The biggest challenge facing today's sewers is fit. The most important fitting tool is the muslin test copy or toile, as designers call it. Getting correct tips is always a problem. In fact sometimes it is dangerous. Because faulty clothing alterations can spoil the favorite clothe. Having the ability to modify clothing will open up many new possibilities with fabrics and textiles
The secret to eliminating stress over fit is to recognize your own fitting problems and then learn the corresponding pattern alterations as these indicate body type and will not change significantly over lifetime. Since changing lengths is the most common alteration done to both ready-to-wear and home sewn garments, learning how to do hems is a logical place to start. For professional looking garments, always cut and sew accurately. An eighth of an inch here and an eighth of an inch there can add up quickly and as little as ¼" can make a garment fall completely differently than intended. If sewn edges do not match up, do not cut the excess from one side as many beginners do. This indicates you cut inaccurately, your machine stretched one side, or one side was supposed to be eased. These seemingly insignificant details can have a dramatic effect on the overall appearance of garments. Developing a wardrobe plan by gradually adding pieces that work with almost everything in your closet is the answer to never having anything to wear. Learn which styles and colors are best for you and concentrate on acquiring clothing to be worn during the most time-consuming activities in your life-for most people this will be casual and comfortable clothing rather than formalwear To make skirts and pants look chic, peg skirt hems and taper pant hems. In general, this is also very slenderizing. Straight skirt hems can usually be tapered an inch on each side for a total of 4" after weight loss is not done by sizes but is determined by the amount of weight lost and where each individual has lost it. You cannot take garments in uniformly because people do not carry or lose weight uniformly. Men's clothes are easier to alter than women's because they are made to be altered and contain extra fabric in the sleeves, waists, side seams, and crotches. In addition, men wear far fewer styles than women so once you master individual men's alterations they are always done that way with no variation, whereas each woman's alteration can be done in a variety of ways depending on the style and how individual weight is carried tailored garments are the great equalizer. Fabrics used for tailoring are classic and they drape well to disguise and conceal all manner of figure irregularities
In general doing alterations is more lucrative than custom sewing. Alterations are more easily completed and you can charge proportionately more than for custom sewing where trying to get a good fit can go on indefinitely. Most people know you should press as you sew, but the key is directional pressing, or pressing with the grain line of the fabric such as in pressing hems up and down rather than back and forth. Alteration is often necessary to achieve good fit in a garment. Making adjustments or alterations before the garment is cut from fabric will eliminate many problems.