITTING TIPS

Try on the tissue. What’s wrong with the photo on the left? The neckline isn’t up to the base of my neck. On the right, the tissue is centered properly on my shoulder and at the base of my neck. When we teach fit, we make sure the pattern is on the body properly before we evaluate the tissue!

Now I am ready to tissue-fit.

WRONG

CORRECT

NOTE: The edge of the front is the center front, so it’s not necessary to pin the band to the front. That is always the case if the finished band is 1 ¼”-wide and uses 5/8” seam allowances.

ALTERATIONS

I use a size 12 pattern but my hips usually need more room. This is a shaped princess seam blouse and therefore fairly fitted. I made 1” “in-case” seam allowances at the side seams. I also added to the four vertical princess seams starting just above the waist, making 1” in-case seam allowances in the hip area. I liked the idea of a little flare in my soft rayon fabric.

I needed three back alterations: high round back, slightly round back, and forward shoulder.

HIGH ROUND BACK ALTERATION

I did a 5/8” high round back alteration, raising the neck at CB until the neck seam reached the base of my neck.

The alteration is shown in the guidesheet of B7055:

high round adjustment from B7055 guidesheet

SLIGHTLY ROUND BACK ALTERATION

The back armhole had a gap so I did the slightly round back alteration. (See page 141 in The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting.) I added ½” width to the back armhole at the shoulder, tapering to nothing at back notches.

My back looked like this person’s. The gap can be caused by extra roundness either in the shoulder blade or higher near the shoulder, which was my case.

The back shoulder has a dart or ease to accommodate roundness in the back shoulder. If the ease is not enough to accommodate more roundness or a prominent shoulder blade, you may need to add ease to get rid of this wrinkle. Hers points to a fuller shoulder blade. It always causes a gap in the back armhole.

To get rid of the gap and wrinkle, 1/2” width was added to the back armhole.

back shoulder alteration

Ease or dart the back shoulder to fit the front. For the princess back simply deepen the back princess seam at the top to fit the front.

VOILA! The back wrinkle and armhole gap are gone.

back shoulder adjustment

FORWARD SHOULDER ALterATION

I have a 3/8” forward shoulder. After altering, the seam is now in the middle of my arm. I will match the circle at the top of the sleeve with the new shoulder seam.

Alter as shown in the guidesheet of B7055:

The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting

Additional help: For more on forward shoulders, see pages 197-199 in the Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting.

SLEEVE WIDTH

I can pinch an inch of tissue, so I have 2” of ease, plenty for comfort. I like the length of the wide cuff.

Pinch an inch.

FIRST FABRIC FITTING

When I am fitting by myself, I pin my fabric right sides together so the seams are ready to sew. I may need to adjust the pins a little until the blouse fits well.

Since I was in Sewing Camp with Helen Bartley, I pinned the seams wrong sides together so she could pin the seams to fit me.

first fabric fitting

Helen took a look and said, “The blouse fits you perfectly. No changes. No tweaking necessary.”

I think rayon challis fits itself!

And tissue-fitting works!

I unpinned and repinned right sides together and sewed the seams.

INTERFACING

PerfectFuse Sheer interfacing is great for shirts. It adds crispness without adding bulk. It doesn’t need preshrinking because it is a polyester weft interfacing. However, preshrink your cotton, rayon, and linen fashion fabrics or you will see puckering after washing. Make a test sample to see if you want to fuse to one layer or both.

I cut and fused to both collar bands, both front bands, full cuffs, and top of pocket facings and outer layer of pocket flaps.

Instructions are on the front and back of the package insert. Keep leftover interfacing in a ziplock bag.

PerfectFuse Sheer interfacing
PERFECT FUSE INTERFACINGS

PRO TIP

Always place pattern over fabric before fusing. If you fuse without doing this you will have a permanently skewed piece of fabric.

Scoot the fabric to fit the pattern. Then lift off pattern and carefully place interfacing on wrong side of fabric. Fuse using a press cloth.

Make a full tissue pattern piece when needed. We used Perfect Pattern Paper.

PERFECT PATTERN PAPER

Perfect Pattern Paper is the same weight as the pattern tissue, so it won’t overpower the tissue when used for pattern alterations.

We developed Perfect Pattern Paper 23 years ago. Of course as things change you have to adapt. The original paper was printed at the McCall’s plant in Kansas, which is no longer. Simplicity is now the main printer for the pattern companies and is printing Perfect Pattern Paper at its Wisconsin plant, which prints on a slightly smaller tissue size. They could print it and fold it to fit their normal size paper pattern envelopes. To keep it as it was, they’d have to hand-insert the contents into the plastic bag at a great expense. We agreed. So now the package is the same size as a pattern.

PERFECT PATTERN PAPER

SEWING THE SHIRT

Now I will cover a few important things you might miss as you sew this shirt. Following the guidesheet will help and be your best use of time!

HEM THE BOTTOM BEFORE ATTACHING FRONT BAND AND COLLAR

This is not intuitive, because the hem is usually last. Hem before you sew the front band because the band finishes the LOWER front edge.

When the hem is curved, as this one is, you will need to ease the curve to fit. Using a stitch length of 3 mm, stitch ¼” from the lower edge from the right side so the bobbin thread will be on the wrong side.

In the curved areas, pull on the bobbin thread to form small gathers.

Then turn up the hem ¼” along basting and then 3/8” more. Pin and press lightly.

Press hem lightly.

On straight edges you won’t need to ease the hem.

Sew along folded top edge.

Follow the guidesheet for sewing front bands to front and neckband to neckline.

Turn up hem 1/4"

THE NECKBAND EXCEPTION

There are two reasons I don’t press the facing hem up as in step 22 in the guidesheet, even though that is the standard instruction used.

Mathematically, if you press up 5/8” on the bottom and sew a 5/8” seam at the top and then sew the band to the shirt with a 5/8” seam, the facing and band should be the same size.

For me they never are. Maybe it’s turn-of-cloth or not sewing accurately.

I have a clever way of finishing the ends of a neckband, cuff band, or waistband which requires the facing to stay flat until the very end. Read on…

A FEW TIPS FOR PERFECT BANDS

Marking for accuracy: Snip center back at the fold top and bottom, shoulder circle for your size, notch for your size, and circle at front that will match the front edge. 

Mark for accuracy.

Notches and shoulder circle for your size, CB on fold

marking neckband

Front edge circle

ALTERNATE 2-STEP BAND FOR PERFECT ENDS

alternate band technique

I made a sample to see if I liked this order of sewing the band. Instead of making the neck band first, I sewed the band to the neckline and then the band facing to the band.

First, staystitch shirt neckline ½” away from neck edge and clip to staystitching as needed to pin the band to the neckline.

The front circle that you marked matches the front edge.

(NOTE: My sample doesn’t include the finished front band. I just turned under the front edge.)

When sewing on the band, your staystitching will be 1/8” above your neck seam.

staystitching

Stitch just below the staystitching and straighten the fabric in straight areas.

Stitch just below staystitching.

Place the band facing to band right sides together and pin.

band facing placement

Draw a stitching line 1/8” from front edge. If you sew even with the front edge, the band will pucker. The 1/8” gives room for the trimmed seam allowances and prevents a pucker.

Mark the 5/8” stitching line around the curve on both ends for perfect stitching. This tip is in the guide to remind you.

Sew the band and facing together.

Sew band and facing together.

Trim all seams to ¼”. I used pinking shears to notch the curves.

Press upper band seam open.

Turn up seam on lower edge of facing, press, and pin.

Press band seam open

The band is barely (1/8”) over the front edge of the shirt to avoid a pucker.

Hand slipstitch facing to seam.

BUTTON AND BUTTONHOLE TIPS

droop tucked out

RULE FOR BUTTON ON POCKET:

If the button is sewn onto the pocket too high, the pocket will droop.

The pinned tuck shows the amount of droop I had to remove by sewing the button lower on the pocket.

I learned that I needed to smooth the pocket under the flap, then put a pin at the very bottom of the buttonhole. Sew the button on the pocket at the pin mark. The button will now hold the pocket up. Do we ever stop learning?

button position

RULE FOR BUTTON ON FRONT BAND:

Conversely, the most important button on a band is the top one. Lap the right front band over the left and make sure bottoms are even.

Put a pin in the TOP of the buttonhole. Sew the button at the pin. This button will hold the band in place, keeping the hem even at the bottom.

The buttons below are not so crucial, because they aren’t holding the band in place.

buttons on banc

WHAT? MY SHIRT IS NOT PERFECT?

You may think we teachers don’t make mistakes or have challenges, especially after the garment is done. Well, here are two fixes I didn’t see while sewing.

NECK ISSUE

My blouse gapped at the neck on the right side. I was at a loss until Marla Kazell said she thought the right band was too long. I had carefully measured top to bottom, so it seemed impossible.

Marla suggested I sew the top button 1/4” lower.

Voila! Gap is gone. Well, THAT was an easy fix. Thanks Marla!

So much for my top button rule if the button isn’t in the exact right place.

WRINKLE ALONG BACK

I had this wrinkle from right armhole to center back. That wrinkle means square shoulder.

wrinkle in back
wrinkle in back

I did a square shoulder alteration on both sides.

Evidently a fall I had rearranged my right shoulder, making it thicker front to back. The right shoulder needs more length.

The most I could let the shoulder seam out at the armhole was ¼”, to nothing at the neckline. I removed the upper sleeve cap and resewed the shoulder. After seeing the wrinkle was mostly gone, I restitched the sleeve cap.

fixing the wrinkle

It looks smooth now. In the future I will add more to the right shoulder.

See page 195 in The Complete Guide to Fitting for square shoulders. The alteration is also in the guidesheet for B7055.

We hope these tips Tammie included in the guidesheet and that I included while sewing my shirt will help you make this lovely shirt.

Tammy Pontsler

MORE WAYS TO WORK WITH PRINCESS SEAMS

BECOME A FIT EXPERT FOR PRINCESS BUST ALTERING

Tammie Pontsler

Meet Tammie Pontsler, Butterick designer for Palmer/Pletsch by taking an online Zoom class with her. 

Learn some of the most common bust fitting challenges and the pattern alteration solutions for garments with princess seams. Learn alterations for front and back. 

TAMMIE'S ZOOM CLASSES
3-hour full bust princess pattern alterations Zoom workhop
MARCH 29 3-HOUR ONLINE WORKSHOP
AUGUST 25-26, 2026 2-DAY ONLINE WORKSHOP

The classes include downloadable practice sheets

downloadable handouts

SEW OTHER PALMER/PLETSCH PRINCESS PATTERNS

SHOULDER PRINCESS PATTERNS

Pati Palmer wearing a dolman sleeve princess seam blouse.

This is our dolman sleeve shoulder princess seam blouse— Butterick pattern B6898. 

In the photo on the envelope, below, the model is smaller than the size 10 light-blue sample we sewed so it looks like an oversize pattern. It is not. I narrowed the lower sleeves for my own View B.

Click on the envelope images below to go to their page on our website.

ARMHOLE PRINCESS PATTERN

An armhole princess design has a more curved seam.

NOTE: Full-busted women find a shoulder princess easier to alter to fit over a full bust.

Armhole princess is good for fitting
B6898 shoulder princess altered to fit a full bust
Palmer/Pletsch, the Fit Experts

WE OFFER AN ARRAY OF RESOURCES FOR SEWISTS​

WORKSHOPS

Palmer/Pletsch workshops

INTERFACINGS

Perfect Fuse Interfacings

STREAMING VIDEOS

fitting videos

digital books

Palmer/Pletsch digital flip books

FITTING PATTERNS

PERFECT PATTERN PAPER

Perfect Pattern Paper
VISIT PALMERPLETSCH.COM
VISIT PALMERPLETSCHDIGITAL.COM
]]> https://palmerpletsch.blog/learn-to-fit-princess-bust-with-palmer-pletsch/feed/ 2 HOW TO SELECT PATTERN SIZE FOR TOPS https://palmerpletsch.blog/how-to-select-pattern-size-for-tops/ https://palmerpletsch.blog/how-to-select-pattern-size-for-tops/#comments Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:52:42 +0000 https://palmerpletsch.blog/?p=7714

HOW TO SELECT PATTERN SIZE FOR TOPS

BY PATI PALMER

This blog reviews the history of bust measurement guidelines within the patternmaking industry and concludes with validation of the widely used Palmer/Pletsch Tissue-Fitting Method for selecting the right size pattern for tops.

  1. The Palmer/Pletsch Tissue-Fitting Method
  2. History of Measuring the Bust
  3. Pattern Companies’ Version of High Bust
  4. What About Bra Cup Sizes?
  5. Field Test: How to Measure High Bust
  6. Conclusion: The Palmer/Pletsch High Bust Measurement Works!

THE PALMER/PLETSCH TISSUE-FITTING METHOD

The Palmer/Pletsch Tissue-Fitting Method
The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting

The images above are from The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting by Pati Palmer and Marta Alto, which is the best resource for our tissue-fitting methods.

HISTORY OF MEASURING THE BUST

THE PALMER/PLETSCH METHOD

In the 1970s while teaching together Marta Alto and I measured the full bust for pattern size, following the pattern companies’ instructions. However, unless people matched the body shape the patterns were based on, tops would fit around the bust, but they were often too big in the neck, chest, and shoulder area which are more difficult to grade down to fit. We started measuring what we named the high bust. It excluded the full bust, but the angle from back to front may have been enough to simulate the B bra cup that patterns are made for. Measure the high bust and find your size using the BUST LINE on the measurement chart. We found no need for a separate chart for high bust. You will learn why as you read the entire blog

HIGH BUST MEASUREMENT LOCATION

We measured below the shoulder blades in the back and above the full bust in the front. It was a snug measurement, often called a skin measurement. If between sizes we used the smaller size. That is because the ease in patterns would generally cover you if you measured a little above a size.

where to measure the high bust

For example, you measure 35” in the high bust. On the bust line on the measurement chart, that is half way between a size 12 and 14. Usually a size 12 will work.

However, if your high bust measures right on a size we called it “on the fence.”  We told students they could either use that size or use the smaller size depending on style and personal preference.

For example, if the high bust measured exactly 34 they might choose the 12 if the design was fitted or drop down to a size 10 if it was oversized

bust only measurement chart

After years of teaching and using this method successfully McCall’s agreed with us that the high bust works.

However, they couldn’t promote our method without education. We’d need to make sure a full-busted person would know how to alter or they’d end up with a blouse that couldn’t be buttoned.  “GOOD POINT,” we said.

In 2015, McCall’s asked us to create an educational page for their catalog alerting the consumer that using the high bust measurement for size gives a better fit in the chest, neck, and shoulder area but may require a full bust alteration.

Then, after designing for McCall’s for 40 years from 1980 to 2020, we were asked to design for Butterick. There are still Palmer/Pletsch patterns in McCall’s.

FREE EDUCATIONAL HANDOUTS

In 2021, when our first Butterick Palmer/Pletsch patterns debuted, Butterick created a similar “How to Buy the Right Size Pattern” page for the Butterick catalog. They added another page in the catalog on how to use the “Learn to Fit Sheath Dress” pattern Butterick B6849 featuring the Palmer/Pletsch Tissue-Fitting Method. Altering a fitted pattern to your body creates a road map for the most fitted designs. We use it in our 4-Day Fit Workshops.

Check out our blog  THE CLASSIC SHEATH DRESS IS FIT TOOL. 

AN AHA MOMENT! CO-AUTHOR MARTA SAID, “WOW, WE WERE RIGHT ALL ALONG!”

After fitting women for OVER 25 years, we were doing research for our first fit book, Fit for Real People, published in 1998. Betty Williams, a theatrical costumer, proposed an exhibition at the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Museum at FIT called “Dreams on Paper, Home Sewing in America.” Our 1980s blazer for McCall’s was included. She invited us to visit her vintage pattern collection in her NYC studio. Marta and I lost ourselves for an entire day and what we learned about early pattern sizing is in chapter 2 of our fit books.

We found pamphlets from the 1870s written by pattern company founders Ebenezer Butterick and James McCall. They showed the same method of measuring we used and called high bust measurement, but they called it the bust measurement.

This 1870s pamphlet is a courtesy of Kevin Seligman, Professor, School of Theatre Arts, Northern Illinois University.

WHY DID THEY CALL WHERE THEY WERE MEASURING THE BUST?

In the 1870s article where Ebeneezer and James called their measurement the bust, they also said “For men and boys’ shirts, take the breast measurement.” Apparently, there was a difference. Maybe they used the word bust for women to describe the location of their measurement likening it to a bust sculpture in art that often stopped just above the bust. 

bust

Today bust is more commonly used as another term for breast. When Marta and I named the measurement location high bust, we simply described where we took it. When asked why the term bust instead of breast is now used on measurement charts, our standard answer is that James and Ebenezer died!

A LITTLE FUN PERSONAL STORY

In 1975 when Susan Pletsch and I were writing our second book, Mother Pletsch’s Painless Sewing, I wanted to add a chapter on fitting. Susan said no! This is a book about painless sewing. She finally challenged me, saying, “If you can write a chapter I can read without falling asleep, then OK.” Mission accomplished!

NOTE: Originally we took two measurements, full and high bust. But because the high bust always worked best we dropped the other one.   

pages from the Painless Sewing book

THE PATTERN COMPANIES’ VERSION OF HIGH BUST

We were never sure how the CHEST measurement that used to be on pattern company misses’ size charts was used. It didn’t matter until it was re-named HIGH BUST in 2021.  It was measured differently than the way Palmer/Pletsch taught. Rather than be negative or skeptical we chose to investigate further.  Step ONE, learn about the idea. The best place to start is by reading the measurement chart instructions. 

THESE ARE THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED BY THE PATTERN COMPANIES:

Misses’ patterns are made for a B cup with 2” (5cm) difference between bust and high bust measurement for each size.

  • Measure bust around the fullest part of the bust and straight across the back.
  • Measure the high bust directly under the arms, straight across the back and above the bust.
  • If you have more than 2 ½” (6.3 cm) difference between bust and high bust, select your pattern size by high bust measurement. (See chart below.)

If bust measures 40” and high bust measures 36, a 4” difference, use high bust size 16.
If bust measures 40” and high bust measures 38, that’s only a 2” difference, use size 18.

The complete charts can be seen at  https://simplicity.com/size-charts/

HOW WE ARE DIFFERENT

The Palmer/Pletsch technique doesn’t need a separate measurement chart for high bust. We instead compare it to the bust line on the measurement chart, as explained in HISTORY OF MEASURING THE BUST.

While the pattern company measurement diagram doesn’t show a side view of how to measure, their description is different from Palmer/Pletsch.             .

Further down in this blog I’ll describe how we tested both measurement positions on students in our workshops and give you our conclusions.

WHAT ABOUT BRA CUP SIZES?

A good rule of thumb is the bigger the body bump the more length and width it needs as well as deeper darts.

bra cup sizes
cartoon from Painless Sewing book

When a pattern is altered for larger cup size, you will have more width and length at the front to go over the larger bump and the deeper darts will make the bust and armhole fit better.

In the Painless Sewing book  we said to spread the width ½” for a C cup, ¾” for a D cup and 1 ½” for a DD cup. We don’t do that anymore. 

Cup size in the bra industry:

The B cup is when the bust is 2” greater than the band. C cup is when the bust is 3” greater.  D cup is when the bust is 4” greater. (Manufacturers vary because of lack of enforced standards. They used to use a chest measurement above the bust, but now most use the band measurement below the bust.)

Cup size in the pattern industry:

Misses patterns are made for a B bra cup with 2 ½” (6.3 cm) difference between bust and high bust measurement.

Women’s patterns are made for a C cup with 1” (2.5cm) difference between bust and high bust measurement.  https://simplicity.com/size-charts/

The REAL question is, “Do we go by the bra cup size the person is wearing when we are tissue-fitting?”  NO!

Our goal is to get a good fit “in spite of” the bra cup size one is wearing. If you take our fit workshop, we suggest getting fitted for a bra and wearing the same bra each day. Yes, it can make a difference!

BRA CUP SIZE CAN BE DECEIVING.

Here is another reason that we don’t take bra cup size too seriously.

same cup size chart

Under the purple highlight are cups that are all the same volume. You might not know this unless you are a bra manufacturer.

 

ANOTHER VARIABLE – RIB CAGE

Some people are wearting a B-cup bra size, but they have a full rib cage, so they may need to do a full bust alteration on a pattern.

fuller rib cage

We prefer to start by altering the B front to see how much width is needed for that design. You’ll get it right the first time because we measure from the pattern center front to your center front. Patterns with fronts for C, D, and DD cup sizes may or may not work out. But they may be worth a try.

FIT IS AN ART!

There are exceptions to this process for selecting your best size.

FOR EXAMPLE: People with a broad back may need to go down a size for a better fit through the chest and shoulders and do a broad back alteration.

A CLUE TO HAVING A BROAD BACK IS ROUNDNESS

Extra length at the center back is often needed just at the top (high round back alteration). You will see this when tissue-fitting.

If a person is very round, we usually add extra length at the shoulder blades (low round back alteration).  When both are done, a center back seam is added when the center back is on the fold. The seam will curve the same as the body curves.

The illustrations above are from The Palmer/Pletsch Compete Guide to Fitting by Marta Alto and Pati Palmer. The book includes many alterations for many garment styles.

FIELD TESTING: HOW TO MEASURE HIGH BUST

Helen Bartley and I decided to test the pattern companies’ and Palmer/Pletsch’s versions of measuring the high bust for size.

We developed a PATTERN SIZE FOR TOPS WORKSHEET for gathering information from students during several sewing workshops in Portland, Oregon.

The question? Which measurement is most accurate for pattern size?

We measured the high bust two ways and then the full bust.

The middle “Chest” measurement on our worksheet is what the pattern companies now call High Bust. They have added High Bust to their measurement charts. We do not use that chart.

We recorded the measurements for each student and the resulting size for each.

We added photos of where we measured each student.

Then we wrote the size they use to sew tops.

NOTE: When between sizes we use the smaller size. When right on a size you can use that size or the smaller size depending on the ease in the design.

Palmer/Pletsch Worksheet - Pattern Size for Tops

Pattern company instructions: If you have more than 2½” (6.3 cm) difference between bust and high bust, select your pattern size by high bust measurement.

We measured 21 students. Here is a sampling of the worksheets.

PALMER/ PLETSCH HIGH BUST– Using the bust line on the chart, 37¼” is a size 14 .

CHEST – Her chest (now called high bust on the pattern company chart) measures 38”, which on the high bust chart is an 18. It is not more than 2 ½” larger than bust.

FULL BUST – Her full bust is a size 18.

THE SIZE SHE USES FOR TOPS – 14.

Pattern company instructions: If you have more than 2 ½” (6.3 cm) difference between bust and high bust, select your pattern size by high bust measurement.

PALMER/ PLETSCH HIGH BUST– Using the bust line on the chart, 41” is a size 18.

CHEST – Her chest (now called high bust on the pattern company chart) measures 42”, which on the high bust chart is a 22.

FULL BUST – Her full bust is 46 5/8” —a size 24.

THE SIZE SHE USES FOR TOPS – 18.

Pattern company instructions: If you have more than 2 ½” (6.3 cm) difference between bust and high bust, select your pattern size by high bust measurement.

PALMER/ PLETSCH HIGH BUST– Using the bust line on the chart, 33 ¾” is a size 10.

CHEST – Her chest (now called high bust on the pattern company chart) measures 34”, which on the high bust chart is a 14.

FULL BUST – Her full bust is 36 ¾”—a size 14.

THE SIZE SHE USES FOR TOPS – 12 for fitted tops and a 10 for looser tops.

Pattern company instructions: If you have more than 2 ½” (6.3 cm) difference between bust and high bust, select your pattern size by high bust measurement.

PALMER/ PLETSCH HIGH BUST– Using the bust line on the chart, 40” is a size 16.

CHEST – Her chest (now called high bust on the pattern company chart) measures 41”, which on the high bust chart is a 20. (3” difference.)

FULL BUST – Her full bust is 44”—a size 22.

THE SIZE SHE USES FOR TOPS – 16 with a broad back alteration.

Pattern company instructions: If you have more than 2 ½” (6.3 cm) difference between bust and high bust, select your pattern size by high bust measurement.

PALMER/ PLETSCH HIGH BUST– Using the bust line on the chart, 32 ¾” is a size 10.

CHEST – Her chest (now called high bust on the pattern company chart) measures  34 ¼”, which on the high bust chart is a 14. But there is less than 2 ½” between high bust and bust so use the bust for size— a 12 on the bust chart.

FULL BUST – Her full bust is 35” —a size 12.

THE SIZE SHE USES – 10 unless very fitted then a size 12 for comfort.

Pattern company instructions: If you have more than 2 ½” (6.3 cm) difference between bust and high bust, select your pattern size by high bust measurement.

CONCLUSION: THE PALMER/PLETSCH HIGH BUST MEASUREMENT WORKS!

We developed the worksheet for gathering information from Palmer/Pletsch workshop students and recorded results for two methods of measuring the high bust. We also measured the full bust, another way used to select size, for comparison.

We found the new pattern company HIGH BUST measurement (formerly CHEST) was difficult to measure directly under the arms, straight across the back, and above the bust.  Underarms were too low on most students, and the measurement often included shoulder blades, adding width.

For both types of high bust measurements, the area above the breast changes depending on where women have fluff and by the style of the bra worn. There are no standard measurements for this area which is why there is no Palmer/Pletsch high bust chart.

Also, most people don’t have a standard 2” difference between full and high bust. It is a bra industry tool. (See BRA CUP SIZE.) 

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF EACH METHOD

Palmer/Pletsch high bust measuring

PALMER/PLETSCH METHOD:

 Pati Palmer and Marta Alto measured for pattern size calling it HIGH BUST beginning in the 1970s. They used that measurement to find size using the bust line on the measurement chart.  

They knew it worked but not why. They thought that maybe the angled measurement taken under the shoulder blades in the back and above the bust in the front may simulate a B-cup size while eliminating the actual bust bump.

25 years later they learned that James McCall and Ebenezer Butterick measured the same way, but called it the BUST measurement

PATTERN COMPANIES’ METHOD:

Bust measurement chart from pattern companies
high bust measurement chart from pattern companies

In 2021 the CHEST measurement on pattern company measurement charts was re-named HIGH BUST. Their instructions: Measure the high bust directly under the arms, straight across the back, and above the bust. Refer to the High Bust chart for size.               

If you have more than 2 ½” (6.3 cm) difference between bust and high bust, select your pattern size by high bust measurement on the chart.

FINAL WORDS

When the pattern companies changed the CHEST to HIGH BUST, we started getting questions because it was different from what we had been teaching and using in all of our educational materials as well as in our McCall’s and Butterick patterns for nearly 50 years. 

This led to confusion. Helen Bartley, author of Fit and Sew Custom Jeans and head of Palmer/Pletsch Workshops at the Portland, Oregon, location, measured 21 people during three months of summer 2025 workshops. Since our students got the best fit using the Palmer/Pletsch method of measuring high bust and selecting size, is there something we could do?

We suggest the pattern companies change HIGH BUST back to CHEST on the measurement chart to eliminate confusion.  Or maybe chest could be eliminated if it has no purpose in choosing misses’ sizes.

We are pleased that Butterick and McCall’s have included a special Palmer/Pletsch education page in their catalogs explaining how to choose size using the Palmer/Pletsch high bust measurement while educating that you may need to alter for a full bust. We hope they will also add it to their website.

Maybe James and Ebenezer would be proud to see their method of taking a “bust” measurement in their namesake catalogs, even though we call it high bust. In addition, we are showing how they measured. We added how to alter if you are full busted. Everything evolves!

For nearly 50 years of writing books and teaching sewing classes, seminars, and hands-on workshops, our students and teachers have been our laboratory in the search to make the process of fitting easier and more accurate. We appreciate their enthusiasm and help with this goal throughout the years!

Thank you for reading this blog and we can’t wait to read your comments.

Sincerely ,   

PALMER/PETSCH FIT AND SEWING RESOURCES

SUBSCRIBE TO NEWS FROM PALMER/PLETSCH

Learning how to alter a pattern to fit your unique body is a crucial step in getting good fit. Learn more about the Palmer/Pletsch Tissue-Fitting Method. Subscribe to get emails.

FIT WORKSHOPS CHART AND DESCRIPTIONS

The Fit workshops chart and descriptions PDF will help you decide which workshop best meets your needs. Look for it at the top of our workshops page, accessed by clicking the button above.

The link above also takes you to information about all of our workshops at sewing schools around the country as well as online Zoom webinars and workshops.

FREE EDUCATIONAL HANDOUTS

These handouts are available on the Palmer/Pletsch website. Click the button above to access them.

educational handouts
VISIT PALMERPLETSCH.COM

SPIRAL BOUND BOOKS WITH TISSUE AND FABRIC FITTING

The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting book
Palmer/Pletsch book Knits for Real People
Palmer/Pletsch book Jackets for Real People
Palmer/Pletsch book Pants for Real People

digital flipbooks

Palmer/Pletsch digital flip books

FITTING PATTERNS

PERFECT PATTERN PAPER

IN PERSON WORKSHOPS

Palmer/Pletsch workshops

PERFECT FUSE INTERFACINGS

Perfect Fuse Interfacings

STREAMING VIDEOS

fitting videos

ONLINE ZOOM CLASSES

Tammie Pontsler

FREE MELISSA WATSON YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIALS

OR FIND A CERTIFIED TEACHER NEAR YOU

A History of the Paper Pattern Industry

This book is available on Amazon and from other locations.

A History of the Paper Pattern Industry

The author of this book, Joy Spanabel Emory, along with Whitney Blausen, worked on the 1997 exhibition at the Museum of FIT (part of the Fashion Institute of Technology) called Dreams on Paper, Home Sewing in America. We met them because a Palmer/Pletsch pattern was in the exhibit.

Betty Williams, a theatrical costumer for plays in New York City area and who had consulted on the exhibition, had cancer and was in the hospital. Joy and Whitney knew we were writing a fit book and arranged with Betty for Marta and me to spend time all by ourselves in her studio with its drawers full of vintage patterns. What an opportunity. Our main question was where did pattern sizing come from? We got many answers which are in Chapter 2, A History of Pattern Sizing in the Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting.

You may really enjoy reading this book. Betty Williams’ complete pattern archive now lives at the University of Rhode Island which also has a nearly complete collection of Palmer/Pletsch patterns.

]]> https://palmerpletsch.blog/how-to-select-pattern-size-for-tops/feed/ 3 Want to Learn to Fit Pants? https://palmerpletsch.blog/want-to-learn-to-fit-pants/ https://palmerpletsch.blog/want-to-learn-to-fit-pants/#comments Fri, 03 Oct 2025 21:52:10 +0000 https://palmerpletsch.blog/?p=7612

WANT TO LEARN TO FIT PANTS?

Guidesheet Tips for Butterick Pant Pattern B6845 by Pati Palmer

BEST STYLE FOR LEARNING TO FIT PANTS

This blog post is about how to follow the guidesheet in our latest Palmer/Pletsch pant fit pattern. Why? Because the complete sewing order for the basic fit pant is not shown until page 5 of the guidesheet. Most of the art shows the fly front zipper and pockets. Butterick did it this way to save paper, a new concern for pattern companies. You may find it helpful to read this blog post before starting on pant fitting.

Start with a basic pant. To learn to fit, the pants pattern you choose should be very simple—just two legs. We’re calling this Level I. It should not have pockets, yokes, contour bands, or fly-front zipper. It can have an invisible zipper with a nonroll waistband. It can be pull-on with a sewn-on elastic casing. The width of the legs can be changed. THIS WAY YOU CAN FOCUS ON THE FIT. More details can reduce accuracy and add time. Later you can sew a more detailed pant (Level II). For your second pair, you might choose a fly front and trouser pockets.

You will need to skip around the guidesheet for Level I and Level II. What follows is how to use the guide sheet.  (Yes, you’ll want to read it!)

BONUS: a blog about making design changes to your basic pants

Here’s a blog post with more design changes you can make from this pattern once it’s altered.

PANT MODIFICATIONS BLOG POST
blog on basic pant modifications

HOW TO USE THE GUIDESHEET

GUIDESHEET PAGES 1 AND 2

Pages 1 and 2 of the guidesheet for Palmer/Pletsch pant pattern B6845

PAGE 1

LEVELS I AND II
• Select the right size.
• Prep the pattern.

LEVEL I
• Tape the side inset to the front to remove pocket.
• Fold under fly extension.

PAGE 2

LEVELS I AND II
• Try on tissue.
• Alter the pattern

GUIDESHEET PAGE 3

LEVELS I AND II: Finalize the tissue. Fit the waistband using the largest size so you have plenty of length for an underlap and for fitting fabric with interfacing attached over the top of the pants.

segment of page 3 of the guidesheet

GUIDESHEET PAGE 4

NOTE: The sewing instructions for the basic pant start with the zipper on page 5.

LEVEL II
• Sew fly-front zipper.
• Sew trouser pockets.
• Sew back and front crotch to within 1 ½” from inseam.
• Pin for fabric-fitting and try on. (Continued on page 5.)

LEVEL I
Follow the fitting instructions for Level II after sewing the back zipper on page 5.

GUIDESHEET PAGE 5

guidesheet page 5

LEVEL II
• Mark fitting changes on the wrong side.
• Sew inseams.
• Finish sewing crotch.
• Fit and sew nonroll waistband with front opening.
• Sew hem.
• Sew hook and eye.

LEVEL I
After tissue-fitting and cutting, the first step is to sew invisible zipper in the back.

GUIDESHEET PAGE 6

LEVEL I

• Finish bottom of invisible zipper and sew back crotch and front crotch seams to 1 ½” from inseams.

• Pin sides and inseams for fabric-fitting and follow fitting on page 5 as for the trouser style. (Tip for darts: If you have a friend or are in a class where a teacher and fit the darts for you, pin them on the outside.) Mark changes.

• Sew darts.

• Sew front to back at inseams and outseams.

• Fit, then sew, waistband with back opening.

• Sew hook and eye.

• Go back to page 5 for hem.

FACTOID: Why do I love designing and writing guidesheets that include pant fitting? Here is a window into my past 54 years:

I’ve been teaching pant fitting and sewing since 1971 and training sewing teachers since 1991. Becoming a pant-fitting expert evolved gradually from testing new ideas in books and patterns. My first book, Pants for Any Body, was published in 1973. In 1975 I persuaded Vogue to let me do a pant fit pattern and, with Susan Pletsch, it debuted in 1977. We switched to McCall’s in 1980. After Susan left our company, I continued designing for McCall’s until 2020. The total number of McCall’s pant fit patterns included 10 jeans and 35 other pant styles including culottes and trousers for men and women. In addition, 45 of my coordinates patterns included pants. From 2020-2025, 14 of my Butterick patterns included pants. That means that out of 360 Palmer/Pletsch patterns, I’ve written a total of 95 guidesheets for all types of pants including jumpsuits.

In 2025 I passed the torch to Tammie Pontsler to continue designing Palmer/Pletsch patterns. Watch for her new designs.

Pati Palmer

P.S. If you’re interested in more in-depth fitting guidance, consider our Palmer/Pletsch workshops, offered both in-person and online.

PALMER/PLETSCH FITTING WORKSHOPS

FOR MORE FITTING, READ THIS BLOG POST:

THE CLASSIC SHEATH DRESS IS A FIT TOOL

TAMMIE PONSTLER IS THE NEW DESIGNER OF PALMER/PLETSCH BUTTERICK PATTERNS

Read the blog about her first pattern:

TAMMIE'S FIRST PATTERN
Blog about Tammie Ponstler

WE OFFEr AN ARRAY OF RESOURCES FOR SEWISTS

digital books

Palmer/Pletsch digital flip books

FITTING PATTERNS

PERFECT PATTERN PAPER

Perfect Pattern Paper

WORKSHOPS

Palmer/Pletsch workshops

INTERFACINGS

Perfect Fuse Interfacings

STREAMING VIDEOS

fitting videos
]]> https://palmerpletsch.blog/want-to-learn-to-fit-pants/feed/ 1 TWO KNIT JACKETS https://palmerpletsch.blog/two-knit-jackets/ https://palmerpletsch.blog/two-knit-jackets/#comments Mon, 23 Jun 2025 19:48:45 +0000 https://palmerpletsch.blog/?p=7573

TWO KNIT JACKETS

BY PATI PALMER

I’ve been wanting a knit cardigan. I chose Tammie Pontsler’s Princess Shawl Knit Jacket for Palmer/Pletsch Butterick B7026. I love the design features of the jacket: shawl collar, a fashion-forward extra-long sleeve with hem, and the slanted lower front. I made two versions of the jacket.

Princess Shawl Knit Jacket for Palmer/Pletsch Butterick B7026

As we announced in an earlier blog this year, Tammie Pontsler is the new Palmer/Pletsch pattern designer for Butterick patterns. 

Blog about Tammie Ponstler

Tammie is writing the guide sheets with all the fitting and sewing techniques you have come to expect in Palmer/Pletsch patterns.

TWO JACKETS FROM VIEW A MADE WITH DIFFERENT FABRICS AND TECHNIQUES

I used View A for both jackets. The first is a navy double-knit. I fused interfacing to the front facing/collar and back facing. I used shoulder pads.

Pati Palmer wearing knit jacket

For my second jacket I used a black lightweight rayon/spandex interlock knit and made it totally unstructured like a sweater—no interfacing or shoulder pads. I will share some tips in this blog for each type of knit.

Pati Palmer wearing the knit jacket she made using the Butterick Pamer/Pletsch jacket pattern B7026, view A
Knit jacket made using the Butterick Pamer/Pletsch jacket pattern B7026, view A
Butterick Palmer/Pletsch pant pattern B7042

PLAN AHEAD! PLAN AN OUTFIT!

I like to make a garment that is part of an outfit.

The navy double-knit I bought for the first jacket went with fabrics in my stash.

I have a taupe ponte which I’ll use for Tammie’s pintuck knit pant pattern B7042, which is designed to coordinate with this jacket.

The rayon print will tie the solid colors together for a princess blouse, Tammie’s third pattern out late summer.

Many fabrics today come from jobbers who buy leftover RTW lots and re-sell to fabric stores. They usually don’t know the exact fiber content. I can often guess. I did a burn test. The resulting hard crust suggested nylon or polyester maybe blended with wool, acrylic or rayon.

Plan an outfit with coordinating fabrics.

TEST!

I pressed a piece to see if it would shine or be affected by steam. Then I did a seam test for needle size and type (universal size 80/12 was good).

I also tested stitch length for seams and topstitching.

I often sew double-knits with a longer stitch length like 3mm because it feeds under the presser foot better. I pressed the seam allowances to one side and serged them together, trimming to 3/8” or a little wider, which flattened the edges. From the right side I topstitched, testing stitch lengths 3.5mm and 4 mm. The longer looked better.

A note about my photos: Dark fabrics can be hard to photograph. Sometimes I lighten the photo so you can see better.

TOPSTITCHING

The seams that are topstitched are the front and back princess, center back, and back sleeve seams. Also the outer edges of the collar and front are topstitched.

example of topstitching on back of jacket

PATTERN PREP FOR TISSUE-FITTING

Press the tissue. Trim pattern pieces to your size.

CREATIVE SPACE TIP

Now that I have a smaller sewing space than in the past, I’ve come up with Creative Space Tips. To prevent wrinkling, I like to pin pressed and trimmed tissue to my dress form.

pressed and trimmed tissue pinned to dressform

CREATIVE SPACE TIP

In my bathroom mini pressing area where I work on a padded board placed over the sink, I pin the pattern pieces to a dry towel hanging on the wall behind me.

Mark the stitching lines.

Mark the stitching lines.

Tape neck and armhole curves to stitching line, and clip inward curves to the tape. After clipping, pull on tissue to make sure tape is holding.

Tape neck and armhole curves.

For princess seams, tape the concave seam between notches.

Tape concave princess seams.

Clip to tape. Now it will be easier to pin front concave curve to the side front convex curve.

Clip to tape.

Pinning the tissue together for fitting helps you know how the pieces go together when you sew.

For the sleeve, follow the marked sleeve seamline and pin to the top. When opened, the sleeve cap edge will be a continuous line.

sleeve tissue

The front princess seam is pinned a little differently. Here is how to tell if this seam is pinned accurately:

Pin the point on side panel to the armhole edge of the front.

When side is flipped over the seam, the armhole edge is even.

Mark the circle where shoulder and collar meet on front and facing. Tape on both sides of the circle.  In fabric, staystitch the corner and clip to the circle.

This will open and become be a straight line making it easier to sew front and back shoulders and back neck together in one continuous seam if you choose.

SHOULDER PAD TIP

If you are going to use a shoulder pad in the jacket, make sure to wear it while you are tissue-fitting.”

It is easiest to buy covered shoulder pads and sew them to the facing.

However if you have uncovered pads and you don’t want them to show on the inside, you can place them between the jacket and the facing. You will need to make the facing shoulder seam deeper at the armhole edge or the facing will be too large.

This illustration is from page 100 of our book Jackets for Real People. The inside circle (lining or facing) is smaller than the outer circle (jacket).

shoulder pad tip from Jackets for Real People book

TISSUE-FITTING AND ALTERING

NOTE: Following our recommended sequence for tissue fitting, we start with the back, before making any adjustments to the front of the pattern.

FITTING THE BACK

I needed my normal high round back alteration so added 5/8” at center back, tapering to nothing at the armhole.

high round back alteration

I had a gap in the back armhole and diagonal wrinkles from center back to sides. This is something new for me.

I needed to add a ½” -deep dart to the back shoulder for my roundness. Then I needed to make the back shoulder wider at the armhole so that it would match the front shoulder width.

This slide from one of our fit seminars shows the wrinkles but not the gap in the back armhole because the blouse has sleeves.

slide from fit seminar

LOWER THE BUST CURVE

I needed to lower the bust curve 1½” on side front and front.

I drew a box around the curved areas and lowered them 1½”, filled in the opening and trued the seams. True the side front as shown. Otherwise, you won’t be moving the fullness down. See the pattern guidesheet.

Lower the bust curve.

For more on truing, we have very clear illustrations in the Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting.

Palmer/Pletsch digital flip books

The curve is now where I am the fullest.

Pati models lowered bust curve.

Before and after photos of lowered bust curve.

If you need an FBA, always make sure the princess curve is at your bust before you measure the amount to add!

ADDING MORE WAIST AND HIP ROOM

I needed more hip and waist room. I cut matching strips of Perfect Pattern Paper 2½” wide.

I taped each to the sides with 1” extending at the armhole and 1½” at the bottom of each.

Adding tissue to sides for more waist and hip room.

The first underarm pin goes into the original seam line at the intersection of side and armhole seams. I try on the tissue and slip the shoulder pad in place.

I’ve pinned the sides to my shape.

I tried on the tissue with the shoulder pad.

Now I can mark where the pins are and then trim leaving 1” seam allowances.

side seam marking

Both gap and wrinkles are now gone.

I also adjusted for my square/forward shoulder.

SWAY/FLAT BACK is the last alteration you do.

The center back seam was swinging toward my right side. I made a sway back tuck using the lines printed on the pattern and removed ½” length at the CB to nothing at the side seam. Now the CB and the hem are straight.

sway back alteration
sway back adjustment

The finished back fits well. You can see the added shoulder dart. The shoulder pad added structure.

For the lightweight knit version I stretched the back to fit the front instead of sewing a dart.

A FINAL CHECK

Side seams have been trimmed and I try the tissue on again for a final check.

Now I slip on the sleeve.

The sleeves were a new detail for me. Very long with a long slit at the front sleeve hem. I’ll try them! I can always shorten them.

Try on tissue with sleeves.

I can pinch an inch of tissue at my bicep so that gives me 2” of ease in the upper arm.

Pinch an inch.

I love the sleeves! A fun change. And, I found out when you raised your arm, such as when you are eating, the sleeves totally fall out of the way….a surprise!

Pati Palmer wearing knit jacket

CORRECT THE PATTERN

My shoulders were narrower than the pattern. I set the sleeves in ½” at the shoulder.

I will fix the pattern so it’ll be correct for my second jacket. I will trim the ½” off the back and back facing as well as the front and front facing armholes, tapering to nothing at the notches.

This will save fitting time now that I have the width correct.

TIME TO CUT

CREATIVE SPACE TIP

I can cut in various places: on my bed and the floor as in high school and now on the kitchen counter with my gridded folding cutting board on top. This gives plenty of room for altering the long jacket pieces.

cutting out fabric on the kitchen counter

TIP

In knits, I often stabilize the neckline and sometimes the shoulder seams. See stabilizing tips in Knits For Real People pages 89 and 90. I am going to sew the same jacket in rayon jersey with no interfacing and I will stabilize neck and shoulder seams with SewKeysE fusible woven stay tape.

The interfaced back stay will prevent the neck from stretching.

When pinning the sleeves to the armhole I could see the shoulders would stretch because of the weight of the long sleeves.

I hand sewed non-fusible Stay Tape over the pressed-opened shoulder seam.

Stay Tape hand sewed over shoulder seam
a page from Knits for Real People book on stabilizing knits

From Knits for Real People by Sue Neall and Pati Palmer. This book is a great reference for fitting and sewing with knits.

TEST THE INTERFACING

I used PerfectFuse Light to add a little body to the front and back facings. It adheres well to knits. Fuse with press cloth for 10 seconds.

If you want to prevent stretch, such as in the direction of the buttonholes, use the stable lengthwise grain. If not using additional interfacing, you can fuse just in the area of the buttonholes.

NOTE: Use black PerfectFuse Light on dark colors, so you won’t see the white interfacing at buttonhole edges. (But I like white for testing, at right,)

interfacing test

CUT THE INTERFACING

CREATIVE SPACE TIP

I like banisters! I needed to cut interfacing for the long front facings so I put my folded cutting board here.

bannister for cutting

To make the interfacing slightly smaller than the front facing, I cut across the bottom and up the side front.

cutting the interfacing

Then I moved the pattern 5/8” over the bottom and side seam edges. The interfacing is now smaller than the fashion fabric and won’t fuse to the ironing board.

To make cutting the other end easier, I moved the cutting board around so I wouldn’t fall down the stairs!

cutting the interfacing

STEPS TO PERFECT FUSING

Place fabric wrong side up on an ironing board or other pressing surface. Place pattern on top to check that the fabric is the same shape as the tissue. Moving fabrics often distorts them.

fabric can get distorted

Scoot the fabric to fit the pattern before fusing.

Scoot fabric to fit the pattern

With a press cloth start lightly fusing from the center to each end. Then go back and work your way from one end to the other lifting the iron as you move. You need some steam and about 10 seconds of heat to fuse.

fusing using press cloth

FOLLOW THE GUIDE TO SEW THE JACKET

The guide is excellent. Tammie worked really hard writing it! Please read it!

I first basted all the pieces together and tried on the jacket to check fit. Then I sewed and topstitched the princess seams in the front and back.

Having sewn the facing/collar to the jacket, I trimmed and graded the seams, turned and pressed the edges.

GUIDE ALERT!

In step 37 change 1½” to 5/8”.

Fix step 37.

I pressed the collar and neck seams open.

I want to make sure the seams are fastened one on top of the other.

Pin the seams together at the neckline on the outside. You can feel when the seamlines are on top of each other. Pin in the well of the seams as suggested in the guidesheet.

(By the way, I have not sewn the side seams yet. I pinned 1” seam allowances in case the thick doubleknit takes up some extra room.)

Pin seams together on the outside.

Stitch in the well of the seam through all layers  as shown in the guidesheet.

Hand stitching the layers together is another option that isn’t that hard.

Below I’ve shown two alternative  hand-stitching options from our book Jackets for Real People.

Palmer/Pletsch book Jacket for Real People

This photo and explanation is on page 98 of Jackets for Real People.

This is another option shown in the book:

stab stitch

The sleeve vent and hem will be easier to finish before you set in the sleeve. Follow the order in the guidesheet! Be sure to leave long thread tails at the beginning and end of your topstitching rows so you can pull them to the inside and tie rather than backstitching.

The lower hem on jacket and sleeve are topstitched. I first serged the hem edges. I measured 1 ¼” from needle and placed painter’s tape on my machine as a guide. This helped keep my topstitching even.

hem on jacket and sleeve

GOOD LIGHTING: I love this little goose neck light I stuck to my machine. It is very bright—great for sewing dark colors!

Good lighting!

PRESSING SEAMS OPEN

To open and flatten a seam in a doubleknit, use a pounding block/clapper. Steam the seam, then place the wood block on top. Leave in place and let cool.

Use a pounding block/clapper.

Your seam will stay pressed open.

 

SECURE THE FACING

In this unlined knit jacket you need to anchor the facing or it will not stay put. The princess seams are sewn and pressed to one side. Seam allowances are serged together then topstitched.

We want the facing edge to cover the seam up to the seamline stitching.

The seam allowance will be trimmed off the facing. It should be 5/8” but I’d pin the facing down and make sure. Mark where the seam line is and trim along the chalk line. 

Mark the seamline.

Serge from the right side of the facing so the upper looper thread is on to. Cut on your chalk line.

Serge from the right side.

Turn facing to inside and fold lapel to the outside along roll line to allow for turn of cloth. Smooth facing over princess seam from lower jacket to armhole.  Hand stitch to princess seam to anchor in place.

facing

TOPSTITCH OUTER EDGES

I placed a colored pin at the bottom of the roll line (arrow). This is also where the buttons will start if using buttons.

Below the pin I’ve rolled the seam to the inside slightly and pinned it to hold so only the jacket will be seen on the outside.

Above the pin I’ve rolled the facing over the edges so when the lapel is folded back you won’t see the seam.

Topstitch outer edges.

Topstitch ¼” from edge using the edge of your presser foot as a guide.

JACKET NUMBER ONE FINISHED!

Doubleknit, back facing and front facing/under collar interfaced.

Added shoulderpads for structure to the casual knit jacket.

finished navy jacket

I love the subtle shaping in the back.

Now on to number two!

JACKET NUMBER TWO

Pati Palmer wearing black knit jacket

When I first saw Tammie’s design I decided I wanted to use it for a sweater style jacket which I needed in my wardrobe.

I shortened the sleeves 1½” and made the slit opening 2½”.

I took a few photos while sewing to share a few more tips.

Cutting board back to the kitchen counter. My fabric is a lightweight interlock knit which has more body than most jerseys. It is like a doubleknit but lighter. It was 65” wide too!

I folded it in half then lined up the selvages. With knits you shift the layers until the diagonal wrinkles are gone. You don’t need to “straighten the grain” as in woven fabrics.

cutting board on kitchen counter

Since I didn’t want shoulder pads, I didn’t need to adjust the shoulder seams in the facing to make space for a shoulder pad. Everything went much faster.

However, it is important to attach the edge of the front facing to the front. I carefully smoothed them together and pinned.

I drew a chalk line where the princess seamline was on the front. I will serge away the extra seam allowance marked by chalk. Now the serged edge will just cover the front seam.

I moved the pins over in order to serge just the facing and trimmed the excess away from the chalk line.

Serge the facing.

Now the serged edge covers the seam. I pinned to the edge the edge to the seam carefully.

After carefully pinning the edge to the seam I hand stitched them together.

HEM THE JACKET

GUIDE ALERT!

In step 37 change 1½” to 5/8”.

I mentioned this earlier in the blog, but since I’m including tips for hemming lightweight knits it is WORTH REPEATING..

Fix step 37.

Steam-A-Seam Light, a paper-backed fusible web, is a great help for topstitching a hem in a lightweight knit. The added body to the edge keeps the wiggly knit from scooting or stretching.

I opened a section and with the paper on top I lightly pressed it close to the edge, just enough for it to adhere.

Adhere Steam-a-Seam.

First I serged the hem edge then I pressed up the hem.

Then I pulled off the paper, turned up the section and lightly fused the hem. When I got around the entire hem, I fused again, then topstitched.

Fuse hem then topstitch.

JACKET NUMBER TWO FINISHED!

Very soft and drapey in rayon/spandex interlock knit. No interfacing, lining, or shoulder pads.

Knit jacket made using the Butterick Pamer/Pletsch jacket pattern B7026, view A
Pati Palmer wearing finished jacket in navy knit, made from Butterick Palmer/Pletsch pattern B7026

I hope you enjoyed the adventure seeing two jackets made from different knits. I hope the tips will help. Be sure read the guidesheet for many more tips. I plan to get a lot of mileage from these jackets!

Pati Palmer

WE OFFEr AN ARRAY OF RESOURCES FOR SEWISTS

FREE EDUCATIONAL HANDOUTS
educational handouts

SPIRAL BOUND BOOKS

The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting book
Palmer/Pletsch book Knits for Real People
Palmer/Pletsch book Jackets for Real People

digital FLIPbooks

Palmer/Pletsch digital flip books

PATTERNS

Butterick Pamler/Pletsch jacket pattern B7026

PERFECT PATTERN PAPER

Perfect Pattern Paper

WORKSHOPS

Palmer/Pletsch workshops

STAY TAPES

INTERFACINGS

PerfectFuse Light
palmerpletschdigital.com
]]> https://palmerpletsch.blog/two-knit-jackets/feed/ 4 NEW PALMER/PLETSCH PATTERN DESIGNER FOR BUTTERICK PATTERNS https://palmerpletsch.blog/new-palmer-pletsch-pattern-designer-for-butterick-patterns/ https://palmerpletsch.blog/new-palmer-pletsch-pattern-designer-for-butterick-patterns/#comments Tue, 04 Mar 2025 20:04:33 +0000 https://palmerpletsch.blog/?p=7052

NEW PALMER/PLETSCH PATTERN DESIGNER FOR BUTTERICK PATTERNS

BY PATI PALMER

After designing and writing the guidesheets for 295 McCall’s patterns, two Vogue, and 33 Butterick for a total of 330 patterns, I have decided to pass the baton to Tammie Pontsler for Palmer/Pletsch Patterns for Butterick.

I appreciate all of you who have trusted us to be a resource for you and given us feedback, pattern ideas, and who have appeared in our books and blogs through the years and have attended our hands-on workshops. I hope you will be  supportive of Tammie’s new journey with Butterick.

Happy Sewing!        

Pati Palmer

I asked Tammie how she feels about her first ever pattern for the first ever commercial pattern company still operating today.

Tammie Pontsler

“I am very honored to be taking the reins to design the Palmer/Pletsch line of patterns for Butterick. Joining Pati Palmer and Melissa Watson in creating designs that have empowered sewers to create garments that fit is my dream come true. I am grateful to Pati and Melissa for this opportunity and look forward to providing designs you are excited to fit, sew and wear!”

Tammy Pontsler

TAMMIE’S FIRST PATTERN

Butterick Palmer/Pletsch jacket pattern B7026 by Tammie Pontsler

Butterick B7026 – Misses’ Jackets by Tammie Pontsler for Palmer/Pletsch

This jacket sewing pattern has a shawl collar, long sleeves with slit, shaped hem and optional shoulder pads. View B has front button opening and patch pockets with flaps. Designed for fabrics such as Ponte, Double Knit and Boiled Wool.

The guide sheet features fitting guidance using the Palmer/Pletsch Tissue-Fitting system.

.

BUY THE PATTERN

Look for this logo on Tammie’s patterns:

Meet Tammie Pontsler, new designer for Butterick Palmer/Pletsch patterns

Tammie Pontsler in her sewing studio

Because I want the Butterick Palmer/Pletsch patterns to keep helping current and future sewists with fit and sewing tips, I decided to step down so someone else could step up. I met Tammie Pontsler at our Sewing Vacation Workshop in Portland, OR about 10 years ago.  She was teaching for San Diego College of Continuing Education. During the pandemic she asked Helen Bartley and me to do online fit classes for their instructors. I got to know her and admired all that she did. After working with me for a year, she has agreed to take over my Butterick Palmer/Pletsch patterns. I agreed to be her mentor and have loved working with her side by side. She’s already proven her capabilities by working with me on two of my recent designs, even writing the guidesheets! Butterick is also very welcoming seeing her fresh new pattern ideas.

She is now located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and has a sewing and teaching studio in her home. Not only will she be designing new Butterick Palmer/Pletsch patterns, but she is also teaching our online classes. She has had a lot of practice from her days of college teaching.

Tammie teaches 1 1/2-hour webinars, 3-hour interactive hands-on classes, and 2-day workshops. Tammie’s students have loved her teaching style.

Get to know Tammie! Attend one of her seminars or workshops.

For information about Tammie’s other adventures, go to her website— https://tammiepontsler.com/

ONLINE PALMER/PLETSCH WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS
Palmer/Pletsch Zoom Webinars and Workshops logo

read the blog i wrote about my final pattern

Pati's Final Pattern
PATI'S FINAL PATTERN BLOG

BLOG COMING! Spring 2025 Tips for THE Knit Cardigan and Button-front Jacket by Tammie Pontsler

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]]> https://palmerpletsch.blog/new-palmer-pletsch-pattern-designer-for-butterick-patterns/feed/ 6 MY FINAL PATTERN https://palmerpletsch.blog/my-final-pattern/ https://palmerpletsch.blog/my-final-pattern/#comments Fri, 28 Feb 2025 21:19:09 +0000 https://palmerpletsch.blog/?p=6837

MY FINAL PATTERN

BY PATI PALMER

My former partner Susan Pletsch and I started designing patterns shortly after forming Palmer/Pletsch Publishing in 1975. We wrote sewing books full of innovative ways to make sewing easier from which we drew when writing pattern guidesheets. After 330 patterns for three companies over 50 years, I am passing the baton. I want to thank Vogue, McCall’s, and Butterick for giving me the opportunity to create patterns to help consumers and to develop the Palmer/Pletsch Tissue-Fitting Method. 
 
Palmer/Pletsch patterns aren’t going away. Melissa Watson is designing them for McCall’s and Tammie Ponstler will be taking over my Butterick patterns.  More about Tammie near the bottom of this blog.
 
I will miss the process, but will stay involved continuing to blog along with the others on the team. Thank you for your support and encouragement over the years, especially if you’ve attended our workshops which, through hands-on fitting, helped us learn and improve.
 
                                                                           Sincerely,  
Pati Palmer

THE JOURNEY OF MY FINAL PATTERN

TRY ON TIME AT A WORKSHOP

Even though all the tops were sewn in a size 10, they are oversized and fit everyone except Helen who will cut a size 8. We checked fit for body and sleeve length and depth of the V-neck. We suggested changes for each person.

I am wearing the super soft coral bamboo fleece and Nanette Reid is in the mint cotton fleece with matching ribbing.

I noted for everyone that the shoulder seam was designed to be toward the back.

Lyndsey Stanfill

Lyndsey Stanfill teaches Palmer/Pletsch workshops at her sewing school in Louisville, KY. She has taught a class in her studio on making the “Polished Sweatshirt.”

Helen Bartley is wearing her articulated knee hiking pants with cargo pockets featured in her book Fit and Sew Custom Jeans.

THANK YOU HELEN for helping me sew the tops and figuring out the sewing order!

By the way, the others are wearing jeans they made in her jeans workshop. 

Palmer/Pletsch book by Helen Bartley, Fit and Sew Custom Jeans

TIPS FOR FITTING AND SEWING THE COMFY YEAR ROUND POLISHED SWEATSHIRT

Think work-at-home in style; sheer swim coverup; a French terry sweatshirt fleece; an interlock knit print with contrast bands. The top is oversized with comfy dolman sleeves and “kangaroo” pockets. AND, it is pretty easy to fit and sew. Here is what you need to know.

pattern size

The pattern comes in two size groups, 8-16 and 18-26 with a cut line for each size. It is pretty roomy—if you want it less oversized, consider going down at least one size.

YARDAGE NOTES

All views include self-fabric pockets. If using a lining, see my pocket notes for yardage.

The yardage for each view is different because of sleeve length and fabric used for the bands.

View A (pink) has self fabric bands.

View B (blue) has matching ribbing for bands.

View C has long sleeves and contrast ribbing bands.

KANGAROO POCKET BAG NOTES

You may use self-fabric if it is not too bulky. Sew a seam through three layers and press to one direction and topstitch. If too bulky substitute one or both pocket bags for a lighter weight fabric such as a lightweight knit like a jersey. You will need 1/3rd yard for both bags or two pieces of knit 11” X 18” from your stash. Further down in the blog I show the various fabrics I tested for pocket bags in these sweatshirts and the results.

STABILIZING POCKETS

The pocket openings need stabilizing. Fuse 1/2” SewkeysE Woven Stay Tape or a 1/2” wide lengthwise strip of PerfectFuse Sheer interfacing to the wrong side centered over the seamlines between pocket circles on front and side fronts. Staystitch 1/2” from edge and from 1/2” above and below pocket openings.

NOTE: The neckline will be stabilized by the band and the topstitching.

stabilizing pockets

TOPSTITCHING TEST SAMPLE

Almost every seam is topstitched, so get it right before you start. Make a test sample. Sew a seam. Press seam allowances toward one side and serge, trimming 1/8-1/4” off edge. Topstitch 1/4” from seam with a 3.5mm stitch length.

Test stitch lengths 3mm up to 4.5 mm.

Rule: the thicker the fabric the longer the stitch. When you cross a topstitched seam, stop and lengthen stitch where you cross. If you have puckers, press lightly.

topstitching puckers
smooth topstitching

SLEEVE LENGTH

Pin cuff to sleeve. We like the cuff to be is just below the elbow for 3/4-length sleeves. Lengthen or shorten sleeve as needed.

BODY LENGTH

Body length is 2” longer in the front than the back. This allows for blousing when putting hands in the kangaroo pocket. Lengthen or shorten pieces 1,2,5, and 6.

LOWER BAND FITTING

Self fabric lower bands may stretch more than ribbing. I don’t know a better way to fit other than basting the band to the bottom of the top and trying on. Adjust if needed.

NECKLINE

Try on the tissue and place the 2”-wide band on the front lapping seamlines. If the neckline is too low decide how much higher you want it. Raise the front neckline by adding tissue and remove the same amount with a tuck in the lower band.

neckline

shoulder seam

Because the shoulder seam sits toward the back in this loose-fitting top we didn’t address shoulders.

shoulder seam

HIGH ROUND BACK

If you normally raise the back neck do the alteration on this top. Draw a line from center back neck seam to shoulder. Cut and raise center back 1/4” to 5/8”.

If you are very rounded in the back and need more than 5/8” in length, follow the low round back alteration steps in the guide.

BUST

Like all Palmer/Pletsch patterns, we suggest tissue-fitting even though this top is oversized. Most full-busted people won’t need an FBA (full bust adjustment). However, the alteration lines are on the tissue and the how tos in the guide if needed.

NOTE: If width is good but the front hikes up due to a full bust you could add at the bottom of the center front and taper to nothing at the sides.

NOTE: Drag lines pointing to the bust are caused by the kimono sleeves. When arms are down the excess fabric points to the bust.

THE NECK BAND

Remember to check neckline depth. Where do you want the top of the V to be on your body? See the previous fit tip. Sew the center back seam in the band and band facing. Trim seam and understitch through band facing and seam allowances. Press rolling the seam toward the facing so it doesn’t show. If the fabric is thick, the facing may be larger than the band. Trim the excess facing away!

Understitch through facing and seam allowances from the right side.

neck band
check band fit

check band fit

Match the CF snips, then pin. Try on to check depth. You could lap the ends a little more or less if needed.

RIBBING TIP

I used matching ribbing for the blue sweatshirt band and self fabric for the facing. The seam stretched when I understitched the seam allowances to the facing side.

blue sweatshirt band ribbing

No worry. Right sides together lightly press the edge. Let it cool. It will ease in.

With a long basting stitch, baste raw edges together.

ATTACHING NECK BAND

Pin band to neck right sides together. If you’ve snipped CB and CF and the notches, match them. The band is stretched to fit the neck in the curved areas. I pinned in the seam line parallel to the edge and checked it from the right side. Then I machine basted all but the lower third making it easier to slip on and see how the band looked.

Pin band to neck.
Attach band to neck.

From the right side I hand slip stitched in the fold where it was not basted and removed pins to sew. Your seam allowance may end up deeper or shallower. It’s OK if needed to make the band fit smoothly.

Pin band to eck. Hand slip stitch

When everything looked good I permanently sewed the band. To finish I serged the seam allowance to 3/8” or a little larger, then topstitched 1/4” from the seam. Don’t serge narrower than 3/8” or you won’t catch the seam allowances.

CUFFS—TIPS FOR THE TRICKY PARTS

From the back you can see that the cuffs wrap back over front. So place them on the table and lap with right sides out to look like the photo of my top. Baste raw edges together. Would it help to put a note on each LEFT and RIGHT??? Probably a good idea.

cuff tips
cuff close-up
left and right cuffs

The upper arm/shoulder seam makes a V at the lower edge and is a little tricky. To make it easier, staystitch on the seamline and clip to stitching.

Pin cuff to sleeve matching the snip to the cuff point. Pin on staystitching so you can catch the sleeve before pivoting to sew the other side of the point.

Sew toward point. Stop at the snip. Lower the needle. Pivot and stitch the other side.
Press the seam allowance toward the sleeve and edgstitch next to seam from right side.

pivot at corner

POCKET CONSIDERATIONS

Even though the pocket is the first thing you sew, the photos of the insides of my sweatshirts with my pocket lining experiments is admittedly rather ugly, so I didn’t want to start the blog there. But the outsides are beautiful because the self-fabric facings hide the lining in the pocket opening.

Keep the inside of the facing flat by zigzagging over the raw edge to the lining.

outside of pocket

POCKET FABRICS

I had no idea of what to use. So I bought 1/3rd yards of three fabrics and used one from my stash. I figured it should be a knit like the top.

pocket fabric

My Favorite!

Lightweight rayon jersey with a soft brushed finish. I preshrunk the fabric. It feels good to my hands when in the pockets.

NOTE: The pocket lining layers are sewn together down the middle, creating two pockets.

The prettiest!

Polyester mesh is lightweight, washable, and wiggles a lot when cutting and handling. I love that it matches. It doesn’t look quite so ugly!

The cheapest!

This was the first top I made and I did not buy pocket fabric. I have a stash! In it I found this 1970s Qiana nylon doubleknit. It didn’t need preshrinking, and though heavier than the others, it didn’t droop too much. It sure feels good.

My least favorite!

This is a poly/spandex interlock. It feels good to the hands, sewed easily, but it was a weighty knit and drooped to below the band and showed. Remember, it’s not a sewing disaster if you can fix it! I needed to make the center lighter in weight!

I smoothed out the pocket and chalked a line where I would sew it lower at the CF leaving room for my hands at the sides.

chalk a cutting line

I serged, cutting away pocket fabric to make it narrower in the middle. Now it doesn’t show below the lower band! It worked!

Pati Palmer wearing her last pattern

I hope you will sew this fun top and get lots of enjoyment wearing it.

SOURCES FOR SWEATSHIRT FABRICS

Support your local fabric stores first. Check out stylemakerfabrics.com for fabrics with matching ribbing.

FOND MEMORIES DESIGNING PATTERNS

Golly, I am going to miss designing for the pattern companies. I have so many stories I could tell. Fond memories include this poster printed by McCall’s in 1983. Our jaws dropped when we saw Dynasty stars Linda Evans and Joan Collins and another licensee, Brook Shields on the poster as well. When I met Brook in Sun Valley, Idaho, I told her I also design for McCall’s. She said, “I know who you are!” Again, amazed! Another time McCall’s invited us to a dinner they hosted for another licensee, Olympic skater Peggy Flemming. They built her an ice rink for an event at a trade show. (They were selling a lot of patterns in those days!!)

THE FUTURE

After designing and writing the guidesheets for 295 McCall’s patterns, two Vogue, and 33 Butterick for a total of 330 guidesheets, I have decided to pass the baton and let my daughter Melissa Watson Ellis continue supplying Palmer/Pletsch patterns to McCall’s. And for Butterick, see below!

Most of all I appreciate all of you who have trusted us to be a resource for you and given us feedback, pattern ideas, and who have appeared in our books and blogs through the years.

Happy Sewing!

Pati Palmer

THE NEW PALMER/PLETSCH PATTERN DESIGNER FOR BUTTERICK PATTERNS

Tammie Pontsler

For information about Tammie’s other adventures, go to her website— https://tammiepontsler.com/

Meet Tammie Pontsler, new designer for Butterick Palmer/Pletsch patterns.

Because I want the Butterick Palmer/Pletch patterns to keep helping current and future sewists with fit and sewing tips, I decided to step down so someone else could step up. I met Tammie Pontsler at our workshops. She was teaching for San Diego College of Continuing Education. During the pandemic she asked Helen Bartley and me to do online fit classes for their instructors. I got to know her and admired all that she did. After working with me for a year, she has agreed to take over my ButterickPalmer/Pletsch patterns. And, Butterick has confidence in her as well.

She is now located in Grand Rapids, Mich. and has a sewing and teaching studio in her home. Not only will she be designing new Butterick Palmer/Pletsch patterns, she is teaching our online classes. She has had a lot of practice from her days of college teaching. There are 1 1/2-hour webinars, 3-hour interactive hands-on classes, and 2-day workshops. 
ONLINE WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS
online Zoom workshops and webinars

READ THE BLOG ANNOUNCING THAT TAMMIE IS THE NEW PALMER/PLETSCH PATTERN DESIGNER AT BUTTERICK

Blog about Tammie Ponstler
READ THE BLOG

TEACHER FEATURE—lyndsey stanfill

Lyndsey Stanfill is a Certified Palmer/Pletsch Sewing Instructor and offers Palmer/Pletsch Workshops in her Louisville, Ky. school, Made Stitch Company. She has offered The Polished Sweatshirt hands-on sewing class in her studio.

Made Stitch Company

Lyndsey Stanfill wears her polished sweatshirt as she prepares to teach a class on sewing it.

Lyndsey Stanfill in Polished Sweatshirt
Palmer/Pletsch, the Fit Experts

WE OFFER AN ARRAY OF RESOURCES FOR SEWISTS​

digital books

Palmer/Pletsch digital flip books

PATTERNS

PERFECT PATTERN PAPER

Perfect Pattern Paper

WORKSHOPS

Palmer/Pletsch workshops

INTERFACINGS

Perfect Fuse Interfacings

STREAMING VIDEOS

fitting videos

VISIT PALMERPLETSCH.COM and palmerpletschdigital.com TO LEARN MORE

palmerpletsch.com
palmerpletschdigital.com
]]> https://palmerpletsch.blog/my-final-pattern/feed/ 9 TURNING A 2-PIECE DRESS INTO A 1-PIECE DRESS https://palmerpletsch.blog/turning-a-2-piece-dress-into-a-1-piece-dress/ https://palmerpletsch.blog/turning-a-2-piece-dress-into-a-1-piece-dress/#respond Sat, 11 Jan 2025 21:35:43 +0000 https://palmerpletsch.blog/?p=6542

TURNING A 2-PIECE DRESS INTO A 1-PIECE DRESS BY ELIMINATING THE WAISTLINE SEAM

BY HELEN BARTLEY

The previous blog by Pati Palmer is about how a fitted dress can be a great fit tool. It is similar to the sloper the pattern company uses to design its patterns. On day one of my 4-day Palmer/Pletsch Fit Workshops, we start by fitting the Butterick 6849 sheath dress, which features The Palmer/Pletsch Tissue-Fitting Method. This fit pattern will teach you how you vary from the most fitted garment you’d ever make.

For those who would never wear a fitted dress, we call the altered tissue of the bodice, sleeve, and skirt a “road map of your body.” Keep the pattern pieces handy so you can refer to them when sewing other garments. It is like having a visual checklist for tissue-fitting.

Butterick Palmer/Pletsch sheath dress fit pattern B6847

I discourage making the waist-seam dress in the 4-day Fit Workshop because achieving a perfect waistline seam is very time-consuming. There wouldn’t be time left over to fit other fashion patterns. Howerver, to accommodate students who want a classic fitted sheath, I decided to eliminate the waist seam. This makes the dress easier to fit, sew, and wear.

In a recent workshop Kindra eliminated the waist seam, fitted the tissue, then the fabric. She will sew it at home and move on to fitting more designs in class.

I wrote this blog post to show you how to eliminate the waist seam and make a one-piece sheath dress.

PREPARE THE TISSUE

Trim the tissue to your size. Mark the stitching lines at armhole and neckline at 5/8”. The waist and side seam allowances are 1”. Tape neck and armholes just inside the stitching lines to reinforce the tissue. Clip the neck and lower armhole curves to the tape. Lap the bodice and waist seams at the center fronts and backs. Keep the center edges of the bodice and skirt on grain in a straight line. This means the waist seamlines won’t lap exactly on top of each other as you work your way toward the side seams. That is okay.

DARTS

The vertical darts won’t match. Initially, extend the center foldline of the bodice darts into the skirt a few inches. Dart depth and length will depend on your shape and can be adjusted during tissue-fitting.

prepare the tissue - darts

TRY ON THE TISSUE

With the darts and the side and shoulder seams pinned wrong sides together, try on. Make sure the shoulder seam is centered and all the way to your neck.

BROAD BACK

First, I checked the back to see if I needed a broad back. The center back is coming to my center back. If it didn’t, I’d do a broad back alteration before checking the front to decide if I needed a bust alteration.

center back

full bust adjustment

I used the high bust measurement to determine my pattern size to get a good neck and chest fit, but I am full busted and will need to do a bust adjustment

Full bust adjustment - helen bartley

I am measuring from the bodice center front to the pin I placed at my center front. I need 1/2”. I will follow the guidesheet for how to alter using the bust alteration lines printed on the pattern.

measuring bodice center

ALTERED FOR FULL BUST

full bust alteration in tissue

Since the skirt is attached, I lengthened line 1 to the bottom of the skirt. The front now comes to my center front.

BONUS
This alteration lowers the bust darts and now they are perfect.

full bust alteration on tissue

GAP IN BACK ARMHOLE

The back shoulder has ease or a dart to fit the shoulder blade roundness. My blade is fuller than the pattern. The wrinkle points to the shoulder blade and causes a gap in the back armhole.

I added 1/2” width to the back armhole for my bigger blade bump. Adding a 1/2” shoulder dart and using the ease allowed will make the back shoulder fit the front shoulder.

tissue alteration for gap in back armhole

SWAY BACK

The center back swings toward my right side. I take a tuck above the waist and now it hangs straight.

In the left photo the tissue swings to the right. In the right photo, after the tuck is taken, the tissue hangs straight.

sway back adjustment in tissue
the sway back tuck on the tissue piece

To make the sway  back tuck I used the lines on the pattern and brought the two outside lines together. I will take off the pattern and taper the tuck to nothing at the side seam.

The tuck bent the grainline, so from tip to tip I straightened it. The center back seam will curve in at the waist.

grainline bent after swayback tuck taken

ARMHOLE AND NECKLINE REDESIGN

My personal preference was to have a lower front neckline and narrower shoulders for the sleeveless dress. I am marking new seamlines. 

I added seam allowances and trimmed to new cutting lines.

neckline lowered and armhole narrowed

BACK DART LENGTH

The back dart puckers because it needs to be lengthened toward my shoulder blade where we used a red pin.

back dart lengthened to eliminate pucker

FINAL FITTING

I marked the center line of my front dart. I pinned the darts for tissue-fitting. Even if I adjust the length and width in tissue, I will need to take another look when I fabric-fit.

I decided that even though this patterrn has 1” side seam allowances, I want it looser below the waist. I will add width from below the armhole to the hem when cutting my fabric.

center line of front dart marked
final fitting

FABRIC FITTING TIPS

fabric fitting back view
I pinned the dress wrong sides together and tried it on. In workshops we often skip the zipper and go straight to pin-fitting, but when you are at home, it’s much easier to try the dress on with the zipper sewn in. I like the fit, but made a few adjustments:
 
• My right shoulder is lower than my left, so I took the shoulder seam ¼” deeper at the armhole, tapering to nothing at the neckline.
 
• I restitched the horizontal bust darts to lower the points by ¼”. (This makes the darts slightly less angled.) 
 
• I sewed the vertical darts 1/8” deeper, front and back. 
 
• I let out the side seams 1/2” beginning at the hip and continuing to the hem. 
 
• I sewed and pressed all the darts except the bust darts. I want to try the dress on again before I make them permanent. 

Hmmm. Not quite right.

The side is looking pretty good.

I machine basted the shoulder and side seams right sides together and tried it on again to make sure I liked the fit.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE FINISHED DRESS

Helen Bartley modeling finished dress - front view

Before I share sewing tips for the dress I will tell you why I really like this dress. Rayon was a good fabric choice. It shapes and drapes well on the body. It is also easy to press and sew. I am happy I made the dress a little fuller from the underarm down. It is very comfortable to wear and the back slit makes the long length easy for walking.

Helen Bartley in sheath dress, showing neckline and arms

The narrower shoulder and lower neckline are perfect for the sleeveless version.

I made the dress in black wool crepe with long sleeves for cooler weather.

NOW LET’S SEW THE DRESS!

MY FAVORITE SEWING TIPS

PRESS HORIZONTAL BUST DARTS UP, NOT DOWN

After fitting and being sure the darts point to the bust, I pressed them up and serged off the excess dart legs so the darts are less visible. Having narrower dart legs is especially important if you are very full busted.

TWO AMAZING TIPS

I am including two methods you will use over and over again. The first is a method that Pati used in a sleeveless top lined to the edge. The art is very clear. Be accurate with seam allowances so back and front shoulders are the same width. You will need only to hand-finish the opening at the armhole with a slipstitch.

all in one facings

This sewing method is the easiest for making the shoulder seams and armhole edges smooth and even.

Stitch the front to the back at the side seams. Leave the shoulder seams unstitched. Do the same for the facing pieces.

With right sides together, pin the facing to the dress, matching notches, centers, circles and seams. Stitch the neck edges. Stitch the armhole edges stopping 3” before the shoulder edge.

Clip the curved edges and trim the seam allowances.

Turn right side out and press.

Open out the shoulders. Pin the front and back matching the neck seams of fabric and lining. Stitch in one continuous seam across the shoulders. Trim and press.

Turn the shoulders back, folding under the remaining armhole edges along the outside seamlines. Press and slipstitch the edges together. 

ZIPPER/FACING FINISHED BY MACHINE

The second is a tip I learned from Marta Alto in her video It’s in the Details. It is the best method for attaching the facing neatly to an invisible  zipper totally by machine. 

I will photograph the steps in the combined order using the two techniques. Sew the zipper first before sewing side seams. 

FYI: You can buy and download or stream this video from the Palmer/Pletsch website, palmerpletschdigital.com. It is the best video to learn important sewing challenges.

STABILIZE THE INVISIBLE ZIPPER AREA

In preparation for the invisible zipper, I laid the pattern on top of my fabric to make sure both sides of the back kept the pattern shape.

I reinforced the center back with ¾”-wide strips of PerfectFuse Sheer interfacing with the stable direction lengthwise. I fused these strips to the wrong side of the center back, then serge-finished the raw edges.

INVISIBLE ZIPPER

Using 1/8” double-sided basting tape makes inserting an invisible zipper a snap.

ZIPPER PLACEMENT IS IMPORTANT

Place the top stop just below the 5/8” neck seamline.

Place the teeth 1/2” from the raw edge of the back and face down on the right side of the fabric.

The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting has excellent step-by-step instructions for a perfect invisible zipper.

When the zipper is in, sew the side seams, press them toward the front, and serge-finish the seam allowances together.

invisible zipper

ALL IN ONE FACINGS

Pin facings together at the side seams. Sew the facing side seams, trim to ½”, and press open.

all in one facings

Lay the facing over the dress, right side together, making sure the side seams match. We’ll true up the shoulder seams and make them match perfectly before we sew them in the last step of the facing.

all in one facings

Serge-finish the bottom edge of the facings.

all in one facings

Trim 5/8” off the center back of the facings.

all in one facings

Open up the zipper and line up the facing center back with the edge of the zipper tape. Be sure you have the facing flat with no twists as it goes around the dress. 

Pin facing center backs to edges of opened zipper.

Using a zipper foot, stitch facings to zipper tape ¼” from the center back.

Turn facings to right side and check to make sure facing bottom edges line up at the red oval. If not, you can restitch to make them match.

all in one facings

NOTE: Shoulder seams are sewn last. The openings at the armhole will be hand-sewn closed.

Working with wrong sides out again, turn center back seam allowance tightly over the zipper teeth and pin the neckline edges together.

all in one facings

On the back, sew the facing in place from each center back to shoulder edge at 5/8”.

Sew the back neck facing to dress at 5/8”.

On the front, stitch the facing in place at 5/8”.

all in one facings

Sew armhole seam at 5/8”, starting and stopping stitching 3” from each shoulder.

all in one facings

Trim and grade neckline and underarm seams except in the unstitched armhole seams. Leave shoulders untrimmed to make pressing and hand stitching easier. Clip curved areas.

all in one facings

Turn facing to inside by pulling through the shoulders.

A FEW LAST NOTES

This rayon pressed nicely, and since I cut my facings 1/8” smaller at the neckline and armholes, the seams pressed easily to the underside.

Even though it is optional, I decided to understitch the armholes and front neckline facings as far as I could to help keep them from showing.

REFER to ART earlier in this post for finishing.

Sew shoulder seams right sides together at 5/8”. Press open over a point turner. Slipstitch remaining open armhole seams closed.

LEARN HOW TO USE THE SHEATH DRESS PATTERN AS A FITTING TOOL IN THIS BLOG:

The Classic Sheath Dress is a Fit Tool
Palmer/Pletsch, the Fit Experts

WE OFFER AN ARRAY OF RESOURCES FOR SEWISTS​

FREE EDUCATIONAL HANDOUTS
educational handouts

digital books

Palmer/Pletsch digital flip books

FITTING PATTERNS

PERFECT PATTERN PAPER

Perfect Pattern Paper

WORKSHOPS

Palmer/Pletsch workshops

INTERFACINGS

Perfect Fuse Interfacings

STREAMING VIDEOS

fitting videos

LIVE ZOOM CLASSES

online Zoom workshops and webinars

OR FIND A CERTIFIED TEACHER NEAR YOU​

VISIT PALMERPLETSCH.COM and palmerpletschdigital.com TO LEARN MORE

palmerpletsch.com
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PHOTOS FROM A FIT WORKSHOP

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]]> https://palmerpletsch.blog/turning-a-2-piece-dress-into-a-1-piece-dress/feed/ 0 THE CLASSIC SHEATH DRESS IS A FIT TOOL https://palmerpletsch.blog/the-classic-sheath-dress-is-a-fit-tool/ https://palmerpletsch.blog/the-classic-sheath-dress-is-a-fit-tool/#comments Wed, 18 Dec 2024 01:49:47 +0000 https://palmerpletsch.blog/?p=6449

THE CLASSIC FIT DRESS IS A FIT TOOL

By Pati Palmer

This simple fitted dress may not be for everyone, but it is a great tool for learning to fit. It is the sloper the pattern companies use for drafting most designs other than pants.

Since you can’t try on a pattern before you buy it like you can in ready-to-wear, we appreciate that the pattern companies use standardized measurements. Then if you find out how you are different from the fitted sloper, you can alter any design and know what to look for.

WHAT IS A SLOPER?

To draft designs, pattern companies use the basic parts of a fitted garment.  For dresses they include a bodice, skirt and sleeve. 
Slopers used to be cut out of tag board for easy hand drafting. Today much of the design and drafting is computer-generatted.

Tag board slopers
sheath dress fashion art

Read on about how and why we were determined to make the sloper into a better fitting tool!

Read our next blog post: “Turning a 2-Piece Dress into a 1-Piece Dress by Eliminating the Waist Seam,” by Helen Bartley (More about that at the end of this blog.)

Pati Pamer and Susan Pletsch and the Vogue fit pattern

GOAL: TO MAKE FITTING EASIER

In 1978 Susan Pletsch and I, when creating a basic dress fit pattern for Vogue, wondered how we could make the sloper easier to use as a fit tool. Could we have five fronts for different bra cup sizes? Could the dress be sewn in 1/4” gingham checked fabric with built-in cross- and lengthwise grainlines in order to better see fit issues? Yes was the answer to both questions.

For the guidesheet, the fit pattern was sewn in 1/4” gingham check fabric. The dress was photographed on a model showing each fit issue by looking at the grainline and wrinkles. The art showed where and how to alter.

To make altering easier, we added “outlets” to the tissue for bodice and sleeve length and “in case” seam allowances (wider than necessary “in case” you needed them).

To achieve greater accuracy, we decided against multisizing in our fit pattern; we preferred to include stitching lines printed on the pattern. Once you fit and alter the pattern to fit you it becomes your “road map” to fit the most fitted of patterns.

 

Since fashions include various amounts of ease, we added practice garments. Included in the pattern were a blouse, shirtdress, skirt, and vest. You’ll make your alterations that are not affected by ease like high round back in these garments, but some like full bust may be smaller adjustments depending on the ease.

TEACHING WITH THE VOGUE FIT PATTERN

After the fit pattern became available, we made up bodices in gingham. With its visible grainlines, it made fit decisions easier. Since the pattern included fronts for five bra cup sizes, we sewed the bodices in in the nine sizes, making a total of 45. Letting our students try them on was an easy way to find the right size and see necessary alterations.  At last! A method that worked more easily!

By 1980 we had nine home economists teaching 3-hour seminars across North America. Those teaching fit let thousands of women try on the ginghams to determine the correct size.

Marta Alto fitting Vogue gingham bodice
Denise tried on the pre-sewn gingham fitting shells. Marta determined she needed a size 8 with a D-cup front. She needed to learn to alter the B-cup front to fit because patterns are mostly made for B-cups.

When Marta Alto and I trained teachers, we gave them gingham yardage in nine colors to sew 45 try-on gingham shells. They sewed each of the nine pattern sizes in five bra cup sizes A, B, C, D, and DD using a different color for each size group. Since standard patterns are made for a B bra cup, the gingham shells with bust cup options made it easier to determine the best size to fit the neck, upper chest, and shoulders. Then we taught how to enlarge (or decrease) the tissue to fit the bust. We learned to much during those years!

NEW FIT PATTERN FOR McCALL'S

1986 fit pattern M2718

In 1986, a few years after switching to McCall’s, I created a fit pattern similar to the Vogue concept. We included the shirt and shirtdress for practicing fit in a garment that had more ease. 

By 1992 we realized that neither of our previous patterns told you they were fit patterns. Were we keeping it a secret? McCall’s realized that and updated the cover to feature the sheath sewn in gingham. 

In the next fit pattern we eliminated the gingham and all of the outlets. Read on…

the switch from gingham to tissue-fitting

In 1991 we further developed the tissue-fitting method, which replaced gingham and allowed us to actually do the altering for our students without their needing to sew and fit the gingham. But, without the years of looking at the wrinkles and grainline in the gingham on real bodies, we may never have learned how to recognize fit issues. Marta still liked using the gingham shells to determine size, but I insisted that we teach how to buy the right size by measuring the high bust and no longer require our teachers to sew 45 bodices. We needed to teach them how to determine size without the try-ons.

Marta ingeniously realized a broad back adds circumference in the high bust area where we measure for size. That meant a person with a broad back might choose a pattern size too large for her chest/shoulder area. Marta noticed that a “rounded” back normally meant a broad back, so that person usually needed one size smaller plus a broad back alteration.

high bust measurement
high bust measurement

In 1994 I started adding alteration lines to the tissue for all of my McCall’s patterns. After 20 more years of practicing tissue-fitting on students Marta and I wanted to update the fitting pattern, that included the tissue-fitting method. Alteration lines and some 1” seam allowances were added to the tissue and altering instructions added to the guide.

In 1998, Marta and I finished our first fit book, Fit for Real People. In Chapter 1 we explained why we were looking for a better way to teach how to fit. Here I recap how the basic sheath dress patterns evolved as a fit tool over 37 years of teaching fit.

high bust measurement

In our new book we explained:

Measuring Didn’t Work

During the 1970s, Marta and I used a full set of body measurements to determine size and alter a pattern. It was hard and not always accurate. We wanted an easier way.

measuring didn't work

Muslins Were Tedious

We tried making and altering muslin and gingham. Students complained that they took TOO much time! They wanted an easier way.

Tissue-Fitting the Easy Way

Trying on and altering tissue was easier. What you see is what you get! If the altered tissue looks good, move on to cutting and fabric-fitting.

model showing tissue fitting

Our book was the first to show tissue-fitting and photos of doing it on REAL people. And, with that, we would need to create the third and last new fit pattern. 

THE NEWEST FIT PATTERN

In 2015 the new pattern debuted without the outlets, but with alteration lines printed on the tissue and 1” in-case side and waist seam allowances.

It included only the sheath dress with a few fashion variations for sleeve and skirt length. We no longer needed the five bust-cup-sized fronts. It was more accurate to try on the standard B-cup front and measure the pattern CF to your CF to find the extra width needed, if any.

The envelope includes sizes 6-22 with three sizes grouped on each large sheet of tissue. This makes it much easier for teachers, because they don’t have to guess which sizes to have on hand for classes.

The guidesheet addresses size and most alterations:

McCall's Palmer/Pletsch sheath dress fit pattern M7279
Butterick Palmer/Pletsch sheath dress fit pattern B6847

In 2020 when the pattern company, now made up of all the major brands, asked me to move my designs to Butterick, the sheath fitting pattern became Butterick 6849.

The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting book

THE NEWEST FIT BOOK

In 2018, Palmer/Pletsch published The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting to provide even more guidance in the Palmer/Pletsch Tissue-Fitting Method. The book shows almost every imaginable alteration and includes a “Wrinkle Dictionary” to help identify fit issues.

So that is the story of how the dress fit pattern became a tool for learning to fit. It evolved over 37 years of practice using it to teach fit and making it continuously better by creating two fit books, three fit patterns for three different companies, and most importantly to help sewists understand fit better. 
 
In the next blog, Helen shows how she eliminates the waistline seam.
 
                              Enjoy,
Pati Palmer
Palmer/Pletsch blog — Turning a 2-piece dress into a 1-piece dress

Our next blog post is a different take on using the sheath dress pattern:

TURNING A 2-PIECE DRESS INTO A 1-PIECE DRESS BY ELIMINATING THE WAIST SEAM

By Helen Bartley

Helen connects the bodice and skirt to make a one-piece dress and fits and sews this dress from a rayon print.

Helen discourages making a fitted dress with a waist seam in the 4-day Fit Workshop. It takes too much time and students wouldn’t be able to fit many other styles. Helen taught them to turn it into a one-piece sheath dress and sew to the fabric-fitting stage and finish at home. Those wanting to do this were very happy with the results!

LEARN ABOUT OUR WORKSHOPS
Palmer/Pletsch workshop participants making a 1-piece dress
Palmer/Pletsch, the Fit Experts

WE OFFER AN ARRAY OF RESOURCES FOR SEWISTS​

FREE EDUCATIONAL HANDOUTS
educational handouts

digital books

Palmer/Pletsch digital flip books

FITTING PATTERNS

PERFECT PATTERN PAPER

Perfect Pattern Paper

WORKSHOPS

Palmer/Pletsch workshops

INTERFACINGS

Perfect Fuse Interfacings

STREAMING VIDEOS

fitting videos

LIVE ZOOM CLASSES

online Zoom workshops and webinars

OR FIND A CERTIFIED TEACHER NEAR YOU

VISIT PALMERPLETSCH.COM and palmerpletschdigital.com TO LEARN MORE

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]]> https://palmerpletsch.blog/the-classic-sheath-dress-is-a-fit-tool/feed/ 6 A Tribute to Marta Alto https://palmerpletsch.blog/a-tribute-to-marta-alto/ https://palmerpletsch.blog/a-tribute-to-marta-alto/#comments Fri, 25 Oct 2024 20:38:30 +0000 https://palmerpletsch.blog/?p=6162

IN MEMORIUM: A TRIBUTE TO MARTA ALTO —1945-2024

by Pati Palmer, Palmer/Pletsch
colleague, co-author, and friend

Marta Alto shared her sewing expertise with sewists from around the world for over 50 years. To become the teacher we admired, she became a prolific sewer and became good enough to teach everything from jeans to blazers.

Susan Pletsch and I formed Palmer/Pletsch in 1975. We wrote and published sewing books featuring new technology that appeared in Mother Pletsch’s Painless Sewing, Easy, Easier, Easiest Tailoring, Sewing Ultrasuede® Fabric, Sewing with Sergers and Creative Serging. Marta was so fascinated with all the new technologies that she became an expert in each topic and contributed to early books before she ever became an author.

Sewing fashion was her passion, but she also enjoyed the needle arts and dabbled in knitting, both hand and machine. If it added to her creative abilities, it caught her attention.

After traveling the world teaching Palmer/Pletsch 3-hour seminars, Marta became co-author of several new Palmer/Pletsch large-format books, the primary talent in most of our videos, and an outstanding teacher of 4- and 5-day Palmer/Pletsch workshops in Portland.

We miss Marta every day, but what makes me most sad is that since Marta and I lived so close to each other, I was looking forward to growing old with her and reminiscing over all the things we shared, created together, and experienced. I will share many of these in this tribute blog post.

I was looking at one of the fit books we created together, in which, next to her bio, she wrote the beautiful message at right to her students and the teachers she helped train. It appears beneath her photo on the author page of The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting. It was from her heart, her tribute and thank-you.

Marta Alto

MARTA GIVES SPECIAL THANKS

I can’t believe I have been teaching sewing for 50 years!! I’ve loved seeing my students learn, particularly when they have those aha moments. I truly want to thank all of the ladies who have taken my seminars and hands-on classes and workshops. I learned as I was teaching—especially fit, which has been a continual learning experience. Thanks for loaning your bodies for fit practice!

I have been so lucky to have worked with Pati and to have had the opportunity to travel and teach all over the world. I’ve been to every state in the US, many of them every year for 20 years, as well as many times to Canada and Australia. What a fantastic career!!

Marta Alto signature

MARTA TAUGHT FOR PALMER/PLETSCH BEGINNING IN 1981 AND RETIRED IN 2021—40 YEARS

It was appropriate that Marta retired after Sewing Camp. It was her favorite class. You had to be REALLY GOOD to be able to help with whatever garments the campers brought to be fitted and sewn. The first years of camp, Marta took six to eight students. With so many students wanting to repeat camp, she took 12. That is when she asked me to be there to help fit the first days. When camp grew to 16, we added Helen Bartley to the teacher roster, and the three of us kept busy having so much fun with each other and the students. Many campers returned year after year, some as many as once a year for 20+ years.

Sewing Camp continues and we channel Marta for help with tough decisions. She always sends the right answer to our minds! Due to a smaller classroom than the “football field” at Fabric Depot, we now limit camp to six, but we’ve added several more dates per year to accommodate! Thanks to Marta we’ve added camp to our other locations around the United States.

We held a surprise retirement luncheon during Sewing Camp in July 2021, Marta’s last workshop. I had to choose from a huge collection of workshop photos to create this card (with the help of my Design Director, Linda Wisner). Everyone at the workshop signed it.

Marta Alto retirement card

Some of these women, and many others, wrote to me after Marta died, sharing their memories of her. Further down in this blog, read about her memorial service and then the tributes many of you sent us about your experiences with Marta.

FROM MARTA’S DAUGHTER, ANASTASIA ALTO

OBITUARY

Marta Alto, an icon in the sewing industry, passed May 10, 2024. Born in Seattle Jan. 6, 1945, to a civil engineer Mark Westling and Olive (Parsons), an artist. Her family eventually landed in Eugene where her father worked as a government consultant at the University of Oregon in the urban planning department. She soon had two siblings, Molly and John. Through her young years she found passion and inspiration in fashion. She learned how to sew at age 10 and through high school and college realized she not only had the creativity but the technical talent to exceed in the trade.
 
Her formal education started at Oregon State University in the home economics program. During college Marta worked at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival learning costume design in the summer. Her first official job was at San Francisco State College in the drama department, working as an assistant costume designer. In 1967 she married and had her son Chris. Soon, she became a single mother and, to have more flexibility for her son, she was hired to create the couture designer boutique at the Crest Room, a clothing department at Meier & Frank in downtown Portland (as shared in an article in the Oregonian newspaper in 1973).
 
This career move ended up being the start of a long career in the sewing industry with her footprint having a direct impact in modernizing the field. Soon Palmer/Pletsch was formed and Marta joined Pati Palmer as a long-standing business associate.
 
Marta married Jerry Alto, a video producer, in 1974 and had a daughter, Anastasia. Marta traveled across the US, Canada and Australia teaching seminars, then became an instructor for their famous 4-day workshops. Palmer/Pletsch provided sewing instruction that allows the hobbyist to create clothes that truly look custom-made. They created a large instructional video library (with Jerry), instruction books, and sewing notions. Marta was an innovator who worked in the sewing industry for 49 years, retiring at 76.
 
Marta was a forever friend, staying connected with old and new friends over the phone and with correspondence. She was always busy if not traveling, working on books, or preparing for workshops. She filled her free time needlepointing, embroidering, reading, quilting, and gardening. Marta made hundreds of angels with her embroidery machine that she shared as holiday ornaments. She was a creative cook who knew how to throw together ingredients to impress. She was a musical and jazz lover who could be caught singing in tune to musicals.
 
Soon she had grandchildren Maddox, Odin and Mathilda and loved visiting with them while making cookies, going to the Oregon coast, and making stuffed animals. Her contagious laugh will be missed by her husband, Jerry; son, Chris Alto and daughter-in-law, Sandy; her daughter, Anastasia Alto and son-in-law Corey Blodgett; her sister, Molly Brann, and brother-in-law, Dave Brann; and her brother, John Westling. She touched so many in her life and work.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

You may have noticed student photos in our books and how we unapologetically included family and friends as well!
 
Our daughters were not immune from being in our sewing sphere, whether it be in a 4-H club or photos for our books and patterns. As toddlers they wanted to learn to sew. When Anastasia was only 11, she was the youngest student ever to take the Palmer/Pletsch 4-day Serger Workshop!

They were always good sports.

The 1992 McCall’s pattern M5774 at right featured our daughters and those of some of our friends:
Anastasia is on the far right. Melissa is the ballerina. Kelsey Black, daughter of Lynette Black, author of Dream Sewing Spaces, is the small one on the beam. On the left with the yellow ribbon and tights is my college sorority sister Joanie Barclay’s daughter Haley.

a page from The Serger Idea Book.

Marta sewed many creative garments for The Serger Idea Book, like the ones on our models that included Anastasia’s party dress.

Jackets for Real People book

Anastasia became a cover girl on our jacket book along with her mom who sewed all three jackets.

THROUGH THE YEARS

Even though Marta didn’t officially start with Palmer/Pletsch until 1981, I’d worked with her at Meier & Frank since the 1970s before and after Susan and I had formed Palmer/Pletsch. Here are some early photos.

Marta Alto watches Pati Palmer and Susan Pletsch sign books in 1977

In 1977 Marta watched Susan and me sign the Painless Sewing book that included her famous “Marta’s Painless Placket.” Did she know then that she’d be doing book signings herself 20 years later?

We published The Serger Idea Book in 1988 as a collaboration of then traveling Palmer/Pletsch seminar instructors who submitted their creatively sewn projects for photography and instructions.

Marta designed and sewed the cover photo jacket from houndstooth wool with serger and Ultrasuede trim. She made the flower from the same silk charmeuse as the blouse, with rolled edges stitched over wire.

Palmer/Pletsch people involved in The Serger Idea Book

This group of women were the team involved in creating The Serger Idea Book. Left to right: Linda Wisner and Lynn Raasch seated, Marta standing, Pati Palmer, Kathleen Spike, Karen Dillon (now deceased), and Ann Price Gosch (who later became and still is our main editor).

Sue Neall, Pati Palmer, and Marta Alto

Marta with Sue Neall, Palmer/Pletsch Australia, and me at the Puyallup Sew Expo in 2017.

2008 Fit-a-Thon

2008 Fit-A-Thon, a 5-day open fit for those who had taken fit and pant fit. It was one of our favorite Sewing Vacations!

below: 2011 Tailoring Workshop: Students wore finished jackets to graduation dinner at my home.

2011 Tailoring Workshop graduation photo

NEVER A DULL MOMENT

In 1980 there were nine Palmer/Pletsch home economists traveling North America teaching 900 seminars in one year. Twice a year everyone met in Portland to come up with ideas for the next season’s seminar topic. We had great fun.

For example, I needed a jacket to wear to commentate the AQS fashion show in Paducah, Ky., around 1985. I bought a lot of fabrics for Portland designer/artist/quilter Paula Marineau to sew a jacket for me to wear. I gave my leftover fabrics to Marta for a jacket. She gave her leftovers to Lynn Raasch, who gave hers to Terri Burns. It was the era of shoulder pads, high and wide.

We were about to take serger seminars on the road. These jackets allowed us to carry fewer samples because they displayed all kinds of creative serger techniques and a variety of decorative threads. The photo appeared in Creative Serging Illustrated, a joint venture of Palmer/Pletsch with Chilton.

Marta Alto with Lynn Rasch, Terri Burns, and Pati Palmer

Lynn Raasch, Terri Burns, and Pati Palmer with a seated Marta Alto.

MARTA LOVED USING OUR MCCALL’S PATTERNS AND MAKING THEM USER FRIENDLY

Susan Pletsch and I started with Vogue in 1975, then with McCall’s in 1980 until she retired. Marta was a huge help as I continued without Susan. Marta went with me to NYC many times to meet with McCall’s. She loved dining at the Bull & Bear in the Waldorf Astoria, where we sometimes stayed.

Pati and Marta at McCalls

Pati and Marta working with McCall’s Patterns in NYC to incorporate the Palmer/Pletsch Tissue-Fitting method into patterns and to show where to draw the alteration lines on the tissue.

Pati and Marta at McCalls

Marta and I with Benhaz Livian, head of pattern making, and Sid Tepper, design director.

Anyone who embroiders alteration lines on her shirt must be trusted by a pattern company to help get fit into commercial patterns. (Note lines 1, 2, 3 for bust adjustment on the front.)

MARTA’S BOOKS

Palmer/Pletsch book Fit for Real People
Jackets for Real People book
Palmer/Pletsch book Pants for Real People

I remember wondering in 1977 if Marta would be writing books someday. She co-authored the first edition of Pants for Real People 26 years later, for her first book signing in 2003.

The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting

Her last book signing was in 2018 for The Complete Guide to Fitting.

Learn more about Marta’s books HERE.

AND A FEW OF MARTA'S VIDEOS

Marta is the star of nearly all of the Palmer/Pletsch videos. She was a natural!

a few of Marta's videos

SEE VIDEO CLIPS FOR FREE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

YouTube video trailer
YouTube video trailer

To see free clips of Marta’s videos, including one of her first, Creative Serging (she was so young!), visit our Palmer/Pletsch YouTube channel. 

PALMER/PLETSCH YOUTUBE CHANNEL

FREE FASHION FOR REAL PEOPLE ONLINE MAGAZINE—2000-2012

Marta absolutely loved sewing, modeling and being in our magazine that lasted 12 years with 24 issues. Image consultant Ethel Harms helped with fashion trends and the photography. Marta and I created, sewed, and wrote content, and Linda Wisner designed the magazine.

Fashion for Real People newsletter
Fashion for Real People newsletter
Fashion for Real People newsletter
Fashion for Real People newsletter

Marta tastefully embroidered dresses, jackets, home dec pillows and curtains, and handbags shown in several issues of FFRP. She made delicate holiday ornaments including angels for her lucky friends, and explained how to use Perfect Sew liquid stabilizer on washable fabrics including sheers. Jeans became a passion, so she taught jeans sewing in a video, and embroidered jeans pockets for an issue.

I really miss the collaboration of all of us on the magazine. It allowed us to share the season’s fashions, patterns, and sewing techniques with those needing inspiration.

The fun consumed us for 11 years!

MARTA WAS KNOWN AS A FIT EXPERT

FIT THE TISSUE FIRST, THEN THE FABRIC

Helen Bartley, Marta, and Pati Palmer helping fit student Katharina Otani

Helen Bartley, Marta, and Pati tissue-fitting in 2019

Marta fabric-fitting Katharina Onanie, a regular from Tokyo.

Marta and I started tissue-fitting our students in the 1970s at Meier & Frank department store in Portland and perfected it over more than 40 years. The latest book is recommended by sewists as the road map to fitting fashion patterns for your body. In most cases tissue-fitting replaces making a muslin. (The preface in the book—The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting—gives the trajectory of our learning.)

Marta helped create free educational handouts about fitting, which are available on our website:

FREE EDUCATIONAL HANDOUTS

TEACHER DEVELOPMENT

Marta helped train our CSIs to make sure their teaching would help tissue-fitting catch on through them and the workshop locations, where those teachers also trained teachers.

See our website for a list of locations of workshops and all our CSIs offering classes, many on fitting.

Marta is with Tammie Pontsler, who is our online instructor and teaches in-person classes in her studio in Grand Rapids, Mich.

MARTA'S TEACHING LEGACY LIVES ON AS THESE CERTIFIED SEWING INSTRUCTORS TEACH "THE PALMER/PLETSCH METHOD OF FITTING AND SEWING" AT OUR WORKSHOP LOCATIONS

And we now offer online Zoom workshops and webinars, taught by Tammie Pontsler.

online Zoom workshops and webinars

Marta,

You are already missed by those you touched and especially by those at Palmer/Pletsch. Helen Bartley and I were channeling you during Camp this summer, asking, “What would Marta do?” Then the answers magically came. Thank you for being you! From all of us at Palmer/Pletsch.

Marta Alto with flowers
Marta's associates at memorial service

Memorial for Marta June 8, 2024

Ethel Harms, Lynnette Black, Lynn Raasch Benson, Ann Gosch, Linda Wisner, Pati Palmer, Susan (Pletsch) Foster, and Roz Simon
 
(Palmer/Pletsch authors/workshop location teachers and staff: not pictured:
Helen Bartley, Nancy Nix-Rice, Sue Neall, Pamela Leggett, Janet Dapson, Nancy Seifert, Lyndsey Stanfill, Roberta Carr (now deceased), Barbara Weiland, Gail Brown Quigg, Marilyn Thelen (now deceased), Leslie Wood Willmott, Liz Edmunds, Nan Ides, Susan Andriks, Sue Green, George Palmer)

READ ON: Inspiring messages from YOU about Marta.

COMMENTS FROM FRIENDS, WORKSHOP ATTENDEES, OUR TEACHERS, AND THOSE WHO MET MARTA THROUGH HER BOOKS AND VIDEOS

NOTE: We are sharing responses from an email Palmer/Pletsch sent in May 2024 announcing Marta’s passing. I hope you will read some/all because the comments are so uplifting, unlike much of today’s dialogue. Who thought your sewing teacher would become a positive force in your world to the point you wanted to share the positivity? If you read even a few comments a day, YOU may gain inspiration too! There are also some who said Marta changed their lives because they made a career of sewing or teaching sewing. There are some funny stories that will make you giggle. One of my favorites is the very last one.

Our goal for this blog post is also to make sure readers know that everything good that Marta did teaching sewing lives on in the teachers she trained and the students she taught who are able to pass on what they learned.

Katrina Walker (KatrinaWalker.com)
Marta had the special gift of being honest and straightforward with tact and caring. Everything she did was done with a sense of irreverent fun and she never missed an opportunity to poke a little fun at herself, too. Who could possibly forget the immortal “Bullseye” blouse? Marta’s spirit will always be part of what makes the Palmer/Pletsch sewing family special. As long as her knowledge is available online and through her many books and DVDs, she continues to be an active part of our lives and spreading her unique gift to others. Thank you, Marta, for helping to make me the sewing professional I am today. I am so grateful for your loving guidance and generosity.

Pamela Leggett, Pamela’s Patterns
I met Marta at my first Fit Workshop in 1998. I was starstruck! Within 2 minutes of her intro, she had her shirt off and was showing us how to measure a high bust. I thought she was so brave! Now I do the same in my classes! No prima donnas in the Palmer/Pletsch teaching world! (I’m pretty sure I am not the only one with this memory!) I worked hard to master Marta cutting upside down and backwards with a pair of scissors so students could see, and I think of her every time I do it. I shared a room with Marta at the Puyallup Expo for a few years. I would be sitting on my bed with my computer preparing for my classes and Marta would have a pen and paper. For some reason this would always make us crack up laughing! I loved her laugh so much!

Sue Neall, former Palmer/Pletsch in Australia, offering our workshops and training teachers.
I first met Marta in November 1998! Such a lot of great times together and wonderful memories were woven through many workshops, shows, and books. You changed the direction of my life and career introducing me to some of the important people in your life—Linda, Ethel, Cleo, and more. Marta is a woman to be respected and remembered and thankfully because of the books, videos, DVDs and more that live in so many sewing rooms around the world, she will be for many years to come. sueneall@sewinspirationalevents.com.au

Helen Bartley, instructor, manager, Palmer/Pletsch Workshops Portland and author, Fit and Sew Custom Jeans
I’ll never forget the first time I saw Marta in her handmade jeans. I was blown away and so excited that someone I so admired saw jeans as a garment worthy of sewing and being part of the Palmer/Pletsch curriculum. She inspired me to sew and write the jeans book. Many of her techniques are used in the construction and modifications chapters.

Marta gave me the confidence to move into teaching pattern-fitting and serger techniques by gently suggesting I take over one element at a time as she eased into her retirement. When she was ready to move on from co-teaching pant workshops, she took me aside and said, “It’s easy! You don’t have to know anything. Just help students get into their tissues so Pati can do the fitting more quickly.” HA! I fell for it and what a surprise I had when I discovered that wasn’t entirely true—at all. Pati told me to read the Pant book cover to cover and be prepared to help fit. <GULP> Still makes me smile. Thank you, Marta. I miss you and ask you questions all the time while teaching sewing and probably always will. And I know you’ll answer me.

Julianne Schisler
I watch Marta’s It’s in the Details video EVERY time I put in a zipper. I wouldn’t dream of attempting it without her by my side. I so enjoyed taking fit classes with you both in Oregon and learned so very much.

Kate McIvor, owner, The Confident Stitch Fabric Store, Missoula, Mont.
I will forever be thankful for both of you for changing my life course! I will miss Marta every time I sew!

Judy Hall, punchwithjudy.com.au
I have so many memories: staying with Marta when I did your courses in Portland and her staying with us teaching at the Rock in Australia.

Janice Langan, CSI
When I started taking the Palmer/Pletsch classes in Oregon and became a teacher, she trusted that I had figured out how to get a straight skirt to fit full thighs and it ended up in your fit books.

Pati Palmer
I’ve known Marta for 49 years, from the day her grade school friend’s boyfriend introduced us. Marta laughed telling the story. “He used to be Pati’s boyfriend.” Marta knew she wanted to sew as a career, not sit behind a desk. She became an expert: Ultrasuede, serging, tailoring, knits, fit, machine embroidery, quilting, needlepoint, machine knitting—no topic too intimidating! As a result, she co-authored many books and was the talent for most Palmer/Pletsch videos. We were the perfect team—Marta mostly on R&D and me on writing. We loved creating books, videos, and seminars together. After her videographer husband, Jerry Alto, suggested it, I became the camera person for her videos because as Jerry said, “You know where Marta is going to move next.” I always loved working with both. Marta totally impacted my direction for Palmer/Pletsch. I can’t tell you what a hole in my life Marta’s passing has left.

Pati and Marta in 1974

Pati and Marta in 1974

Susan Pletsch Foster, Portland and Scottsdale, Ariz.
Marta was an integral part of Pati’s and my business from the beginning. Her sewing creativity is throughout all our books, patterns, and videos, from Ultrasuede projects to Marta’s Painless Placket and more. She had an amazing ability to simplify sewing processes that intimidated, making them easier to understand and to accomplish. Marta’s way was understated yet confident. In 1983 after the Palmer/Pletsch group went to Europe, Marta and I went on to London with the sole purpose of touring the Victoria and Albert Museum costume exhibits. Upon arriving at the V&A we learned the entire collection was closed and under renovation! I cried but Marta calmly carried on and found other interesting museums for us to enjoy. This was quite an accomplishment in the pre-internet era! I will cherish my collection of Marta’s Christmas Angels even more in the coming years.

Leslie Willmott, former Palmer/Pletsch educator and author
Susan and I recently reminisced about the P&P trip to Europe in 1983! – to Paris, Lake Como & Milan. I dug into my photo files and found a few to share … all with Marta expressing her great pleasure in being there! We visited Giverny, relished our desserts at Le Coupe-Chou, ready to take the train to Italy, and, of course, our dear Karen Dillon was with us, too. I am blessed to have known and worked with Marta and to have been her friend. I will miss her Christmas card angels! May this beautiful woman who gave so much to so many people rest in peace.

photos from the Palmer/Pletsch trip to Europe in 1983

photos from the Palmer/Pletsch trip to Europe in 1983

Janet Dapson, Palmer/Pletsch Certified Sewing Instructor, Michigan, Fabrications.com
I became a devoted follower of Marta from my first Palmer/Pletsch Fit workshop. I looked forward to her guidance at every workshop on my way to becoming a Palmer/Pletsch CSI. She was a joy as a person and an inspiration as an instructor. Her expertise in fitting even the most difficult pattern style was impressive. During a Sewing Camp, one of the students had a dress pattern with an unusually detailed bodice. We watched in awe as Marta, without hesitation, showed where and how to alter the pattern tissue to fit the student. I still value Marta’s guidance and continue to refer to her tips and techniques via the Palmer/Pletsch books and videos. My most cherished memory of Marta was her encouragement for me to teach the 5-day Tailored Jacket workshop in our Michigan location; words cannot express how much that meant to me. To use one of Marta’s best adjectives, her “fabulous” spirit will remain with me every time I pick up pattern and fabric for my next creation.

Catherine Azzone
I came out to Portland about a month after we lost our newly built retirement home to fire. I asked Marta for some information/worksheets that were lost in the fire. She said just to come to her house, and we would go through what I thought I was missing so she could copy and replace. She was so helpful and just put me right at ease. Another memory I have is a funny one from the ’90s. You and Marta offered a workshop on a variety of topics including the two-hour shirt. My memory is that Marta was up on a stage so we could all see, and she proceeded to show how she sewed together a shirt in two hours. The fun started when those of us in attendance tried to do the same! Comments were all about stopping the clock for a variety of reasons …. “Stop the clock … I have to go to the bathroom!” “Stop the clock … I need to rip. Marta didn’t rip so this time doesn’t count.” “Stop the clock … I need coffee!” We may have finished our shirts but not in two hours but with a lot of laughter and her encouragement! I also remember taking her serger workshop and I carried my binder of samples onto the plane with me and would not put them down. She was a wonder woman and teacher and clearly a great mother, wife, and friend. Hugs

Cheryl Lampard, Lancaster, Pa.
I consider myself fortunate indeed to have been taught tissue fitting by you and Marta, in Portland. I think the thing that stands out most from having met Marta is the way you both interacted with each other. I liked how you both sometimes had different opinions on how something could be done, yet it was never a case of “mine’s better!” Rather, you were both willing to share your expertise with us all and let us decide which way we wanted to do something. Also, I remember thinking that Marta was perhaps a little stern at first, but the jokester in her soon showed itself!

Marilyn Melrose
When I think of Marta, I remember the racks of beautiful clothes she brought to show us at the beginning of class. She inspired us all. She also shared her quick sense of humor. She was such fun! I have very happy memories of those “sewing vacations.”

Kiki Jordan, St. Louis
It was with an incredibly sad heart that I received your news about Marta Alto. She was such a driving force in my sewing career, encouraging me to try different techniques as we came for our yearly Sewing Camp workshops in Portland. I learned how to “smush” [darts] for my flat-chested figure, how to create a fabulous welt pocket, and so many sewing tips that I have continued to use to this day. She had a wonderful, wry sense of humor, which kept us laughing throughout the workshops. I will be able to revisit her videos and books, taking comfort in the fact that she will still be looking over my shoulder when I need a little help. Sending you heartfelt thoughts on the loss of your good friend.

Evelyn Cummings
My experience with Marta was at a class at the College of DuPage with Linda Weisberg in the suburbs of Chicago. She did a demonstration on the serger for us. I remember her being very organized. I was just in awe of her techniques.

Judy Shubin
I met Marta through a set of serger videos, at least 30+ years ago. I can still hear her calm, encouraging voice from the VCR machine. Marta helped me with pattern and pant fitting in Palmer/Pletsch workshops in Portland. I never felt incapable or lacking, she just helped in her straightforward manner. She and Pati were the best teachers!

Laurie Maymi
I met Marta at her last sewing camp. I had no idea that these classes existed in my area (Portland). I had a special project, my dress for my daughter’s wedding. The material was silk, something I’d never sewn. It was not possible to finish the dress during the camp, but Marta offered to continue to help me finish. It turned out that she lives just a couple of miles away. During those visits, she showed me amazing things. Marta also lent me her spare serger. When I went to return it, she told me to keep it since she did not have any use for it. That and her extra help are gifts I will never forget.

Judy Gordon
Pati, I am so sorry you have lost such a lifelong friend. We are at the age where each day is a gift. I have learned with my cancer diagnosis to sew my favorite fabrics today, not to “save” them for tomorrow. My thoughts are with you.

Robyn Turner
This news of Marta’s passing is a shock. I reread your email three times. I know she retired a couple of years ago to take care of her husband. I can still see Marta’s smiling face. I quit sewing for about 10 years before moving to New York. I decided to begin sewing again and while at Mood [Fabrics], I overheard a conversation about Palmer/Pletsch. I called to take the first available class, which was Marta’s jacket workshop. She was a master at jackets, I learned so much from her. Her sense of humor was contagious, and although the class was trying at times, she never missed a beat and always had a solution. She could make a jacket with her eyes closed. I continued to attend camp for many years. She was a very special lady. I know this must be hard after all the years of your partnership with Marta. Your combination of knowledge can never be duplicated.

Janet Malwitz
I was so saddened to read about Marta’s passing. Over the many workshops I attended in Portland, I came to admire her so much. In the first workshop I took, I must admit I was intimidated by Marta—probably that “matter of fact, no nonsense” delivery. But, as I interacted with her, I found her to be such a warm person who loved what she did and loved sharing her knowledge, which was vast. I’ll always remember her infectious laugh and how encouraging she was to all the students. Condolences to Marta’s family and all the Palmer/Pletsch family.

Jan Shaw, Australia
So sad to read of Marta’s passing. Although I only met her briefly at the Perth Stitches and Craft show with my late Mum (who is missed every day), I’ve always enjoyed watching her videos and often refer back to them, also the books of which I have a majority.

Tari Wyse, Las Vegas ASG chapter president
Very sorry to read this. Marta & Pati’s books are some of my favorites. Another amazing sewing star has joined Heaven’s Sewing Bee.

Sharleen Zebinski, Canada, Palmer/Pletsch CSI
I wouldn’t be the sewer I am today if I hadn’t seen Marta in Winnipeg at a “home” show. She was introducing the serger and all the marvelous projects you could do, not to mention time-saving seam finishes. While at a workshop in Portland, she said something to the effect of “if your fabric comes from your stash, it’s free!” My sympathies to her family and the Palmer/Pletch team.

Kim Spink
I met Marta at a pant-fitting party and sewing workshop in Anchorage, Alaska, around 2010. The workshop was filled to maximum capacity. Most of us had not sewn garments in years. But there was a lot of excitement to have Marta there and the workshop was a huge success. I really don’t know how she was able to fit so many ladies in every size and shape with such a kind and thoughtful manner. I can imagine she went home exhausted, but we were so glad to have the opportunity to learn and create beautiful pieces. Marta was a gifted teacher and so patient with all of us. She was able to take a room full of quilters, get us excited about making garments, and teach us to make beautiful pants that fit all sorts of shapes and sizes.

From Pati Palmer to Kimberly,
Oh my! This brought back memories. I remember Marta having that huge class. She didn’t even tell me she was teaching pant fit because she didn’t want me to know she could teach every topic. But her sister lived in Alaska, so why not. When she got back, she exclaimed she put people who were in between sizes in a larger size, and it made fitting so much easier. That created a new rule for Palmer/Pletsch pant fitting that we use to this day. Thank you for taking the time to write.

Pamela Johnston
I have an appreciation for Marta’s sewing abilities (costume shop skills!), the no-pressure method she used to bring that knowledge to the student, and the humor that helped get the information across. Not everyone can do that! We are all lucky to have come across her in our lives.

Mary Hayduk
I was sad to read the news of Marta’s passing. I took one of your pants fitting/sewing classes that you and Marta taught about 10 years ago in Portland. I thoroughly enjoyed that class, your instruction and Marta’s too—you were quite the team! That type of partnership is so hard to find today. I learned so much from Marta and you! I became totally hooked on the Palmer/Pletsch approach! I cannot imagine the loss that you must feel, so please accept my condolences.

Marian Kowalski
I was a Sewing Camper a couple of summers about 20 years ago and was lucky to fall under Marta’s sunshine. I’m an engineer, accustomed to working with people like me. At one point, we realized that I needed yet another pattern adjustment, and I sighed, but Marta quickly outlined what I needed to do: “… and add an inch and a quarter here.” I gawked at her quick, decisive instructions, and she said, “It’s just math, Marian.” Whoa! I am an engineer, and usually I am the one who says that to someone else. It made me a bit more daring and enthusiastic about ways of fitting a pattern. Marta was smart, skilled, gifted, and fun. A light has gone out of our world.

Chesna Deyoe
Whether completely new to fashion sewing or a more “seasoned seamstress,” Marta always had a vital tip to help with any issue. She is a treasure, and heaven is lucky to have such a lovely woman and talented seamstress. I bet the angels’ wings fit much better now.

Melissa Bauska, Castle Rock, Wash.
I just wanted to pass along my condolences to Marta’s family and to the entire Palmer/Pletsch team. I had the pleasure of taking a four-week fitting class from Marta at Fabric Depot in 2007. She made an impact on my sewing and encouraged me on how to make my garments better fit my body. I have enjoyed countless books and videos of hers over the years and am very thankful she devoted so much of her life to teaching sewing and fitting skills.

Elizabeth Bryant, Palmer/Pletsch Certified Sewing Instructor, fitsewbeautiful.com
When I finally met Marta in person, at her last teacher training class at Fabric Depot in Portland, I was amazed. Her knowledge and her generosity stood out as she made her circuits around the room, doling out wisdom at each student’s station. She was always beautifully dressed in perfectly fitted jackets and jeans, often embellished with the machine embroidery that she loved so much. There seemed to be no figure problems that she couldn’t solve with scissors, tissue paper, and a little tape. That was, until I attempted a full-bust alteration on a surplice-wrapped dress. Marta walked me through the complicated steps, patiently explaining the theory and showing me how to rotate a dart into the surplice wrap.

However, when I wanted to know how to redraft the huge drape’s pleats back into the dress’s side seam, pattern drafting theory met practicality. “You can’t adjust the flat pattern for that, Elizabeth,” she told me. “That is what draping is for!” For Marta, practicality always won. Her work was all about the perfect fit, not the method it took to achieve it.

Elizabeth wrote this article for Threads magazine online:  
threadsmagazine.com/2024/06/11/remembering-palmer-pletsch-instructor-marta-alto

Joan Weakland, Ames, Iowa
I want to express my sincerest condolences to you for losing a longtime friend and colleague. I have been using the Palmer-Pletsch alterations method since starting with Helen Bartley in 2019, and with you and Marta in Camp where this photo was taken. I want to take this opportunity to tell you how IMPORTANT your life’s work in creating all of the Palmer-Pletsch books, videos and classes has been for me. Your approach has been to help me to get sewing again, after years of thinking I should work from a couture approach, which just slowed me down (to a halt!), and did not help me fit the clothes that I was making. I love all of your books, and I have owned a copy of Mother Pletsch’s Painless Sewing since the mid-’70s during the height of my teen sewing years. I want you to know your approach, the photo documentation of different figure types, the many detailed explanations in all your books (so that one can dare to hope to find the answer to an odd, esoteric fit or construction problem!) is a tremendous resource and legacy to your fellow seamsters/sewists.

Anne Findling

“Oh my gosh. She’s taking her clothes off,” I thought as I squirmed uncomfortably in my folding chair. “What have I gotten myself into?” Those thoughts disappeared quickly, replaced by: “Wow, what a great fit. Man, I wish I could get my makes to look so good.” I sat on the edge of my chair, no longer self-conscious, but with full attention on the woman dressing and undressing in the front of the classroom. She was like me; I could do this!
 
That was my first fit class. We met in the classroom of the now-shuttered Fabric Depot in Portland. I recognized Marta immediately because I had “all the books,” but I was still a bit starstruck. What I came to appreciate early on was that Marta was truly the nonjudgmental, generous, and kind person that she projected. A bit of “extra fluff” was not a character flaw, but merely a chance to demonstrate another tissue-fitting skill. I just loved the process of taking a commercial pattern and making it “my own.” Marta’s mentoring still guides my sewing.
 

WE LOVE YOU, MARTA!

Marta Alto
]]> https://palmerpletsch.blog/a-tribute-to-marta-alto/feed/ 25 An Update on Our Jeans Pattern https://palmerpletsch.blog/an-update-on-our-jeans-pattern/ https://palmerpletsch.blog/an-update-on-our-jeans-pattern/#comments Thu, 03 Oct 2024 21:18:53 +0000 https://palmerpletsch.blog/?p=5952

AN UPDATE ON OUR JEANS PATTERN

By Pati Palmer

This blog is about transparency and an easy fix when there is an error in a pattern. You will also learn more in-depth about FGM (Finished Garment Measurements) on patterns and how to use them to get the jeans fit you want based on your fabric.

Butterick Palmer/Pletsch jeans pattern B6911

At Palmer/Pletsch, we’ve always said that when we teach, we learn. And we recently learned something important about our jeans pattern Butterick B6911.

Helen Bartley, author of our jeans book, Fit and Sew Custom Jeans, helped me develop this jeans pattern to follow the fitting and sewing order in her book. With B6911 we finally had an amazing Palmer/Pletsch jeans pattern to go with the 240-page jeans book. It’s the only book and pattern that includes fitting instructions in the sewing order.

The pattern comes in sizes 4-20. (The plus-size version B6912 is sized up to 38W, or 64” hips.) Line art of the views shows that both A and B have a contour band. (Yes, we show you how to fit it!)

jeans pattern B6912 line art

WE FOUND A PROBLEM. AND WE FIXED IT!

Now to what we learned about B6911 as we started teaching with it.

Helen, using the pattern for the first time in her 5-day Palmer/Pletsch Jeans Workshop, ran into something weird. The back crotch on View B (View B only) was unusually tight on her students. She managed to fit them but wondered why it was so hard. Remember, Helen is the woman who “wrote the book” on jeans fitting.

We were on a mission. By just looking at the View B tissue alone, we couldn’t see anything odd. But placing A on top of B made the issue obvious. B was higher in the rise than A everywhere except at the center back. (View A has a moderately dropped waist, while View B is a high-waisted jean.) The View B back needed 1¼” more length at the top. It obviously was an error.

NOTE: This issue only affects B6911, not the plus-size B6912.

PROBLEM:

Center back does not reach waist.

center back does not reach waist

SOLUTION:

Add to BACK, not YOKE.

As always, we shared our findings with Butterick. Normally they would discontinue the pattern, but they knew how important this new jeans pattern was to us and how long we’d been working on it.

Also, we needed a pattern that could be used with the new jeans book and for teaching jeans classes.

Butterick agreed to make the fix and reprint. We took advantage of having taught with the pattern and made a few additional improvements, which I’ll cover later.

Do you have the original pattern? Here’s how to fix it.

THE SIMPLE FIX

On B6911 View B, add 1¼” at the top of the center back, tapering to nothing at the side.

Quick Tip logo

The gridded Perfect Pattern Paper makes altering patterns easier because it has 1/8” to 1” lines printed on the tissue.

Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Pattern Paper
back pattern piece on B6911 with tissue added
how to fix problem

HERE'S HOW

Cut a strip of tissue, like the gridded Perfect Pattern Paper, 1½” wide. Pin to back with 1¼” above center back, to nothing at side. Tape in place. Trim ends even.

PERFECT PATTERN PAPER
straighten CB on yoke

Mark 5/8” seamlines on the bottom edge of the YOKE and top edge of BACK.

Lap the seamlines and pin.

Straighten the center back seam on the YOKE to line up with the seam on the jeans back. Draw a line. 
 
true the back seam of the jeans tissue

Trim the yoke CB seam allowance to an even 5/8”.

cut away the seam allowance

Choose Your Size Using Finished Garment Measurement

Helen had wondered, in her first class using the new pattern, why the jeans were bigger than normal for her students. She bases pattern size for jeans on the finished garment measurement (FGM), so if the measurements are off, then the fit is off.

Where do you measure FGM? In Palmer/Pletsch books we say measure the full hip below the zipper where the hip is usually the fullest.

where to measure FGM (finished garment measurement)
illustration from Fit and Sew Custom Jeans by Helen Bartley, page 30
FGM symbol

FGM symbol: This symbol marks where the finished garment is measured for bust and hips on pattern tissue. Listed below the circle are the total finished garment measurements of the front and back for each size.

What we found was that Butterick had measured the FGM of the tissue near the lengthen and shorten line, making the hip FGM 1½” smaller than at the full hip area.

When measured at the full hip just below the zipper opening, the FGM is 1½” larger, giving the jeans 3” of ease. See more about ease in jeans below.

When Butterick reprinted, they moved the symbol to the bottom of the zipper and adjusted the measurements on the tissue.

How Do You Know If You Have an Updated Pattern?

Here are the body measurements for the hip of the nine sizes followed by the charts for the NEW vs the OLD finished garment measurements shown on the back of the envelope of B6911.

Body measurements and finished garment measurements

If the FGM on the back of the envelope shows the NEW measurements, you have the revised pattern.

NOTE: If you have the original pattern, use the NEW FGM chart for pattern size if using Helen’s sizing instructions for jeans. (See page 7 in Fit and Sew Custom Jeans.)

BACK OF NEW PATTERN ENVELOPE

Finished Garment Measurements on the back of the new pattern

NOTE: You can order the updated B6911 pattern in your size range of D-5 (sizes 4-12) or P-5 (12-20) from Palmer/Pletsch using the button below or at Butterick online. At a fabric store read the back of the envelope before you buy it to check whether the pattern shows the “old” FGM or has been updated with the “new” FGM as shown in the chart above.

ORDER JEANS PATTERN B6911 FROM PALMER/PLETSCH
ORDER JEANS PATTERN PLUS SIZE B6912 FROM PALMER/PLETSCH

NOTE: B6912 did not have the same problem as B6911.

NOTE ABOUT EASE IN JEANS:

For looser or boyfriend jeans, 3” ease is fine. But it is too much for jeans made from stretch denim when you want a snug fit. Use the size for which the FGM matches your hip size or is even 1” smaller. (If you’re apprehensive, know that we give you 1” seam allowances for “insurance.” You can’t go wrong.)
 
In Helen’s Fit and Sew Custom Jeans book and the pattern guidesheet you will find her “jeans size method” using FGM to help you choose the right size based on the type of denim you are using and your personal fit preferences.
pages from the book Fit and Sew Custom Jeans
Fit and Sew Custom Jeans book

Fit and Sew Custom Jeans is the only jeans book that incorporates fit throughout the sewing process. It is also a great supplement to fitting any style pant with negative ease, not covered in our other pant books.

FIT AND SEW CUSTOM JEANS BOOK

When Errors Occur, we fix them

In producing technical how-to materials for over 50 years—40+ sewing books and nearly 400 patterns (Vogue five years, McCall’s 40, and Butterick four)—I’ve learned that highly illustrated technical instructions are very difficult to produce perfectly every time.

Having as many as 25 people reading the manuscript for a book, for example, doesn’t mean we won’t find errors in the printed book. Our newest books, The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting and Fit and Sew Custom Jeans, are our most highly illustrated and technical books to date. This means an extraordinary amount of detail—grammatical and technical—to keep straight in your mind as you’re editing and proofreading.

I no longer beat myself up if something got missed. Unlike many large publishers, we fix errors when we reprint. Additionally, when we add new or improved content, that reprint is called an “updated edition” or, if the new content is changed by at least 25%, it is a “second edition.” 

The large pattern companies have an even harder job because they have larger teams working on many patterns. There’s a designer, drafter, grader, writer, illustrator and so on. That means more opportunities for changes to be made along the way.

I occasionally find mistakes in my patterns such as notches that don’t match, but the beauty of tissue-fitting is that you will catch and correct things like that before you cut out your fabric. And tissue-fitting is how we found this error in our jeans pattern.

It took a lot of time to create this pattern, to find this error, to correct it, and to write a blog post about it. We wanted to be transparent by sharing this with you. We are grateful to Butterick for correcting the errors and reprinting the pattern.

So many of you have been faithful followers of Palmer/Pletsch for years and we hope we earn it every day by trying to be the best we can be. Scroll down for a bonus tip!

                 Sincerely,

Pati Palmer

BONUS! WANT THE VIEW B WIDER LEG AND SLIGHTLY LOWER WAIST LIKE VIEW A?

It’s simple. Use View A and widen the legs at the bottom, tapering in at the thigh. This photo was taken when I was in author Helen Bartley’s jeans class. Helen says I’ve earned lifetime hardware service if I sew jeans in her workshops!! Butterick B6911 View A with widened legs.

Pati Palmer wearing jeans with wider legs using Butterick pattern B6911

View A-Legs Widened (and a few of my alterations)

Here are my alterations to View A. I needed more front thigh width, so I carried the leg width addition to the crotch on the FRONT. I also added a little extra “in-case” width at the waist side seams. The 1-piece contour band was tissue-fitted to my body and tucked to fit my contour. One of my sides is a little different than the other.

pattern alterations to widen the legs of jeans
Fit Tip logo

If you are a Plus Size, the companion pattern B6912 includes sizes 20W to 38W for up to a 64” hip. It does not need the crotch fix we did on B6911.

BUTTERICK JEANS PATTERN B6912
Palmer/Pletsch, the Fit Experts

We LOVE to sew jeans! It feels like a great accomplishment!!

Palmer/Pletsch jeans workshop instructors Tammie Pontsler, Helen Bartley, Pati Palmer, and Lyndsey Stanfill
Palmer/Pletsch jeans workshop instructors Tammie Pontsler, Helen Bartley, Pati Palmer, and Lyndsey Stanfill. Not shown: Janet Dapson and Pamela Leggett.

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COMING IN APRIL 2025—JEANS JAMBOREE!

At our April 10-14 Jeans That Fit workshop in Louisville, Kentucky, Fit and Sew Custom Jeans author Helen Bartley will be co-teaching this workshop with Louisville instructor Lyndsey Stanfill. In conjunction with the workshop we’ll be offering additional events. We’ll be posting more about this in our emails. Learn more about the workshop by clicking the button below.

APRIL 2025 LOUISVILLE JEANS WORKSHOP
Jeans Jamboree Louisville

IF YOU HAVE HELEN’S BOOK, TELL US WHAT YOU THINK OF IT! Send us an email: info@palmerpletsch.com You can also message us on Instagram @palmerpletsch

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