Customer Reviews

Sewing for Plus Sizes: Creating Clothes That Fit & Flatter

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read this book from start to finish, almost without stopping. Ms. Deckert tells us how to make designs more flattering by adding simple trim, moving or enlarging a pocket, or even modifying the lines of the pattern. She tells us how to choose the fabric and patterns that are comfortable and fashionable and explains how to keep these from being mutually exclusive. She then tells us how to measure ourselves and fit the pattern to our bodies (not some size 4 model), and how to fit the basted garment, thus correcting even more problems. It's worth the price of the book for her detailed description, with pictures, of how to correct many specific fitting problems. I am now confident that I can fix the sleeve on the last dress I made, which pulls in front. After reading her chapter on design elements, I think I'll add some trim to the neckline as well. We all know many of her design suggestions and fitting solutions, but she pulls it all together in one book and shows us how to look fabulous.

I thinkFantastic Fit for Every Body: How to Alter Patterns to Flatter Your Figure by Gale Grigg Hazen and the Vogue Sewing Book are much better.

An example of its skimpiness is she sorts everyone over size 14 into potato, super size, apple and pear but the reasonings and such are rather vague. How do you know if you are crossing over?
Also handling errors is not really done as she sells Sewing 911 for that and there is little cross over here.

The best, absolute best, part of the book and worth it for this alone is the taping dummy she shows you how to make. But for alterations? Sorry the other two are better.

Even though I am NOT a plus size, I have still found this book one of the best sewing instruction books ever. (I've been sewing for more than thirty years, but you can always learn something new.) And, as an admitted sewing junkie, I just enjoy reading books about sewing. This book is a pleasure to read, a help in sewing, and just plain good instruction from a person who is clearly an expert. I'd recommend Ms. Deckert's book to anyone who sews!

As a sewer for many years, one of my bigges frustrations was that the pattern companies seemed to think that all large and super-sized women are the same shape and have huge bustlines. This book really helped me understand how to alter patterns to fit ME and MY shape. I also like that the author explains how to take just about any size pattern and alter it using your specific measurements. Great for those times that you find a pattern you love, but not in your size!

Warning: Please be advised that this is the paperback book of Sewing for Plus Sizes: Design, Fit, and Construction for Ample Apparel. I did not see this info on the site and made the mistake of ordering both. After deciding paperback or hardcover you can't go wrong with this book. It was a Godsend for me. Being self taught in how to sew this book contained all the info I needed regarding pattern alterations for plus sizes and other tips I didn't even know I needed. Thank you Ms. Deckert!

I purchased this books after I had such a difficult time with constructing a top for a very plus-size client and while I had trouble getting a pants waistband to fit my own not-so-svelte body. Barbara Deckert's book definitely helped me to get those pants done right. Her instructions and illustrations on the various kinds of elasticized waistbands were perfect. A lot of the information that she provides throughout the book, for all kinds of garments, is not available anywhere else. Most people do not bother with this size group, but thank God she did. If you are a designer or sewer of custom-made clothing and want to tap into a neglected market, this is the book that you'll need to help you understand your customer.

This book explains in detail the problems faced with readymade wear and purchased patterns. In detail it explains how to alter patterns so that many styles that you thought would not work do. I am looking forward to implemeting many of the techniques spelled out in this Barbara Deckert's well-written book.

This book is great! It not only gives information on designing flattering clothing, it gives explicit instructions on how to alter ready-made patterns to fit individual bodies, even if the pattern is a different size. It is interesting and easy-to-understand, too.

This book has a had a profound effect on my sewing, all for the better. I can now use ANY pattern I come accross regardless of size to make cloths that will look good, last long, and FIT. It also contains nice ideas on how to maximize you're own creativity. I am very happy with this book.

Barbara Deckert makes sewing for larger sized people a lot easier with this sensitive and informative book.

As well as dealing with the usual problems of sewing your own clothes, she include sections on adapting patterns to the various 'body shapes', that people have. Very few people have the standard shape that fashion so often assumes.

The most useful points of the book for me were the 'make your personalized mannequin' in just two hours with no specialist skills required, and the clearly given advice on fitting and shaping the garment.

Also for the more commercial seamstress/er the section on selling and sewing to order provides useful guidelines. Advice in this area ranges from describing the most accurate process in clothes production (what stages to hold fittings etc), to the process of making a sales quote and what the quote should provide (and the possible catches involved).

Sewing for Plus Sizes remains very useful for me as many of my family and friends find it hard to obtain the diversity in clothes they'd like to see in their size in the shops.

Thank you Barbara