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Vent: Thumbs down on Simplicity patterns


Jane in NC
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Update in post 15! Hanging head in shame...

 

 

I am assisting with a 4-H sewing project. Some of the girls have a Simplicity pattern for a bolero that is intended for a beginning sewist. I was given the pattern to familiarize myself with it. The best thing to do was make a mock up.

 

The construction is just screwy but the worst is that the back band/facing does not fit the pattern.

 

How are beginners suppose to learn how to sew with less than clear instructions and pieces that don't fit together?

 

Growl, growl...

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We've had problems with their patterns too. Instructions that don't make sense. Sometimes I wonder if the pattern instructions are written in a foreign language and then they use google translate to translate them. Pattern pieces with notches that do NOT line up properly. And the latest one - completely sized wrong - at least 2 sizes smaller than it should be.

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Just a thought to double check - you probably know this but I thought I'd mention it just in case.

Sometimes, pieces aren't supposed to line up exactly.

~ For example, for a fitted garment, on the upper back, often there are two notches with more fabric between the back two than the front two. This is intentional - there is essentially a dart here, but instead of making the dart you are supposed to "ease" the back into the front - to basically gather the back to the front, ideally without making it look too gathered and without stretching out the front. Not easy, of course! But it gives you the ease you need in the back to have a fitted garment that you can actually move in. If the instructions mention "easing" the fabric between the notches, that's what they mean. That's actually why the notches are there - to make sure the easing happens in the right place.

~ Also, it's important to understand that when you match up two pieces you want to match the *seam* line, not the edge of the fabric. For a straight seam, both will be the same. But for a curve, the edge of the fabric is *longer* than the seam line (5/8" in from the edge). Also, sometimes with sleeves, the seam allowance is cut with a kind of triangular part on the end, making the edge of the fabric longer than the seam line. If you think about where the seam line is on each piece, and match them, sometimes that solves the problem.

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Well, I'm glad it's not just me. Imo, fiw the McCall's were even worse. Dd had some apron patterns to make and they were incorrectly sized and the directions were just upid. How they could take such a simple project and make it so difficult; it must have taken a lot of work on thier part. I ended up making a pattern myself for her.

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I had a problem with simplicity too. I called and the only thing that bothered me was they wanted me to ship *ALL* the material and everything to them. They were willing to reimburse me for the pattern and material and everything but it was really a pain in the rump. What were they going to do with it anyway?

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Yeah, for better patterns, look for Ottobre or KwikSew. I've heard Burda ones are good too. McCall's, Simplicity, and Butterick -- hit or miss. (But cheap! I trace my nice Ottobre and KwikSew patterns, but not the Simplicity, etc. ones; I have bought the same pattern three times because DD outgrew the first size, and at a dollar each, it wasn't worth my time to trace them.)

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Yeah, for better patterns, look for Ottobre or KwikSew. I've heard Burda ones are good too. McCall's, Simplicity, and Butterick -- hit or miss. (But cheap! I trace my nice Ottobre and KwikSew patterns, but not the Simplicity, etc. ones; I have bought the same pattern three times because DD outgrew the first size, and at a dollar each, it wasn't worth my time to trace them.)

 

 

I agree with this but I am simply helping with a sewing class. The girls had already selected patterns and fabric before I became involved.

 

And as much as I love Ottobre, I don't think I would have beginning sewists trace these patterns!

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I just spent the weekend struggling with a facing on Simplicity 1926. It is a really cute girls dress with an inset neck band. I am sure that it will not fit - I finally redrafted the piece - and it looks great now! I did check Pattern Review, and read more or less the same comment about the difficulty of the inset. If only it will be warm enough to wear next weekend.... even the short sleeve jacket might not be warm enough.

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Update! I called Simplicity. After leaving a message, they were back to me in 30 minutes with my pattern before the customer service rep.

 

I blew it! The facing band is applied in a counter-intuitive way. So, I guess I'll eat crow on this one.

 

(Of course, I have yet to try the correct method. I drafted a new piece and improvised!)

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