TheSloperLady
By Lauraline Grosenick, CADTERNS Custom Clothing Inc.
http://www.cadterns.com

At some point in fitting a sloper, you may find that you are trading problems rather than solving them because when you correct one problem, it simply creates another. When you start trading problems, you may very well be done. If you attempt fitting for perfection, you’ll wind up understanding this fixing/trading trap perhaps better than you want. The fact of the matter is that you could keep pinch-fitting your sloper forever and it would never be perfect. So, how CAN you tell when you’re done?

There are few things to notice in particular.

First, if you are using a mirror, be sure to stand at a distance equal to or greater than your height away from the mirror. If you have the choice, it is better to use two other pairs of eyes, that is two friends to judge the fit while you judge the feel of the sloper being fitted.

In groups of three, you can take turns as the fitter (the person making adjustments with pins), the fitee (the person being fitted) and the recorder (the person who writes down the measurements). The recorder can be a little further away than the fitter, observing from a different perspective, and providing a cross-reference when asked.

Some things to check for when testing your slopers:

Fitting Ease:

• Record the fitting ease as double the amount of fabric that is pinched away from the fittee’s figure and recording double that amount as ease.

Moving Ease:

• Can you put the garment on and take it off easily?
• Can you sit, stand, reach and bend comfortably?
• If your garment is for a particular activity such as playing a violin, be sure to check particular posture and movements of the activity. You may wish to use a different sloper for a different recurring activity.

Appearance:

• Do horizontal grainlines rest smoothly across your figure?
• Are horizontal grainlines and hemlines parallel to the floor?
• Are vertical grainlines straight and parallel to the wall?
• Do vertical seamlines divide your figure naturally?

Smooth grainlines are a good sign of fitting being finished. It is just as unsuitable and unbecoming to overfit as to underfit garments. It can be difficult to specify ease preferences while measuring and analysing in such detail. If this happens, then measure a favourite garment at the same location and figure out how much of the fabric covers your figure and how much is left over? The amount left over is the amount that has been included for ease. (Do remember to double the amounts measured when working with a flat garment.)

Remember
If it's worth sewing, it's worth sewing well;
and if it's worth sewing well, it's worth FITTING FIRST!

'Til next time then,
TSL (TheSloperLady)

Definitions:
Glossary of Terms

Articles:
Sloper Talk - Preamble
Slopers 101: "What is a sloper?"
Slopers 102: "Why would I want one?"
"Where can I get a sloper that will fit me?"
"How many measurements does it take to get a perfect sloper?"
"How CAN you tell when you’re done?"
"How can you use your fitted sloper to fit other patterns?"
"How can we make new patterns from our fitted slopers?"

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