I looked on Amazon - there are a LOT of them.
Yes, you’re right there are a lot of them, (& copies of most of them are probably sitting on my book shelf
).
I have the book that Jo mentioned, Fitting and Pattern Alteration. Mine’s a second edition from 2010. It’s Ok, but for me I needed to read other alteration books before this one’s pattern changes made any sense! (Jo, I'd love to know your thoughts on your book when it arrives).We’re all different & some people probably only need this book while others prefer a different approach. For example, I know lots of folk really like the ‘fit for real people’ books but personally I’ve never been very successful with their paper pattern fitting method.
Any hooo, here’s a list of some of my current faves.....
I quite like The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting. Lots of photos of toiles being adjusted. If you want a better idea of how to use toiles effectively this could be the one for you.
I also like ‘Threads Fitting for every Figure.’ This has lots of photographs & detailed diagrams to demonstrate how to alter the pattern pieces. This is usually my ‘go to’ book.
My latest addition to my fitting shelf is ‘Create the Perfect Fit’. This book concentrates on how to measure your body and then how to transfer these measurements to the precise part of each pattern piece. This was a pressie so I thought I’d include it in the list. It’s very clearly set out with lots of photos and shows how to alter bodice, sleeve & skirt pattern pieces. It doesn’t really cover trousers.
My all time favourite fitting read has got to be ‘How to make Clothes that Fit & Flatter’ by Adele P. Margolis. My copy dates back to the early 70s. The diagrams on how to alter your pattern are nowhere near as good as the other books I’ve mentioned but the author covers really important areas such as proportion and how to use a garment’s design lines when fitting. She also says things like just because you can alter something doesn’t mean you should!
Happy hunting for your perfect fitting book.