Singer Perfect Plus: Sew a Mix-and-Match Wardrobe for Plus and Petite-Plus Sizes

I am delighted to have found the work of Kathleen Cheetham, who has given me, as a petite plus woman, the ability to create clothes that actually fit me and that I like. Like many women, I have struggled ever since I began to sew with problems like too wide armholes, too long sleeves, too long pants-- clothing simply ill-designed for the petite woman. Now that I am plus size, it gets even worse: pants too tight, shirts too tight in the belly that fit in the neck, on and on. With Kathleen I feel like I have a friend who understands, who has studied the problems facing women like me, and, being one herself, has been able to embue her patterns with a unique touch of empathy.Perfect Plus spans a wide gamut of sewing, tailoring and fitting issues. She encourages the sewer to work towards a wardrobe that fit one's lifestyle-- in color, fabric and style. (This is where the four basic pattern units, included free with the book, come in.) She offers suggestions for creating a synchronized wardrobe utilizing a commonality or coordination of colors and fabrics which can be mixed and matched in myriad ways. Kathleen offers a useful guide to planning the sewing experience by breaking it into smaller components that can be worked out over several days. A perfect fit guide is included to aid with potentially needed adjustments such as small bust adjustment (SBA), fuller seat adjustment, and narrow shoulders.Sewing skills such as bust dart adjustments and sewing jacket linings are not for the novice. However, the skirt pattern is particularly easy, the pants can be made without the (needless) zipper, the blouse can be made without a collar, and the jacket can be made unlined. There is enough in this book for petite plus sewers of all skill levels.A particularly outstanding feature of this book is the design of the book itself. Such thick, glossy pages! It even smells good. You know you are owning a quality book to last and you will give it to your own daughters or granddaughters. The patterns are tucked in a nice sturdy envelope on the inside front cover. Heavy-duty spiral binding allows you to lay the book flat as you cut, pin, mark, and sew.My one contention involves the color schemes that Kathleen chooses for her clothing. Some really awkward combos such as bright turquoise with orange, lavender and canary yellow, or two different prints of the same fabric type in the same color pallete (a bad attempt at "matchy-matchy"). Maybe it is the Manhattanite in me but no black? Fortunately the sewer can make these garments in any color palette she chooses, so if the colors featured bug you like they did me, do not let that put you off. Think of your own world, find fabrics that work, and sew.Some might see the designs as a little dated (somewhat puffy sleeves for the shirt; skirt too wide and flouncy). Let me assure you that this book is worth getting even if you choose to sew with other of Kathleen's patterns available from petiteplus.com. She has a wide variety of patterns that were created recently as well as some older styles.I would also like to mention that Kathleen will actually write you back regarding fitting or adjustment issues or questions if you email her. She did me! A gem in the world of uber-corporations and cookie cutter customer service.Best wishes to my fellow petite plus sojourners, and Happy Sewing!

The pattern need professional help to make a well constructed group of garments.

I've had this book for 3 years. I've also taken 2 fit classes with the author. As she explains, while the book (and her pattern line) may be written for the 5'2" and under crowd, it really all depends on where your height is. Some women are tall but very short waisted, etc. There were women of all heights in the fit class I took. I've found this book to be extremely helpful with fit, techniques, and design ideas. I personally thought the photos didn't print well, because some of the colors weren't at all what I saw in class. And, just because I personally don't care for some of them doesn't mean that the concept isn't good. As a petite plus woman, it's wonderful to be able to open a book, look at the garment being constructed and have a solution to every fit issue I might have at my fingertips! My patterns from this book are well used, as are the other dozen or so I have from her pattern line. I can't say enough good things about this book and the author, who has provided women who don't fit the ideal fashion mold with the ability to make attractive, well fitting clothing they can be proud of!And, to those nay-sayers who poo-poo the fabrics and designs featured in the book, where is your imagination? Kathleen is a mature woman who lives in the Pacific Northwest. The fabrics she chooses will be vastly different than for me just for climate reasons. As for the fit on the models, the garments were made for Kathleen, who is a different shape than the models, so of course the fit isn't exact. The pattern designs are for women who would look ridiculous in most of the "trendy" fasions out there! These patterns are for the core of a wardrobe. If I want to try something more adventurous, I'll pay 99 cents on sale at a big box fabric store, IF I want to spend all that time making modifications to fit me. When I want classic, long wearing, stylish clothing I head straight for Kathleen's designs!

I'm just getting back into sewing and this book is a big help in making garments again. The author has some nice basic mix & match wardrobe items with patterns in a pocket attached to the inside front of the book. She presents the sewing information in a down-to-earth and approachable style that made me want to get sewing right away! In the beginning of the book she makes a good point about why many of us have a closet full of clothes and yet think we have "nothing to wear." I do not find the patterns to be "frumpy" - they are not video vixen type garments, but that's awesome to me. At 55, I like the idea of buttons, zippers, well-constructed seams & hems, natural fibers, learning to line garments, etc. and this book makes those garment construction basics do-able for home sewists like me. I'm excited to use the enclosed patterns & fancy them up with some ideas from "The Art of Manipulating Fabric" which I recently purchased as well. I have a bookcase full of Sewing/Needlecraft reference books and consider this to be a "top shelf" one that will begin to show much wear before too long.

An easy to understand book about patterns and different ways of making the 4 items different - jacket to blouse sort of thing.

I have the spiral bound book which is easy to handle and lies nice and flat if you have the book open for instruction.There is a section a the beginning which helps you decide the lifestyle you are sewing for -and how to chose the items for your wardrobe you will really wear.This resonates with me as I have sewn items in the past which looked wonderful in the pattern catalogue - and nice on me - but simply didn't fit my lifestyle, so didn't get worn.If you think buying clothes you don't wear makes you feel guilty -it feels MUCH worse to me that I spent a lot of time making clothes I didn't wear.Although I have long since decided on the type of clothing I actually use - this chapter would have helped me 20 years ago.Ah well.The paper patterns for a mix and match core wardrobe are included with the book. No tracing.Skirt, shirt, jacket and trousers. It sounds very basic but could be very versatile with simple alterations of lengths - fabrics etc.Being a Singer book, it includes a fantastic, detailed section on fitting the patterns to your shape.It also deals well with all aspects of the cutting, making up, seam finishes and combinations of pieces.If I were looking for a book for a fuller figured learner - I'd consider this a great buy.If you are very experienced you might find it too basic.

very useful. SatisfiedJean LaPalme

This is a good book. The information about how to build a wardrobe that will be worn, how to coordinate fabrics so that you end up with outfits, not 'orphans' is well written, interesting and very useful.I have made the blouse and it goes together well, and fits beautifully. I'm hoping that the trousers will be equally good. If I had tested all of the patterns, and found them to match the blouse, then I would give it five stars.

wonderful book for the vertically challenged ( too short for their weight). Wish I had found this years ago.