Can you alter dress patterns to fit my body shape?

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Author - Caroline Jones

At Fashion Revived I often get asked 'Can you alter patterns to fit my body shape?' The answer to this is of course a resoiunding 'yes'! 

Modern dressmaking patterns are multi sized, that is the pattern in the packet is printed onto the tissue paper in a number of dress sizes, commonly around 5 sizes say 8-18 or 16-24.

This simple fact means that it is possible to use the pattern to make a garment that is a different size on the top as compared to the bottom so on a  relatively simple level it is possible to fit a pattern to for example a pear shaped figure.

It is also possible with  a little more care to alter a paper patten to fit figure 'problems' such as lopsided shoulders, a rounded tummy, or a deep back hollow. As well a figure alterations it is also possible to size patterns up or down by up to about three sizes meaning if the style you want only goes up to a size 16 but you are a size 20 you can still use the pattern with care.

Now pattern sizing, that is another matter altogether, something for discussion another time perhaps.

Caroline