Replies

1. 
   Elisabeth | Aug 28, 2005 03:41pm | #1

   That calculation is for the line AB which is a straight line that guides the size and curve of the neckline a few steps later. See page 38 for the illustration. The moulage seems a little convoluted in its drafting but I think you will be really impressed by the results.

1. 
   twimb | Aug 28, 2005 06:07pm | #2

   Thanks Elisabeth. I only purchased it because everyone here said it was great. I'm going to draft it today and hopefully everything comes out okay. I'm sure that it will. I just did the formula 1/4 (neck measurement)+ 1/2 and see what happens. The 1/6 measurement makes no sense.
   Theresa

1. 
   Elisabeth | Aug 29, 2005 03:26am | #3

   Hi Theresa,
   Once you get the draft working it really is great. I got confused at first at the back waist, because I was assuming it was similar to the front waist method and not paying strict attention to the intstructions. If the neck doesn't cooperate for you with the 1/4 do go back to the 1/6. The 1/6 + 1/2" is not the actual neck measurement for the draft, just a guide and therefore will not make sense as a neck measurement, but maybe you found that already during your drafting. I made a cover for my dressform with the moulage, padding the form with regular poly quilt type batting. A little too squishy but it does look like me. I haven't used the moulage as a sloper yet, though. Guess I'm to busy trying to figure out pants at the moment. I hope you let us know how the moulage works for you, the draft, what you use it for, all that good stuff. And if you have any more questions I'll be happy to try to answer as best as I can.
   Elisabeth

1. 
   customsewer | Sep 29, 2005 09:17am | #4

   Just wanted to report my experience -- I have made the step from moulage to sloper & used the sloper to check commercial patterns -- and I'm thrilled!!!

   My sewing time goes in binges, and I had been not-sewing for a while, hence the long gap since my last comment on this topic. Also, because I have a really non-standard body, I had to tweak the moulage beyond the text-book approach in KK's text. I ended up with princess seams in the moulage in the back as well as the front, which gave me the moulage fit I wanted.

   So I followed the KK instructions to size up from moulage to sloper, but I did it with front & back princess seams instead of rotating out to normal darts. I used that sloper to compare with a garment with very similar lines -- a 5-year old Sandra Betzina Vogue-7396 pattern that I had never cut out, because I just knew it would have the same fit problems as everything else. (The pattern is a shoulder-princess style button-front dress.) The sloper gave me the visual information that yes, I needed to cut the front side panel with a 4 INCH "twist" from bust point to shoulder seam, to have the shaping needed for my (blush) 36DD front. I sewed the dress, it dropped on "as if it were made for me", & my best friend-critic said it was the most flattering garment she had ever seen me wear.

   The advantage of using a commercial pattern rather than drafting out the whole thing myself was that the collar dropped in & also fit like a dream (that part of me is fairly normal), and pockets, facings, etc. were waiting in the package -- and you know how being just a fraction of an inch off can make those parts look lousy.

   I've now converted the same dress body into a blouse pattern with a yolk at the shoulder, part of the shaping converted into gathering going into the yolk, and the rest of the shaping converted into side and front darts. No change to collar or sleeves -- work on one thing at a time!! I'm very hopeful that this will lead to something I've never had in my whole adult life -- a closetful of blouses in quality fabrics that actually fit me!

   More reports later --

   Carol in Denver

    

    

1. 
   Monrea | Oct 03, 2005 05:33pm | #5

   So does the KK cd cover how to compare the sloper to the commercial patterns? This is something I've not been able to understand. I can draft something from scratch, but if there's a pattern I like I just am not sure how to compare a sloper to it to see how it would fit me!

2. 
   customsewer | Oct 03, 2005 10:34pm | #6

   About KK's discussion of comparing your sloper to a commercial pattern: See pages 124 - 128 of the instruction document that is part of "The Moulage". Basically, you line up critical elements of the sloper (like center front line and bust point) with the same critical elements on the commercial pattern, and look for differences between the two.

   Anyplace the sloper is wider or longer than the commercial pattern, you KNOW you've got to modify the pattern to make it wider or longer, otherwise the finished garment will not fit you. Differences of as little as 1/4 or 1/2 inch are significant because they sure add up over several seam allowances. Also, you've got to make a judgement whether the commercial pattern includes extra length/width for style purposes -- if the pattern has a blouson top, and your sloper matches the length of the bodice as is, then an adjustment to add in extra length on the commercial pattern would be necessary to preserve the style. 

   Anyplace the sloper is narrower or shorter than the commercial pattern, you need to make a judgement whether the extra width/length of the commercial pattern is for styling or whether an adjustment to the fit of the pattern is needed.

   There have been several articles in Threads over the past few years on the same general topic of comparing a sloper to a commercial pattern -- sorry I don't have the references handy here.

   Basically, the sloper gives a fast and easy VISUAL reference to compare a pattern with your body. No fiddling with measurements, no formulas needed. In order to facilitate the comparison, I plan to make a copy (without seam allowances) of my sloper onto clear acetate.

   Carol in Denver

3. 
   cpdesigns | Oct 08, 2005 02:46am | #8

   This post is regarding comparing the sloper to a commercial pattern. (I know I am a couple of days late, just signed up tonight) Karen Howland has a two part (I think) article in Threads on just that subject. If you look up Karen Howland and sloper I think you should be able to find it. It was a great article.

4. 
   Elisabeth | Oct 06, 2005 03:27pm | #7

   How inspiring, Carol! I haven't done a darn thing with my moulage past making a cover for my dress form. I could use some nicer tops for the fall and getting the moulage out again would make things work. I have the opposite problem with a 36AA! RTW in wovens make a pouff of air on my chest with all the dart shaping and jackets hang down and splay open without the hills of support in the front. Princess seams front and back in the moulage make more sense to me. I made the front into a complete princess seam and considered doing the back as well. If it is working for you I think I'll do it too.Congratulations on your fine success!