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From: Big Red Bird
Date: 04-21-2007, 02:37 PM (1 of 11)
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Being a voluptuous woman, I often have trouble finding (or making) clothes that fit really well. Last summer I came across a fab little sleevless top in a local plus size shop with a scooped neckline and slits at the side hems. I can't seem to find a pattern that fits me as well and so I would like to try to make a pattern from the actual top. Here's where the problems start...... Is there any other way of copying the top WITHOUT TAKING IT APART? I read somewhere that you can copy it using masking tape or paper or some such thing. Can anyone help? Brenda |
User: Big Red Bird
Member since: 04-16-2007 Total posts: 4 |
From: dmoses
Date: 04-21-2007, 04:40 PM (2 of 11)
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If you can flatten each section out, one piece at a time, then you should be able to make a pattern. It will take some maneuvering. Here is how I do it. Place a large piece of cardboard(corrugated) on the table. Place pattern paper on cardboard. Place flattened(or as near to flattened as you can make it) shirt section on paper, and pin to paper along seam, placing pins every inch or so. Sometimes, if the section will not lay flat, you may have to do one part, then remove the pins and carefully flatten the next part and continue pinning until you have the whole section done. Remove pins and shirt. There will be pinholes in the paper following the lines of the shirt section. Connect the dots. This is the sewing line. Add seam and hem allowances, and any other bits such as fold-over facings. Now you should have a good pattern for that section of the shirt. Repeat these steps for other sections...don't forget facings if there are any. Also, don't forget to mark grainline. If there are sleeves, you will need to do the pattern in two sections...front half, then back half, and join them together into one pattern piece. This is not the most accurate method of making a pattern, but it has worked well for me in the past. My daughter recently copied a ready-made using this method, and it worked quite well. Take care,
Donna |
User: dmoses
Member since: 02-22-2002 Total posts: 964 
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From: Magot
Date: 04-21-2007, 04:48 PM (3 of 11)
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don't forget you may need to add darts as well
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: dmoses
Date: 04-21-2007, 05:57 PM (4 of 11)
That's right...darts! A very important consideration! Good point, Jan!  I haven't copied anything with darts, so not sure how I would approach it. Something to think about, definitely. About the pins...if I wasn't clear before, you should push the pins in vertically...through the paper and into the cardboard...pretend you are an acupuncturist...unless, of course, you actually are an acupuncturist! 
Take care,
Donna |
User: dmoses
Member since: 02-22-2002 Total posts: 964
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From: lendube
Date: 04-21-2007, 06:58 PM (5 of 11)
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Thanks Donna and Jan (and Brenda for asking). I just bought a pair of shorts that are terrific and I was going to try to duplicate them for this summer. Hadn't yet stopped to think of how I was going to do that. Never have done it before. Lennie
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User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: Sancin
Date: 04-22-2007, 12:12 AM (6 of 11)
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Threads magazine had an article on how to do this and there is a site on the web where someone has indexed all articles, but darned if I can find it. I can see the home page - perhaps someone else can tell you how to find it. I would like to bookmark it if I find it again. In the meantime the following is a good tutorial" http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/review/readreview.pl?readreview=1&ID=83 Threadsmagazine issue 92 has the article about copying garments, but there are more in Threads. I do wish Threads would be listed by year and date as that is how I organize my magazines - I tear out what I want and only save 3 years at a time. Good Luck *~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895 
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From: Big Red Bird
Date: 04-22-2007, 02:24 AM (7 of 11)
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Hi everyone and huge thanks for your replies. I think I may have a go at your suggestion, Donna, but does that include the facings etc? I guess it would. Yes, I think there are also bust darts on it, (I dont do anything the easy way!) I have also seen something about a Threads article regarding this subject but, not subscribingto the magazine, wasnt sure how to go about it. I may investigate and if I'm lucky will share it with you! I'll keep you posted on my progress. Thanks very much! Brenda x p.s. Jan. Until January this year I was from your neck of the woods - I lived 12miles from Cambridge! Coincidence... |
User: Big Red Bird
Member since: 04-16-2007 Total posts: 4 |
From: Magot
Date: 04-22-2007, 03:37 AM (8 of 11)
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Lordy Brenda - where!
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: Big Red Bird
Date: 04-22-2007, 04:07 AM (9 of 11)
| A little village just north of St Ives |
User: Big Red Bird
Member since: 04-16-2007 Total posts: 4 |
From: PaulineG
Date: 04-22-2007, 05:51 AM (10 of 11)
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With really basic shapes (track pants or tshirts) I've had good success with laying out the garment and putting the interfacing (I use this for pattern tracing) over the top. I then trace around the shape of the piece that I want. After I've taken the garment out I then add a seam allowance where necessary. Would be interested to hear about the darts thing. Maybe if you turned the garment inside out - marked the bust line on the paper and if the fabric was left intact on the garment you could extrapolate the triangle and slit the pattern piece and insert it. If you follow my meaning. Don't know how you make that estimate if the dart has been clipped. Pauline
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User: PaulineG
Member since: 09-08-2006 Total posts: 901 |
From: Magot
Date: 04-22-2007, 10:57 AM (11 of 11)
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I have just moved to the ~Bury side of Newmarket - nice brewery in St Ives I visited once!
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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