F&W Media Fons and Porter Books, Create The Perfect Fit

Okay- I am leaving my original review as is below as well as the first update. Understand that my original review was written as a novice seamstress who sadly didn't have a clue. If this is you- buy this book anyway, you'll be glad you have it later when you have a bit more understanding.Joi, I apologize for my original negative review. Right now I'm in the middle of sewing up a dress I've modified vastly and I could kiss you.Obviously one would need a pattern to use the book- please forgive my complete idiocy. Pattern fitting= pattern. So get past that- use a pattern you have or buy the one recommended by Joi I've mentioned below. Yes you have to cut up the pattern to fit the pattern. If you don't want to do that, you can copy the bought pattern pieces onto pattern paper (I use medical table paper bought cheaply here on Amazon) and make your adjustments on your newly drawn pattern, thus keeping your original pattern pristine and able to use on other people.Right now I've got a dress with a very very full skirt from the waist and I'd like to have it fitted until just below the hipline. Guess what, with Joi's method this will be easy peasy. Thank you Joi!If you want your sewing to fit, buy this book. If you are looking to alter clothes that are already made- buy a book on alterations.6/4/16 fwiw- this book did not work for the pattern alterations on my current sewing project, an 8 gore knit dress, but I still highly recommend it. Also forgot to mention how much I love the fact that it is spiral bound. Slightly more obtrusive on the bookshelf, but always easier to use during a project.ORIGINAL REVIEW BELOW: (plus updates)This was just not for me. The photos were nice, the layout was nice, and the woman pictured was adorable. However I found the text confusing and did not easily find the how to I was looking for. As a complete beginner, I needed very detailed instructions for measuring and fitting. She does explain measuring, but her technique was too complicated for me. Also, I did not find much detail for pants and some of the notions she recommends I was unable to find. And I was disappointed to discover that to do her techniques I needed to purchase a Vogue fitting pattern separately. If I had known this in advance I could have ordered that when I bought the book. I am returning this pretty book and have ordered Nancy Zieman's fitting book instead. If you are not new to sewing and enjoy making muslins- this may be the book for you. Just order your fitting pattern in advance.Update 3/17/15: I plan to reorder this book as soon as finances allow and give it another try. I've only read good reviews on it and I'm still no good at fitting, so I think this book, which is by far the prettiest and most modern of all the firing books I've seen so far, another try. I've already got the Vogue fitting pattern...UPDATE 11/14/15I decided to give this book another try and reordered it. While I initially ordered it to teach me how to fit, admittedly I honestly had no clue whatsoever about sewing clothes. I had mostly only sewn diapers and a few very simple drawstring skirts or A-line baby dresses.This is not a book that teaches sewing- it does not claim to be one. As Ms Mahon points out in her comment below, any pattern would do for the purpose of this book, the Vogue fitting pattern is merely her recommendation and one to use as reference- as a starting point. I would highly recommend ordering one when ordering this book, although using a pattern you already have would also work.The photos in this book are very explanatory and use women of all shapes and sizes. There are indepth instructions as to how to alter patterns for different fitting issues.If you are have never sewn any item of clothing, this book will become a useful reference tool, but I feel you need to have sewn at least a bit to have an idea of what you are looking at. It is not an instant- here's how to sew the perfect pair of pants if you've never turned on a machine before. Nor does it claim to be one.Once my expectations were adjusted, I rather liked the book and will use it often.One star off about the pattern- I do wish I'd ordered the pattern with the book. Never the less, I do recommend this book. The pictures are cute, it's very modern, and well written.

I like this book and it is a good addition to my library, but it was not a desperately needed addition, as I hoped it would be. I like Mahon's take on fit and finding what you need, but the fashions were very 80's, and I am never, ever, in my life, make a shirt, or jacket with an elbow ease in it. Not going to happen, and I suspect most home sewists today would do that once, or twice in a sewing career, if they were making a Chanel style jacket. It has good information for the home sewer, but not enough for a student, or someone who was in the sewing business, so it is billed to help everyone, but it is not a beginner book, in my opinion, nor for the advanced sewist. I wish it covered slopers mores. The measurements are there, it would have taken a chapter on making slopers with those measurements, done well, and the book would be far better. Slopers are covered, but it is more for grading patterns, than making blocks and I with it had both. I know, knit-picky and I would say I 100% agree with that. This is a good book. It could have been a great book with just a bit more effort. Something I see as the fault of the editor, more than the author. I know a lot about Mahon's work, because of two online classes. I know she can write a competent chapter on slopers, and I was sad not to see it. I am not complaining about little about adjusting a dressform here. She mentions it in the book, but not everyone has a dress form. Most sewists should make a sloper, or muslin.

The idea of altering a pattern based on body measurements makes so much sense to me, I'm glad to finally have a comprehensive step-by-step guide to helping me do that. I bought Joi's first Craftsy class, and that's where I became familiar with her techniques. But after watching the class, I couldn't help thinking that a book would be a better format. Then I could easily flip through the pages to whichever technique I needed and look at the well-labeled diagrams-- instead of having to fast-forward through video to get to the right spot. Plus the book goes into some of the techniques she (I assume) goes over in her second Craftsy class, so I feel like this book is 2 classes for the price of 1.So far I have tried these measurement and pattern altering techniques on one pattern, a vintage style button up shirt. It felt so wrong to be slicing and dicing the pattern so much, but I stuck with it and I'm glad that I did. The initial muslin fit me better than anything I've ever made and with 2 small tweaks I was ready to make the final garment.I am totally sold on this technique. I feel like my years of putting on weirdly-fitting muslins and then staring at myself in the mirror trying to figure out what to do are OVER! The hardest part was taking the time to measure myself in all those places. Now that I have my body measurements written down I can use them for any pattern, from any company. I also would really like to use these to make something for my mom, who has mostly sewn quilts for the last 20 years because she has fitting anxiety.I recommend this book for anyone who is willing to give something new a try when it comes to fitting garments. I'm excited to keep on increasing my skills using this book with everything I make from here on out.

So useful, easy to understand. Takes your pattermaking to another level. So worth it.

Best fitting book I have ever used!

parfait c'est vraiement facile

nothing new that you won't pick up from sewing blogs or from diy videos.

This book is a total waste of money. Although some of her ideas are okay, she suggests using padding to fill in problem areas such as the shoulders. The idea of a" fitting book" is to get the fabric to fit ( especially the shoulder area ) Stuffing problem areas with padding is not fitting !