Customer Reviews

Fabulous Fit

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I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking better fit in dressmaking. The seam method of pattern alteration is pretty easy and straightforward. Judith presents alterations for the bodice, skirt, and pants. With the information in this book, you can alter your pattern for square or sloping shoulders, wide or narrow hips/waist, thin arms, rounded back, and many other necessary alterations. I did not find the bust alteration to be very helpful to me, however. I prefer other methods, but I often use the seam method for widening my waist and hips in my own patterns. Additionally, Judith offers style suggestions to flatter various figures. It is an interesting and useful book!

Don't be misled by the title or other reviews. This is not a pattern alteration book (though each body anomaly has a useless little picture of one pattern piece with little pictures of scissors all around it showing where they want you to cut said pattern piece.) This book can be helpful as long as you understand what it really does and this is what you are looking for.

The book basically lists each body type and then shows you 5 or so garments that would be a good choice for covering the body flaw. As one reviewer said, many of the garments shown are not currently in style, but that is not to be counted against the book as much as it is against the garment industry. Some styles cover certain body shapes better than others and it is unfortunate for you when the style that looks best on you is not currently in-vogue.

The book is helpful in steering you to make correct garment choices for your body characteristics. The challenge is to purchase or make these garments in up-to-date looking patterns.

If you are looking for an excellent pattern alteration book, look no further than the excellent "Fast Fit" by Sandra Betzina.

By the way, don't pay any more than 10 or so dollars for this book.

I bought this book for my sewing class; however, I don't like it because it doesn't have as much substance as the "Fitting & Pattern Alterations" book. In addition, it is over-priced. I like chapters 2 and 3 best out of the whole book. There is a typo on page 3, bullet #4. Most of the clothing sketches are dated; I've hardly seen anyone who dresses in those styles that were illustrated in the book. I personally don't believe that anyone can wear any style because each person has a different figure shape, height and weight. As for the style tip, I'd rather pick up a good how to dress fashion book.

My college level Pattern Alteration and Fitting class is using this book as a text. The instructor has allowed students to come in with the previous edition, and so it's easy to go back and forth to see what has been changed. For the good, the instructor has been making us do the alterations mapped out in the book on half scale paper models first, and the information on the pages has been letter perfect, not to mention the diagrams showing one where to cut, slash, and spread, or fold to adjust the pattern piece. Very, very helpful trying this info out on a mock-up first before attempting to do it in fiber.

Really, the issue that I have is that in older editions Judith Rasband was the sole author and included photographs of suggested ready to wear fashions for each type of figure "flaw/challenge." There aren't so many of these in the newest edition. Of course, the old edition screamed 80's fashion, so that probably has a lot to do with it, but there are young ladies in my class who are absolute beginners at sewing, and the diagrams in the book that only have arrows designating that the design emphasis should be higher, lower, in, or out on body parts in question makes absolutely no sense to those girls. It is a lot easier having a photo showing what real high-waisted trousers look like on a long waisted figure (for those who grew up wearing nothing but low-rise pants) or longer hemlines to cover up problem calves. I suppose that Liechty intended that cutting the majority of "fashion plates" out of the book would make it more utilitarian in the long run, but trust me when I say that there are people who have problems visualizing and need a lot of examples in photos to spell out multiple suggested solutions before it makes sense to them.

I have been doing basic sewing a very long time (as in don't deviate from the Butterick pattern), and so the other beef I have is how do I apply these alterations from the diagrams in this book, which appear to be copied from fitting shells, to fashion patterns? I would recommend "Fantastic Fit for Every Body" by Gale Grigg Hazen to help transfer the important fundamentals shown in this book to fashion pattern pieces on real bodies. The Hazen book has good reference photographs as well as drawings, and the two work well in tandem.

Fabulous Fit is a good piece of reference, but it's not for someone who just learned to sew recently. If you have a well-experienced sewing buddy who can help you with the info in this book, then go ahead and buy it with the intention of having your sewing buddy help you out.

At last! Something that makes sense over the different body shapes! And to think of showing you what to wear in order to emphasize/de-emphasize certain areas.

Well written, thought out, etc. Even down to how different RTW (ready to wear) sizes are from regular patterns.

It would be so wonderful and easy to buy a commercial pattern that just fits. To be able to cut the cloth, sew it and have a well-fitting, pretty outfit in minimal time is the goal of this sewer. The realization, however, was that I had to "pay my dues" and learn how to adjust a pattern. It's been two weeks of watching on-line videos and reading articles about measuring. I ordered "Fabulous Fit" and it is a comprehensive checklist of what the sewer needs to do to alter a pattern, This is a helpful, diagnostic tool. The suggested pattern styles for different body types is welcome. Good book!

No matter how a sewer tries, learning to fit can be a difficult task. Judith Rasband tries to explain fitting in a different way than the other fit books do. It is worthwhile reading to explore a different point of view on the subject.