OK, I received this box set of 4 DVDs this weekend and have watched each one.
They are full of good info for someone wanting to perfect the fit of home sewn garments and who is using commercial patterns.
I’ve benefitted from advice freely given by so many different people over the years and now I simply want to pay it forward.
I’d like to pass on these tapes on to a person who has recently returned to home sewing and is finding that they want better fit from their patterns than they are getting now. I hate to be frustrated, don’t you?
Sorry, I cannot ship for free to locations outside of the continental US but still, even with having to pay the shipping via the US Postal Service, it’s a great deal for anyone who might be a frustrated returning sewist.
But I need help deciding who is recently returned to sewing and frustrated with FBAs and gapping armscyes.
So I’d like to try something. Think this will work OK? I hope so…here’s the plan…
Post a comment below, voting for your favorite recipient, telling a little about their recent return to home garment sewing and the person with the most “votes” in the comments will be the lucky recipient. In the case of a tie there will be a run-off so let everyone know to be sure to watch for the results. You can vote for yourself and get your friends to vote for you, too.
Then all you’d have to do is email me where I can contact you and/or your “nominee” and the correct postal address and make arrangments to pay for shipping if it is necessary.
Remember these are DVDs, not tapes.
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This “write-in” contest will end on Friday, March 28 at midnight central standard time.
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The Stitchery 
Can you nominate yourself?
Beth, you sure can. Check out paragraph 8 for “the plan” 🙂
Ok then…
I’d like to nominate myself. I just returned to sewing. When I was a teenager, I used to sew. Also, my mother used to make all our clothes growing up. I have lots of happy memories of hanging around fabric stores when I was young.
Well, now I’m sewing again but I’m having a heck of a time getting things to fit correctly. When I clicked on the website and saw you were giving the fitting DVDs away, I was psyched! I have been coveting those DVDs for I while. I can’t afford them and I they aren’t at my library.
So that’s my story.
Thanks,
Beth
Beth, you sound like the perfect candidate! Good luck.
I nominate Vicky (Hongkongshopper). I don’t know if she’s a returning home-sewer, but she definitely is exploring fit issues and recently she did a lot of posts on a sloper and her difficulties in getting the right fit. She would be a good candidate for this set.
I’m come to the conclusion that my body simply doesn’t fit in the standardized fitting form mold used by everyone. Too much fluff here, not enough stuff there… You get the idea.
While I have had no problems sewing the the skinny 9 year old daughter in my life, I’ve barely sewn a thing for myself in years. My wardrobe is outdated, mainly due to my fitting issues.
I could see these dvd’s getting me over this “hump” of fluff that is causing me grief.
How would they be for a beginner? I’m getting ready to start teaching a few knitters to sew and wondered about the DVDs. I just don’t want to recommend something that would go right over their heads.
Alex: the DVDs focus on getting a good fit when using a flat pattern and making a muslin so I’d say they are more “advanced beginners”, those who have already made some garments and are now tweaking. The DVD on pants shows the technique of draping pants a muslin on the body, the technique that I use, so I was glad to see it. It highlights fitting a flat derriere as well as a full one.
Sigrid, I saw Vicki’s post about her muslin. She might benefit from the one on the Torso and has made some wonderful garments that she’s shared at her blog http://www.hongkongshopper.blogspot.com I just went to my blog roll to check her addy and didn’t find it (gasp) I’ll fix that!
Jill: you’d like the fitting DVDs. In the meantime you might like to chase down the best illustrated books I’ve ever seen on fitting whether you’re a plus size or not: Sewing for Plus Sizes: Creating Clothes that Fit and Flatter by Barbara Deckart. US Amazon has it listed fo $12.21 new.
Rita: welcome to blogging! Your Boomer Guide looks fantastic and helpful esp with your background in consumerism. I’m sure some of my readers will like to visit you. At The Stitchery I focus on DIY fashion and my own survival with a few other interests thrown in so stop by anytime. We’ll see what comes up!
Everyone who is interested in this set: The most votes wins. Get your friends and family to vote for you by any means necessary and good luck! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Oh my goodness, I’ve never nominated myself for anything so this ‘feels’ a bit self-serving. However, I actually came to your site today after googling “fitting dvds” because I’m a person who does better by seeing how things are done over reading how things are done and I’m discovering that includes how to fit patterns!
I have just recently returned to sewing, specifically garment sewing, after many years of home educating my three daughters.
Like another poster, I grew up with a mom who sewed most of our clothes (and could copy almost anything). I learned to sew in my early teens and loved it. I sewed my clothes, sewing things that didn’t require too much ‘fitting’. Actually I think my body was just younger and not that hard to fit then!!
Later I sewed clothes for my young daughters and sewed items for my home.
After a period of 12 years in which I never thought I would sew again (for reasons I won’t post), I’m back. That’s literally how I feel–like I’ve been away from something I loved so much and now I’m back. And I’m excited but with a lack of confidence. I have to ‘re-learn’ lots but I’m o.k. with that. So that’s why I did a search for ‘fitting dvds’—just maybe they will help me gain more confidence and grow in my skills.
I’m glad I stopped by. Thank you.
Joyce
I vote for Vicki (Hongkongshopper) too! I second Sigrid’s comment!
This past weekend I sewed the neck facing to the wrong side of the fabric. My excuse was that the fabric was very similar inside and out. Of course the seam allowances on the outside should have been a clue. Sheesh! You’d think I didn’t pay attention in home ec all those years ago! I suffered enough humiliation this weekend so I think I should have the dvds. 🙂 Thanks!!
Hello. First, I’d like to say thank you for adding me to your blogroll. As soon as I figure out how to do it, I’ll be updating my site. But thank you so much for visiting.
Secondly, I vote for Vicky(HongKongshopper) as well. Watching the development of her sloper has been informative and entertaining. I will help pay for shipping.
Angela
Like Sigrid and Tany I vote for Vicky.
Thankyou Mary Beth for this very kind give a way. And thankyou Sigrid, Tany and Els for nominating me :)))
I am not sure if I qualify as being “new to sewing” as I have been back at it for a few ( 2 – 3 years). I have mainly made skirts and knit tops as these are easier to fit. I haven’t tackled pants and the few jackets I have made have fit issues – hence the sudden interest in correct fit. I do have several resouces to work with but have been wondering if the DVD’s were of benefit.
As I have already done a lot of work (but not yet reached success) maybe someone else would benefit more than me.
If someone is just starting to tackle the fit of wovens then I’d say they are quite qualified for this give-away. The alteration of patterns for wovens is exactly what this set addresses. And you do have to make a few garments first to know what it is you don’t know and need to improve upon.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see this set move across the world from sewist to sewist?
I’m Beth’s fiance, Paul. I vote for her.
I’d vote for Vicki, and then have Vicki follow up with sending them on to Beth after she’s gleaned what she needs from them.
Vicki’s sewing is beautiful, I’d no idea she’s only been back at it 2-3 years, and she has been diligently working on fit. And been pretty brave in posting her process.
But I’ve also seen some of Beth’s comments left on blogs recently, and her lament has been that she’s trying to sew for herself with limited success because of fitting issues.
What a generous gift MaryBeth.
The hour has passed and Vicki has garnered the most comment votes!
Let’s keep this set moving around the world. I, too, hope that they get sent on to Beth and maybe Beth will pass them on to one of the other people who have written in here.
WordPress passes along the email addresses of everyone who comments so I can help you get in touch with each other.
It is my fervent hope that good fit will happen in
all ya’ll’severyone’s sewing rooms!I’d like to nominate myself 🙂 I have two common fit issues that have resulted in more UFOs than I care to mention. I’m actually taking a class now on clothing construction, and fit is part of that, but I don’t think we are going to get to what I really need, which is common sway back alterations and fuller hips/protruding backside. The idea of the DVDs travelling around the world being helpful to many sewers who need them is fantastic, so I would support that kind of result, too.