large

fit to flatter

2010-07-12T16:28:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post a link to this fabulous series of tutorials over on Stash, Knit, Repeat for a while. Although they are designed for knitters to help in choosing patterns and making modifications to get garments that really flatter your body shape, most of what's in them apply to any garment choices, not just knitting. There is so much to be learned from what Amy writes, and her photos are wonderfully illustrative of the difference a choice in neck shape or sleeve length can make.

I'm not creating an argument here that all clothing choices should be based on what is most flattering - that line of thinking can land us all in 'invisible' clothes pretty fast. But nonetheless, sometimes you want to know if something really suits your body shape more than something else, and Amy's lessons are really helpful in that regard. I think in part the value is in really looking at our own bodies in greater detail and recognising (as Trinny and Susannah would say) that it is all about shape, not size.

There has certainly been a few light bulb moments for me in understanding that choosing for shape isn't the same as choosing for size, and when you really do get your shape, your clothes look and feel so much better. In many ways understanding how to flatter my shape has helped me make bolder clothing choices, to stop dressing so much like a fat girl and more like someone who wants to make the most of how I look.

So head on over and check it out. And then let's all cross our fingers that someone half as smart as Amy can put something similar together for skirts and pants...

more fittings

2010-03-28T00:14:00.000-07:00

True to my word I have taken the really wrong pants out of circulation and have been dissecting the pants I put in the could be better pile.

First up a quick fix. These jeans were OK, a bit big but not enough to either jetison or bother with a major renovation. But really it was their colour that didn't work for me so I tossed them in the washer with a couple of packets of black dye and voila, much improved. I try not to have an all black wardrobe, but can't argue that with my colouring, I really think darker colours work better for me.

Next I tackled the jeans I made myself in February. While I was pretty happy with these, I wasn't 100% - particularly with the waistband. Since I decided to pull it off, I took the sides and the back seam in a little while I was at it. I would have fiddled with the leg inseams too, but with a whole lot of top stitching as well as regular stitching to fight through, and a fit I was pretty happy with I called it a day. I redrew the waistband, particularly the back section, and re attached it. A better fit and more comfortable. I bought a piece of cheap denim when I was out on the weekend so my next step will be to go back and redraw all the modifications on the pattern (including the leg inseam modifications I thought I should make but didn't) and then make another pair to check that I have it right.

Although the 'after' pictures on the right look much lighter, these are indeed the same pair of wide leg black bengaline pants. I removed the wide, shaped waistband, took in the side seams, took in the leg inseams (more from the back than front) and re sewed the crotch. I took in the waist band and then sewed it back on. I think these are much better (though still not perfect!)

I took off the waistband, took in the side seams, took in the leg inseams and took quite a bit out the backseam all the way through the crotch, took in the waistband and then reattached it. pretty much teh same as above - lots of improvement, not perfect but certainly closer to the right fit.

I was tempted to set to on a skirt I wore the other day, but I managed to stop myself in the nick of time. I thoroughly recommend this focus on a single garment thing. I really feel like the subtleties of fit are much easier to see if you aren't distracted. I've also gotten a lot from a few books about fitting and alterations, such as Fast Fit, which demonstrates a range of common alterations for body shapes and problems. Very worth while.

pants

2010-03-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

Those of you who read my blog may have noted the vow I made at the start of the year to stop buying premade clothes. I was clear back then that there may be some exceptions, but my starting point was home made is best. I have been taking photos of what I wear and trying to pay attention to the garments I wear, how flattering I think they are, how comfortable, what they cost, how well they last. I wanted some data to back up my feeling that buying clothes is not better, and to help me decide if, what and where I'd be buying any clothes I didn't make.

I've been finding this vow an easy one to keep. In fact once I made the decision and stopped paying attention to store made clothes I felt entirely liberated about six different ways. But then I got a yearning. I read this post and I suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to buy me some jeans. Some designer jeans, made especially for plus sizes and heavily discounted. I had just made myself some jeans and they weren't bad but they weren't perfect either and in a rash of consumer lust I just wanted a pair of perfectly fitting wear every day jeans.

Now I wear jeans a lot. If I'm not at work and the weather isn't too too hot odds are on that I'm wearing jeans of some kind. I love them and for me they are pretty close to the perfect garment in terms of practicality and comfort. I'd started sewing my own last year because at my size I have pretty much been confined to cheap chain store plus size versions and for many years I bought pretty much any pairs I could find that fit me because, well they weren't too easy to come by. At around $50 a pair I've probably bought and worn out (or thrown out) a pair or two a year and while I've continued to buy and wear I don't have many super fabulous my favourite jeans memories.

On top of all this I've lost a little weight in the last year. Not a heap mind you, but just enough to make the jeans that were a wee bit big before too be quite big now. I've kept on wearing them but my consciousness is growing that they are probably looking worse now than they ever did. I think I tend to sit between two sizes and err on the side of caution, buy them slightly too big, wear and stretch them and end up with baggy bum syndrome.

So when I seriously considered buying some new fancy pants jeans and started touring the Embody site it didn't take long for me to start lusting in earnest for some proper fitting jeans. And when I found the model I liked the most had a discontinued colour that I could get for less than a quarter of their original price it was a done deal. I bought them, dyed them to darken the colour and shortened them. They were a much tighter fit than I would normally buy and at first I was hesitant. I wore them for a day and found them quite comfortable, but they gave me a bit of a 'muffin top' (a look I detest) so I decided I needed to do some comparing.

I started out just wanting to compare them to the jeans I had most recently made, but the exercise quickly extended to every pair of pants I own.

My conclusions?

Most of my pants need altering!

Pants that look OK from the front can look pretty awful from behind. I think this is because my belly is the most 'oversized' part of me shapewise and because I can see it I tend to buy or make clothes that look right from the front. The lower part of my butt is relatively small and all my hip shaping is at the back instead of the sides. So while I need to measurement of the hips to be big, it needs to be in front and back, not side to side, and I don't need a correspondingly large measurement across the lower bottom.

I think this means I need to work harder on making the same pattern until I get a better fit around the butt. There are a few things I already know to do on patterns - drop the side seams a little, curve a shaped waistband to have the curves further towards the centre back and front rather than the sides, slightly raise the centre back and take in the centre back seam. But I need to mess with those crotch angles to do something about those flappy bits above the tops of the back of my thighs if I ever want to wear wide legs again!

I also need to pay a lot of attention to fabric plus pattern plus fit. Rows 11, 12, 13 and 14 are all made with the same pattern but different fabrics. One has already been altered and another needs altering, but the other 2 are fine. There are other examples here of the same pattern used twice, though in different sizes, and both times whatever was wrong the first time wasn't fixed by changing the size, because shape is just as important as size.

So weigh in - which ones do you like and why? What ones look awful, what alterations do you think need to be made to what? Can you guess which ones were bought or home made, which ones were expensive (in either fabric or bought garment) and which ones were cheap??

edited to add -
I've done my first refit! The last row pants now look like this - befores on the left, after on the right.

As though I were making the pants new I took in each seam - it would have been good to pull them apart before I did this but I didn't know when I started that I'd have to go this far! I took off the waist facing and started with the side seams. Next I took in the back and crotch seam and then the inleg seam. Before attaching a new waist facing I lowered the waistline, most on the sides, then the front and least on the back. Lastly I attached a new waist facing. They aren't perfect by any means - the back of the leg still sits lower under the butt making creases on the bias from front to back. Not sure how to fix this! Anyone else know?

Also - I am fascinated by your opinions - thank you!

Oh oh oh - very nice jeans on sale for plus sizes!

2010-03-08T15:08:00.000-08:00

I read this lovely blog post by one of my fav fashion bloggers, Frocks and Frou Frou. She's promoting an amazing 25% off great jeans for plus sizes over at Embody. But be quick!

plus size vintage and the daily wardrobe peek

2009-11-26T10:59:00.000-08:00

There's an interesting discussion over on Gertie's blog about what is plus size anyway. You might want to check out her blog if you like vintage stuff, she's working her way through Vogue's guide to better sewing from 1952 and has done a few posts about fit and adjustment and sewing from vintage patterns. She's doing really well at including the plus size angle in an area notoriously small sized! (Thanks to Kate for putting me onto her!)

And while we are on sites I am currently loving, I am addicted to frocks & frou frou. Lilli posts great clear pictures of her fabulous and extensive wardrobe, plus info about where she buys and some shopping experiences. Already through her site I've finally found some really good reasonably priced leggings (sadly they are currently out of stock of larger sizes but I am sure they'll be fixing that soon). Lilli is not as big as me but I just love how she dresses and her extensive shopping knowledge. I'm hoping she'll head over here and do a few posts on Large for us. (Thanks to Kim for discovering this site for me!)

dress forms

2009-11-10T17:10:00.000-08:00

You may recall the fiasco that was my attempt to make a duct tape dress form. Needless to say it hasn't been used and I have no desire to reproduce the experience or making it, even with the superior gummed tape. But my desire for a dress form just grows. In recent months I have been doing a lot of refashioning and making garments without patterns and this involves a lot of taking half finished and pinned pieces on and off and attempts to fit things in a mirror. Hardly ideal!

Previous attempts to locate a dress form in my size has proved pretty fruitless. All the ones I found online were overseas and offered by companies that don't ship internationally. I did find one, but the customer reviews about the quality of the mechanisms for adjusting it were so scathing I was convinced it wasn't a good idea.

I did find an aussie ebay seller who imports dress forms and sells them at a reasonable price, but their larger size was just a fraction too small for me. Despite supposedly fitting up to size 20, the measurements are smaller than mine and I wear a size 18. Yet another dead end!

And then it occurred to me to ask my local fabric retailer if she could order in dress forms in larger sizes. While she didn't have the size known as fuller figure, the manufacturer of the style she had on her books did make it so she said she'd find out for me. In the same instant it dawned on me that getting it back to Melbourne would be a bit of a pain so I rang a couple of places in Melbourne to make the same inquiry. Experience so far tells me that there is a lot of price variation (I have been quoted between $195 and $395 for the exact same thing!) so I decided to do my research on this one. Clegs came back to me fastest and they could get me a fuller figure, though at $395 I was looking at a fair bit more than I thought I would have to pay.

I also realised that while all the forms I have looked at are made by the same manufacturer, Clegs only carry the supafit model, while my local store and my favourite store, Tessutis only stocks the Diana model. In searching for reviews it seems the Diana is a sturdier and easier to adjust model with a better stand, and it was the short comings on the supafit that I had read about with the very first place I looked to buy.

But a side benefit of trying to find reviews and comparisons of the different models (through this fantastic sewing forum discussion site) I found a long thread about padding out dress forms. Not only does it seem possible, but most of the experienced hands recommend padding as a way of achieving a shape closer to your body. You see adjustability to the right measurements is one thing, but mimicking the distribution of those measurements on your body is a whole other thing. Those who hadn't padded their forms repeatedly posted that their dress forms never got used while those who had made their forms look more like themselves found them really useful. And of course if you are going to pad it out, you want the actual form to be smaller than yourself.

So now I am contemplating buying one in the easier to get smaller size and doing the work to make it look as much like me as I can! I'd love to hear from anyone about their experiences padding models out, reviews of different models or recommendations of places to buy.

Edited to add -

I just read through another tutorial on fitting a form to your shape (thanks for the link Nichola!) and found a couple of interesting things. The first is, the author recommends distributing your padding more evenly than you are in reality and claims this will make your garments look better. I'd like to know how, so I'm posting a comment and will let you know!

The second thing I found was that reading through the comments section there are recommendations for two form types I hadn't come across. Unlike the standard dial adjustable types I've looked at, the Fabulous Fit has a solid base with a padding fit system and removable cover. This means it is adjustable by size and shape and saves you the trouble of making your own padding and cover to fit. I gather this is the kind of form used by professionals and I can see why. Sadly, it stops at an American size 16, but the Uniquely You, which has many similarities goes up to a 50" hip with adjustments via the covering. And this company ships to Australia! Of course, while the form is only $139, the shipping here is $254.38!!

But aside from the issue of cost, another comment got me thinking about another problem. I hate how if ever I buy commercial patterns I measure myself accurately and find that the pattern size chart says I'm a size 26 or so. I know I may choose a size 18 or 20 in commercially made clothes, but the pattern says that for my measurements I need a size 26. If I make the garment in the size 26 (don't laugh - I've done this!) it is of course miles too big. I don't know why this is, but I basically don't use commercial patterns so I avid dealing with it. But it occurs to me - what if the dress form is the same? What if I buy one and find it is way too big? One commenter on the above post had exactly this experience and I can't imagine what I'd do if I paid $250 shipping only to have to return it!

Anyone else been down this road and know what I'm talking about?

test knitting

2009-11-08T15:06:00.000-08:00

Just a super quick post here to let you know that the lovely and talented Kate is looking for a test knitter or two in the 42-50inch bust range for a really lovely cardigan she has designed.

I have to say as a long time knitter who grew up knitting men's garments and mostly disasterous home designed knits because commercial patterns stopped at a size 14 I am thrilled to bits with how many pattern designers now take their sizing up to the loftier heights. And critical to this is good test knitting and feedback to designers.

So I hope someone here will take her up on the offer and get a great cardi and ensure the rest of us continue to have access to well designed and fitting patterns!

shopping by body type

2009-11-04T15:45:00.000-08:00

So a friend of mine who is in search of a dress for a special occassion has been spending quite a bit of time looking for ideas on line.

Now I don't wear dresses much (recent sewing notwithstanding) since I spend most of my time running around after children, doing domestic chores and generally being a graceless slob, but I so think a good frock can look stunning. I also think a badly chosen frock can make you look really awful.

Anyway, she found that the large US retailer Nordstrom has a really excellent feature for their online dress shop - that capacity to search by body type (see the drop down menu on the right hand side half way down the screen). You can also search by plus size or garment type.

I don't have plans to buy anything from Nordstrom any time soon, but I think this is a fantastic way to think about garments and feel a little more confident that the dress you like might suit you. I haven't explored the site in detail but my guess is we'll be seeing more and more of this kind of thing, assisted shopping. Anyone else know of other retailers or sites that offer similar features?

another shirt renovation

2009-10-24T22:40:00.000-07:00

You might remember a shirt I altered last year.

Well, I've done another one, this time in a quite different way. I started with the exact same linen shirt (except in black this time instead of olive) and ended up with a fancy shaped and detailed top.

You can read more about what I did over here (scroll down to the second half of the post.)

sewing with knits

2009-09-26T22:22:00.000-07:00

For all those who wanted to know more about the sewing of the bathers, I did a post on my other blog with some info about sewing with knits. Happy to answer any questions!

new bathers modelled

2009-09-25T04:38:00.001-07:00

new bathers modelled, originally uploaded by Soozs.

Thanks to Ellen here are some photos of me n my new bathers that I can bear to look at! Dry and wet.

before -> after

2009-09-14T21:04:00.001-07:00

before -> after, originally uploaded by Soozs.

Another refashion from a classic fat garment to something a bit more stylish.

The photos aren't great, but I raised the shoulders, shortened the sleeves from elbow to mid upper arm and the length from almost ankle to mid-upper calf, added pin tuck detail to front and darts to back.

The whole job took less than an hour, was very quick and easy and has taken a classic sack to a nice dress. Still a little boring though. I may yet do some kind of embellishment on the front...

swim shorts

2009-09-11T23:08:00.001-07:00

swim shorts, originally uploaded by Soozs.

So I think the shorts are going to be great. I haven't trialled them in water yet, but they feel great and meet all the criteria I had in mind before I set out. I think a big part of their success is that the lycra I used is really thick and hangs well in the non-cling way. Hemming without a coverstitch machine is a big ordinary, but I'm hoping they will settle with wear.

This lycra is actually inside out - the 'right side' has white dots and while they look cute, I think the shirt has plenty enough going on. But the reverse side has an interesting texture where the dots were printed and change the properties of the fabric.

in the swim of things

2009-09-10T21:45:00.001-07:00

I'm so seventies, originally uploaded by Soozs.

I know, I know. Summer time means dealing with swimwear. Few things fill me with dread quite like the annual reality check like no other.

Pass the choc chip cookies while I have a sigh and maybe a cry...

For years I did my best to hide in a black one piece, but it's always been hard to find a suit I liked and which fitted me and didn't squish my boobs down to my navel.

I can't remember when I sewed my first suit, but it was a long time ago and a move motivated by sheer desperation. How hard could it be? I thought to myself and set out with cotton lycra and lots of time. No pattern, just winging it.

Those early suits were really quite OK once I had recut, re-sewed and altered for a day or two. I tried making my own patterns, but since no two pieces of lycra are the same a healthy amount of fiddle is always required.

And then five or so years back I discovered the tankini and I was pretty happy to stay there. Nice boy leg black pants in chlorine resistant lycra and a tank top with an in-built shelf bra. I'm not saying I looked like a model or anything, but they were comfortable and serviceable.

But as the tank began to age and the straps began to loosen, the cleavage got a little deeper than I was comfortable with. In bathers as in most of my clothes I like firmness and any possibility of a wardrobe malfunction does not assist in relaxation.

So the tank remained in circulation, but wasn't really what I wanted. I was also increasingly finding it hard to avoid sunburn and was thinking perhaps it might be time to seek a little more coverage - a rash vest and board shorts were the next additions.

I don't know if it is just me and my shape, or whether this is a universal phenomenon, but I find board shorts really uncomfortable. I like the sun protection, but they seem to be loose and flappy and extremely unflattering at the same time as restrictive and tight whenever you are trying to move.

And the big black rash vest is eminently functional but somehow unsatisfactory too. Hopeless for feeling remotely summery or attractive and when sun isn't a big problem, unnecessary levels of coverage. Plus I really can't get over the need for a dedicated swim bra.

So now I find myself with no less than 5 pieces of swimwear, pretty much all of which are a compromise in some way or another. Now that I am spending a good slab of time living at the beach, swimwear is a daily reality.

Armed with a load of lycras in interesting prints I am setting out to remake the swimwear wardrobe. I'm boldly going away from black because I'm tired of it.

This is the first of the items I had in mind, a short sleeved rash vest. I used the same pattern that I use to make most of my T-shirts. After a trial wear this morning I decided it needs a bit of shortening and I might hem the edges instead of leaving them overlocked, but otherwise a much more pleasant garment to wear than the old rashie.

Next up, some hybrid bike/board shorts. I want something that looks more like regular shorts (ie less clingy), but has the stretch and comfort of lycra. I'm planning on using the jazz pants pattern I used over here.

After that I'm going to make a new tank and perhaps even a one piece just for the hell of it.

So how to you deal with swimwear? Do you make or buy? What kind of swimwear do you like? Where do you get it?

seasonally inappropriate but...

2009-08-22T15:34:00.000-07:00

I received an email recently from Annette at Subway Shoe Diffusion, a Melbourne based shoe importer. This coming winter they will be importing a range of reasonably priced boots with sizing for 'athletic' calves. The styles look nice and are really competitively priced. While I know most people are really not at all focused on winter boots right now, I'm mentioning it in case I forget to chase Annette up next year for a list of stockists! Now you can all feel free to remind me...

I also wanted to give all our blog authors and potential authors a giddy up! Come on guys, lets see some content! If you'd like to contribute in any way at all, please drop me a line - soozs[dot]com[at]gmail[dot]com

a lesson in fit

2009-06-09T04:07:00.001-07:00

new clothes, originally uploaded by Soozs.

OK so this weekend I went to craft camp and I made a complete shit load of stuff. Woo hoo! (You can read more about the weekend here, and head over to flickr for better looks at the garments in the mosaic).

But aside from the obvious benefit of new gear there were some less expected wins. Firstly I made more than one style of pants in a sitting and that gave me a really good opportunity to think about the more subtle aspects of cut. I also made the same pants in three different fabrics and two different lengths, and that was an interesting exercise too.

And so much sewing time at a stretch made it easier to devote time to some riskier projects, knowing they might not work out, and a because I am in the dead of winter but will be in the heights of summer in just a few weeks I covered a really wide array of fabrics and garment types.

So just a few things really stood out for me like how much more flattering a firmer fabric in a more fitted style is - look at the short sleeve shirt in the second to bottom row on the right or the black tunic vest in the middle row on the left and compare them to the olive over top to the left of the shirt or the stripe top over jeans in the top row.

I also think my fear of pants and skirts in too light colours may be unfounded (second and third rows on left), but my general aversion to small scale prints may be best listened to (though I think the T-shirt to the right of the grey pants is OK - perhaps because it is more fitted?).

A jeans style of cut suits me more than a more conventional pants leg (look back at previous pants here) and lots of layers and pieces in variations of a greyish scale work well for me, though a splash of red does wonders (you can't see it here but I had a red scarf on in most of the shots).

I love the tunic - this was a no pattern experiment and I think it really worked. It is made out of a woven rather than knit cotton spandex two way stretch so it is firm and sits very well but is super comfy too. I started with a quite unstructured box and added in bust, shoulder and back darts and then did the front shaping with rows of fine pin tucks where a conventional front dart would be. I will definitely be making another of these - I want to wear one every day!

All over I feel quite invigorated on the wardrobe front as a result, and I think future sewing will be very influenced by what I've learned. As always I used an array of Ottobre patterns to great effect and continue to be very happy with them.

clothes in limbo

2009-05-10T23:04:00.000-07:00

My sister and I have for many years had an informal clothes swap thing going. As our weight goes up and down we've passed stuff back and forth, and I never get rid of anything without passing it by her first.

It's always struck me as a great shame there isn't a way to do this on a bigger scale - I'm sure there are lots of people who have clothes too good to give away that simply don't fit any more - well not now anyway - and why shouldn't someone else be wearing them while they are still fashionable? Of course I send my stuff tot he op shop when neither myself nor my sister wants them, but the plus size thing is so specialised, wouldn't it be good to be able to send them to some special place? I'd quite like to shop there for other people's cast offs too.

So I have been having a fairly major wardrobe sort in the last few days. Very soon I may well be packing all my worldly goods away for a while, and my experience of doing this last time is that when you get home you never even unpack most of it. I am determined this time not to pack away things I don't really want any more.

The first step in this process has been to pull out all the things that have been in storage since 2005 when we went to Thailand. It is nothing short of total disgrace that all this stuff has just been sitting for 4 years. Some of it was stuff I couldn't even fit into back then (pre baby bearing), and a lot of it was the clothing I wore back when I was a hard core corporate worker and fairly dedicated night time party-er.

A couple of things have struck me going through it all - and believe me there is a lot. Firstly is just that - what a complete shit load of stuff I've kept for too long. No less than 7 pairs of jeans, 7 tailored suits (all lined, 6 of them imported Italian wool, 3 of them with pants as well as skirts), a cashmere overcoat, countless blouses, tops, skirts, shorts and dresses.

Some of the clothes I had and wore for a long time, some are relatively new, most of them are in fine condition and eminently wearable. Most of them are made from very nice fabrics - wools, silks, linens, a few lovely spun rayon blouses and almost everything is lined, has nice buttons, pockets and zips.

And almost everything has been made by me. Not the jeans though.

And this kind of surprises me. When I look at it all stacked up in neat piles (waiting for my sister to come and sift through) I realise that an awful lot of work has gone into this collection. A lot of choosing, a lot of money on expensive fabric, a lot of time and attention to detail (all pre child days. Sigh). I feel quite proud if the truth be known.

But the other thing is, despite the way I feel about the things I've made, this is a collection of clothes that belongs to a different life. True, quite a lot of it doesn't fit me anymore, but I know if I set my mind to it I could re-fashion most of it. The fit isn't the primary problem. This is clothing that belongs to a suit and party life, not a school drop off and gardenging life.

And I am thinking what a shame it would be for all this stuff to be lost, when it could really make a big difference to someone. After my sister has had her turn what else could I do with it all?

boots for freakishly large calves

2009-04-29T21:49:00.001-07:00

Like many women with larger than average calves the hunt for a winter boot has been exhausting, disappointing and humiliating. I have tried on so many pairs of boots I couldn't zip up that I have resorted to simply wearing trousers all the time.

Over the last few weeks I have had this conversation with many other women, lots of whom are not particularly 'large' but still don't manage with conventional fittings. There has been lots of moaning and frustration. I have one friend who bought lovely and expensive boots and paid lots of money to have them altered. She's happy with the result, but that's a nerve wracking exercise and a bit of a financial risk for many.

But after sewing two really nice skirts last weekend I decided I just couldn't stand it anymore and spent yesterday in a last ditch effort to get me some boots.

It should be said that quite aside from the calves issue, I am pretty fussy about shoes. I walk a lot and I am big - my feet get a real work out and most shoes just aren't up to the challenge. I want style but never at the expense of comfort and durability. I don't like lace ups or overly manish shoes (except elastic sided boots which I wear all the time when not at work), I don't wear heels and almost always I prefer leather. My foot is broad so I prefer squarish toes.

My criteria is long I know, but none of it seems exactly out there to me. Sensible, reasonable, dare I say almost too obvious.

Anyway, here's what I have to say - I found my boots. They are made by Kumfs, a New Zealand brand which makes a really excellent range of shoes for people like me. There are plenty of daggy models in their range I won't pretend otherwise, but more and more I find stuff of theirs I like. Oh and that cowboy spur bit is completely removable! But they make two calf fittings (so sensible - why don't more boot makers do it??), so they fit me very well.

Now all I have to do it find some good larger size footless tights - can anyone give me a tip??

new clothes

2009-04-27T00:23:00.001-07:00

new clothes, originally uploaded by Soozs.

I've been on a sewing jag and so very pleased with the lot. So unusual to have a wholly satisfying set of products! I realised when I'd finished that all these patterns are from Ottobre - I am definitely gaining a dependence on that magazine...

The top one is a fine wool knit rib - so fine in fact I think I may need a singlet underneath for modesty! I traced this pattern ages ago but was a bit nervous to make it - given as how I don't like puffy sleeves and all. But a little birdy recommended it and she was soo right. I love this top because it is simple and easy to wear but not boring.

Next another of the yoked skirts I've made a few times before. I slightly narrowed the flare and I love the shape. A stretch denim in oatmeal makes it look very much like linen only more comfy and without wrinkles. The machine embroidery was a breeze and I love it. A lot.

I made this shirt six months ago and I love it in this heavyweight stretch woven cotton too. Love the bold print and crisp line (with added spandex comfort. It will get a work out in the office. I think it will look great with black pants and maybe a black skirt like the one below.

The skirt is the same pattern as the oatmeal one, only a fraction longer and lined. A lovely check linen it goes nicely with both tops andwill be good for the office.

winter approaches, out come the needles

2009-04-19T01:37:00.000-07:00

I've just recently finished the Hey, Teach! cardi for myself, and I am really pleased with it. I think I could go for this short sleeve with long sleeve T underneath look.I mostly lack the confidence to knit myself garments beyond hats and scarves, since they so often fit poorly or look wrong in some way or another. It is such a huge investment of time and money I tend to play it safe. But this one has really shifted my attitude.

In part I think it has come from a better range of pattern options out there. As a knitting teenager anything plus size was generally from a men's pattern, with drop shoulders and too long arms. I'm much more skilled at altering patterns now, but so many more patterns come up to an over the 50" bust mark. And more of them have shaping and detailing that makes it a really worthy project.

At the moment I am really interested in lace detailing as a feature and also in 'top down' construction because altering shaping is so easy and with no bulky stiff seams you get a much more flattering fit, plus there's no sewing and pieces to fit together. This free pattern looks good, and quite a few of the projects in Custom Knits really appeal (though the styling with so many photos of slim chicks in undies is a bit off putting).

Have you got a knit garment pattern to recommend? I'd love to get a little list together of great plus size patterns...

Bag Lady?

2009-04-06T02:31:00.000-07:00

As a ‘larger lass’ I’ve always had trouble finding funky fashion to fit my frame so in an effort to personalise my style I add bling to pretty standard dressing via accessories.

My accessory of choice for many years has been the handbag. I have a different bag for every occasion and then some. They are a statement about my style, a ‘look at me’ piece, something that helps me to stand apart from the crowd (or at least that’s how it feels in my head).

I could never understand those women who had one bag, just one bag everyday, all day, all year. One of my girlfriends simply buys the same bag over and over as each gets worn out – she’s like that with shoes too…go figure!

It is tricky changing bags constantly, but I have staples that stay in each bag (lip balm, tampons, panadol & bandaids), so all I’m really swapping over is purse, sunnies, diary, phone, keys and lippy. Easy!

Because I get bored quickly I try never to pay too much for my bags, my motto is always ‘why pay $150+ for one bag when the same spend could get you five?’

It’s all changed a bit recently tho; as currently I seem to be using only 2-3 bags with very little/no rotation.

My weekday/work bag is the funky, yet functional Crumpler Barney Rustle Blanket Bag – this goes with me everyday on PT (public transport) and carries all my weekday stuff (if I’m carrying too much stuff then the overflow is carried in my Cotton On Kids Owl enviro bag). On weekends I can be spotted with my multi-coloured stripy bag.

AND I’ve lost the need to buy new bags. In fact I don’t even look at bags when I shop now…unheard of 6 months ago!. Not sure why this has come about really, just call it a faze I’m sure I’ll snap out of it soon.

Next time I’ll tell you about my neck ties and then there’s by brooches, earrings, necklaces, shoes, purses, scarves, hats….oh you get the picture!

So, do you bag…lady?

new ottobre!

2009-03-01T14:45:00.000-08:00

The new Ottobre 2/2009 for women is out now! (to see images click on the link, then click on the bottom right hand image and then on th cover image). No styling with plus size models in this edition, which is a bit of a disappointment, but some nice pants, tops and jackets and a well detailed pleated neckline that could be added to any kind of garment. I think Imight give it a go on a top.

I have been very quiet around these parts because I haven't been sewing or buying clothing (or even had my hair cut yet!), and I haven't made my new paper tape dress form (though it is definitely on my agenda).

But I think I will make myself some new pants with some very nice fabric I just bought. Since the one clothing oriented job I have done recently was to draft and test my pants block, I am going to do a little comparison. You might remember these pants I made last last year at craft camp, and how I though I should have had a bigger size. Since I really like the shape and all the detailing, I think I will trace it out int he 52 and compare the pattern to my block. Should be interesting. I will report back!

Oh, and the shirt from that post, the one I wasn't overly fond of is now black thanks to a little dye session. I might even wear it when I photograph the new pants...

RAINY SATURDAY PROJECT

2009-02-15T12:48:00.000-08:00

My favorite weekend sport is cruising for yard sales, and since I live in Southern California the opportunities are pretty much year round. (Except when it rains on Saturday morning!) I never used to look for clothing, figuring I wouldn’t find anything in my size. How wrong I was—once I started to keep an eye out for things to wear I was amazed at what I found. And the prices…ooh la la! Drop in at my blog sometime to check out my weekly finds (and the stories that go with them!).

I feel so fortunate to have all this thrifting treasure available here. But like many thrifters, I've been known to bring home great deals that weren’t so great because I never used the item. One of my goals this year is not to let that happen. So when it rained a couple of Saturdays ago, I used my normal garaging time to remodel this skirt and blouse I picked up last summer for a buck and a half.

They’re by Ulla Popken, and judging from her website would have been about $70 each retail. Rayon with embroidery and some tasteful sequins. The tag said dry clean.

I don’t dry clean.

I don’t like the smell of the chemicals, don’t think they’re healthy to be around, and I don’t like the cost. My frugal self can't quite see buying something for a dollar or two and then spending over and over to dry clean it. So any yard sale clothing that says dry clean, I hand wash. Almost never has this backfired, and the item or two that shrank just got donated. They weren’t ruined, just smaller!

The top on this set shrank selectively. After I hand washed and dried it on the line, it was a little snug, especially the sleeves. Heck, I thought, but then I started considering the skirt. I have short legs, so lots of skirts hit the tops of my shoes if I don’t shorten them or hike them up under my armpits. This skirt was quite long, and has a ruffled tier on the bottom—not a candidate for shortening at the hem. However, skirts can easily be shortened from the top.

I picked open the elastic waist on the skirt, cut off about 5”, sewed a new casing, reinserted elastic and voila, the skirt was a length I like. Then I picked open the side and underarm seams on the top and inserted the cut-off skirt material. I admit picking out seams is boring, but I did it while watching a movie so it didn’t drive me mad. Since the fabric is black, I fancy the addition is barely noticeable. And if anyone ever comments on it I'll just say yes, I did add in some fabric, aren’t you clever to have noticed.

So now I have this comfy and (I think) spiffy dress to wear.

Since I had a few scraps of the black fabric left, I was able to repair a bleach spot on the sleeve of another (twenty five cent!) We Be Bop shirt.

I appliquéd a small heart over it. Yes, wearing my heart on my sleeve, as the saying goes. I’m easily amused.

I used the same shorten-from-the-top technique a while back on this Jones New York silk skirt.

It was a couple of sizes too small, but cut on the bias and very long. This one has a set-on waistband, which I removed. Cut off a few inches at the top, put the waistband back on, inserted elastic, and now it’s my size and length. Which made me very happy, since I paid a whole dollar for this one!

on the diagonal

2009-02-08T21:34:00.001-08:00

green linen top, originally uploaded by Soozs.

I started this top a while ago. I was super excited about the fabric - a loose pure linen knit - and set out full of hope.

But the cowl neck just didn't work and the front was all floppy and shapeless. I was inspired by the front pleat and tuck work a few people had been doing (see here and here), but it just didn't look right. The strong vertical centre line worked like a big arrow pointing to my belly. Ahem.

A friend helped me with this version, invoking the classic, can't go wrong shape for big chicks (especially those of us with an ample bosom) the diagonal.

Pretty much every top I have ever owned with a strong diagonal line between the bust makes me look good. It gets rid of the uniboob problem and draws your eye somewhere off centre.

So I'm very happy with this.

I've been asked for pattern, but there isn't one. I've written up a few details about how I made it over on flickr, so go look there if you are interested. Happy to answer questions!

*edited to add - yes, the fabric is fantastic. I bought it locally at cutting edge here in Melbourne, which is a great source of unusual quality fabrics. I have never seen a linen knit before or since and I would be more than happy to hear from anyone who sees more of it! It wasn't cheap (cool unusual stuff rarely is) at $28 a meter, but the top took 1.5 m, so that's $42. And I think that when I have clothes made from really good fabric, it lasts and even more importantly, people are always looking and commenting on the fabric, not me.

Recommended Pattern: McCalls 5768

2009-02-02T20:04:00.000-08:00

The past two weekends I've made two very comfortable loungers from a current McCalls pattern that I recommend to those of you who are LARGE. It is available in sizes 18 to 32 (US). The drawing and photo of the pattern envelope, below, are from the McCalls website.

It is designated as a top, tunic and caftan. I am going to make a top out of this, as I found the lounger design so comfortable. I used a Minky like knit for both of the garments shown below. I made a few changes: I added an inch and a half to the top edge of the yokes to help with "warmth"; instead of a separate sleeve band, I joined it together for a single piece sleeve; instead of the side slits, I sewed the entire side closed. In the second garment, I raised the bottom of the front yoke slit by two inches. I did not make any other pattern adjustments - no FBA. I completed a Pattern Review, which you may want to consult if you consider sewing this pattern.

The result of these changes are two nice warm comfortable garments for our cold cold winter here in Ohio.

The Unvarnished Truth

2009-02-02T19:43:00.001-08:00

Gulp, the title of this post is quite accurate. I am sharing with you the water tape double form I made in September. Of course, this means that you know exactly the proportions of your body, no hiding now - I now know how big my rear is!

I took a class at the American Sewing & Craft Expo in Novi, Michigan last September that supported you in creating one of these forms. It was actually a fun class, and I was partnered with two funny ladies from Michigan to each complete these forms.

The leader of the class was Jan Bones, who has led many many such classes. If you click on her name, you will go to the website. On the left hand column, the third title is "DRESS FORM INFORMATION". This provides views of other dress forms and info on purchasing Jan's instructions for making this form. Jan also designs the Lingerie Secrets line of patterns.

You need to purchase some gummed tape. I found this on an art supply website, so you should be able to find it where ever you are.

Gummed Paper Tape
	2"x75' gummed paper tape. Brown "craft" color; moisten with water. Easy to cut with scissors or craft knife.

EDIT: 2/8/09 - the website states you need three of these rolls of tape.
Briefly, you need at least one person to assist you - two is better. You cut the roll of water tape into reasonable lengths, preferably several that will go around your hips and waist. You don a piece of plastic (from a dry cleaners) and start with a round or two of the tape at the waist. This sort of anchors the process. Just like the duct tape form, you the proceed to cover the entire neck to upper thigh area, building up two or three layers of the tape. Don't soak the tape - put some water in a flat pan, and a sponge in the water. You can then slide the tape across the sponge to wet it. Edit 2/8/09: Once it is covered as much as you think worthy, you can use hair dryers to blow dry some of the wetter areas.

When you have a good shell that is mostly dry, you must cut in as straight a line as possible down the back of slip the shell off of your body. Before you do that, make a line across the cutting area in several spaces, so you can match it. You should staple it together along about 2 inches at the top and bottom, and a few tape areas across the body that will hold that shell together. You then hang it upside down (important) from a couple of ribbons pinned to the form, so it will dry.

Once you are done, and it has dried, you can then cut smaller pieces of tape and close that seam at the back. You should also use smaller pieces to reinforce the arm holes, bottom and neck (I elected to "fill in" the neck). Jan said you can put it on a hanger and use it as a form in this way, put it on a pole, etc.

She also suggests covering the brown paper - paint, decoupage, a knitted cover, etc. I haven't gotten that far with mine as yet.

A few more points: this is sturdier than the duct tape, you don't have to "stuff" it, and it will hold its shape quite well. Jan said that because it was created on top of your body, it accounts for some of the ease that you would normally include in a garment. So you should consider that when using the form.

Sally's Introduction

2009-02-02T00:50:00.000-08:00

Hello All Large Ladies and Gentlemen!

Sue was kind enough to add me to the contributors to this blog. I have sewn since I was a teen, and I explore issues of fit and style for the larger woman with great frequency.
I am very interested in the issues that Large explores - I've been up and down (oh gosh, haven't we all??), but at am my current highest weight, and, naturally, size.

I have a blog SallySews, that I invite you to visit at your leisure. It details all my sewing (clothing, bags and quilts), as well as other items I am interested in that are craft/sewing related. I am in Ohio, U.S.A.

I am in the midst of enlarging some patterns from smaller to larger, and promise to record this process so that I can detail and offer some suggestions to you. I also have a gummed tape body double that is supposed to be more sturdy than a duct tape double. I will get a photo of it and describe it for you later today. I took a class from a woman last September that guided the creation of this double, but the process is not difficult.
Here is a photo of me in my favorite project of 2008. It is the Xceptional Shirt, from a pattern from Dana Marie Designs (formerly Pawprints). Her patterns include sizes from small to 5x, so finding a good fit becomes easy with a bit of familiarity.

I am glad to be here and hope we can discuss our projects and the issues we all encounter here!

duct tape dress form

2009-02-01T15:42:00.000-08:00

I've just done a post over on my blog about making a dress form out of duct tape (read it here.)

There's a few things I thought I'd add about it here specifically as a larger size issue.

I absolutely love the idea of having a dress form. I think one of the things that really lets plus size clothes down is poor fit and for getting this right, shape is absolutely critical. And of course, buying a plus size dress form is virtually impossible.

Making my own, as I detailed on the blog, was a trying experience and I am sure a significant part of this was a size issue. The relative strength and structure of the form just isn't as suitable to a larger size, and when you upsize everything in the process, it all takes longer and has more room for error. I think too, bigger often means more wobbly, so it is really hard to acurately capture your size and shape - too tight distorts, too lose makes it too big.

But if I can I think I'll give it another go. I'll get LOADS of tape and do at least 4 layers I think (maybe more in some bits), and make sure it comes right down over my butt.

I'd love to hear anything else from anyone about dress forms - duct tape or otherwise. Maybe we could organise a duct tape party and get a thing going...

hair - not the musical

2009-01-30T01:59:00.000-08:00

A while ago someone posted a question in the comments about hair styles on plus sizes. I think this is a really interesting question, and one I feel is paid way too little attention.

Not that I'm saying I have any answers here, just that I continue to view my own hair do in the particular light of my size.

Here's a selection of hair styles on me. The first dates back to 1985 (I can hear you laughing), and the last is a party wig, but everything in between slots between 2002 and now, in chronological order.
There are two types of hair in which I feel happiest, and they are oddly diametrically opposed. For most of my adult life I have had very short hair, for a lot of it almost crew cut short. I like it because it is easy and practical and a bit edgy. It makes my hair look thicker and stronger. I hate that I need to get it cut all the time, that a bad cut leaves you with nowhere to hide, and that it can amplify my (supposed) assertive and intimidating personality.

Equally I love my hair longer and fuller. The best I ever had was when it was spiral permed at the end of the 80s. I know, perms just kill your hair and grow out awfully, but those months where I had fullness without 'big' hair were a total joy. Somehow the fullness makes me feel more balanced, like the extra size on my head somehow works better with the extra size on my body, and more feminine to boot (whatever that means). But too often my thin limp hair goes, well, thin and limp, and then it looks awful. And you need product and clips and bands and brushes and you have to pull hair out of the drain all the time.

So for me it works something like this. I wear my hair short for years and then for some unpredicted reason (like losing my hairdresser or being overseas or not having time) I decide to grow it. And for a while I enjoy having the hair thing for playing, the hair styles and plaits and knots, each new cut and it's variations on where the layers fall and how the volume sits, short fringe, thin fringe, no fringe. And people say, oh, actually long hair really suits you! So I keep it.

And then one day I wake up and look at myself in the mirror and think, what was I thinking?! Who is that vain, trussed up person in the mirror? And I rush out and get it all cut off. And people say, wow, that's funky! that really suits you!

So I don't know. In this particular incarnation of the cycle I halted at the usual cut off point and just had my hair taken back to the shoulders. That was a few months ago and really, it is time I got it cut again, those top layers are long and limp. Looking back at this collection of photos I like none so much as the really long and the really short.

So maybe it is time I went short again?

Hi I'm new here

2009-01-29T02:49:00.000-08:00

hey lovely larges, I've just been addedd to the blog roll by the wonderful sooz and so thought I'd jot down a quick note to say hi...Hi!

I'm a little shy, this blogging thing is new to me and I'm still trying to get my own blog up and going, but I'm a large lady trying to live large (and brave) and I really want to share my adventures with some sharing, caring, likeminded peeps.

More about me soon, as it's 43degrees here and my brain is melting!

stay cool xx Dee

Control or How I Plan to Do More in the Time Available Without Actually Cloning

2008-12-26T07:27:00.000-08:00

A little while ago I spreadsheeted (not really a word) the birthday knitting for next year to try and keep me focussed (stop laughing). Then I realised that all my craftiness needs to be time-managed so to try and shoehorn a bit more in, I have added sewing projects as well.

INTELLECTUAL ARRANGEMENT

Column headings on the spreadsheet are

:date due:
:craft type:
:portability: (because time at home and awake and able to concentrate on craft = about an hour a day but I can usually squeeze another hour or two in by having portable projects with me at all times)
:recipient:
:item:
:materials (what to use and if I had to acquire anything else):
:date to be given:
:notes: (I find it useful to record if I need to blog the project and on which blog - helps me remember to take photos etc)

PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENT - KNITTING

In the madness of the days before Christmas I needed to feel in control of something so I invested 3 hours uploading (newly acquired) boodle to Ravelry, searching for and queuing patterns, annotating both the queue and the stash record with the pattern info and printing out the patterns. Another few hours here and there were invested in gathering together yarn, pattern, needles and notions and popping them all into project bags (this is where having waaaaay too many needles etc. comes in really handy). I attached a tag to each project bag with a sample of yarn. The tag lists pattern information, due date etc. and contents of bag. Bags were then divided into portable and home projects with some of the portables stashed in a box in the boot of my car. On the sewing list is extra project bags!

PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENT - SEWING.

Fabric and notions stored with pattern (or at least the scrap of paper with my idea sketched on) and either put in a bag with a label, or pinned to the garment with a label with details of date due, notions and work needed. If I haven't finished something, or it's something I can do in stages, I leave a note of where I'm up to. Trust me, you can sew on several buttons between putting dinner on and turing the chops.

I'll let you know how it all works, but at least I feel organised and potentially super-productive.

Do you have a favourite craft organisation or time-management tip?

Also on Unravelled.

Psst - sale starts early!

2008-12-23T02:45:00.001-08:00

If you aren't in Melbourne I am sorry to disappoint, but if you are listen here.

I went in to Myers today to look for some T-shirts. My three favourite T-shirts (which are all MATERNITY ones from TARGET because I am so CLASSY) are very much the worse for wear. I haven't been able to part with them because aside from their age they are perfect. Light weight cotton with enough lycra to have stretch but not so much as to have no structure. They fit me really well - tighter up top and looser down below, V-neck with short and flattering shaped sleeves.

For two years I have been searching for replacements in vain. Don't get me started.

Anyway, since I am going to the beach on Boxing day I had reached the end of my tether and was all up for some compromise to save me from looking quite so much like a sad old lady wearing badly aged maternity Ts with my shorts.

And can I tell you? All the boxing day sale merchandise in the plus size section (now on level 2 Lonsdale during the store renovations) has already been marked down. The sales chick told me they don't have time to do everything on sale day and there isn't that much business up there in the few days before Christmas so they just go ahead and mark everything down early! I'm not a big fan of the sales - can't stand the crowds and never find anything great - but now I think I've just never started early enough.

Showing unbelievable restraint I looked only at T-shirts (well, and bras, but that's a whole other post) and ended up buying 5, all at half price or less. And I could have bought more! Basic run of the mill stuff by Regatta, Yarra Trail and the like, slightly more groovy stuff by Urbane and Piper and some really cool designer stuff by Mink and Estelle were all well discounted, basics as well as more hit and miss lines. There were also lots of dresses, pants and all the rest. Not that I was looking. One top I bought was not shown as marked down, but they still took 50% off at the register.

So if you can squeeze the time out of Christmas eve and you are in the market for some new clothes, head on down.

And guys - will someone please do us some posts here? Large needs some author support!

the crane

2008-12-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

One of the things I find really frustrating is how interesting patterns and garments so often don't come in larger sizes. It's bad enough that I find good jeans and T-shirts hard to come by, but when it comes to something a little more innovative I'm doubly disappointed.

And while in theory I can find great patterns and upsize them myself, somehow it is all the more scary. Stepping outside the box exposes me to a much greater level of scrutiny (if only by myself) and I feel like everyone will think I am deluded to figure I can carry off an unconventional look. If a skinny girl did it they might not agree with her taste but if a fat girl chooses a bad look, it is bad because she's fat.

One of the things I really like about the Pattern Magic books (check out the flickr group here) is the way they highlight techniques, rather than actual garments. Many of the highly unusual and challenging concepts contained in the books can be used in a wide variety of ways, making them accessible to all body sizes and shapes.

For example: this knotty skirt detail would work on any skirt, shirt or T-shirt hem, this woven construction is not at all size specific and these raised boxes could be placed anywhere on any garment.

My much thinner friend made the paper crane jacket from Pattern Magic (other examples here and here) and I really liked it. I liked how it looked but I also loved the incredibly clever construction technique (see a diagram here).

But I was nervous to try it. I felt it was most likely something that would look bad on me. I thought it might be a skinny chick's thing. With a little encouragement I took the plunge and although it took a few tries to get the sizing right (I started too big. Of Course), the end result is fantastic. Made from a cotton/viscose/elastine jersey (super cheap from darn cheap fabrics in Heidelberg) it is the ultimate flexible garment. I can throw it on over anything for an extra layer. It is light enough to fold up and carry in a handbag and it doesn't crease. The construction is so clever that once you have worked out your sizing it only takes an hour or so to make one.

And I like that it looks unusual without being bizarre. From the front it looks a bit like a wrap hanging off your shoulders, from the back like a loose cardi. Because the jersey grips a bit, you can pull up the shoulders and make it look much more like a jacket with a bunchy neck or let the sleeves pool down at the wrists and it feels much more wrap like. You can let the fronts hang open or pull them closed, you could add a closure pin or button if you wanted.

I'm not sure I would enjoy wearing a crane made from non-stretch fabric, since the pattern relies on a certain ratio between the hips and shoulder width to sit well in a stiff fabric, but the jersey version is now well centred in my wardrobe. And I have some black wool knitted rib waiting to be made into another one.

For this garment and the many other interesting ideas, I'd highly recommend a tour through the Pattern Magic books 1 and 2.

but you can call me Taph

2008-11-26T01:13:00.000-08:00

I'm Taphophile. It's Greek for 'lover of cemeteries' and is not my real name. :)

This is a fairly typical scene - unwinding with knitting and a glass of wine at the end of an exhausting day frugalling (op-shops, garage sales and fetes). Out of shot is my fella, known in blogland as the Old Flame, and my mate The Shopping Sherpa (she took the photo). They love a bargain as much as I do and we make a formidable team. They may well pop up in future posts.

Knitting is my natural resting state.

I cannot remember a time when I did not knit and sew. My earliest memories are of "helping" Mum by organising and reorganising her button jar and knitting needles while she crafted our clothes. Nowadays I knit because I love it and sew because I have to.

The fabric stash used to exceed the yarn stash by a very large factor, but with a bigger disposable income and the greater availability of larger-sized clothes (and the follow-on effect for op-shopping) I haven't needed to sew as much. There is still a considerable amount of fabric lying around just itching to be garmented (totally a word), though. Lately circumstances have changed and I need to alter some old clothes and make some new ones. Rummage -Renovate - Refashion is my new motto.

My main blog is Unravelled (mostly knitting) and I contribute to the Canberra op-shopping blog I Op Therefore I Am. If you're on Ravelry, I'm Taphophile over there as well.

Introducing Christy

2008-11-23T11:34:00.000-08:00

An Introduction:

Hello out there! My name is Christy, otherwise known as MommaOnTheMountain. I have been married for years now, and we have 4 gorgeous kids ranging from 14 to 4. I have sewn crafty stuff and basic kids clothes for years. I started attempting to sew pants for myself last spring when planning a vacation. That went fairly poorly, and I didn’t take the pants I made with me.

When I first made the decision that I would like to be a contributor for this blog, I was excited…then nervous and a bit scared. I have had my own blog for nearly two years, and enjoy writing about all things family, crafty, and important to me. However the one thing that I rarely address is my size. I don’t like to talk about how hard it is to find clothes that fit right, and when I do they really are out of our family budget so once in a great while I will splurge.
I am going to write a four part series about sewing for myself. I have sewn things for my daughter (who fits standard sizes and is 6 years old) and have tried sewing pants for myself without much success. So my first order of business is to choose a pattern that that will best suit my body type. I truly want to find a pattern that will cover my backside all the way up to my waist, be wide enough in the legs to accommodate my thick legs (I am on the average an American size 22 waist with a size 26 leg) and be comfortable and look flattering. That is a tall order!
I have intermediate sewing skills, and look forward to a challenge. If you have any suggestions, I would welcome them! I have a Baby Lock Crafters Deluxe sewing machine, am about 30 minutes drive from a decent sized town, and 90 minutes drive from Portland, Oregon…so supplies aren’t too far off.

Here is my plan for postings with Large:

1. Pattern Choice (and all that encompasses)
2. Fabric decisions (function, price, and availability)
3. Sewing process (fumbles, foibles, and successes)
4. Final product and pattern review

I hope you will travel with me down this road, share your thoughts, provide tips, and offer advice. I don’t think that clothing oneself should be so darned difficult! Even though we are large, we are beautiful…and I don’t think we should ever forget that!

ta~ta for now!~

hello from bunnybum...

2008-11-22T02:39:00.000-08:00

i don't like being the center of attention. never have. birthdays, anniversaries, graduations all freak me out. that's why i want to get this intro over with and get on with things.
i have been meaning to post on this here bloggy blog for a while now, only, um, i can't write. i am quite self conscious about my undeniable lack of writing ability. my blog relies heavily on photos, tutorials and recipes (don't go over there, it is boring and i hardly ever post anymore). seriously, just skip my posts here on large if you are generally offended by extra commas, overuse of parenthesis (i like them) and abrupt changes in tense. however, i can sew, i can craft (i must craft, actually), i am a mama, i am sarcastic, i am a photographer, i am a good cook, i am a great friend, i am excited, i am large (extra large as a matter of fact) and i am really looking forward to getting to know this large community.

hello.

more from my wardrobe

2008-11-19T14:47:00.000-08:00

Not much news today, just a glimpse of what I was wearing as I rushed off to work this morning all fuzzy headed from a cold.

I am totally in love with this shirt. I made it from the latest Ottobre magazine (can't remember the issue number maybe 5/2008?), size 52. I like that the collar makes it look smart and a bit more professional, but the thick knit fabric is really comfy and T-shirt like. I like the print too. I bought the fabric at Joy's Fabric Warehouse in Geelong and apparently it is an run off from a designer. The pants are from TS 14+ and I like them too. I had to alter them a little to lower the sides of the waistband, but otherwise they are a good fit. The fabric has some stretch, but also the vertical stripe you can see is actually textural and contracts the fabric too (you can see it a bit at the hem line in the top photos).

The shoes are yet another pair of Josef Seibels bought from Mountfords - same brand as the red shoes in the previous post everyone liked so much. These are medium priced shoes that are built for comfort and durability (I walk a lot and that combined with my weight makes for hard wear on my shoes).

puff sleeves

2008-11-15T17:50:00.001-08:00

I am not one for puff sleeves. They look awful on me and always have. And then a few months ago I started noticing them everywhere. On everyone. Large and small they seemed to always look great. So I decided that maybe it was time to re-examine my attitude.

I made the puff sleeve T from Ottobre 2/2007 (design 4) size 52. I slightly lengthened the sleeves since caps scare me a bit.

And the result was truly awful. Wearing it, I looked like a full forward in drag (to borrow a line). I chastised myself for thinking I didn't trust my well honed instinct and figured it must just be my body shape, rather than size that made them so wrong.

And then a few days ago while I was out with a friend looking at clothes I went into Autograph to have a look around. This store is more miss than hit for me, a lot of the clothes are poorly made and not really for my shape. Plus I am usually between two of their sizes. But occasionally I find something or other in there that makes a good plain addition to my wardrobe. I noticed for example that they had very nice and inexpensive rash vests for the beach (where were they when I was forking out a premium for mine?).

Anyway, I decided to try on a whole stack of their tops, including a number with various types of puffed sleeves and different shoulder constructions. Although this seems like a really smart and obvious idea, I've never really done this exercise and it was really interesting.

All the puffed sleeves looked reasonably awful on me, except for one which looked totally fabulous! Sadly the top had other aspects which weren't so great, so I didn't buy it, but I took a good long look at why the sleeves on that top were better. The puff was minimal (more puff=more awful) and the fabric was soft, so the sleeves sat flat, not elevated. The sleeves were also loose and set into the shoulder quite high (ie closer to the neck). This somehow made my shoulders look both slimmer and yet somehow in proportion to my body, giving an overall pleasing effect.

So I felt a bit of hope, came home and pulled out the disaster T. I cut off the sleeves, narrowed the caps, cut in the shoulder and reset sleeves in. This reduced the overall size of the top of the T-shirt since I cut the previous seam allowance off rather than unpicking the seams, and the volume on the top of the sleeve (and hence the puff factor). I also made the neck opening larger.

And the result is great. The sleeves make it a bit more a 'top' and a bit less a 'T-shirt' so I could get away with wearing to work (the antique dollies care of my grandmother help too!).

With lessons learned I'd make the pattern again, perhaps cutting the top half of the T in size 50 and the hips in 52, trimming a bit off the sleeve cap and taking a lot of care with the gathering on the necka nd sleeve to get them sitting exactly right.

shirt renovation finale

2008-11-15T15:13:00.000-08:00

So I did end up putting in the bust darts and now the shirt is really a lot better. It took an extra half hour because I had to re-hem the back to make it shorter and while I was at it I deepened the front and back waist darts. Here's a final shot of the before and after.
Conclusion? With an hour and half's effort you can turn a crappy cheap shirt into a passable garment. I don't think I'd bother for a lot of clothes, but the real difference here was the starting fabric and the fact that the loose and long design gave me some fabric to play with.

investment pieces

2008-11-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

I try and sew as many of my clothes as I can, and I tend to buy fairly plain and inexpensive clothes when I do shop. But every now and then, well once in every two or three blue moons, I buy something special.

Earlier this year I learned about Towanda, a shop full of amazing, gorgeous, interesting, edgy designer wear just for plus sizes. I had to check it out, just looking. Because, you know, that's expensive stuff.

I'd never been in a designer shop where anything fit me before and to be honest I was quite dumb struck. Racks and racks of clothes I had only ever dreamed about suddenly made real. Lack of sizing no longer an excuse I was really unsure how to proceed. Like a lot of plus size people I am used to buying what I can find to fit me rather than what I actually like.

When I tried on this top I was totally in love. It is made by the New Zealand brand Euphoria and is a light semi transparent top, hand screen printed across the front cross over panel. It goes with everything, can be worn over a long sleeve top in winter or a singlet in summer and feels totally great. When I wear it I feel like I am in designer duds. It was totally worth the high price tag. And even if you can't afford to shop there, anyone can look and get inspired by their amazing stuff.

edited to add: The pants are from TS14+. I love the hem detail and the way they make their trousers without closures that add bulk to the waist and tummy by clever cutting and good stretch fabrics. I buy most of my 'good/work' trousers there. The shoes are from Moutnfords and are made by Josef Seibel, my current fav in really good shoes that aren't totally out of the question on price. The black singlet under the nice top is from Target's organic cotton range (love that range).

shirt renovation

2008-11-12T14:14:00.000-08:00

I think most large ladies have a big old boxy sacky shirt in their wardrobe. I’ve had a few. I buy them in moments of weakness but really, I don’t much like wearing them. Too classically fat wear.

This one came from Target a while ago. I was seduced by the pure linen fabric, the go with anything green colour and the reasonable price tag. It promised cool and loose wear for a hot day.

But I’ve never liked that it is overly long (so when I sit for long periods it all bunches and creases up above my hips), that the sleeves are not quite the right length and the cuff on them a wee bit tight, and the utter absence of shape makes the whole thing sack like. Like I say, classic fat wear.

But I recently sewed a linen skirt I absolutely love and since this shirt was the best possible colour match in my wardrobe I set out to rehabilitate it.

I started by adding darts to the front and back so it had at least the impression of a waist. I pinned up about where I thought they should be and then tried the shirt on, adjusted their location and sewed them in.

Next I cut off the cuffs and shortened the sleeves to elbow length. A while ago I was given the tip that eyes are drawn to the horizontal line across your body where your sleeves end, so it is ‘slimming’ to have sleeves finish at your narrowest point. For me this is about elbow length. I did plain old double turned hems because I just didn’t have time to remake cuffs.

Lastly I shortened the whole shirt by a good 10cm. Again, plain old double turned hems.

The whole exercise took about an hour and even if the photos don’t quite show it, it is a vast improvement. It is still a long and loose shirt, but it now has a bit of shape.

Despite my work the shirt still has some fundamental flaws. There are no bust darts, so the front kicks out and hangs short, and the sleeves don’t sit flat against my body because the sleeve cap isn’t well fitted. These are basic fittings that make a great deal of difference to how good a garment looks, and sadly the shortcuts so often taken in plus size and cheaper clothes. Sleeve caps are hard to get right, and because people are plus size for a range of reasons, the differences in fits are much greater than for smaller people.

If I had more time (and the shirt wasn’t so old and thus unworthy of larger scale rehabilitation) I would have unpicked the side seams, added a dart at bust level, sewed the sides up again and evened the bottom hem by taking more off the back than the front. Now that I write that, I really wish I had…actually I think that might be on this weekend’s to do list.

This has given me a bit of motivation for a few more home renovations and I am eying off some other items in the wardrobe. Have you renovated any clothing?

beth ditto 101

2008-11-12T03:36:00.001-08:00

Let's face it - to have a blog about fashion, larger lives, and people who are firmly stomping outside whatever boxes our culture may set, it wouldn't make sense not to have a quick cheat sheet about Beth Ditto.

Lead singer for the Gossip, she's also been very vocal about the fashion industry - check out her advice column for the Guardian, her reply to Topshop wanting to use the band, and featuring the likes of Yves St Laurent, Louis Vuitton & Prada, an amazing fashion spread for Pop magazine .
(Sidenote - if anyone knows what the heck Prada are doing to mohair to make it come out with that laminated look, do tell in the comments!)

Words to live by:

"Just remember - fashion is something that is prepackaged, bought and sold, but style, like art, is a primal instinct. My number-one theory in life is that style is proportional to your lack of resources - the less you have, the more stylish you're likely to be."

Rock on, Beth Ditto.

dressing room try on. yes? no? nup.

2008-11-11T00:32:00.001-08:00

dressing room try on. yes? no? nup.
Originally uploaded by gusseting

Greetings & salutations,
I'm kylie, and I should start by saying that I'm no super organised fashionista. I have a floordrobe, and wrestle with the question of what to wear on a daily basis.
Getting back to basics - something that I find handy is a digital camera, which gives a great unbiased look at how you look in something. Shown is a recent dressing room experience - it's kinda cute, but stayed in the (vintage, smith st melbs) shop.

One of the reasons why I signed up to contribute to large was after seeing the following from sooz:

In real life I find feedback and advice, inspiration and community invaluable but often limited. I want to see more images of big people looking good, I want some role models and some advice from people who are unafraid, practical and innovative.

So, it's going to be fun to do a little hunting!

woaw nelly

2008-11-10T17:29:00.000-08:00

OK. Clearly I've hit a spot here!

I haven't installed a site meter here (next job!) but I can already tell that large is clocking up a lot of traffic.

How exciting!

But guys, I am really needing some sign ups to make the blog run. I need posts! Despite my appearance of being full of good ideas and having time to implement them I am seriously flying by the seat of my pants.

These pants to be more precise.
Made by me at our last craft weekend in lightweight slightly stretch denim and I love them. The pattern is from Ottobre magazine (2/2007) in size 50. I should have cut a 52, but the 52 tends to be a bit big on me and I figured since the fabric had some give, I should go the smaller size. Next time I'll go the 52 even though I might need to slightly narrow the waist. Next time too, I'll do the fly topstitching in a dark colour even though I like the contrast on the pockets.

The pattern is great otherwise. I used the longer of the two lengths the pattern comes in, and very slightly narrowed the section below the knee which had a very slight flare. It has a wide shaped almost yoke waistband that works really well for me because I have a big and low belly but relatively narrow hips.

I really like Ottobre magazine (I get the kid ones as well as woman) and in Australia I subscribe through Crafty Mamas instead of direct from Ottobre, because Lisa at Crafty Mamas is totally lovely and helpful and because she doesn't roll over your subscription without telling you like the publishers do.

I don't need to alter the Ottobre patterns too much (I take a bit off the the sides of pants and skirts just under the waistband to compensate for the hips thing) and I like enough of their clothes to make it worthwhile subscribing. I really like that they use real looking people as models, including older and larger women, and the clothes suit my lifestyle without being too daggy.

When I have more time (and the day is fast approaching) I'll go back to drafting my own patterns like I used to. If you are considering learning this skill I can but encourage you. For an upfront investment of time to create your base blocks you can make patterns you know will fit you perfectly every time. Magazines like Ottobre still have their place mind you, inspiration and finer pattern details are always a great addition to your base.

I learned drafting here in Melbourne at the CAE and the same class is still taught with the same tutor and he's excellent and there's a range of related classes too. Hmm perhaps time I considered a refresher...

As for the shirt, I'm not really in love with this. It is a hand me down from my sister and it isn't really my colour or general style choice, and yet somehow I seem to wear it anyway. The fabric is nice, a kind of thickish but loose weave naturalish cotton that seems to give more in areas that need it, making it a bit less sack like. Maybe.

Okay gotta go. Please oh please contact me and sign up to do some posts. Even if it is just a little thought or a photo. I'd also be way happy to post questions here on behalf of readers to solicit advice and tips from other readers. So, you know, drop me a line! Now!!

open for business

2008-11-09T15:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome.

I started this blog not because I have a great desire to write it (I'm busy with my main blog over here) but because I want to read it. I'm large, and so is my life and it is a constant disappointment to me that the blogs I read, the forums I search and the pictures I see so often don't apply to me.

My main thing at the moment is fashion. Like lots of plus size people I seem to oscillate between wanting to be invisible and wanting to really stand out. I find it difficult to determine the line between finding what suits me and wearing the clothes I feel my culture dictates fat people should wear. I worry about taking fashion risks and about being a middle age matron before my time (or at any time at all for that matter).

In real life I find feedback and advice, inspiration and community invaluable but often limited. I want to see more images of big people looking good, I want some role models and some advice from people who are unafraid, practical and innovative.

And because I sew a lot of clothes, I want more than just advice on what I wear. I want to talk about sewing experiences for big clothes too. The stylish sewers tips and tricks, the pattern and fabric wins and pitfalls, the tried and true methods and finishes that make people feel good about their clothes.

Knowing where to buy stuff is good too, especially down here in Oz where there are less clothes for plus size people and they are harder to find. Experience with individual brands, retail stores and online buying can really help other people size up their choices.

What I don't want this blog to become is one big whinge about being fat. I'm sure this blog will evolve and there's lots of stuff beside fashion that's worth talking about, but views and life choices about size and diet are too complex and personal for this forum. Neither do I want it become a place where people are harshly judgemental, humiliating and taking delight in other people's bad choices. A little bit of fashion disaster posting is always fun, but the main game is what we like, not what we don't.

I'm going to have to be braver than I usually am to post some of the stuff here I think it would be good to post. Sewing clothes in progress for example would be a great feature but you'll get to see some wobbly bits I usually keep out of view. I hope all those who post here will be brave too and I hope readers will respect that. A lot of us find it hard to step out into the harsh light of public scrutiny, so even those of us seeking feedback want it to be constructive and delivered with sensitivity and humour.

While I hope to post here often and retain the role of administrator for large, this is designed to be a community blog. The more people who post, the better it will be. I encourage you to contact me (soozs.com@gmail.com) if you'd like to be involved, either to become a regular poster, a one-off poster, or even just to email me a tip, link or suggestion for something you'd like to see posted about. Equally, commenting on other people's posts and photos is really important so I urge you to make the extra effort to do so, feedback and community are two way streets.