Revisiting the fitting shell - the flat patterns.

 

It was time to take some new measurements, and apply them to my fitting shell before choosing my next projects. There are always gymnastics when you have no fitting buddy, and little space. But I improvised with tight-fitting clothes, safety pins, elastic, and a t-square tied to a clothes-airer.

You can see the differences between my shape and a standard below - the grey lines are a European size 42, a 36"/90cm bust. The black lines, mine, are not just shorter than the size 42, but wider at the back, lower in the bust, and needing a sloping shoulder and upper rounded back adjustment. 

I'm also doing my own thing with the design intention. Instead of a second-skin moulage, I've tweaked and retweaked to try get the smallest woven garment I can do my daily activities in. Small people need to reach more often, not just up to high places, but forward, near zombie-mode, to the back of a desk or a worktop. So I need more movement ease than most people.

Last year, here's the princess version.  

This year, here's the darted version

Many years ago, I bought* a pattern book that included pattern drafting software. The CD is irretrievably lost now. However I occasionally use the software and the fitting shell macros, which I had backed up. *Well, suggested my own birthday present. 

Some of my adjustments were a case of finding the proper measurements to apply, a few others were new routines in the macros. (I was a software engineer in a  previous life, and my reading of the licence is that it's ok to tweak for personal use). This year's macro changes were to allow raising the armscye a smidgeon for movement ease, and drawing on an alternative, lower, neckline.

Next year I'm likely to work on the sleeves. I have tiny wrists, but have reasonable sized biceps. The upper sleeve is a bit tight when reaching forward. I'll bear that in mind when comparing my shells with whichever patterns I work on this summer.

Has anyone else spent the time to develop a fitting shell? What was the best way you used it?