When I first started learning how to sew, looking at everything contained on the back of the envelope or in the pattern directions was just too overwhelming. I guess I was afraid of sewing information overload. So I just used the bare minimum amount of information just so I could get the job done. Now that I'm more comfortable with sewing, I now readily seek out that information because it is all there for a reason and will help you become a better sewer.
In this tutorial, I discuss ease, namely functional and design ease. This is related to the finished garment measurements that you can usually find on the pattern envelope or, sometimes, on the actual pattern pieces. When it comes to garment sewing, ease is extremely important, especially when it comes to getting a good fit from the items you make. We go over the different types of ease and how you can use them to help you make informed decisions when it comes to choosing a pattern size.
I would do a basting stitch at your preferred seamline and then retry them on to make sure you can still sit and bend down comfortably. If it still works and you like it, make the changes to your pattern 🙂
Hi recently made some high waisted shorts and they where a little big on the hip, I knew that would happen because of the finished garment section so I referd to your “decrease hip on a commercial pattern” because the waist was a perfect fit. So I did what the video said but for some reason it was still about two inches bigger, I was wondering if I should just subtract the two inches since I want a more fitted look?? Could those extra two inches be the ease on the pattern? Because honestly I give up on most of my patterns because they end up being to big after referring to the package..I’m really confused about this 🙁
Hi recently made some high waisted shorts and they where a little big on the hip, I knew that would happen because of the finished garment section so I referd to your “decrease hip on a commercial pattern” because the waist was a perfect fit. So I did what the video said but for some reason it was still about two inches bigger, I was wondering if I should just subtract the two inches since I want a more fitted look?? Could those extra two inches be the ease on the pattern? Because honestly I give up on most of my patterns because they end up being to big after referring to the package..I’m really confused about this 🙁
Oops wrong post
I took my 1st sewing class in college as a way to stay in budget without sacrificing quality. I’m still learning on that same machine.
No, this is just informational so you’ll know what kind of a fit the garment will have. You should only go by body measurements to figure out the size, not the finished garment measurements. sorry for the confusion
I’m confused. So do I have to factor in ease for every clothing project or is it already factored in the measurements on the envelope?
It’s not always on the envelope, but sometimes it’ll be on the actual pattern piece itself. Like around the bustline it’ll say what the “finished” bustline measurement will be, which means that this measurement is including the ease.
What if the pattern I am using does not include an ease chart?
Very best tutorial for beginners. Thank you.