Love Your Shape

One of the primary reasons many stitchers are drawn to making their own clothes is to create garments to fit their bodies, something which is often hard to achieve with most high street clothing being made for ‘average’ figures, which many of us do not conform to. Whatever your size, sewing allows you to address common fitting problems head on and opens up possibilities of exploring new styles. With a whole host of fabulous new garment patterns being released, there has never been a better time to get into dressmaking with the purpose of making clothes that fit and suit you.

We look back on one of our favourite chats with blogger and Curvy Sewing Collective (CSC) co-founder, Mary Danielson, who emphasised the true value of the online sewing community for stitchers of all sizes

“Larger size ranges seem to be the latest trend in sewing, which is good for us all!”

“I began my blog, Idle Fancy, as a way to meet other sewists and share my projects. The CSC came about after a string of emails between Jenny (of Cashmerette) and myself. We wanted to give plus size and curvy sewists a place where they could share inspiration, pattern reviews, and tutorials specific to their needs. So, we teamed up with some of our own favourite sewing bloggers, and CSC was born!

“I think the CSC, and curvy bloggers in general, do a vitally important service for the stitching community, by increasing the visibility of body diversity. The more sewing bloggers a woman sees that look like her, the more likely she is to sew herself!

“I firmly believe that garment sewing is great for women of every figure type. Ready-to-wear sizes are trying to fit the most women possible, which means that they don’t work for many of us at all. Whatever style you want or new fashion you’d like to try, sewing gives you that.

“I feel curvy stitchers should sew with whatever colours and fabrics make her happiest! The limitations of ready-to-wear are why so many of us begin sewing in the first place. Sewing lets a woman throw out the rule book. Confidence is what looks best on a woman, no matter her size.

“These days, plus size sewists have a large range of pattern lines to choose from. Larger size ranges seem to be the latest trend in sewing, which is good for us all! If you trend towards the vintage end of style, BlueGingerDoll has some of the cutest, retro-inspired designs out there, including the Violet dress, which is my favourite knit dress pattern. If your tastes skew towards the fashion forward, StyleArc is a really great option as patterns go up to a bust size of 148cm.

“Every woman’s body is different, but almost any fit issue can be solved in sewing. Most adjustments are straight forward, a simple matter of adding or taking away room at the correct place. With the advent of the internet, sewists have these resources at the tip of their fingers! Chances are, if you’re having a fitting problem, some helpful blogger out there has detailed a fix already.”

For more from Mary, visit www.idlefancy.com or www.curvysewingcollective.com

If you're petite...

A stiffened peplum creates curves and is an ideal choice for petites. Simplicity 8136 by Mimi G Style, £8.95. Petite women come in all shapes and sizes as the term refers to stature and not weight. If you are tall, but have narrow shoulders, a short torso or legs, choosing petite separates can help you achieve a better fit. Three-quarter length sleeves have a lengthening effect on arms, while shorter sleeves which show off arms create the appearance of longer limbs. A dress in a single colour elongates petites and form-fitting garments with no ruffles or heavy excess fabric will avoid overwhelming a petite frame.

If you're curvy...

A smock shape doesn’t cling to the body and provides a flattering style. Chelsea Dress by Christine Haynes, £14.50. For anyone conscious about their arms this summer, choose a garment with short, loose sleeves. A knee-length hem will also give you the confidence to wear a dress without being too revealing. A smock dress is a versatile staple for summer. A gathered waist adds definition without being too fitted and skims the hips. Layer over leggings for a boho feel, or simply throw on over a bikini for a beach-ready vibe.

If you're tall...

Jumpsuits are very flattering on a tall frame and make dressing so easy. Simplicity 1355, £8.95. Maxi dresses and this season’s flares are a tall woman’s best friend and look fantastic on longer legs. If you’re tall, make sure that the length fits, but also that all of the parts of the garment fall properly in the right positions, proportionally for your figure. Being tall means you can carry off large prints as they won’t overwhelm you. Some tall women tend to shy away from brighter colours, but if you are tall you are naturally going to stand out, so embrace it!

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