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Member since 3/19/09
Posts: 758
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Posted on: 4/2/09 10:57 AM ET
I want to order a book and a "gift" to myself for all the hard work I did on this last play. The thing I learned from it is that I can sew really well, and make incial patterns really well but I need help fitting.

If you could add 1 , maybe 2 books, on fitting to your library. what would you pick?

I'm a very visual person so lots of diagrams would be helpfull.

Thanks for all your help everyone.
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"Costume Tech's are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated except to those designers, actors, directors, playwrights, and other theater artists who depend on them." - The Costume Technicians Handbook
  
Member since 1/23/08
Posts: 529
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Posted on: 4/2/09 11:25 AM ET
In reply to shanntarra
Fit For Real People, by Palmer-Pletsch, without a doubt.

Second choice for me is The Perfect Fit:

Perfect Fit Book

HTH
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Marie

  
Member since 10/16/07
Posts: 613
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Posted on: 4/2/09 12:31 PM ET
In reply to Riesie
Quote: Riesie
Fit For Real People, by Palmer-Pletsch, without a doubt.

I LOVE Fit For Real People!

The full color photos throughout the book are extraordinarly helpful. Pictures of tissue fitting, pin-fitting patterns to people, and LOTS of line drawings of wrinkles with explanations of what they mean and adjustments to fix them.
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Becca
My blog: rosebee.dreamwidth.org
So much fabric & patterns to fantasize about, so little time to sew!!
  
Member since 7/28/03
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Posted on: 4/2/09 12:38 PM ET
Fitting & Pattern Alteration: A Multi-Method Approach by Elizabeth Liechty, Della Pottberg and Judith Rasband. I don't always agree with the specific alteration, but for diagnosis of a problem it is topnotch. It was my Christmas present to myself, and I just love it. Not cheap but worth every penny.
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Suo ergo maledicto

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. - Steve Jobs
  
Member since 3/10/08
Posts: 26
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Posted on: 4/2/09 1:25 PM ET
In reply to Luckylibbet
It appears there is a new edition of Fitting and Pattern Alteration coming up.
Fairchild Books
  
Member since 8/31/05
Posts: 945
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Posted on: 4/2/09 1:39 PM ET
In reply to shanntarra

If I've learned anything, sewing for multiple people, it's good to be familiar with several methods since no single strategy has all the answers. I have lots of books on fitting. _Fit for Real People_ is good if you do a lot of tissue fitting. However, I find the organization of the book "minorly" perplexing and tissue fitting does not work well for making closely fitted clothing... IMO. I hasten to say that no book is perfect. _Fitting and Pattern Alternation_ is a decent, albeit far too expensive, compendium but it has no index!

Though I don't always use her method, Nancy's _Fitting FInesse_ is good to have. It's a no nonsense, well organized and illustrated volume. She clearly understands the needs of the average sewer. For someone who does a lot of fitting en charette (like you), I think _Fast Fit_ by Sandra Betzina is a necessity. It contains solutions to many little fitting headaches that you won't find elsewhere and it is amusingly illustrated too. My favs are _Fitting Solutions_ (Taunton) and _Customize Your Sewing Patterns For a Perfect Fit_ by Mary Morris and Sally McCann. Both of these are well illustrated and tend to be a bit more pedagogical in nature, putting forth a more reasoned, as opposed to bag-of-tricks, approach to fitting.

When you have the time, I think it would be to your advantage to spend some time with a draping text. The one by Sylvia Rosen isn't bad and Helen Armstrong has one too. Perhaps you can borrow one from a university library. Given the nature of your costuming task, this will give you more insight into fitting (not pattern alteration).
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Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took…. (Shakespeare)
  
Member since 8/24/02
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Posted on: 4/2/09 2:07 PM ET
In reply to Luckylibbet
Boy, I'm with you on the diagnosis thing in Fitting & Pattern Alteration! Rasband's book has clear line drawings describing unusual fitting problems which I have seen no other book address.

The Morris and McCann book contains side-by-side, detailed (fractions of inches in key places are noted) comparisons of fitting shells or similar basic patterns by all the major pattern companies, which is something I have seen nowhere else. The authors draw somewhat different conclusions from mine, but it's extremely useful to have the information available.



-- Edited on 4/2/09 2:14 PM --
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Elona
  
Member since 3/19/09
Posts: 758
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Posted on: 4/2/09 2:42 PM ET
In reply to Natalie D.
Getting something to at least get a clue that won't take half my paycheck would be nice.

They don't have "Fast Fit" at my local BN, but I could order it online. Some of the others they have on hand.

I actually didn't get hardly any draping instruction, much to my dismay. What we did get was based off some instruction in the front of a Jean Hunisett book. Currently I don't have access to a dress dummy that much. (Budget and space issues at the momment.)

The Sylvaia Rosen book was $60 and the Helen Armstrong is $70+ so they may have to be found used, or borrowed from some where.

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"Costume Tech's are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated except to those designers, actors, directors, playwrights, and other theater artists who depend on them." - The Costume Technicians Handbook
  
Member since 9/18/04
Posts: 2373
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Posted on: 4/2/09 2:59 PM ET
My suggestion would be to borrow them all from the library and do your own reviews before you decide to buy. Borrow some draping books, too.

Unlike most home sewers, you are fitting other people. My fitting problems revolve around fitting myself. If I could be two people, and try on a work-in-progress AND walk around myself adjusting the fit --- well, it would be a very different process. Although I don't have any specific suggestons, a text on draping or tailoring -- on other people, not oneself -- might work well for you.

Everyone has different preferences in reference books - illustrations over photos, photos over illustrations, organization, etc. You are the best judge of what works best for you.

CMC
  
Member since 8/31/05
Posts: 945
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Posted on: 4/2/09 3:27 PM ET
In reply to shanntarra
Quote: shanntarra
[...]
I actually didn't get hardly any draping instruction, much to my dismay. What we did get was based off some instruction in the front of a Jean Hunisett book. Currently I don't have access to a dress dummy that much. (Budget and space issues at the momment.)



The Sylvaia Rosen book was $60 and the Helen Armstrong is $70+ so they may have to be found used, or borrowed from some where.


Yes... I know those books cost a fortune and that is why I suggested borrowing them. Don't forget about interlibrary loans for texts. I've collected my books over many years--- many after reviewing them first at the library. Don't forget that some of these books can be accessed on Google to give you an idea of their style and content.
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Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took…. (Shakespeare)
  
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