It is early morning here in Southern OK. I fell asleep early last night, so I am up early this morning. I asked Glenda, owner of Sure-fit Designs (SFD), to send me her thoughts on SFD FOR BEGINNERS, and this seems to be a good time to share them with you as I drink my first cup of Nantucket Blend.
For those of you who wonder if SFD would work for a BEGINNER, please read Glenda's comments below, and REMEMBER that you don't JUST receive a packet of paper. You also get excellent customer service directly from the owner, Glenda.
OH! If you go to her website, www.surefitdesigns.com, there is a gallery, and you can see LOTS of garments people have made. If you make one, she will probably put it in the gallery too.
Hi Joy,
Thanks for accepting my comments on beginners who might want to
experience fitting (and sewing) with Sure-Fit Designs. When anyone new
decides to try SFD, I always have to assume some level of sewing experience
(even though the person may be a beginner), because as you well know SFD is a
fitting solution and not a course on learning how to use a sewing machine to
sew clothes. With that being said, the direction and purpose of my
comments will be on pattern work and pattern education and the benefit to the
SFD user.
1. Of all the comments I
hear from beginner seamstresses the dominant one is that if they sew a
(commercial) pattern to the best of their ability and it doesn’t fit in the
end, they get so frustrated that their reaction is to say ‘I hate sewing.’ When
in fact, the actual sewing likely isn’t the problem, it’s the resulting poor
fit. Beginners often equate the resulting fit with their sewing
skills. So if the person can begin with a pattern that fits them or at
minimum fits them better than any commercial pattern ever would, then that
person is generally very happy with their accomplishment and will continue with
sewing in general.
2. Being introduced to a
sloper pattern as a beginner is an excellent starting place for any new
seamstress for a number of reasons.
a.
Commercial or related patterns can be daunting
particularly if inappropriate styles are chosen and therefore are complicated
in relation to the person’s ability.
b.
A sloper, SFD in particular, is one shape on one sheet
reflecting the shape required for the body. In its simplest form, it is a
basic pants pattern (or bodice/skirt and shirt-style pattern).
c.
Taking measurements and applying them to the master patterns is
a straight forward process of connecting their personal measurement dots and
not overly challenging. It’s an excellent starting place for new
seamstresses to learn measuring, the importance of accuracy and how that
relates from the pattern to the body and ultimately to the success of any
sewing project.
d.
Understanding the uniqueness of their individual body shape and
the challenges that their body presents can be a rewarding learning experience
and when expressed on a sloper vs. manipulating a commercial pattern to fit,
this is usually a very rewarding experience.
e.
As mentioned above, many SFD users achieve a fit ‘straight out
of the box’ that is so far superior to any commercial pattern. And if the
pattern needs refining then I have always been here to assist if the person
needs assistance. All the person needs to do is ASK.
f.
SFD is committed to education in a number of ways and as you
know, offers unprecedented customer care & support.
1.
A library of over 160 free videos to show actual pattern
work from measuring, to drafting, to customizing for body challenges like
sloping shoulders, sway backs, etc, to designing and even sewing.
2.
Extensive written materials are available for pattern fitting,
drafting, designing & sewing instructions (depending on the particular
reference).
3.
Extensive DVD/Tutorial assistance is now available for the 3
major SFD Kits.
4.
Effective and knowledgeable phone, Skype, and email assistance
for any seamstress, beginner to advanced usually within a 24 hr turn-around
(which you have experienced) is available.
Beginner’s can often get off to a much better start when their
patterns fit and not everyone needs to do refinements…it simply depends on the
person’s shape and their special needs. As Connie stated, she has never
regretted her investment (in SFD), is self-taught and now has become close to a
professional. This goes back some 30 years when I’m sure she was a
beginner too.
From my hands–on experiences with my Fit & Sew Retreats, some
find the Pants easier than the Bodice pattern. If I begin my lessons with
the Bodice, when we get to the Pants they are a breeze. And the reverse
is true…when I begin with the Pants…the Bodice goes so much quicker and the
students are grasping the concepts quicker. For the beginner, I don’t
think one pattern over the other is more challenging – in my 40 years of
working in this industry, I have found that it all depends on the body
issues any given person might have.
Then Sure-Fit Designs™ fitting system truly can be of
tremendous benefit to any level of sewing experience whether a beginner,
intermediate or advanced seamstress.
And Glenda asked me for a still of my red blouse for the gallery, so I will post it here:
I hear rumblings below.
Be back soon.
Hugs, Joy