Fashion Belle Modest Sewing Patterns

Accurate dress forms are core tools for successful patternmaking. Shapely Shadow had some of the best dress forms in the industry. The shape, the manufacturing quality, everything about them was excellent. Sadly, they closed in January 2011. Alvanon has the next-best reputation for professional forms. They are anticipating releasing a new line of shapes in 2012 based on the newest ASTM standards. For those who would like to attempt to create their own forms to conform to individual sizing, several methods are available. I have created several plaster cast forms by the My Twin Dressform Method, one of which is pictured here. To be honest, these forms are difficult to cast, hard to cut off and frequently collapse. Out of four attempts, I have two successful plaster mold forms. They are a lot of work. The saran wrap method suggested by patternmaker Kathleen Fasanella sounds better, though I have not tried it and would prefer to stuff the shape for a form rather than cutting it apart to create flat pattern blocks, as she demonstrates. Extra reinforcement may be needed for the saran in that case. Duct tape and paper tape dress form creation methods are also popular. Another method, illustrated by Sew Chic Patterns, is to pad an existing dress form to your shape and sew a new cover for it.

(Editor's Note: Links updated June 11, 2012.) For some of us, a refreshed wardrobe is long overdue. Finding cute, modest clothing in any size is not easy, and for women's plus sizes, it can be an extra challenge. This week, I had the privilege of compiling a few links for a friend who is looking to update her wardrobe, and because I found some great styles in the plus size ranges, I and am sharing those links here. The focus of this list is suits and dresses and a few tops with embroidery and jewel-toned colors in styles that flatter a straight figure.

(Photo Credit: Poster from Zazzle.com.) "People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway . . . ." (See full quote below.) Over the Christmas holidays in a book in a relative's home, I was thrilled to find a re-print of this quote that I had seen years ago.