Sloper Point and Counterpoint

Ginny presented the *pro* sloper perspective to us, describing the intense effort required to create a proper sloper. A sloper is a method useful in creating new garment designs around your personal measurements. With a set of slopers (bodice front, bodice back, sleeve, etc), you can rotate darts, add collars, and create your own garments without a commercial pattern. It's really fun for the recovering engineers among us. Many stayed for a lesson in constructing a front bodice sloper.

Ruta presented the *anti* sloper perspective to us. Here she shows us her half-height dress form used to drape and design clothes in her studio. When sewing for herself, she likes to start with a commercial pattern. She has some standard changes she makes to the tissue first. Then she pin fits the tissue to her body. Next she constructs a muslin and tweaks it as needed. Last she uses the muslin to cut and construct the garment from her fashion fabric.

With both techniques, Ginny and Ruta stressed the need for a muslin (or toile or prototype) garment using inexpensive fabric. Save the expensive fabric for after tweaking the prototype version. This version may then become your pattern. Toile-construction is especially important when making a fitted garment.

There were a record 29 members present for this first meeting of 2011. Each shared her sewing challenge for 2011. These ranged from using up the stash to creating a Chanel-style jacket to completing a SWAP.

As is typical at City-wide Couture, there was much inspiration presented by the members present. At right Jeanine and Barbara model two of Jeanine's creations. Many other inspirational items were circulated during the meeting.