WILL A SLOPER OR BLOCK SEWING PATTERN SOLVE ALL MY FIT ISSUES???

No, my pattern alterations are not always the same. Yes, my shoulders and hips need to be narrower but depending on pattern companies the bust dart has to be higher or deeper, the bust has another cupsize and form, the armhole is bigger or smaller...
Maybe the big four American pattern companies are working with the same proportions but others don't. Best wishes for your health.

How I wish I had had you around in my sewing days! I managed, but my work could have been much neater and less frustrating. My best fit go-to patterns were STYLE, which I usually only had to turn in the top of pattern backs in order not to have gape. SIMPLICITY were way too long in the body. My wedding dress pattern, empire line, saw initial body construction ending at my waist rather than under the bust, so I had hefty reconstruction work to get that one fitting right! Bless you Evelyn. Think of you each time I handle needle and thread. :-).

Even if they don't draft patterns from scratch, some people find it helpful to have their block to compare to the commercial pattern pieces, to see how far away the fit is and what might need to be adjusted. I think this is a smart idea because all pattern companies start from their own block pattern which differ from one another.

The basic sloper is the foundation from which blocks are made. The sloper usually is a very fitted garment. Then you create blocks, or the master pattern such as a torso block, knit block, shirt block etc. from the sloper. The blocks have some ease and are very basic and don’t have any style lines. You can then create your custom patterns from those blocks. The blocks can also help you adjust commercial patterns. I came across a channel here called Sew with Sally and she does a great tutorial on draping the basic torso sloper on the body. Also, another channel called, Sew Anastasia has a great tutorial on drafting the basic sloper in flat pattern form.

I am having a hard time searching online for commercial block patterns, do you have some suggested ones you can list?

What you said makes so much sense. I have taken some basic pattern drafting classes, and have drafted a basic T-shirt type top and an A-
line skirt. I have the Sure Fit design set and have made clothing with it. But do I want to draw out all the pieces for every different style garment I want to make, or like you said, take advantage of commercial patterns and let them do the work of drafting and creating styles? Learning basics of drafting helped me understand ease, and how 2, 3,or 4 basic pieces fit together to make a garment. This understanding has helped me know how to alter a pattern as needed. You are right, I tend to gravitate toward a few styles with only a few variations, so I don’t need a ton of patterns. Thank you for explaining things so clearly!

Evelyn, thank you!!!!! So many questions answered!!!!!

Awesome. I'm subscribing. New male sewer here.

I literally been spending all week figuring out my bodice blocking/slope, it is tricky but I find the challenges of garment making very intriguing and fun, THANKYOU for the wealth of knowledge

You are an incredible teacher. So easy to listen to and follow.

I started watching the standard alteration videos, and I just decided it isn't worth it to try to buy patterns to have to figure out how to make it big enough and change the pattern to fit. Im working on drafting blocks then Ill figure out what shapes I need for the styles I want.

I love the top you are wearing in this video!

Love your blouse. Im sure you made it. ??? Did you share that. ?

Of course, Evelyn you cleared it up. Hope your breast cancer battle is going well. ❤️

How do you use slopers if they do not show seam allowence? Totally confused

I am 55. Have sewed my whole life. My Mom made stunning wedding dresses to support us. First time I have ever heard these terms. We always just measure and alter the pattern accordingly? How is this different?

I found this helpful. Your top is very flattering. What material is it and is the pattern you show for that style? I'm looking forward you more video's!

Hi! Is a block/slope the same with a bodice pattern?

I'm making my very first garment from a pattern - a simple bathrobe. I puzzled over a "center line" marking on the pattern. Thanks to your video, I figured it was there as a point of alteration. Yup, it is! So helpful.

I’m learning so much from your channel.😊 I’ve been sewing for years, but have just started again. I’ve got a block/ slower system & am trying to do that, so my stash of commercial patterns can be made to fit. The design thing, you’re right-it’s really hard to know how to do that. Which is why I love commercial patterns- it’s already done. They just don’t fit me- I don’t have a defined waist, & I’m shorter than the basic pattern is worked for. But making the block has me leaning more about darts etc. Ie my almost nonexistent waist & smaller tummy means I don’t need the big dart. The waist ends up too tight- now I know why I spent years removing darts to almost nothing!! I going to check out your fitting video,to help me with this next stage. I’ve nearly finished my first dress made from drafting off a dress I own,based on my block knowledge & it’s the best thing I’ve made. Even though it’s not really…messy etc. But it’s also the first I’ve overlocked & pressed during the process..😅. I’m a work in progress! Again, thank you for your info! So helpful!

I don't agree that if you know your fit alterations you will always repeat them with the same number... the issue is that many companies have different standard measurements, and often they only disclose only portion of their measurements. So if you sew from different brands- it isn't that easy.
I was hoping for a bit more of information about using slopers for adjusting, but not only you described slopers in confusing way (especially pointing to your shirt as sloper was just pointless, as slopers have none to minimum ease- that's their whole point)... and then you just proceed to explain stuff that is already in your other videos. So you didn't even compare the two. You just stuck to the thing that you yourself know better and feel more comfortable with

I hate sleeveless tops, for me I just want a sleeve block

Love your top. Did you make it? I need the pattern!!

I'm fascinated by this. I might look into how to get some cheeper patterns to try this out, to add to my current learning process. I've just become interested in making my own clothes to have more choices, get a better fit for me, save money and enjoy the process of learning. I also want to make things I see already made, so do want to learn a little about pattern drafting. I didn't think of mixing the two together.

No offense intended, Evelyn; the majority of your point is accurate but could be clearer. A basic block or sloper is a close-fitting pattern. From there, it is a matter of adding style lines and ease (roominess) for a specific design. from a single block, you can go from 18th-century tightly fitted bodices to '50s, current, or futuristic looks. For anyone who wants to go down the basic block rabbit hole, I suggest The Closet Historian's basic block playlist. (sorry for recommending the "competition")

How to get nice cleavage in a dress! Sweetheart neckline…maybe long sleeved? Thats hard i bet!

Such valuable information, thank you! I’m just trying to “level up” my skills, so this will help me so much.

thank you for simplifying this.

I've just attended a intro to bodice fitting workshop local to me and came away with a bodice fitting pattern. Now I have been researching all day to figure out how to use this with commercial patterns. Thank you for the explanation. in this video. It would be fab to see an example of a block/ sloper being used to alter a commercial pattern video if possible.

ty for this comment....it's worked really well for me so far "Learn the least amount but that amount of learning will give you the most amount that you can do things that you can apply those teachings to get the most impact in your sewing" sewing or w/e you choose to learn.... is brillant!!!! ty for the educational vid.

Great video (as always :))
For me the key phrase is "EVERY pattern". Time and again... pure nightmare. So I've chosen the middle way: drafted my own block and construct from it based on the commercial patterns I buy. Lots of fun :) I love converting patterns, as long as it is not the same set of fitting fixes every single time.
I will surely recommend making your own sets of blocks. After making a few basic designs out of it (eg: princess cut dress) every next pattern takes less time, because I do reuse already drafted ones as my starting point.

So helpful and easy to understand.

thank you so much.

Evelyn thank you for this video. I’m Aussie girl too. Can you tell me where on your site I can go to learn these fitting classes. I saw it is in US $ so I was just a bit confused and how much. Thank you kindly. Susie K

This makes so much sense to me! I've been struggling with these ideas.

Great video!

This is such a helpful video. Thank you! I have also found that you can copy the pattern from a garment that fits you perfectly and go from there.

Thank you for this. I am new to sewing and another girl made a video recently about sloper's and I was so lost...and it was INCREDIBLY intimidating. I'm like...I barely know how to make my sewing machine work, I don't know how to read a pattern hardly at all. You're crazy lol. You just made me feel A LOT better.

I use a sloper to lay onto a commercial pattern to see where it needs fitting. These days with especially independents drafting for all different heights, cups, etc. it can save a project. One designer drafts for 5’-7”, I’m a little under 5’-2”, but long legged. I’m a D cup, many draft for a B or a C. If I have to approach each pattern as if I don’t know who I am, I’ll never sew.

Loved your video, very well explained 🙂 I just wondered if I made a block for myself on my own measurements.....would I then have to do a full bust adjustment on the block for a full bust or not? Thank you.... It just a bit confusing 🙂

After making something from a published pattern for maybe the 4th garment ever out of a few dozen that I've sewn (I have a lot of homemade patterns based on garments I had and wanted more of and even more where I just made something work based on how much fabric I had, and I used to always make published patterns out of stretchy fabrics because of fit issues), rediscovering that I do indeed need to modify for my narrow shoulders and oddly proportioned torso, and a lot of email exchanges and some video conferencing with a friend who actually knows fitting, I accidentally have a princess seamed bodice block and to be honest, I kind of feel invincible. Princess seams are not my preference because I'm bad at machine sewing straihgt lines and even worse at joining curved lines, but there's a lot I can do with them and I'm giddy with the possibilities.

A straight-seamed bodice block is next on the list (I drafted one from scratch and I'm on the first mockup and it needs a lot of help) but my absolute ideal would be a trouser block. I haven't the faintest idea how to go about that, I'm not sure I even have any proper fitting pants right now that I could dissect for a pattern as a starting point, I've either worn them out so much there might not be enough left to trace, or I never wear them because they're not comfortable... for that I might just need to start with a packaged pattern for men's trousers since my torso shape fits better into mens' pants than womens'...

And one of these years I'll need to figure out how to make a skirt waistband for a "natural waist" that's two inches above where I actually want a waistband to sit, because up around my ribcage sure isn't where I want a waistband, and that's where the narrowest part of me is....

About the first thing you did was establish a contradiction: is a block generic or customised? It depends on who's using it. If you're a chain store selling a range in standard sizes, such as they are, then it's the minimalist starting point for "a t-shirt" or whatever. Fabrics will add ease into the matter, for starters, before we even beging to think about colour and embellishment. This is no use to someone who's an 18 on top and a 14 below!
Let's back right off, to Michaelangelo's Prisoners, in the Vatican. He's defining how his finished product, a statue, emerges from the matrix, the block of stone, he was first faced with. Or the roll of fabric you just received.
To get from that generic sloper to a personalised one is, as Evelyn says, a question of fitting, which is generally done using a toile, a sloper in a light, slightly stiff fabric such as calico (rather from muslin) which will hold its definition while fitting follows. Often, a redraft may be needed, adding darts and fillets to move from 2-D fabric to 3-D clothing. Once that's known to be a fair fit (and it can be cyclic), it can then be transferred back to card, for storage and future reference. It's not definitive, you'll get a different result working in a fabric with negative ease like latex compared with a heavy suiting material or (one of my acquaintances makes jousting armour!) steel. You'll still need a minor tune in the final fit. But it does achieve the customer's needs!

I’d love to just buy and slightly alter commercial patterns, but being plus sized, they don’t even come in my size most of the time. Instead of buying and then grading up every pattern I get I might as well learn from a block pattern.

I want to know how to draw my measurements to make a complete block pattern. I have tried a few times and each time it gets mucked-up and mis-shapened.

She reminds me of the adorable roommate on Netflix's "LOVE" sitcom. (Byrdie was her name)
Anyone see that too

How much "ease" do you fit into the sloper? When you fit the sloper correctly and make the garment, you are unable to move in it. How do you make it fit so it is comfortable to wear?

I love your top! Sooo cute!