The rationale for my sizing is this: (continued from previous page)
1) Over the years, I have learned that we all add a bit to the hip area. I have never met any consumer anywhere who doesn't do this. You either really need it, or you worry that you need it. It's easy to take it in, but impossible to let out if you need more width when it's not there. This seems to be your biggest surprise when you try on the garments. You can hardly believe you can button it right up! I also gave them a more fitted shoulder and higher armscye, so the garments are so flattering to these aging figures of ours...at large seminars I love hearing your friends ooh and ahhh over how nice things look on you.
2) The difference between the American companies and European companies is that the American companies have a tendency to angle say the waist to hip girth at a straight angle, where the European companies (Burda, New Look, Style) make this transition more rounded. Since my patterns are geared to a mature, not necessarily full figure, I had them graded (sized) to a European standard, by New Look/Style graders. (If you're interested in learning more about these differences, I highly recommend Mary Morris' book, available by calling her at G Street fabrics, "Every Sewer's Guide to the Perfect Fit" ($27.95).
3) I know most of you cut a jacket from one size, and then cut the pants a size or two larger. This has never made any sense to me since the jacket has to fit over the hip, right? So shouldn't the jacket be slightly larger at the fullest point of the hip than the pant at the hip? My patterns are. If you cut a 10 jacket, you'll cut the 10 pants.
4) Consumers hate doing the formulas that always seem to vary from one sewing source to another..high bust vs. full bust; add X amount for ease/no add twice the amount for ease; buy by the hip/buy by the bust; and on and on and on. Well, the only thing that has really worked throughout time, is to take the measurements of clothes that fit you, or if you have a pattern that has worked well for you consistently, use the width measurements from it. Either way you'll be comparing flat to flat, not your round shape to the flat tissue. It allows for your posture, your own ease/comfort needs, and your figure. This gives you the finished width, back waist length measurements, etc. that you need to choose the proper size. This is it. All you need to know about yourself.
As a result, here are some comments I've received about the pants pattern, 1961: "...just like my favorite Armanis"...another said "the slack pattern fit beautifully...it had the exact measurements overall as my favorite ready-to-wear slacks." Another woman from Florida said, "My friends all tell me how flattering the jacket is on me." From another at an Expo "I can't believe I can just cut it out and sew." And the list of enthusiastic comments goes on and on. You've got to trust me. Try to clear away all of the debris that just confuses you. This is simple and reliable.You're going to sew successfully. Ask them over on www.artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php in the Patterns/Instructions file. The daily testimonials are really something to read. My favorite comment came from Elsie in Wisconsin: "Well my disappointment over the pants was that I had made a test pair in cheap fabric, and they fit so nice, I wish I'd have just done them in something good." I have listened and watched you sew for more than thirty years, and then made the patterns to fit you. The reward of having hundreds of enthusiastic women make the patterns over and over and wear them with such pride is pure joy.
