My sewing retreat this fall convinced me of one thing. Many people NEED sewing patterns drafted for older bodies.
Since founding Style Falcon four years ago, I have mostly sewn just my own patterns, with a few others thrown in. At the retreat I sewed a blouse from another company. I'd sewn a few of them many years ago, but I stopped wearing them because they no longer fit my body, with all its changes from menopause. I had to make eight (!) adaptations to get a good fit. Not because the pattern is bad - it's quite good actually - but because it was made to fit a much younger, mannequin-like shape.
The back needed these changes:
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Moved the shoulder forward 1/3 inch
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Expanded the back 1/2 inch
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Moved the fisheye dart down 1 inch
To the front, I made these changes:
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Lowered the bust dart 1 inch
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Lowered the fisheye dart 1 inch
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Expanded the bust 1/2 inch
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Moved the shoulder forward 1/3 inch
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Trued up the side seams and hem
I didn't make these changes because I am a fussy perfectionist. I made them because if I hadn't, the blouse would have looked terrible. Baggy bits above the bust. Gaping buttons, Choking neckline. Pinching armscye.
No shade on this pattern - almost ALL are like this.
It's convinced me more than ever that Style Falcon paves a better way. One where the most common and annoying fit issues are fixed for you. From the get-go. By design.
I have the knowledge, time and desire to make these adjustments to fit myself. But a lot of sewers don’t know how to cope with body changes. Or they are just DONE with it all and turn to crafts, quilts and sewing for others. Those are also all worthwhile sewing projects - and yay for you if that’s what you like to do. But if there’s a little hole in your life where handmade fashion used to be, I want to you know that Style Falcon is HERE for you.
Of course, every body is different. I can’t promise you that a Style Falcon pattern will fit you perfectly straight out of the envelope. I can’t promise you will never have to adjust anything, ever. But I promise you that Style Falcon will get you a lot closer to where you want to be, because we understand your struggle.
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