I doubt I can add much more information than Mandolin82's excellent review (click here to read it), but I do want to say that this was a truly incredible workshop to attend and I'll give it as many stars as I can.
I suspect that many people who consider this workshop ask themselves the same question I did before attending: "Is it really worth all that time and expense to do a workshop when you can get the same information from the book and DVD's?"
Oh my gosh, yes it is! This is, as we all know, partly because where things like fit is concerned, seeing in person is always better than reading from a book or watching a video. But this workshop's excellence is also due to the interesting combination of Pati Palmer and Marta Alto, who are very different in personality but together make for a wonderfully informative and stress-free classroom experience.
In four days I came away from the workshop with an altered fitting shell pattern, two altered shirt patterns and two altered jacket patterns. Some people did quite a few more, but four or five patterns altered in the tissue stage seems to have been the average. I also came away from the workshop confident that I know what alterations I'm likely to have to make and equally confident that I can make them without much difficulty. I also got to observe fifteen other women make completely different alterations so I'm much more comfortable about diagnosing an unusual (to me) fit issue than I was before. Saying that, I seriously doubt I will ever have to do any "unusual" alterations on myself now that I have a very clear idea of what my own shape requires. Yay!
All in all, I think it's the sign of a truly effective workshop when the instructors literally have to drag the students away from their work tables to eat lunch (and the lunches were excellent, by the way). And of course, it's always wonderful to meet a roomful of women who all are as serious about sewing garments as you are. And if you are serious enough about fit to be interested in this workshop, then you are serious about garment sewing and that's a great thing to share with others.
|
|Login|Help]
This sounds so great. I am going to check out the website. Who knows, they may come close to me someday. You are so right about "being there" being better than any other method of learning! Thanks for the great review.
11/19/07 9:28 AM
Oh! I am envious! I have eyed this workshop for some time and now I REALLY want to do it. I will read the review you mentioned also, but thanks so much for yours, as well.
11/19/07 2:36 PM
Oh! I am envious! I have eyed this workshop for some time and now I REALLY want to do it. I will read the review you mentioned also, but thanks so much for yours, as well.
11/19/07 2:40 PM
Thank you for this great review--and encouragement, Beangirl! I want to do this someday! Carla
11/19/07 4:17 PM
What a perfect way to spend a week. Can't wait to see your reviews for your altered patterns.
11/19/07 8:39 PM
Sounds like an awesome time - I must go sometime since I live only an hour away!
11/22/07 10:38 PM
I attended this class in Spring 2005 in Peru, Indiana with Marta Alto as our instructor. I agree with all that Beangirl and Mandolin82 say. I have now done two (a dress and a blouse) of the six patterns I adjusted in the class. They were both first time fits with no further adjustments needed. Marta put me into about 32" bust patterns to properly fit the neck, shoulder, and arm bone and size structure. She then had me modify to 36C. These first two garments are the best fit of any previous sewn garments and fit better than much ready-to-wear that I buy. This class was well worth the cost for me. And it was valuable to watch other people being fitted and it was fun. I can't wait to try my other four pin-fitted patterns. Dawn Wilson dewilson526@aol.com
4/10/08 4:17 PM
Gosh... I am SOO itching to go! Thank you for such a great review.
1/12/09 3:45 PM