The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting Paperback – January 1, 2012

Sarah Veblen has written an extraordinary book that's light year's beyond any of the other fitting books in your bookcase. I just finished reading The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting yesterday, and it's excellent in every respect -- clearly written, comprehensive and systematic with hundred of detailed photos that show every step of the way for a variety of basic pattern styles and figures.In my five years of sewing clothes, I've picked up a fair number of fitting techniques. But like many people, I use an improvised, hit and miss approach that kind of, sort of works but doesn't give the best possible fit.In contrast, Perfect Fitting outlines the steps we need to take in an orderly way. The process relies on sewing a series of test muslins which are revised on the body by: establishing the all-important Horizontal Balance Line (a new term for me); releasing tight seams by opening them; clipping tight necklines and armholes; remarking shoulder seams and waistlines; and pinning tucks, darts, and open and close wedges. Then in pattern work, the muslin changes are transferred back to the pattern, the revised pattern is walked and trued, and if necessary a second muslin is sewn for further fitting improvements.Perfect Fitting concentrates on the bodice and includes all four basic styles: shoulder princess, armhole princess, side panel and darted. All the common bodice adjustments are explained and illustrated: full and small bust adjustments, forward shoulders, rounded back, sway back, etc. Armholes, set in and raglan sleeves, and skirts are also covered, again in a high level of detail. The book does include a section on basic pants fitting, though it is relatively brief.It's quite obvious that Sarah Veblen's ability to teach rivals her ability to sew because this book conveys not just how to do something but why it needs to be done, and that leads to a deeper understanding. Sarah also stresses the importance of aesthetics in pattern fitting so the fitting changes will enhance the garment's style and the appearance of the figure.Before Perfect Fitting was published, I read the sample pages that are posted here on amazon, and I urge you to read them, too. I was so impressed with the book, I not only bought it, I also signed up for Sarah's online Bodice/Sleeve Fitting class that starts on the patternreview.com website next week.If you'd like to improve the fit of your garments and have the Tried and True patterns we all strive for -- the ones that skim our bodies and flatter our figures as only custom made garments can do -- I highly recommend The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fit.

Sometimes it really is true that a picture is worth a thousand words. This book is the perfect example of how you can read something over and over and not understand it the way you can from seeing a clear full-color photo.I've read fitting tips in pretty much every garment making book and website and pattern out there, but this was, bar none, the one that made me understand it the best. The idea of a horizontal balance line to change where you do your alterations is the kind of simple and elegant idea that is absolutely radical in how you interpret things.There is a whole section on what pull and crumple lines look like in fitting, and how to alter them. It's true that this is the kind of thing that would be easier to see and adjust if you were fitting someone else, but I still think it's very valid information for someone who fits themselves -- I know I take a lot of cell phone pictures to see how things are fitting across the back or arms.It's also really nice to see a breadth of body types and "fit problems" that may be what you're facing, without seeming at all judgemental. Some people have lower or higher breasts, some people have bellies or asses or narrow shoulders or ... it's just a thing you can solve with fitting, not a moral issue.I highly recommend this book to anyone who is doing fitting for themselves. It's a great companion to the Fit for Real People book, which was my introduction into how to alter patterns for size and fit. I'd read both of them -- Fit for Real People had a better description of how to do a Full Bust Adjustment, but this book had pictures about how and why it would work. I recommend you buy the paper copy of this book -- I still buy my craft books in paper -- and then go ahead and upgrade to the digital for another couple bucks. It's worthwhile to have both of them.Read if: You do fitting for yourself. You are interested in understanding why things don't fit.Skip if: You don't do your own sewing.Also read: Fit for Real People.

This book has a lot of tips to help you give professional results to your tailoring well worth the money