photon has decided Dress sizing. At department stores, I'm a size 5, but when sewing a dress, my measurements claim I should be a size 14. I've sewn size 14s before and they fit me like a bag, though the measurements corresponding to 10s seem impossibly tiny. I'd really rather not go through and recut every piece if the dress is too big. I have surplus fabric in case something goes wrong, but I'd rather not resew.
I decided that because my numbers correspond to a size 14 that I should sew the size 14. It's way too damn big. I'll pin it in for Gala tomorrow night, but it's going to take a significant amount of altering to bring it down to what must be a 10. I had forgotten that these sizes aren't meant for close-fitting garments, but allow for a few inches of room. Oops. Argh.
Asked 1 year ago
My choice: Sew the size 14 since you've not used this brand of pattern before, but risk it being way too big.
- lakmiseiru
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So... you and I are about the same body size, no? I'm a 10-12 but can wear an 8 in patterns. Are you sure you're taking the measurements right? Also, try to get cheapo fabric and make a basted copy of the pattern and see how it fits, then adjust that. In general, though, if you sew the 10 and it's too small it's useless, where the 14 can at least be cut down if you're bored.
- susannah
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Pattern sizes are a completely different system than is used for off the rack clothing, so yes, you probably really do want to sew the size 14.
- erin
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I would guess that you aren't exactly proportioned like the dress model. I would start with the 14, but take a look at the pattern before you start sewing. When you account for seams what are exactly what the waist, bust, etc. measurements for the pattern? Just take them in (allowing some error of course) before you sew. Of course, you need to be careful of the fabric bias, but if you'd made dresses before, you should know this anyway.
- kareid
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Brands vary somewhat, and as much as it sucks, cutting down is much easier than redoing the whole thing from scratch.
Skipped (with comments)
- perturbed
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jesse has a good idea, me thinks.
- madcaptenor
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I'd try measuring something that you know fits you well and then comparing that to the measurements of the pattern. Also, I'm a 16 and quite a bit larger than you, so if you're a 14 there is something seriously wrong with this system. (Then again, I think it's pretty well established that the women's clothing sizing system is broken.)
- seph
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Get some cheap fabric and make a rough mock up? (for fabric, I'd recommend the cheapest sheets you can find. Possibly goodwill)
- cshiley
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Get your actual measurements and compare them to the patterns. The sizing on patterns are "dressmaker sizes" and should be standard, but were set in the 50s or something. So go by inches instead of sizes and you should be all right. Remember, though, if your dimension is X, you probably want the clothes' dimension to be somewhat larger than X.
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