Refined-Fit Measurements and Patterns?
 
If you have taken the time and effort involved in taking your Front vs. Back and Left vs. Right body measurements, you should also take the time to understand how these will affect the patterns you create. People are not used to seeing patterns that are non-symmetrical, so prepare yourself for a few visual surprises. However, also prepare yourself for the fact that you should not need to perform the numerous pattern alterations of past, and you should have a better fitting garment. It may take some time to get used to patterns that look different from commercial standard patterns. The best thing you can do, is to stop and scrutinize the changes. Try to understand why they exist, as you will learn how differing body measurements affect a pattern.

• Using different Front vs. Back and Left vs. Right measurements will sometimes mean that you need to print both sides of the pattern, or that you need to print both sleeves. Try to understand how using the Refined-Fit measurements will affect your pattern and the number of pattern pieces you will need to print and use. The following is an explanation of the changes that will result from differing measurements:
  
• Differing front vs. back Chest measurements will affect the armhole inset and the general width of the garment. Full busted women whose front chest measurement is much larger than their back can expect a fairly deep armhole inset. This in turn will affect all sleeve caps and the division of the bicep line of a sleeve, in that the front sleeve will be wider than the back (as is necessary to fit into the armhole where the front armhole measures greater than the back).
  
• Differences in front vs. back Shoulder Width will result in a different neck width (Front vs. Back) and in a wider vs. narrower overall bodice. The shoulder seam lengths (Front vs. Back) will remain the same, as they need to be joined in construction. The armhole inset will vary from front to back if the shoulder width measurements are different, and thus the sleeve caps and widths will be affected.
  
• Differing front vs. back Bust, Waist or Hip measurements affect the placement of the side seam on a straight garment. Designer looks to see which is the larger measurement and uses this to determine the seam placement. To reduce excess ease in a given area, you may want to angle the side seam as necessary. As discussed above, differences in front and back armholes will affect the sleeve cap and width.
  
• Using Upper Chest Width measurements affects how the upper armhole curves inwards to their narrowest point. Take these measurements carefully and err to the generous side as you do not want your armhole to dip too far into the bodice as this will not be comfortable. The upper chest width measurement is what determines a curved armhole, and this will affect the armhole length and thus the sleeve cap and width.
  
• Differing Shoulder Seam Lengths (left vs. right) affect the neckline width of a garment, left vs. right. You will need to print the full front and back patterns.
  
• Differing left vs. right Shoulder Depth measurements affects the armhole depth and length of the left vs. right side of the body. This in turn affects the bodice and the left vs. right sleeve so you will need to make sure you print a full bodice (front and back) and both sleeves of your pattern.
  
• Using different measurements for the High Shoulder to Bust, left vs. right, affect the dart apex (the tip of the dart), thus the placement of the dart will be affected on the pattern. If these measurements are different, you will need to print both sides of your front pattern.
  
• Entering a Bust Span measurement allows you to control the position of the apex (tip) of the dart. If you do not enter this measurement, the program will use a standard average for its position and your darts will fit accordingly.
  
• The Waist to High Hip measurement simply tells Garment Designer the circumference and where to place the high hip line on your sloper. This measurement currently only affects the sloper and allows you a visual guide of your body's shape so that you may use this during patternmaking.
  
• The Waist to Knee measurement is used by Garment Designer to determine skirt lengths. If you do not enter this measurement, the program will use an internally calculated measurement.
   

All other measurements are required and the sloper dialog will not let you close it until they are filled in. These are the measurements of the Simple-Fit sloper.