Friday 8 April 2016

Sewing for a changing body shape


During the past few months I've noticed a definite increase in my waist size when fitting garments. Yes, some of it is probably due to over enthusiastic pie eating, but some of it is also down to a new, middle-aged body shape that has slowly been creeping up on me (oh joy!) I've always found it relatively easy to get rid of a few pounds here and there, but it's become increasingly difficult recently and I think it may be something to do with my age (I'll be 47 in a couple of weeks).

It doesn't bother me - I make my own clothes for goodness sake, so I can adapt them to fit! - but I may have to reconsider some of the patterns I choose to sew. I just need to concentrate on patterns that skim rather than cling! Or those that offer a bit of respite, such as wrap tops. A few patterns immediately spring to mind:

Simplicity 2154 - it looks more fitted than it actually is. It's loose fitting enough to get over my head and has contour darts at the back and front for shape. Previously made here, here and here.

New Look 6217 - my latest pattern crush, previously made here and here. The pattern has no darts just a semi-fitted comfortable design.

Sew Over It Pussy Bow Blouse - previously made here. It looks good tucked in or worn loose and the neck bow and elegant sleeves really give this pattern a polished feel.

Simplicity 2451 - previously made here. This skirt has pleats at the front and sits slightly below your natural waistline, what's not to like?

I've also always found shirt dresses very easy to wear and fit.

Another obvious answer is to sew with knits, which can skilfully nip you in without a dart in sight. I do sew with knits a fair bit, especially during the winter, but stretchy and forgiving as they are, I don't want an entire wardrobe of jersey garments. I love being able to work with a diverse range of fabrics and stretching my skills with different techniques. So yes, I do want some knit garments in my wardrobe, just not all of them.  

The suggestions above are all patterns that work for me personally, but I know from reading the comments on this post that I'm not the only one having to rethink what suits me. What are your go-to patterns for a changing body shape that don't compromise on style? Any recommendations or advice? If there's enough interest in this topic then I'll compile any suggestions into a further blog post of tips. Jump in! x



59 comments:

  1. I've noticed changes- I'm 46 next birthday, I can see more rounding of the upper back. I like Liesl Gibsons patterns and Makers Atelier for modern styling and lots of adaptation options,

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    1. Great pattern recommendations, thanks Kerry. x

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  2. I've turned 60 and have certainly noticed changes which I don't like but can't seem to change. I really dislike the M&M dress you showed, though your version is much improved on the pattern envelope. I find that fitted clothes are more flattering but any clothes that actually fit well will be more flattering than those that don't.

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    1. Yes, I think well fitted clothes always look better. I also feel more confident if what I'm wearing fits well. x

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    2. I totally agree with Anne's comments re fit - it is the key! This was made evident to me when designing custom bridal - it is amazing how the right fit and proportions can make any figure look stunning!

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  3. I am not as slender now and I prefer shift dresses and avoid anything with a fitted waist. Making a more relaxed fit i.e. modern Japanese clothes help too. I am loving Marilla's Roberts collection pattern at the moment - its very forgiving on the body!

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    1. Yes, Marilla's Roberts collection is a good one to add to the list, thanks! x

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  4. I know 2 women who said this before finding out they had ovarian cancer. Please get a blood test. I hope it is the good food. Love your blog and you look wonderful! ~Laura in Arizona, USA

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    1. I'm almost 100% certain my changing shape is down to excess pies and middle aged spread but it's always good to check these things out. I have a routine blood test coming up soon, so will bring it up then. Thanks for your concern Laura. x

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  5. I honestly am shocked at hearing that you are 47. I thought you were probably in your 30s. Maybe its just because I am 67 that other people look so young to me. Yes, that body shape sure does change. I went from hour glass to fire plug over the years.

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    1. Ah Connie, you have no idea how delighted your comment makes me, thank you! x

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  6. I can't believe your 47 ! I thought you had just turned 40 at a push maybe ! I always think wrap dresses are very flattering Frankie
    http://www.knitwits-owls.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. And thank you too Frankie! Wrap dresses and tops are something I'm planning on definitely investigating more. x

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  7. I like skirts and pants with a contour band that sits just below the waist. To add to it, I just make several cuts from the top of the band to the seam line. Spread, creating little triangles. My favorite skirt pattern is Style Arc Sally Jean skirt; I've made several -- some slight A-line like the pattern, some pencil with back vent.

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    1. That's a good idea. And thank you for the skirt suggestion! x

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  8. I have been indulging in too many sweet coffees and not enough walking because of starting my own business and find my waistline expanding as well but at nearly 45 I also wonder how much of that is my body starting to change. Need something with waist definition or I can't wear it at all. Excellent topic of discussion. No idea on patterns as I am looking for the same input you are but I would never buy anything from Merchant and Mills because the photography of the patterns is terrible. All rumpled up... you can't tell what it is you're looking at and everything seems horribly baggy which would not suit me at all. Want a shift dress desperately but it would look awful on me I think. Still the new Colfax Dress calls my name...

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    1. I think with me it's a combination of the two! I agree re Merchant and Mills patterns, that baggy look is definitely not for me either! x

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  9. I am 54 years old and have recently gained 20 kgs. due to medication which I must stay on for life. Luckily I was very underweight to begin with but I have changed from an hourglass shape to more of a barrel shape. I now have to rethink all my dressing rules. I am relearning how to sew in order to get a good fit in my new wardrobe. Any help would be appreciated.

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    1. Hopefully we'll get some good suggestions in the comments Judy. As a couple of people commented above, the right fit and good proportions can make any figure look stunning! x

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  10. My recently discovered "sew-lution" to the need for a bit of waist ease is the blouson. I hate tucking things into my skirt or pants waistband and that "too tight" feeling that develops my the day's end. In any straight hem blouse I insert a small casing and narrow elastic. I can then raise the top's hem to the most flattering level and this indeed looks less casual that having the hem left un-tucked. I have been complimented on this style too! Thanks for raising this topic.

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    1. That's an excellent sew-lution thank you! X

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  11. This post just made me feel like one of a very accepting group. I gained 15 pounds about 5 years ago and have had not been able to get rid of them. I am now 50 and while I get periods, it's intermittent, so I'm fairly sure this is age related.

    Self acceptance is important, but I'm still mad at the change... but not self loathing. Thank you for your open post and self acceptance, because you look lovely.

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    1. Thank you very much, it's good to know I'm not the only one. I agree, self acceptance is tremendously important, it takes a while though! x

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  12. I agree that you look fab! I'm in a similar boat having just had a baby (though I'm hoping to go back the other way before spreading out for good), so I've been thinking what to sew for a thicker waist. So far my favourite is the grainline alder. I've also just bought the liesl & co everyday skirt (elasticated waist), so we'll see how that goes... Like you I don't particularly mind, since there's a good reason for it, but I am sad at the thought of not being able to wear things I used to love x

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    1. Thanks Rachel! Ah yes, the Everyday Skirt is one I've been considering for a while, What Katie Sews has made some lovely versions. I'll definitely add that pattern to my list! x

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  13. Jane - I just want to tell you how your first para affected me because it is authentically "body-positive" (Lord I hate that term). I'm almost 46 and I've been writing about this phenomenon for the past 3 years. Though I posses the same sewing knowledge (and a somewhat expanded waistline), I'm so traumatized by the new status quo and, frankly, I'm grieving my former shape. Yeah, first world problem, I know. Mind you, I'm a stylish woman, dammit, so I have found ways to sew (if infrequently lately) and purchase body-skim things that keep me looking chic.

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    1. I think the reason I don't feel overwhelmed by this change is because I do have a good sense of my own style and what suits me. I also realise I'm lucky that I sew as, like you, I'm able to garments to suit my shape, whatever it may be! I'll never have the super slim body I had in my twenties but I'm happier now than I ever have been, so I'm embracing my forties and everything it brings. x

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    2. You're a lesson to us all!

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  14. "Barrel-shaped" Yes! That captures my shape much better than "apple," although I admit it makes me think of my grandFather and the Monopoly man.

    Here's my beef: Patterns seem to be designed from a single perspective, and I'm not talking young-thin. No, they all consider how the dress/shirt/pants look from the front. In this shape group, a side view is all important. I still have an illusory shape when you're facing me, but catch me sideways, and I'm a barrel or fireplug.

    You can add the sideview pattern perspective to your extensive list of things to write about - I for one would love suggestions.

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    1. Good suggestion, I'll certainly add it to my list, thanks. x

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  15. you look younger than 47!!! I'm almost 44 and have same problems..well, not just a bigger waist.......I'm bigger in general :( and loosing weight get more difficult every time :( my problem with most patterns is the bust, my bust is big :(

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    1. Why thank you! The bust is definitely one of the trickier areas of the body to fit, the Curvy Sewing Collective has some good tutorials for full bust adjustments. x

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  16. Now, isn't sewing wonderful that it allows us to discuss this issues rather than wondering if we're alone? At 46, I definitely hear you on the changing body shape. All we need now is some frank and open discussion of the menopause (staggered at how little I know and how little information is available) and women will have officially taken over the Internet!

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    1. It was only after seeing the response to your Factory Dress post that I felt able to discuss this in the first place! And yes, the M word isn't bandied about much is it?! x

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  17. I, too, would have put you in your mid-thirties, so keep doing whatever you're doing, it suits you! Already into my 50's and on the other side of menopause (Ugh, early) I have spread that is very stubborn. So I have been working around it for years now. There are moments when I get VERY frustrated trying to look stylish and current, but not trendy. Find that if i stick with some basic silhouettes I'm safe (straight or A-line skirts, button down tops, cardigans). But that can get a hair boring. I am on the hunt for a classic yet modern shirtdress pattern. It's always a fine line between cool and frumpy, at least for me. I would be very interested to see a list of others suggestions of transitional patterns!

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    1. Samantha, sounds like we tend to dress similarly. I favor the classic lines -- Talbots-style clothes. Princess seams from the shoulder seam to be most flattering. And color blocking is wonderful. Ann

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    2. Thanks so much Samantha, what a compliment! It sounds like the basic silhouettes you favour are very similar to the kind of patterns I go for. But I agree, they can verge on the boring if you're not careful, I find it to be a fine balance between middle aged frump and mutton dressed as lamb! I'll add you request for a classic shirt dress to my list. x

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  18. :-( Feeling your pain on this one. I think post-40 is really challenging around the waist area, maybe particularly if you've had children... It's been wine or cake (not both) for a while now for me which is rubbish! Knits certainly make life easier and more flattering too :-)

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    1. Thanks Teresa! Yes, knits are a godsend, I need to wean myself off sewing with them exclusively though! x

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  19. I just turned 51 and really, I'd be a shocking liar to blame any of my size on my age. Except the amount of time I've had in life to eat pies! But here's a couple of tips: symptoms of menopause are like symptoms of other things. Hot flushes are a give away but others include dizziness bending over, insomnia, feeling really grumpy, strung out, tired. Frazzled is a good way of summing it up. I kid you not, from 48 I went to 2 GPs and a gyno and none of them pinged I was menopausal. Now I am finally on hormones and feel less like a homicidal kettle. But my hair is falling out. Ho hum. So don't put up with any stupid medical advice.
    As for styles and sewing - if you intend to keep and wear clothes longer than a year, I advise no polyester, acrylic or nylon. Or even blends. These fibres feel like plastic wrap to me now, like I can't breathe. Rayons, cottons, silks and wools are all fine.
    Style wise I have ideas. I wear the same two styles of dress all summer and am moving towards the same two styles of dress all winter. I love dresses so much, because I only have to make one decision about what to wear in the morning!

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    1. Thanks as always for your excellent advice Mrs C, lots of those symptoms sound familiar, even feeling dizzy bending over...! Different fabric types is also something I hadn't added to the mix so that's really useful, thanks. x

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    2. I wonder if talk of these things makes some women feel uncomfortable as they are proof of an ageing they want to deny. It doesn't bother me however, like you I don't look or act my age anyway, whatever that means, and probably never will, while being totally cool about it. And frankly an end to the hassles of being fertile is quite a gift! :)

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  20. Hi! I'm in the same boat. I've just spent the weekend sewing as nothing fits. In the past year My 40 something tummy has gone crazy, Partly due to meds and partly due to "laydee" problems. So (sorry to over share but I think a lot of girlies don't like to talk about it) due to a massive fibroid that makes me look pregnant I've had to rethink my wardrobe (hysterectomy here I come). You're right fitted and skimming seems to work for me. Fitted pencil skirts and trousers in stretch fabrics on the bottom and jackets, princess seams and cool neck lines on the top. I've just made How to do Fashion No 7 vanlose top and a fitted simple sew pencil skirt which do the job but please do some more posts on this as I think there are a lot of us out there need help. Thank you.

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    1. I agree with your suggestion of stretchy fabrics for skirts and pants, love ponte knit for those. I have the same issue as you (large fibroids). Please do some research before agreeing to a hysterectomy. I did, and was shocked by what I read. The fibroids will go away on their own when your hormones decrease at menopause.

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    2. Yep, I've had to give my wardrobe a serious rethink too. Like you, fitted and skimming are the way to go for my particular shape! I'll do some research on other patterns to suggest. x

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  21. Great topic! There's a lot of us feeling the same way. I would love to see you do a post full of suggestions on what to make and wear in our middle years. I'm in my mid-50's and want to look stylish, not like the 20-something's and not like a granny. The thicker waist is the big challenge for all of us.

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    1. I think a future post on this topic would be welcomed by lots of people so will give it some thought. It may take a while though - it's a bit of minefield! Agree that the thicker waist is a particular challenge! x

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  22. One of the reasons that our bodies thicken through the middle is that our spines compress a bit with age -- which means there is less room for our organs inside our rib cages. This spinal shift, along with long years of slumping posture, may make one have a forward-thrusting head. That means we need to add length to the back of bodices, and take away length from the front, to accommodate our necks and avoid a choking sensation as our blouses/dresses ride up at the front. Shoulder seams may need to be rotated forward. As bellies bulge, bums may disappear -- so that crotch curve you worked on so many hours to fit your full buttocks will now need to be reworked into an "L" shape to take away the extra fabric that pools around the tops of your thighs. Also, you might have to decrease your waistline from side to side in the back while simultaneously increasing your waistline from side to side in the front.

    It's always something.

    It's always something.

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    1. Thanks for all the info Lin, extremely useful to know. And yes, it's always something! x

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  23. I'm definitely interested in hearing ideas for sewing patterns that work well with a larger waist. I've noticed that some Indie patterns have more realistic waist sizes and I appreciate that. I don't want to fiddle with a lot of adjustments to patterns so I tend to pick looser fitting styles.

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    1. Good to know the interest is there! It may be a while before I put together a comprehensive list but there will be one at some point! x

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  24. Wow girls what can I say? I've read all your comments with interest & thought to myself " oh my life it's not just me then!". I'm going to be 48 next month ( can't believe it as I'm still 25 in my head). I'm a brand new dressmaker because I got fed up with clothes not fitting & looking rubbish. I mean why pay £55 for a badly fitted skirt when you can make one much nicer for less than £20. The thick waist is a problem. Please help Jane. I look at patterns & decide I'm a size 16 or 14 but my waist is 2 or 3 sizes bigger. I'm becoming obsessed with fit & could do with a bit of guidance. I remember the days when I had a 26" waist but that was BC (before children). Thanks for your blog I'm getting some great tips.

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    1. Hi Tracy, welcome to the club! I'll try to out together a list of recommended patterns in the not too distant future! x

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    2. Oh, Tracy, I can identify with your issues! At 43, I had a little girl - and my waist never recovered! I'm now 48, and like you, probably a size 14, but my waist is a whopping 39"! So, I have to make my own clothes as it's impossible to find anything which fits. Thanks so much for your inspiration, Jane - and I'd have put you a good ten years younger than you are!

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  25. Jane, you beauty, thank you! I am not alone! X

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  26. What a great post, so interesting and obviously something which affects everyone (even us middle aged men!) As a specialist supplier of knit fabrics (www.girlcharlee.co.uk) I may be biased but like you say, our fabrics are comfortable, offer a good fit and that bit of stretch when needed.
    I know that the Cashmerette range is excellent "Modern patterns designed for curves, in sizes 12-28, and cup sizes C-H"
    Happy sewing everyone!

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    1. Hi Mark, I have to agree, knit fabrics are a life saver, especially when you're able to choose from such a fab selection as yours! 😉 I've heard great things about Cashmerette patterns: no grading up to do if you're curvy as it's all built into the pattern. Definitely one to add to the list, thanks. x

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  27. Even, when you feel hungry at odd time, drink water to satisfy your hunger instead of eating any other thing.
    Breast Actives

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