Fantastic Fit For Everybody: How to Alter Patterns to Flatter Your Figure (Rodale Sewing Book) [Hardcover]

Gale G. Hazen (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rodale Sewing Book | Publication Date: March 15, 1998

Fantastic Fit for Every Body

Nationally known fit expert and educator Gale Griff Hazen shows you a no-fail way to evaluate your unique body shape, how to choose styles and fabrics that will look best on you, and how to alter patterns to fit your individual and three-dimensional body.

Her students have found consistent success using her fit process, and now, in Fantastic Fit for Every Body, Gale shares that process with sewers everywhere.

You will see real people with real fitting challenges. Gale Grigg Hazen helps each sewer analyze her body and manipulate her patterns to create garmetns that now only fit but also flatter her figure.

Gale Grigg Hazen shows you how to create garmetns that not only fit but also complement your individual body--no matter what your shape. Fantastic Fit for Every Body is a celebration of women who create garments that they love to wear. Share that spirit and begin to create garments that you will wear and love!

Team up with a friend to begin creating your perfect-fitting wardrobe.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Finally someone has written an in-depth fit book that is reader-friendly and reality-based with excellent photos of real people. If you read if from cover to cover, you will understand not only the concept of fit but also why you have experienced frustrations in the past."--Sandra Betzina, host of television's "Sew Perfect" and author of No Time to Sew, Power Sewing, and More Power Sewing

"At last, Fantastic Fit for Every Body reveals that fitting is every bit as creative, fun, and satisfying as sitting down at the sewing machine and sewing. This book is crammed with fitting solutions--many I've never seen in print--and each one has been tested on a real person. Fantastic Fit for Every Body not only makes fitting fun but also is full of ideas and inspiration."--Marcy Tilton, renowned sewing author and founder of the Sewing Workshop.

From the Inside Flap

Fantastic Fit for Every Body

Nationally known fit expert and educator Gale Griff Hazen shows you a no-fail way to evaluate your unique body shape, how to choose styles and fabrics that will look best on you, and how to alter patterns to fit your individual and three-dimensional body.

Her students have found consistent success using her fit process, and now, in Fantastic Fit for Every Body, Gale shares that process with sewers everywhere.

You will see real people with real fitting challenges. Gale Grigg Hazen helps each sewer analyze her body and manipulate her patterns to create garmetns that now only fit but also flatter her figure.

About the Author

Nationally known sewing, fitting, and machine expert Gale Griff Hazen knows what it is like to sew for a less-than-perfect figure, yet her clothes always fit, and she always looks fabulous. Now Gale shares her unique process for fitting garments with sewers worldwide.

"I know that real women in all shapes, sizes, and ages can look fabulous in clothes they make themselves," Gale says, "and I want to share that realization with women everywhere so they can look great, too."

Gale is the author of Sew Sane and Owner's Guide to Sewing Machines, Sergers, and Knitting Machines. She also has had numerous articles published in Threads and Sew News magazines. Gale is co-owner of The Sewing Place, a fabric store and sewing school in Saratoga, California.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books; First Edition edition (March 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875967922
• ISBN-13: 978-0875967929
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #507,801 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book is a lesson in self-acceptance, October 15, 2003

By 

YogaGurl (Long Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Fantastic Fit For Everybody: How to Alter Patterns to Flatter Your Figure (Rodale Sewing Book) (Hardcover)

OK, I'll try not to get too touchy-feely here...but what I am going to remember about this book is how it has helped me accept my body the way it is! (protruding outer thighs, and small bust and "handles" on the back out of my thighs...in case you were curious! ; ) ) It has almost been a spiritual experience!
Ms. Hazen is a "round" woman with sparkle and a big heart. And almost every page there is a quote about how to accept yourself, don't be too critical, etc. etc. Truly, after realizing how NORMAL it is to not be the "norm", and after realizing how hard I've been on myself because I don't have slender lower hips...I have now accepted my body. I am truly grateful to Ms. Hazen for this one gift.
The croquis exercise was excellent...made the book worthwhile. You really do learn how your body is shaped in a 3-demensional way...wonderful! It is a great experience you should do as a sewer to understand your shape.
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because after she explains the need to fit, and the philosophy of fitting...I was left wondering how MUCH to fit and some exact details. I'll get these other details from other books. And the only other criticism is that all of these women used as fitting examples were plus sized. It's great to fit ALL sizes, and I am so glad women of that size can create clothes they feel good in, but it made it harder for me to relate because I am not in that size range. Also, it's harder to see fitting problems in the bigger sizes.
Even with these small criticisms I still think this is a very worthwhile book and I have only the utmost love and respect for Ms. Hazen. She is a very special woman. Thank you Gail!!! By the way, you look great in the clothes you make!

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, but I've seen better, August 8, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Fantastic Fit For Everybody: How to Alter Patterns to Flatter Your Figure (Rodale Sewing Book) (Hardcover)

There are better alteration books out there, including the Vogue Sewing Book and the new Palmer/Pletch (sp?) alteration book.

Many alteration books, including this one, assume that all women require the same alterations -- increasing the hip size, decreasing the shoulders, etc. If your patterns require alteration in other areas (say, to accommodate broad, high shoulders or a thicker waist), you may not find this book as useful.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great inspiration for real women, go elsewhere for details, April 3, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fantastic Fit For Everybody: How to Alter Patterns to Flatter Your Figure (Rodale Sewing Book) (Hardcover)

This book has marvelously inspirational before and after photographs of garments made and worn by real women who appear in all sizes and shapes. The three dimensional alteration concepts presented are very different from those in other books that discuss pattern alteration as a two dimensional project. Hazen also is the only author I've seen who discusses alterations in the context of the fabric being altered. Her style is breazy, motivating and fun to read. For these reasons the book is well worth owning. This is not a technical reference manual though. The information sewers need to answer a single question is scattered throughout the text. There are no reference charts for standard measures used by various pattern companies and there is no information on how to select an appropriate pattern size. The text is very repetitious with the same paragraphs, diagrams and captions appearing throughout the book. Also, while I'm all for being environmentally conscientious, a book that will be turned to frequently needs to be printed on better quality paper than this. This is a great book for inspiration and new ideas but you'll probably want something else for your workhorse reference manual.