With a Twirl & a high heel swing we introduce SKIRTS

Easy to make, fun to wear,

 often a beginners first project, 

I bring you SKIRTS!

The fun in planning your wardrobe is that you can plan your artful silhouette!

Factor in your height, body shape, and fabric and you have the tools to choose

 the skirt that gives you the shape you desire

Silhouettes vary here are some common ones:

straight skirt (equal hip to hem)

Tapered skirt (fits snug at waist and hips tapers from hip to hem)

A-line skirt (hem circumference greater than hip circumference)

Gathered Skirt (equal waist, hip, hem, larger than needed with waist gathered)

Circular Skirt (wow lots of fabric based on 180, 270 and 360 degrees)

Pegged Skirt (hem circumference less than hip circumference)

Trumpet skirt

 (tapers below hip line and flares to hemline,

 the flare larger as hem circumference grows larger)

Gored Skirt is used in many of the styles above

(individual panels or gores that fit collectively around the waist 

gradually flare to hemline)

Lengths go from

Micro-mini
 (mid-thigh or above)

 mini
(4" or more above knee)

 to knee

 to midi
 (between knee and mid -calf)

to Maxi
 ( Lower calf level) to long ( Ankle)

Avoid stopping a skirt at the largest parts of your leg!

If you have this what to do....

 

Small waist-fitted waistlines are best, enjoy all the rest!

large Waist 

smooth front waistbands with elastic in the back are best, 

avoid too much fullness in waist and hips.

Short Waist

  use narrow waistband or faced waistlines

yokes and dropped waistlines help 

Avoid high and gathered waist treatment 

Long Waist

 choose wider waistbands, high-rise waistlines (unless you are low or full busted)

Mid-calf length is great Mini is not

Large Tummy

 gored, wrapped and A-line, not too much fullness through waist and hips, 

avoid pleats from waistline and fly-front closures.   Keep the front smooth, waistbands narrow.

Wide Hips

  let the fabric skim the hips, avoid Peg skirts that are too narrow near the knee,

avoid side pockets and bias cut skirts with clinging fabric.  Use lengthwise details 

Large Derriere and Waist

Use Gentle fullness and softly gathered skirts

Avoid pencil straight skirts and use A-line and Gored styles

Avoid flared trumpet or ruffles at lower edge they will make you look wider

Avoid yokes and dropped waistlines

handkerchief hems will draw the eye away from your heavy lower torso. 

Flat Derriere

back fullness, yokes or pocket will help in the back

Gathered and elasticized waistline and full, bias-cut skirts will 

add fullness, lucky you!

Long Legs

Great for Divided skirts, tiered and hemline ruffles

Mid-calf and longer styles are perfect

Avoid mini length you'll look out of balance

 

Short legs

Use Short Skirts you'll look more in balance

avoid short full styles you'll look dumpy.

you can test our mid-calf with heels and see 

which lengths look best on your short legs

Use slim, trim skirt styles and put your

skirt details close to the waistline.   

let's wear more skirts
All pictures are from my current Lutterloh pattern book & graciously given by the Lutterloh family 

Lutterloh Patterns Come Alive!

Supplement 287 Model#229 Winter 2012

Color Blocked Knit Dress

There are times in one's life that make sewing a necessity rather than a pleasure. I recently found myself in need of a funeral dress. This dress is the end result, modest and not too colorful.

Pattern Drafting Hints:
I don't usually buy princess seam garments because my full bust makes the whole rest of the garment too big. Fortunately Lutterloh allows you to use your own measurements to achieve a much more flattering fit. I wasn't sure if the princess lines would fall in the right place so I decided to make a test garment from this pattern. Normally I would sew a knit garment with no seam allowances to compensate for the stretch of the fabric but my test fabric only had a little stretch. I decided to use just 1/4" seam allowances for the test.

For the test fabric the extra seam allowance worked just fine. Since the bust area was the only one in question this shortened tunic length was enough for a successful test. Now I have another "run around after the gym" top.

Fabric Used/Suggested: 
The dress is made from a heavier cotton/poly/lycra fabric that Jo Ann's Fabrics refers to as "jeggings" fabric. The tunic is from a ponte knit with a little crosswise stretch and no lengthwise stretch. As long as you don't mind a zipper closure a fabric with just a little stretch should do for this pattern.

Design Changes:
Other than applying my own personal alterations the only changes I made were to use satin edge elastic instead of neck facings and eliminate the side zipper in both garments. Both fabrics were stretchy enough to allow for easy on and off without them.
 
Closing Tips: 

This pattern went together remarkably well. It may have to do with the sturdier knits I used. I'm not sure I would try this one with a thinner or clingier fabric. Since I managed to eek out the main body of this dress from 1 yard of fabric I'll keep this one around to use up remnants.

Here's hoping you all get in some quality sewing time,

Ann in Calif.

Paper pattern fiting, this is a must watch video!

I've always been fond of the products and information

 I've gotten from Palmer/Pletsch

Melissa Watson has online this great video

on Paper fitting.  

The Lutterloh patterns are prefect for a paper fit!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6St3yx3Nd2c&utm_source=All+Contacts&utm_campaign=7bc55deeee-Welcome_to_FIT_to_Sew_+03_19_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3b2e4d3f08-7bc55deeee-302083333&ct=t%28FIT_2_Sew3_20_2015%29

If this link won't work for you go to youtube 

Put this in the search bar. 

Learn to Fit with Melissa Watson: McCall's M6989 Dress

The other really great thing in this 30 minute video 

is she does a princess line large bust 

adjustment in the video, one of the more complex adjustment.

You won't have the great Palmer/Pleitch adjustment lines

However you can add them yourself easily. 

Enjoy

 2016
I just re-watched this paper fitting video
aren't we lucky we can paperfit our Lutterloh before we add
the seam allowances!  
So many people who sew don't have helpers to fit them.
I don't so I set up my camera and take a photo of
each step.  Yes it takes longer but it works.
I can look at the photos on my camera so I do,
"oh I see I need a sway back adjustment"
(I'm going from the video)  
I take off the paper I make the adjustment and take another 
photo to see if I took the right amount.  
I do this for all adjustments.  I works!

Remember!  Once you make these adjustments you 
remember the amounts and use that adjustment in most 
all of your patterns. 

WARNING!
Don't paper fit out your ease!  
That's how you move in a garment
&
That is how fashion happens.   

I love a suprise!

SPRING

Spring is upon us, well at least here in the Pacific Northwest

We are planning a little Spring Surprise for you

however while I wait for Spring to catch up to more of you

let me give you a hint.....

We will be working from one of the new supplements

You can order one now and work along 

Or just work from something you have already

 Supplements can be ordered

from any of the Lutterloh dealers on our side bar