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.
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.)
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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 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.
Our next blog post is a different take on using the sheath dress pattern:
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!
WORKSHOPS
INTERFACINGS
STREAMING VIDEOS
LIVE ZOOM CLASSES
OR FIND A CERTIFIED TEACHER NEAR YOU
I had the Vogue 2098 fit pattern years ago in 1982. I made a lilac poly/cotton dress, which I loved to wear with the vest. It was the dress I wore when my husband and I went out on our first dinner date after our daughter was born in January 1982. My mom baby sat for us. I have a photo of me in it somewhere. I also liked that skirt. And did you notice the price–for a Vogue pattern–$4.50. It was a splurge to buy Vogue. How times have changed.
Thea, What a fun story. I loved reading it. Thank you for sharing. Pati Palmer
Thanks, Pati! Fun to read the history of P/P’s fitting methods involving the basic fitting dress w/ skirt, bodice and sleeve. Reminds me that I must finish my basic sheath dress started with Helen!
Joan,
So glad you enjoyed this. I loved writing about it. So many memories. And yes, finish and enjoy your dress. Pati Palmer
Great article. I have the McCall learn to fit pattern. Thank you for the inspiration to dig it out.
Hi Carmen,
Do it! Dig it out and play around.
Helen