How to Fit a Skirt by Cynthia Guffey

Back in August I reviewed the first of the Cynthia Guffey videos that I purchased from dailycrafttv.com.  I was so thrilled to find videos online that captured the essence of Cynthia and also gave me the opportunity to watch them over and over again.

At the time, I purchased The Seven Core Sewing Skills, I also purchased "How to Fit a Skirt" by Cynthia Guffey, as well as, the video, "How to Fit A Jacket." It's taken me a minute but I watched the skirt video while I was sick. Hey it was better than daytime TV! 

After viewing this 60 minute video, I will be making some fitting, construction and designing changes to my straight skirt pattern to get a better fitted straight skirt. A few general take aways first ~ she makes the changes look so easy to understand and do and she discusses how to interpret drag lines or "travel lines" as she calls them and how to fix them.

Here are some additional things I took away from the video:

~The skirt's side seams should always be straight on the side of the body.

~Adjust the widest area of the skirt first and then make everywhere else fit first.  For most of us this is the hip area but for a few it will be the waistline.

~Cynthia started with a princess seam line skirt instead of the standard one piece front and two back pieces for the skirt.  She says there are more fitting opportunities that don't involve the side seams if you use a princess seam skirt pattern.

~By using her grading techniques, you can take a skirt that use to fit and grade it up or down so that it fits you now.  A vintage skirt, a skirt pattern that you use to sew and loved can be graded to fit your body now.

~Watching her draft a new facing for the skirt instead of using a waistband was worth the cost of the video alone!  Watching her explain it and then do it was so crystal clear that I almost jumped up and down and shouted hallelujah!

~When making adjustments to the pattern, she draws a line parallel to the grainline to make changes - whether adding or subtracting width - that way the grainline is never thrown off.

~Cynthia says that one of the questions she's asked most is, "What length should the skirt be hemmed at?"  She has an interesting take which mirrors my own, that the hemline should end at the place where the leg curves into the calf, that this is the most flattering place on most women...unless of course you have amazing legs and can wear minis!

~About the circumference of the skirt - Cynthia says that she adds fullness to the front of her skirts (pleats, gathering and kickpleats) because that's where she walks (forward).  That adding to the back only ends up in the skirt pulling or the kick pleats and slits folding/bending and generally winding up looking askew. Another lightbulb moment for me!  The video is only $9.99 and chock full of wonderful tips and things to learn. 

However, the wonderful people at dailycrafttv.com are offering a free skirt video to one winner from my blog.  Yes, this is the giveaway I alluded to earlier.  So how do you win this wonderful video? Simple, just leave your name and email address in the comments section on this post ONLY by Wednesday, October 30th at 11:59pm EST.  

I will announce the winner on Thursday, October 31st and submit your name and email address to the dailycrafttv.com team who will set you up with viewing privileges.  This video is available to anyone in the world, so if you want your very own Cynthia Guffey skirt adventure, leave a comment.

Now for full disclosure, I will be reviewing one sewing video per month from the dailycrafttv.com site for free.  I do get to choose which video I want to watch and review so rest assured that they will all be about sewing...but I thought you should know that I do have a vested interest.

...as always more later!