January 16, 2014

New sloper day!

So, this week I finally sat down to re-draft my sloper. So far, I still kept using the old ones, making alterations per garment. Which kind of defeats the purpose of having slopers in the first place. Especially because I made those old ones a cup-size and a half ago…

During my wardrobe clean-out, I also ended up throwing out all the items I had made under designer-friend (and pattern making teacher) M's direct supervision. Somehow none of those ever really felt like 'me'. And I remember wondering when she took my measurements for those first slopers. I thought she measured the waist too loose and the hips to high and too tight… And I've been correcting for that more and more over the years.

Now, I started drafting to newly taken measurements and armed with several years of pattern making experience. I used the same basic set-up as before: the Dutch pattern making book Grondvormen.
Interestingly, my new measurements look much more in proportion when converted to a pattern… And when I made muslins today (of bodice and trouser block. I already re-did the skirt one a while ago) I was pleasantly surprised. The bodice only required a tiny tweak to get rid of gaping at the back of the neck. I think the supposedly fitted sleeve is a bit wide but that will in fact work well for most garments, so I'll leave it that way and narrow it if I want a truly fitted sleeve. I know it doesn't look that great in the picture but that's down to the very stiff fabric and my posing while taking the picture in the mirror…
For the trousers, I expected to have to do a fairly substantial flat-butt adjustment, like before. However, only a very small one was required (and not because of changes to my body in that area… I still have enough trousers based on the old sloper to be able to tell that). 
I'm happy with the new slopers and I look forward to using them.  

5 comments:

  1. I have a sloper book which I recently bought. I would like to start making my own too. Can you explain how you use them once you have them? I'm a little unclear about that process. Thanks!

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  2. Well done! I've also been re-doing my sloper! You're blog is an inspiration!

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  3. I drafted my sloper over 2 years ago and it has served me well since. I used a different method than you, and I'd be curious to see how it compares to Grondvormen's.

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  4. I think your sloper looks great in that picture

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  5. Oh, that's so interesting! I'm so impressed your new slopers fit so well right off the bat--kudos. And hooray for less fitting work and more fabulousness! (Also, great picture! :)

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