Pattern Selection, Alteration and Fitting
What the exam tests
Pattern selection, alteration and fitting questions test whether you can read a pattern envelope, choose a size from body measurements rather than age, and adjust a pattern before cutting. You must also know when a toile is needed.
Reading the pattern
The envelope gives body measurements, finished garment measurements, ease, fabric quantity, notions and suggested fabrics. Ease is the difference between the body and the finished garment: wearing ease allows movement; design ease creates style. Check the grainline, notches, darts, seam allowance and whether the pattern is multisize.
Choosing and altering
Choose size by bust or chest and hip, then alter waist and length as needed. If measurements fall between sizes, buy the larger size and pin out the excess. Common alterations are a full-bust adjustment, sway-back adjustment, lengthening or shortening above the knee, and widening hips. Make a toile in similar-weight fabric and fit it inside out.
Worked example
A learner measures bust 92 cm, waist 76 cm and hip 100 cm. The pattern chart gives size 12 for bust 92 cm and hip 99 cm, but the waist is 74 cm. Choose size 12 and let out the waist by 2 cm total, 1 cm at each side seam. Do not choose size 10 for the waist because the bust and hip would be too tight; altering one area is easier than resizing the whole garment.
Traps
Do not cut the fashion fabric before fitting the toile. Do not confuse body measurements with finished garment measurements. Do not forget to add seam allowance if the pattern has none, and do not alter the pattern after cutting.