Sure Fit Designs

I became interested in Sure Fit Designs when Glenda Sparling did a Chat on Pattern Review. Sure Fit has several kits - Dress (consists of a fitted blouse and and skirt), Shirt, Pants, and Children. You take your measurements and then find a matching dot to your measurement on a chart that includes a drawing of a bodice, pant or skirt. You then draft your sloper to your measurements. There are not very many measurements. For instance, there are 11 for the dress kit.

After you draft your sloper, you sew up a muslin. Tweak it if necessary. Here is my muslin, which I thought turned out great. The only tweaks were for sloping shoulder, taking it out a little at the high hip, and narrowing the shoulder. I'm sure the last two alterations were user error when taking my measurements. I always have to alter for a sloping shoulder.

Here is the back and front of my muslin.

After you get your muslin the way you want it, you can draft your own patterns or use your sloper to alter existing patterns. My first effort was this shirt dress pictured below. I included a mandarin collar and front and back yoke. I moved the must dart to the top and gathered it to the yoke. I also made gathers at the back yoke. Then, I made it a drawstring. Taking an idea from Hot Patterns, I elasticized the drawstrings for 2/3's length and added fabric ties for the rest.

Here's a back view with the gathers at the back yoke.

And another front view.

I received Sure Fit Designs as a Birthday present and love it! I currently have plans for another shirt dress, but changing the design elements, and three sheath dresses.