The Sewing Place

Choosing a size

Tiggy

Choosing a size
« on: July 02, 2019, 19:57:55 PM »
Just when I think I’ve got my head around the fba, I fall flat on my face again.

At the moment, my weight is going down very nicely, but I’m having problems with choosing a size.
I’m making a simple T shirt out of a woven fabric, something I’ve never managed before.   I’ve used my upper bust measurement, and done an fba but the whole thing was too small around my full bust, chest and waist.

My full bust measurement makes the neckline and shoulders too big, but the high bust makes the rest of the top too small.

There is a reason I like sewing tops out of jersey.
Pfaff Creative 4.5 ,  Babylock Gloria
Janome 3800QE

Tiggy

Re: Choosing a size
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2019, 20:59:25 PM »
https://jaycotts.co.uk/products/nl6217#.XRu2y4rTWhA

My upper bust is 42”
My full bust is 45”

I did a 3” fba.

However, my waistline is far bigger than the waistline measurement which goes with the high bust measurement.  I have more padding on my ribs than on my high bust which is quite lean.
Pfaff Creative 4.5 ,  Babylock Gloria
Janome 3800QE

toileandtrouble

Re: Choosing a size
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2019, 22:20:15 PM »
Different methods of FBA give slightly different results. Be sure to do one that starts from the shoulder so you get gradually more ease as you go down the chest.
Yarn down:  1000g
Fabric down:  29m

Tiggy

Re: Choosing a size
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2019, 07:38:35 AM »
When you say you did 3", did you do that on one piece? Or did you divide it to 1.5" for the side you were working on?

So I presume you made the size 20. With 3" added across the FBA that's 49" finished size, including ease. You mention it didn't fit across your bust. Can you measure it again and check the result of the width? It suggests it definitely would have fitted your bust if you did as above, it'd have 4" of ease.

If your waist is larger, remember that you leave excess width in the waist (and hem) when you do an FBA so you'll add 3" to the waist too. You might need to increase that more for your preference (perhaps taper it outwards at the side a little for a roomier fit) but the FBA would increase it

My high bust is 42”, so I made the 16 which corresponds to the 42”.  I divided the 3” difference by 2, so added 1.5” to one side.

How did you decide to make the size 20?
It seems I have a fundamental misunderstanding somewhere.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2019, 07:41:01 AM by Tiggy »
Pfaff Creative 4.5 ,  Babylock Gloria
Janome 3800QE

b15erk

Re: Choosing a size
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2019, 09:08:44 AM »
@Tiggy , sizing is a very difficult business, with patterns varying the numbers they use for different measurements - Roll on standardization I say!

I made a size 16 top last weekend which was a reasonably good fit, and matched my sizes, but I started a Butterick toile at the weekend and going by my measurements, I cut a size 20 - it's huge!!  A lot of the problem is the amount of ease that pattern companies build into their patterns, and how much ease the sewer needs.

I used to think that toiles were a waste of time, but the older I get the more useful I find them.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

StitchinTime

Re: Choosing a size
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2019, 10:29:08 AM »
@Tiggy Did you choose a size 16 based on the measurements given in the "Garment Measures" table? If so this could be why it was too tight.

As @b15erk mentioned, patterns include "ease" which can be thought of as the difference between a person's measurement and the garment's measurements. Positive ease (i.e. garment bigger than person) is needed for non-stretch materials, but for stretchy materials no ease or negative ease (garment smaller than person) would be appropriate.

If the waist is too small even after a FBA, you could try grading out the pattern to a larger size at the waist and then doing a FBA.

b15erk

Re: Choosing a size
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2019, 10:46:25 AM »
Not surprised at all that mistakes are made with size.  I've just picked 2 random patterns off my desk, and the pics show how differently the sizing information is. One is McCalls, the other New Look.  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]    [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

Very confusing for beginners - and some experienced sewers come to that.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

b15erk

Re: Choosing a size
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2019, 10:51:05 AM »
Just re-read my last post, and I think I have solved a problem.  Initially both of those patterns looked to be different sizes, but I was reading the NLook wrong.  The second row down, which I read as the bust size, is in fact the European sizing.

I will remember that.  I'm having significant Macular problems with my eyes, and I guess I'm just going to have to take more care when reading the pattern sizing information.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Tiggy

Re: Choosing a size
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2019, 18:30:57 PM »
I read the pattern wrong!  I confused the European size with the bust measurement.  I should have cut the size 20.......  Thankyou for all your help, no wonder the toile was far too small.
Pfaff Creative 4.5 ,  Babylock Gloria
Janome 3800QE

Tiggy

Re: Choosing a size
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2019, 21:18:13 PM »
Well.  I made another toile, which fitted beautifully around the bust.   But the neckline was enormous.   So I chose another pattern, cut the correct size pattern pieces, did the fba and so far,  all is going well
Pfaff Creative 4.5 ,  Babylock Gloria
Janome 3800QE

WildAtlanticWay

Re: Choosing a size
« Reply #10 on: July 05, 2019, 21:49:27 PM »
Just re-read my last post, and I think I have solved a problem.  Initially both of those patterns looked to be different sizes, but I was reading the NLook wrong.  The second row down, which I read as the bust size, is in fact the European sizing.

Yay, you’re a Genius!  :angel: Thank you for pointing this out. 

I’ve read the pattern sizing wrongly before and wondered why it had 2 different measurements for bust size...but obviously that’s not what it is.

The European ‘42’ or whatever is simply their equivalent of size 14/16/18 etc. Just like the US 12 is actually a 16 in UK sizing.  :)


It’s nothing to do with measuring inches.