- I think you've said it, and I know I've heard it, "I have nothing to wear!"

On this series of Fit 2 Stitch, we're going to solve that problem.

As seamstresses we're lucky enough to be able to fit a pattern, then use it in multiple variations.

And we're going to do just that.

First we'll create the capsule of nine base patterns, then those nine pieces can be mixed and matched to make 27 outfits.

And boy are we going to have fun!

Stay tuned as we begin with our number one capsule piece, the tank top, all on Fit 2 Stitch.

(gentle music) - [Announcer] Fit 2 Stitch is made possible by: Vogue Fabrics, Colorado Fabrics, Quality Sew and Vac, Sew Town, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Fort Smith, Arkansas, Kai Scissors, Sew Steady, Bennos Buttons, All Brands, Cynthia's Fine Fabrics, and Clutch Nails.

- I'm so honored as we start a new series of Fit 2 Stitch, and I will tell you that in this process, I'm constantly reminded of the different facets of sewing.

So many people say, "Do you sew?"

And of course, the answer is yes.

And yet, there's just a little bit more to it, than what happens behind the machine.

In the very first series of Fit 2 Stitch, I introduced a concept, and I wanna review that concept, and that is that we have the architect, the engineer, and the builder.

Whenever you go to a house, you would never expect the builder to draw up the plans, and make the doors square; you'd just never expect all that.

Everybody has a role, and everybody clearly plays that role.

But when we go to sew, the sewing machine is the builder, and only the builder.

The engineer is actually the patternwork.

And the architect is the designer.

So when we sew, per se, we actually have to do all three of these functions; some are right brain, some are left brain.

And typically what draws us into sewing, is one of these aspects.

Maybe we love the fabric.

Maybe we love to create and be the designer.

But we don't know anything about patterns.

Or maybe we love the math, but we just simply don't have the skills to navigate the sewing machine as much as we want to.

All of that we'll talk about, and all of it we'll improve, but I think it's really important to separate out which part is our strength, and which part is our weakness, so that we can constantly work on those weaknesses, and we can appreciate the strengths that we have, and share them with others.

So that's exactly what we're gonna do throughout this series.

It's really exciting.

We have to remember the LCD concept, that's length, circumference, and depth.

We have talked about it over and over, but that is simply the definition of fit.

What is fit?

What is fit?

It is when the length, circumference, and depth of the pattern matches the length, circumference, and depth of my body.

Taking that cloth from flat to dimension is very easy once we know how, and we have to remember, the body is always right, the pattern and tissue is what we change.

The importance of the base patterns we're going to fit this series, is that many of us purchase fabrics and make garments that have no connection, one to another.

We go out, we get something new, it doesn't work for with anything else we have in our wardrobe, and so we always have this tendency to feel like we don't have anything to wear, because it's not put together.

(hands clapping) So with this series, we should always be thinking, how does this connect to our capsule?

As we go through this series, starting today, we'll create a capsule of patterns, and learn how to grow and evolve our choices based on that capsule of nine patterns.

So not only will we always have something to wear, we will wear what will reflect who we are, and we'll be joyful in that process.

Let's get started!

All right, so we're gonna talk about these mannequins here for a minute.

Our capsule wardrobe, our nine pieces, let's name them.

We're gonna do the tank.

We're gonna do the knit.

A tank top can actually be knit or woven, and we'll go and review that.

So we do our tank, we do our knit, we do our blouse.

Those are our tops.

We do our jacket.

A more structured jacket is great.

I don't care if you work in the home, out of the home, a jacket is perfect 'cause I can always throw it on, and I will always look good no matter what I do with it.

Then we have our cardigan, that's knit.

Then we have our classic jean jacket.

Those are out outer three pieces.

And we've got our basic black pants.

Then we've got our dark denim.

And then we've got our skirt.

Those are our nine.

So, what we did is we took the nine, and I hate to admit this, but we actually had to do an Excel spreadsheet, because I had to think, okay, how many does this yield out.

And it was higher math than what I could get, my friend helped me out.

(hands clapping together) You know her, Jeannie, she did the math (laughing).

But what you start to do, is we take this jacket, and we mix it with this outfit.

So the way this works is I need two black bottoms, and one denim.

Then I need two black tops, and one another color, and it can be any other color I want, but it needs to match the print.

So if you notice in here we have this beautiful blue, and that blue picks up the print.

And then of course we have a white shirt, so that white shirt will go with anything.

So, here we start to go this with this, this with this, this with this, this with this.

And we go on and on (hands clapping together) until we actually get 27 outfits.

So if you take little cutouts and put 'em on the table, you can mix them up.

And so those nine pieces (hands clapping together) are really going to be our go-to for this series.

And the reason it will help us?

Several.

Number one, designers, before they start each season, always create this capsule.

They might not do it exactly with these pieces, they'll change 'em up, but they always create that capsule.

Why?

Because when you go in to buy something, they want you to buy the whole thing, (hands clapping together) they don't want you to buy one piece.

They want you to just really have to have this that matches, and it leads to more buying.

So we need to think like that when we're sewing; instead of just buying that one piece of fabric, we wanna create this capsule.

We don't have to make it black, we can make it different colors on the bottom.

We don't have to make it denim if we don't wear that.

We can make our capsule fit to our personality and our lifestyle.

And a few shows from now, we have an image consultant who's coming on, and she's excellent, for some questions you have to ask yourself, as to what's appropriate for what I have on at this time, and where I'm going.

So like I said, this series is gonna be wonderful!

But the very first place we're gonna start, yep, the tank, that tank top.

And you cannot say to me, I don't wear tanks.

I don't wanna hear it!

(hands clapping together) Everybody wears tanks, everybody needs one, and I'll show you why.

We're gonna bring on Jeannie.

Because as you guys know, we have to get that fit first.

This is really easy to do, and Jeannie's gonna be our perfect fit model.

And what we're gonna do is just make up the muslin.

Muslin is just a trial.

Because a tank top can be knit or woven, I want you to make it woven, I want you to make this sample woven.

And the reason being is because when I go to make it knit, I can use the circumference to stretch and make it a little tighter.

But the angles will show, the problems will show more so on a woven, then they will on a knit.

A knit fabric has a tendency to compensate itself, and not show the problems.

So Jeannie said she probably wouldn't wear a woven tank top, but I said, just make a woven anyway, okay.

Do you wear tank tops?

- No, because-- - Now wait a minute, that was a little bit too honest.

Do you wear tank tops, let's ask that again.

- No (laughing).

The reason I don't wear 'em is, if I buy them from a store, they just don't fit well, because I'm large busted, and you wind up with all kinds of extra fabric throughout the garment, and they just don't fit me well at all.

- That's just so true.

- [Jeannie] Yeah.

- And you're not the only one that has that problem.

I'm sure you feel the only one.

I guess it doesn't matter that everybody has that problem, if it's a problem for you, it's a problem.

- Yes.

And I just really haven't gotten around to fitting one, and making it.

And now that I've done it, it's like, why didn't I do this years ago?

- Good, good.

Because you know what?

This is not hard to do.

We're gonna do just a couple simple steps, and really get this.

And I've got the pattern laid out before us, so as I make the changes, I'm gonna make the changes right on the tissue, so you can see the relationship between here and here.

You can use this as your pattern.

You don't have to make the changes back to the tissue.

You really wanna do whatever's most comfortable for you, and what's most accurate.

- And I typically use the muslin as my pattern, because as you gain weight, as you lose weight, and so on, I can always go back to the original pattern.

- Oh sure, and just trace it off.

All right, that's a great point.

- Yeah, trace it off and refit me.

- Good, okay.

So we're gonna start LCD, remember, we have to go in that order.

So length, what we're looking at is the distance from her shoulder to her bust.

And this bust dart, and the rules of pattern making that surround it, are that is has to be within the bust circle; in order to be a fitting dart it has to be in that bust circle.

Now, that bust circle is from the bust point and goes three inches around.

So this dart actually qualifies that it is in the bust circle.

However, when a dart, and a dart is not a styling tool, it's a fitting tool.

So for it to be so visual as what this is, is probably, it's just, it's something I would say, lower it, and bring it below the bulge, so that you visually won't even see it.

We don't need to do that in her garment, but I am gonna go to the tissue, and I am going to do it.

If we notice on the tissue below the arm hole, and above the dart, if you notice it's below the armhole and above the dart, there's kind of like, just an area in here, we call that the free zone.

And the reason we're gonna do it this way is it's absolutely the easiest.

We are going to just cut that.

We're going to lower it an inch, and we're gonna tape that across.

And again, the reason we're gonna do it that way, is because it's simpler.

I don't need to redraw the dart, I don't need to do any of that, I simply cut it, spread it apart, and lower the whole thing down.

It makes the front now longer than the back.

I can come to the bottom, and I can just take that off the bottom.

(paper being cut) And now our side seams will still match.

If you want to, you could add to the back to make the whole thing longer.

But this is long enough, I don't think you really need it to be longer.

Just think about, do you want it longer?

Or do you want to keep it where it is?

And that would be your decision.

Because now the side seams will still match.

Okay, so we're gonna forget where the dart is.

There are some issues surrounding that, but that's length.

So the first thing we're gonna do is do length.

She doesn't have any vertical darts, so we don't have to worry about where her waist is right now, we'll worry about in a minute.

And then circumference.

And you chose size.

Did you get (hands clapping together) into the right size right away?

Or how did you choose that?

- Once again, I did measure a woven top that wasn't a tank top.

And I used that size.

- A woven top that wasn't a tank top.

So that just kinda gave you the inches that you wanted?

And then you chose that size, measured the pattern, picked that size, and put it on.

And it worked the first time?

- Yeah.

Well, the first time it was actually a little bit too big, because it was more of a blouse-thing, so it had more ease to it-- - That's a really good point.

- So then I just downsized it based up on the amount of circumference I needed to change.

- Good.

Good, good, good.

So she had a little bit of work?

Is it worth getting the tank top to fit?

Or would you rather go back to shopping?

- No (laughing).

- All right, so there is gonna be some time in this.

Be patient with this process.

The process is valuable.

And remember, you only have to do it once, and then that tank top will fit.

A tank top does not have ease.

There's no ease in the tank top.

So it's not like you have to, it doesn't have sleeves, you don't have any mobility; it's equal to your body.

So what I want now, circumference is good.

I want to get rid of these wrinkles.

You'll notice there are some angular wrinkles right here.

You'll notice there's a gap here.

I don't want any of that (hands clapping together) in my final tank top, so let's get rid of it.

And what I would recommend is just undo the shoulder seam.

(seams ripping) Just take it undone.

And then just pull it back up and drape it, and just pin it where it naturally falls.

The coolest thing about a tank top is you don't have any collar that sews to the neckline, you don't have any sleeves that sew into the armhole.

So just bring it up; wherever it lays, pin it together.

Now, if you notice Jeannie, she left extra seam allowance here, so if it had to go forward or backwards, or, you know, she just could put it wherever it wanted.

There is no right place for that seam.

It's where you're comfortable with it, but you just wanna make sure it's allowing to fix the front and the back.

That did not take away all of that gap, but it took away as much as it could.

And it is, that gap, solving that gap is really reliant on, not just the shoulder seam, but also the bust dart.

So we're gonna come in here and I'm gonna open up this side seam on her.

(seams ripping) And I'm gonna make this dart larger.

And you can see that once I do that, that cleans up the rest of that gap.

So, for her, this dart just is not large enough.

And what you wanna notice about depth, is depth does not change circumference.

I think many women just, unfortunately, think that depth changes circumference.

I wanna learn to control length, circumference, and depth separately, so that each of them can be changed by what they are.

Now we're gonna put this together.

Now, in this case, because I took a larger dart, (Jeannie chuckling) now our top is gonna actually be shorter.

But we could, so I would do all your adjustments and just remember I'm adding here, I'm taking away here.

So I probably could have left the bottom and it probably would have equaled out.

But hey, lessons learned.

Remember, it's a muslin.

And the whole reason for doing this muslin, if you notice it also took away those angular wrinkles under the bust dart, and that's simply because that dart was not large enough.

I'm gonna suggest that if you are sewing in darts that you come to each side here and put in those waist darts.

Once a dart is stitched you can't see the size of it.

Jeannie and I always argue over darts, because she loves them, and I don't.

No, I'm kidding.

(Jeannie chuckling) A little dart will do a lot of good, and you'll see how much thinner she looks with that little tiny dart; it gives her shape.

And that shape is a positive.

So even if it's not in your pattern, just recognize the positive that that little dart has.

Not only is it a vertical line, but it gives a little bit of shaping, so it pulls it under the bust, and it really keeps this side of the garment lane straight.

Let's look at the back just quickly.

Whoops, whoops, whoops!

- [Jeannie] Step back?

- No, no, you did fine.

Whoops, I'm talking about the back.

We have what we call a swayback.

See that just puddle of fabric.

So if you go though and analyze, and if you tried to say, "Is it length, circumference, and depth?"

If I tried to take away length, which would be even all the way across, like we did here, it wouldn't change it.

And you can do it to try to figure it out.

Just know that it's not gonna fix that.

If I took away circumference, if I made it tighter to the body, or bigger to the body, that would not fix it.

The problem is, and what a swayback by definition, is it just means it's longer at the center back, it's shorter at center back, I said that just opposite.

It's shorter at center back than it is at the side.

So if you notice my pins are wider, and they taper to nothing, and they just absolutely taper to nothing.

So the good news is, I don't even have to have this in my final garment.

We're gonna leave it there.

You know, the tank top is the easiest garment to sew, but as far as getting the angles right, it's really important (chuckling).

Jeannie, that's why you have such a hard time shopping for one.

- Yes.

- It's just hard to find a tank top that has all these angles right, and that you like.

So there we go.

I'm gonna suggest that you even put darts back here; the vertical darts.

Because what they do is they bring it a little closer to the body.

All right, so this is when we start running into options.

Because if the waist, if you bring it in on a woven garment to the point where it's smaller, you gotta be careful that you can get it off your body, so you can get the waist past the bust.

So many times in a tank top, they'll put a little invisible zipper on the side.

That zipper opens, it opens up the waist, and that way I can get the waist over my bust.

But that is just so pretty on you.

And I just think she looks so much thinner in something shaped like that (hands clapping together) versus something that's boxy.

- I agree.

- Okay.

Thank you.

That was amazing.

So on the back, it's the center back that I've changed.

If you measure how big it is and where it is.

I'm just gonna take a little dart like that, it's a horizontal dart.

I'm just gonna put that there.

I hear it said over and over again, "But wait a minute, now I can't put it on the fold!"

Yes you can.

You're just gonna put this point on the fold, this point on the fold, and if you notice, you're just gonna straighten this line.

(humming) Right there.

Notice you're adding a little bit of circumference there.

You can always take that and just shave it off the side, so that I'm still back to my exact same thing that I was, except that my length is shorter at the back than it is at the side, and that's exactly what I wanted it to be.

This stuff is way too much fun!

And it's easy, it's just easy!

Again, once we get that base, it's just amazing.

All right, so I told you I never do this, but I'm going to.

I have had so many emails, (hands clapping together) and women will say to me, "I love a tank, but I don't want darts," or, "I love this top, and I don't want darts."

And I say to them, "Too bad (laughing)!"

Well, I've gotten enough (hands clapping together) that I'm gonna show you how to take the dart and completely pivot it out.

We can't say get rid of it, because in the pattern-making world, there's no such thing as eliminating a dart.

You never eliminated the dart.

One of the first things I learned in college, and I can still hear my college professor saying, "You never eliminate the dart!

"It just goes somewhere else, and then it's released."

So in this case, what I'm going to do, is I'm gonna cut to but not through the bust point.

Then I'm gonna cut to but not through the bottom of the pattern.

And what I'm gonna do is close up this bust dart.

And what you will see is that dart goes to the waist.

Now, you can't do this until you've gone though the process and fitted this, because you're probably saying, "Well, why don't they just do this in everything?"

And the reason they don't is because they can't.

Once you have these angles, and those angles are correct, then you can pivot it out.

But when you're pivoting it to the bottom, and I'm gonna finish this up and show you, it just has to be right to where you just can't take any tank, pivot it, and then fix it.

I have to fix the darts first, and then pivot them out.

So notice what I'm doing here.

I've pivoted to the waist.

Remember, I made two cuts to but not through the bust, closed up one, it opened up the other.

And so this is the amount that I've added in for Jeannie's bust dart to be converted to the waist.

And that amount is five inches, okay?

She doesn't want that like that, because remember, if she wears something straight from the bust, she's just gonna look the size of her bust all the way down.

So what I'm gonna do is measure from the size five inches, the amount I added, and I'm gonna take it off, but I'm gonna do that with just a straight angle line from the side seam.

And that is going to be her tank top.

Now, just keep in mind, she is larger than a D cup.

So there is not a limit as to who can do this, you just have to know what you're doing, and you have to do it correctly.

I'm gonna bring Jeannie back on, because I want you to see this tank top that she did, it's gorgeous.

(hands clapping together) Not a dart in the crazy thing.

And for all of you who just saw her and just really heard her story about where she shops and what she does, we gonna peak at those armholes?

Because look!

Yay!

(clapping excitedly) Those armholes are beautiful.

There's negative ease, she's transferred it to a knit, which you can do that.

And when you transfer it to a knit, you can give it a negative ease.

It took away all the need to have the vertical darts though here.

But look how slim she looks as it comes in under her bust and then goes down.

That looks so good!

(hands clapping together) You did great!

And then, of course, we all need a tank top, because what we do (hands clapping together) with tank tops, is we actually wear them under a wrap, under whatever, a sweater, just to kinda... Where to you wear tanks to?

(hands clapping together) What do you get them to fit?

- Yeah, I wear 'em, like, even under a jacket, or under any sweaters.

- Yeah, I can't buy that you don't wanna wear a tank top you guys.

It's just too necessary.

- And I could even make one for working out in the yard.

- [Peggy] There you go!

Get a little sun!

- And I will say that not having to put in the darts and stuff, this takes no time to sew.

- [Peggy] You're right.

- And it takes a lot less fabric.

- You're right.

So let's do that.

Thank you Jeannie, I really appreciate it.

Let's do that.

Let's go ahead.

We're gonna run to this machine quickly, and what I've done, is I've cut a little top.

And I've done all the sewing, and we've got it all made, but what I wanna show you is that, how to just finish off this neckline.

And all I did was serge the neck edge, we're gonna turn it under.

Don't try to turn it under 5/8; that's where you go askew.

All you wanna do is turn it under a 3/8; just a little 3/8.

You could to a 1/4 inch if you're comfortable with it.

(sewing machine running) But the 3/8 will bend all the way around.

Now, I chose linen, because y'all know what you know about linen is linen is really hard to sew on, and it's really firm.

And if it's not done just right, and I'm doing the deepest curve of the neck, so that's the very hardest part to do.

And what I want you to see, I've just done that little curve, how easy that is, and how nice that looks.

Even before you press it.

So all I'm gonna do... And honestly, if you're doing a knit, you don't even have to serge the edges.

You can simply just turn 'em under and stitch them down.

A lot of knits today, if you're nervous about knits in general, don't even bother turning them under.

I've seen plenty of tank tops there today, that are just left; they're raw edges.

And they're cute, (hands clapping together) so don't worry about stuff like that.

One other use for the tank top that I wanna show you, because I'm still trying to convince you that you'll always need a tank top (chuckling), is the camisole.

Because the camisole is all it is, it's just a tank top that's got a little skinnier strap, and so when you look at the strap of the tank top, what you'll do is you'll stay to the middle.

Don't take it way off the neck edge, and don't take it way off the shoulder edge.

Because the problem is, this lines up right over the shoulder blade of our body.

And if the straps are too wide, they'll fall off.

So we wanna keep 'em in the middle.

And then what you can do is take the armhole and go this way, and the neckline and go this way.

Center them over that center portion of the neck edge, of the shoulder edge, and then you can see, all I did was turn these under.

And then the most fun is, I can decorate it and make it pretty as I want to, and it can be, it's just fun!

Look at that.

We put a little heart, a little lace.

And everybody needs a camisole, nobody can get alone with life without camisole.

So the tank top is our very first piece.

Here's your homework assignment.

Before we see us next time we wanna make sure that you've got this tank top down and fitted, (hands clapping together) and we're gonna keep going.

Giorgio Armani has stated, "I have always thought of the T-shirt "as the alpha and omega of the fashion alphabet," and we'll show you why.

Join us next time, for Fit 2 Stitch.

(peaceful music) - [Announcer] Fit 2 Stitch is made possible by: Vogue Fabrics, Colorado Fabrics, Quality Sew and Vac, Sew Town, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Fort Smith, Arkansas, Kai Scissors, Sew Steady, Bennos Buttons, All Brands, Cynthia's Fine Fabrics, and Clutch Nails.

To order a four DVD set of Fit 2 Stitch Series 7, please visit our website, at fit2stitch.com.