I LOVE your CLOTHES so MUCH. I'm just starting to make my own, and I'm having trouble finding patterns for things that fit me. Do you have any advice on where to look?
Thank you! I’m guessing this means you’re looking for things that are plus sized, since that’s sort of my area? It’s really the only one I can speak to with any authority, at least :D
I use a lot of Colette and Seamwork patterns, most of which go up to a size 26/3XL (all of the Seamwork and the more recent of the Colettes, I believe). I wear a size 18 in ready-to-wear most of the time, and fit an 18-20 with relatively few adjustments in Colette/Seamwork.
The “Big Four” pattern companies (Vogue, Butterick, McCalls, Simplicity) vary in their upper size range, but up to a size 22 seems to be standard, with plus lines up to about a 26. I wear a 20-22 in most of them, again with adjustments.
I would also highly recommend browsing the Curvy Sewing Collective archives for pattern reviews, tutorials, and generally lots of awesome sewists. There’s also an active FB community that I have found very helpful.
Honestly, once you’ve done a garment or two, diving into tutorials for common adjustments is going to be your best bet for making really well-fitting clothes. It’s totally common to need to grade between sizes (for instance, my waist/hip ratio can mean I trace an 18 at the waist and a 24 at the hip!), and learning how to do a full bust adjustment this past summer has changed my life.
Hope this helps! I’m happy to answer more specific questions, too, if you’re looking for something in particular. Happy sewing!
