Making patterns from finished clothes

by Rusty Bensussen

Shows how to make duplicates of favorite clothing, looks at patterns for blouses, jackets, coats, skirts, and dresses, and discusses fabrics, colors, and most flattering styles

Genres: Sewing, Nonfiction, Crafts

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Eyehavenofilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've all done it, bought a pair of trousers, a top or a dress and fallen in love with it and gone back to buy one in another color or two only to find out that it's been sold out, no longer available or discontinued.
This book illustrates how to duplicate that beloved item by using it to make a pattern you can use to replicate it over and over again. It's a veritable "how to" on, material suggestions, colors and lines for your figure type,
"Also the key to coding and filing your patterns and clothing without ever damaging one single piece of clothing."
This book contains basic patterns and a way to adapt them to what you are making, along with instructions on basic sewing techniques like capped and set in sleeves, pleats, invisible zippers, and wrap around skirts and trousers.
A wonderful way to learn how to make your own patterns and expand your knowledge of pattern making to create what you see in magazines Or on the "runway" on your own budget.
Don't let your lack of experience hold you back, create your own, and have fun doing it.

[Mary Antry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I learned today that the author had passed a few years ago. I have owned this book for a number of years. I continue to return to it and learn new things every time reread it. The author gave me the courage to step away from established sewing patterns and make my own from my own clothing. I am now making patterns from images for stylish clothing I see in popular online stores.

I have gone farther and figured out what I like for fit. Not all pieces work when copied. I feel we accept the best fit we can find. Often it is ok for that clothing to fall short of really fitting well or flatter as we want, but when we sew a duplicate it becomes very apparent the original didn't fit as well as we want our clothing too. And we want more from all that work that making patterns and sewing each garment takes.

This was the problem I had with established patterns. At some point you have to learn what looks good and how to put those design structures into your sewing. I find so much confidence to keep at it from this book. I cannot say enough about how she simplifies the process and motivates me to figure it out.

While the book is not about current sewing styles, it crosses that timeline because when you change your personal style your just update and create current fashions from your own clothing.

One other thing I want to add. That when you look at what is available in patterns one is often given fashion that doesn't really reflect what we can buy. And we can sew easy fashionable pieces by looking at what is being sold in the stores. Many styles are made from the same pattern while just changing a few details. It really makes sewing so much more fun and the clothes are so much more enjoyable to wear.

[Judi · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can probably draft patterns from her instructions, and if you do have a garment that you would like to duplicate, it would be possible. But I think most people would rather start with a commercial pattern.

[Cws]

646.4 Ben

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took this out of the library. It's a good reference, and I'm glad to be familiar with it now.