Archives 11/25-12/1 2005-2010

Again a reminder, I’m sponsoring a giveaway for the book I reviewed yesterday. You may enter the contest as many times as you like. To enter, leave a comment or comments on any post(s) on this site over the next week.

Tomorrow I’m being featured in an interview on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday. The schedule isn’t up yet but the topic is related to clothing fit and sizing. The correspondent is Marisa Penaloza. I haven’t heard it so I don’t know how the topic matured. I never anticipate a favorable treatment because so much of what I write about sizing is a radical departure from what most people think they know. I don’t care if no one on the planet (other than scientists, engineers and econ grads) agrees with me, there is no such thing as vanity sizing.

And as usual since this site is so resource intensive and it is difficult to slog through thousands of posts (but you still want a survey of material here), this is the weekly archives post. Meaning, below are links to entries published on this site over the past six years. Cruise the list for topics of interest and as always, there is more if you want to scan the archives page which lists every entry ever published.

November 25, through December 1, 2005
Compromising with Retailers
Sleeve cap ease is bogus
Saran wrap pattern making method #2
Stock size update
On becoming a pattern maker
Industrial sewing machines
Gemba Keiei on Panta Rei
Dress forms
What is Kaizen?

November 25, through December 1, 2006
Plenty of poultry
Advertising 101: Part 3
Wacoal Style #65547
How not to copy a pattern
Infovore (and amusing) links 12.01.2006

November 25, through December 1, 2007
Pop Quiz #469 pt.2
Nelly Don
Pop Quiz #468 pt.3
Pop Quiz #470
Textile manufacturing
Starting a ecommerce boutique
Visiting a sewing contractor

November 25, through December 1, 2008
Is your strategy patently obvious, pathetic or parasitic?
CPSIA: Unit vs Component Testing
CPSIA: What must be tested
CAD vs CAD

November 25, through December 1, 2009
Least favorite day of the year
Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen
Is your forum membership expiring?
3 stupid reasons to start a clothing line

November 25, through December 1, 2010
Pattern Puzzle: Shingo Sato
Do you know when you’re on the wrong path?

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12 comments

  1. Reader says:

    Can I put my hat in the ring for the book? Usually, I’m never interested in giveaways. This one is different.

    I didn’t see a link to your interview on the NPR website. Please post a link after it has aired. I imagine they will stream it for some period of time.

    Thanks.

  2. Kathleen says:

    I think so. It’s not the first time it was delayed. I did the interview last April or May I think. Thanks for looking for the story! :)

  3. Tina says:

    The sleeve cap ease is bogus is also one of my favorite entries. I’ve printed that one out as well as all of the subsequent posts on reshaping the armhole and removing the sleeve cap ease.

  4. Dennis says:

    Tell my sewing teacher about the sleeve cap ease bogus, she comes up with some excuse. I find that using pattern software (home sewing type), there is little bit of an ease, but a lot of ease is required using the big 4 commercial patterns. That is why the teacher thinks that ease is necessary, she has never used software. I make patterns for myself, a big fat guy. Am at the limits of the software adjustments, however. My have to jump to the CAD portion.

  5. Lisa Brazus says:

    I would love to listen to the interview on NPR. I looked also and did not find it. If they let you know when and where it will be broadcast just let us know. I also looked for your article in Threads but I think it is in the February issue. I did not find it in the January issue.

  6. Michele says:

    “Fit and Sizing” – Kathleen, I love you the most for your information about these topics! I don’t know how many times I have delivered paraphrased versions of “a medium simply indicates the middle size of a given manufacturer’s size run” (with full credit!) to anyone who is complaining about not fitting into a size small at Aritzia.
    However, I feel I finally had a personal victory the other day when I took my 25 year old daughter’s measurements and made her look at a chart of “set” pattern measurements. We plotted measurements that slotted into everything from a size zero to a size twelve, and she finally believed that the size numbers really didn’t mean that much, and it was not her own personal failing that she couldn’t just go into any store, grab the small, and have done with it. It also made it clear that separates, not dresses, are a better choice for someone with a substantial bust (9″ larger than her underbust measurement) and small hips. It was a bit of a pyrrhic victory, though, as my husband then commented that obviously I was going to have to make all her clothes from now on…

  7. EA says:

    Today’s archive read was the least Favorite day of the year and I learned there’s a different way to make Quinoa than what’s on the side of the bag. It makes me wonder if the rinsing after some cooking helps..I’ve been doing it prior.
    The rest of the clan still aren’t sold on it entirely as it looks like birdseed, but it’s been used as filler for different things so they’re getting there. I like it myself and it’s fast to cook so it’s staying.

  8. Marie-Christine says:

    Oh Kathleen, I just wish you had a dime for every time I’ve quoted that ‘sleeve cap ease is bogus’ article.. That has made -such- a difference for my sewing, and I think it’s the primary reason people get all frazzled about sleeves. (Personally it’s linings that used to make me cry, but not since I’ve been practicing your tutorials about that..). The good thing is that most blog articles that I’ve seen that talk about removing sleeve cap ease do quote you explicitly.

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