MAILING LIST:
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UPDATE NEWSLETTER for ALL Palmer/Pletsch Teachers 2011 #2 June 2011
I had a wonderful experience teaching at the Phoenix Art Museum, which had a Théâtre de la Mode exhibit. I prepared a PowerPoint presentation, which made me reread the our Théâtre de la Mode book a few times. It is such an interesting history. The next day I gave a four-hour class to the Phoenix-area ASG. I loved being in the warm weather. It has been a cold, rainy spring in Portland.
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___________________________________________________________________________________________ NEW TECHNOLOGY I love technology and it has boomed in my lifetime. We used to cut and paste books, do color separations, make film, have printing plates made. Now we do it all on the computer. We upload digital files to an FTP (file transfer protocol) site and it gets digitally printed with no film. I continue to sample technology by always upgrading my favorite programs like Photoshop and Quark. Now I am into digital readers. As a publisher, I need to know as much as possible and ask the question: Should Palmer/Pletsch books be available in digital formats? First, I have to get to know the readers and the formats they use. Do we have to re-lay out every book in a running format, which is important if the user wants to change font size, or will PDFs of the pages work?
I bought Paul a Kindle for Christmas and he had no trouble with glare and could read in the sun perfectly. He loves it! He wants to experiment no further! So I bought the larger Kindle so I could experience using it. I’ve made it through the user’s guide—almost! It doesn’t go on the Internet yet, though there is a beta test on mine. It didn’t work very well. Eventually, I will also buy an iPad, but since I am on tech-overload right now, I will give it time. And that is to our advantage with technology anyway. Maybe they will add a phone to the iPad! I will keep you posted about whether P/P books will be available across the board as downloads. However, I think technical books have greater usefulness when you own a hard copy!
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU GROW YOUR BUSINESS??
Do you have any other presentations you’d like me to put together and offer? Someone recently told me that $39 was too cheap a price for these presentations. Do you think so? In my mind, it promotes you AND both of our businesses---hence the reason I kept the price affordable. I’d love your comments. My goal is to have Palmer/Pletsch teachers be the best, teach as much as possible, and for me to be there for them. Do you have any ideas on how our company can help promote you better? |
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 McCALLS PATTERNS NEWSKNIT TOP PATTERN We have a new knit top pattern. The guide has a lot of fit information in it. Unfortunately, I think the photos on the models leave a lot to be desired. Well, that is the luck of the draw. The number is M6355.
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CHECK OUT THE OTHER NEW MCCALL’S PATTERNS IN THE PALMER/PLETSCH LINE They're on our website at www.palmerpletsch.com/patterns-mccalls.htm |
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NEW OPPORTUNITY I told you about our new Serger home study course in the February Update newsletter, but forgot to say there there are THREE DVDs in it! We videotaped Marta sewing each of the 49 samples in the notebook. The kit includes all the fabrics for your samples. http://www.palmerpletsch.com/sergerhomeworkshop.htm
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NEW! JEANS FIT & SEWING WORKSHOP The last Fit-a-thon Workshop attendees requested that we add a 5-day jeans workshop, and several have already signed up for the February 2012 class. The class description is on our website.
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COULDN’T FIND TEACHER LISTED ON WEBSITE
http://www.palmerpletsch.com/teacherlist-CSI.htm ~ Pati
FROM A FRUSTRATED
POTENTIAL STUDENT: PATI’S RESPONSE “It would help if you tell me the names of the people you contacted so I can check e-mails. Our Beginning Sewing list on our website was a courtesy listing for those taking Beginning Sewing Teacher Training which may have removed motivation for them to keep us up-to-date. The main teacher list has a fee every year and the teachers need to earn points in order to remain certified, so it stays more up to date. The system is not perfect, however. If I know what you want to learn, I might be able to direct you to a good teacher.” Pati
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________ JANET DAPSON, RICHLAND, MI I have classes going almost year round now, because I now do them by request with no minimum attendance requirement. That has proven very popular, often with 2 or 3 friends scheduling their own group session. Also, I must tell you about a day I spent with the Chicago ASG. I did a 2-hour morning session of 20-Plus Tips, which was extremely well-received by the 35 ladies who attended. Immediately after that session, our sales table was swamped with ladies eager to buy P/P books, interfacing and pattern paper, plus numerous notions. This was followed by a 3-hour afternoon session that was hands-on Tailoring Techniques. Twenty women learned how to make a bound buttonhole, a double-welt pocket, and a mitered corner sleeve vent. Many of them said they couldn’t wait to make a jacket using their newly learned techniques. The Chicago chapter president and program coordinator spoke of having me return in the future. Dick manned the sales table while I conducted the classes; we had a fun time with this wonderful group. Your 20 Tips presentations have been popular wherever I have used them. I am able to mix and match the slides to individualize the presentation for groups requesting specific topics. Thank you once again for all the support you provide for your Palmer/Pletsch teachers!
Best regards, PATI’S RESPONSE Janet, I am very pleased to see you have taken the show on the road. I think this can be the most profitable thing you can do. If you had 35 and got even $20 a person, that is great and then add in sales. I just did a class in Phoenix, also using those slides. I had 50+. I charged ASG $500 plus one hotel night because I was also there to do a presentation for the Phoenix Art Museum and they paid plus expenses, so I gave ASG a deal. They charged $35 for the 4-hour class. They made out great!! In the future, I might take a per-person fee instead. But all was good. We had a nice vacation afterward, staying at the Phoenician resort. The weather was wonderful. (Oh, also sold $1,200 in product. Brought back the extra on the plane so only had shipping one way!) Pati ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hi Pati, I just wanted to let you know, since I took your Pant Fit class in November 2010, I have been using your pant fit techniques in my classes and my custom sewing business. I have started teaching group and private sewing lessons out of my home. It has been going very well. I plan to offer pant fit classes soon. Thank you so much for all you taught me. I am very inspired by you! I look forward to taking your Fit class in July. I have attached a photo of a wedding dress I just finished (this was her second wedding). I hope you are doing well.
Thanks ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ DIANE SHROPSHIRE, SILVERDALE, WA 2011 Fit-a-thon Learning Experience Pati asked me to share my aha moment. Fit-a-thon proved that FIT is a process, not a science, and even where you think you have the tissue looking good, it all changes again in fabric. Last summer I fitted myself and made McCall’s Perfect Blouse pattern 5433. I did my usual alterations of broad back and full Y-bust adjustment. But when I sewed it in fabric, although it looked perfect and I was thrilled, if I raised my arm I could not move. My heart sank, so I brought it to sewing camp last year and asked for Marta’s help. Marta suggested I take a 3/8” tuck across the upper front and, since I am short (only 5’), this made absolute sense. When we pinned the tuck, I had arm movement. So I fitted the tissue again. I had gained some weight and asked Marta to fit me in the gingham sloper. We decided the 18 was the best fit across the upper chest. I made the usual alterations, broad back and full Y-bust alterations, and added the 3/8” front tuck. But once it was cut in fabric, I still had the same problem; I could not raise my arm without restriction. We trimmed the shoulder back 5/8” and tried cutting the sleeve on the bias (Agnes Mazur idea) to add ease. This was better but still not the perfect fit I wanted. I also realized that the reason I do not wear blouses is because of this same lack of movement in the sleeve. I was determined to solve the problem and so were Pati and Marta. First we realized that by doing the Y-bust alteration, we were adding width across the chest, which contributed to the problem. And, because I am short from neck to shoulder, I would be better off cutting a size 14 for my front and doing a broad back. So I cut out a second blouse and also did the sleeve on the bias; after all, I needed all the ease I could get. So in my case, the sleeve restriction was not necessarily because the armhole was not big enough or that I needed to let out the side seam. I have a narrow shoulder! My other big learning discovery was that the collar controls the shoulder placement, which controls the sleeve. So put the collar on before setting in the sleeve. MORE FROM DIANE SHROPSHIRE: Pant Fit Crotch Oddity?? Hello Pati,
I don’t know if you can see the baggies in the photos I am attaching; this is after all our adjustments. She is making a pull-on denim pant—our standard McCall’s fitting pattern 5239 view A. Is the denim part of the problem? Should I have been letting it out instead of taking it in? Diane P.S. I had my first student for Beginning Sewing classes who located me exclusively by my website … I was so thrilled!!! She completed her apron today!! PATI’S RESPONSE I had this problem on Amanda last summer and I did all you did and finally, by letting out the front thighs, it all disappeared. She had full front thighs, but she was so small otherwise that it fooled me. I am not sure if I let it out from the top or started at nothing at crotch and let them out in the area below that—that is, straightening the inseam. You could try both. Your student’s pants actually look pretty good. It appears to be more her right leg. If you start below the crotch, you could try just letting out the right leg in upper thigh area. I have found this wrinkle shows more in denim than in other fabrics. Pati ALSO FROM DIANE Just wanted to share my glee!! I had a PANTS fit class (or at least the first of 2 sessions) at Pacific Fabrics. I felt so much more confident than last year! I had 4 students, which is so much easier than 6 students. The only problem figure was a rather tall woman who was very slender but had very large thighs and lower calves; her frame actually bowed backward. She said she has NEVER had a pair of pants that fit or were comfortable and has worn nothing but black for decades trying to hide her large calves. I added quite a bit of extra tissue on the inseam and out-seam, and I think when we get to fabric next week, we will see more fabric on the back panels than the front. But I was very pleased with the finished tissue. It was hanging smooth, straight, and wrinkle-free, and the side seams were nice and straight. Because I only had 4 students, I was able to really get on the floor and focus on her problem area. She will be sewing a wool/poly blend camel-colored pant. As you suggested, I called the other two women that had voiced complaints about last year’s session and offered a personalized, one-on-one makeup class in their home (or my studio). Both were delighted and we have set appointments for later in May. PATI’S RESPONSE Good for you. I am sooo pleased. AND I am glad that worked out for the other two. It will enhance your reputation greatly by going the extra mile.You did all the right things. One way to keep on track is to offer an evaluation after each class. That way you will know how students felt about the class and this will give you the chance to intervene immediately. I hope all of our instructors are doing this. I tell students that I want to be better, so to be honest with me about your experience. Otherwise I don’t have the chance to keep growing! ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ROXANN BENBOW, WASILLA, AK Just wanted to share something. My pant fit class today was so fun. They did their fly front zipper and were so happy with the perfect results. There are 3 of them and they all wore the view A pants from the last class and love the fit. At last, a whole class that had success! Next month I have 7 doing the Jeans class so will have my hands full. Also just wanted to share: We had the annual youth fashion show a week ago, which is from the sewing schools in the area. It was during spring break so not many students were able to participate, but there were 10 students with a total of 20 garments. Four of the students were from my school. My students took 2 first place, 2 second place, 1 third place, and a second place Seam Ripper award. Not too bad. One of the first-place wins was because of how well the dress fit her, and we fitted her pattern the Palmer/Pletsch style perfectly. It is a Renaissance Costume Dress and floor-length cape made out of crushed panne. I try to teach all the students fitting in the weekly classes. They are starting to get into it. We will do better in the state fair as they will all be entering. Roxann ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ PAMELA LEGGETT, PROSPECT PARK, PA Hi Pati, My goodness, it has been awhile since we talked last! I recently got the vendor info for the ASG conference. I got selected to teach four classes! I was so pleased to have been selected again this year. I have been teaching lots of the FBA classes. They are really popular and everyone loves them. Instead of teaching my basic pattern fit class this fall/winter, I taught pattern fitting and construction for your jeans jacket pattern. Again, a huge hit! I had waiting lists like you can’t even imagine!! My tailored jacket class just went online two days ago, and both classes are almost full. I am having them make your new and improved blazer pattern with the side princess. FYI, I nominated you for the ASDP lifetime achievement award this year. I sure hope you get it!! Hope all is well with you. I have a business idea that I would like to share with you. Would you be interested in hearing about it? Talk to you soon!
Pamela PATI’S RESPONSE It seems everything you teach is successful. Thanks for the nomination. You are too cute!! I will quote you! I hope you do have a great year. And good luck at ASG in LA. Pati
___________________________________________________________________________________________________ CONNIE HAMILTON, HARTWELL, GA Hi Pati, Oh my goodness! All that research I did on the clean finish zipper application and it was right there in front of my eyes in the Painless Sewing book—with your plain-as-day illustrations too! I read that book long ago and had completely forgotten about it being in there. I’m going through that little gem of a book again to see what else I’ve been missing. (A good tip for all us “seasoned” teachers is to check P/P publications first. Whatever you’re looking for is probably there! Love the Fashion for Real People newsletters and Melissa’s efforts with the younger generation of sewers. Thanks for the CSI renewal. I’m always proud to be associated with Palmer/Pletsch. This year is starting out well for CEUs and I’m encouraged by the opening possibilities. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you! You and Marta make so many others happy and I hope it all comes back double! Connie PATI’S RESPONSE Thanks for all you shared. I am excited you will actually have a fabric store in your town. Wonderful! I bet you are glad to be in Georgia and sort of away from Midwest winters! (Until this year—couldn’t believe Atlanta!) Thanks for the sample of neck facing finish. Seems similar to p. 113 in Painless Sewing. I will share with classes. Take care and hi to your hubby. Pati ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ FROM RACHEL CARLSON, MCKINNLEYVILLE, CA Hi, Pati - It’s been such a long time since I’ve been to Portland or Puyallup. I miss your classes and just seeing you and Marta and chatting. Recently I’ve made a couple of jackets from your patterns and am so pleased with them that I had to write to thank you for designing such classy, wearable clothes.
So thanks for the great patterns. Teaching is still happening, though it seems to be seasonal. My fall beginning and intermediate classes always go; spring classes are less certain. I recently did a 3-hour fit seminar, which went over well. We looked at alterations and fitting techniques for the most common fit variations for bodices, skirts and pants. The evening’s highlight and top tip was generally agreed to be bust measurement. It is such a revelation to even long-time sewers that the high bust measurement is the important one. I measured everyone for bodice and skirt/pants patterns and sent home a bunch of happy seamstresses. I will be in Portland this summer, though not during any of your classes, so I probably won’t see you. My goal is to attend another of your workshops within the year and to get back to Puyallup next year. I hope you and your family and crew are all happy and well. Thanks for being a great teacher and inspiration.
PATI’S RESPONSE I love the compliments. You made my day! I hope to see you this year. A note to you readers: Alas, McCalls pattern 4394 is discontinued and we no longer have any patterns in stock in the warehouse. I’m glad you kept your original one! ! ~ Pati
___________________________________________________________________________________________________ JEAN GRIBI, ASG, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (Marilyn Elliott of San Antonio taught a fit class in Corpus Christi and has been invited back. The ASG group there offered some suggestions for our Fit book next revision that I will save. Appreciate it. Pati) Our board has approved your pants class in November, so please change us from pencil to pen! I am still working the 2-day vs. 3-day option. I like your idea that we could offer them the option for an extra charge to attend the day that fabric pin-fit would be, on the morning of Nov. 11. That way it is an extra charge option and their decision. Once this is resolved, I will let you know. Comments on the Fit book…As we worked through some issues, a few things came up on the Fit book that I think you should know and pass on if you think they are appropriate. Page 24 – The text explains to measure the high bust, but nowhere does it say to use the high bust measurement as the “bust” measurement to buy the pattern. While this is implied, I agree that a clear statement highlighted in a box would be helpful. The ladies also wanted McCall’s to use High Bust, instead of Bust, on their pattern envelope (that would probably take a miracle!). Page 146 – For the Y-bust adjustment, the question is where the point from the shoulder and armhole should be in the added area. The diagram says half the amount needed, but you told one of our ladies to use less because she didn’t need as much across her upper chest. I suggest that some wording be added on this in the next edition. Please call me if I need to clarify. Page 148 – On the armhole princess diagram on the bottom right, there should be tape shown on the armhole of the Front section. Thanks, Jean ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ MARIE ROCHE—CONSUMER QUESTION (Sometimes I feel you teachers may have the same questions as some of our consumers! My comments to Marie are in caps below. ~Pati) Dear Pati Palmer, I have your pants fitting DVD and have a question. I make dress slacks for my husband and this year due to health issues he has lost quite a bit of weight. Not only is the loss of weight a factor but also his age; consequently, his legs are quite thin. The back pant legs are quite large. I am using a Kwik Sew dress slack pattern. Your DVD states to remove the bags from the back by doing a tuck from the waist down the leg. I thought from reading pattern drafting books that the back leg pattern piece needs to be 1” larger than the front leg pattern piece. If this tuck is taken in the back, how is this proportion maintained? [THAT MIGHT BE TRUE FOR A PERFECT SIZE 10 MISS OR 32 WAIST MAN, BUT AS WE AGE, OUR BODIES CHANGE AND YOU NEED TO FIX THE PATTERN TO FIT YOUR BODY.] Your pants fit you so nicely on the DVD as well as Marta’s pants on your pant sewing DVD. Am I not understanding something? The comment I read said that if this proportion is not maintained, the pants will not hang properly. [NOT SURE WHO COULD HAVE SAID THIS IF THEY HAVE EVER FITTED A LARGE VARIETY OF SHAPES AND AGES??] I would like to make nice-fitting slacks for him and myself and would like to conquer baggy back legs. Is your tuck the answer and do I ignore this proportion? [I’D SAY SO!!] I would appreciate your help. Thank you, Marie Roche _____________ Dear Pati, Thank you so much for your response! I feel like I have been freed to do the adjustment and not worry that I am creating more of a problem. Your pants on the DVD fit so well that I would very much like to do the same. Thank you for your help. Marie
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I
ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO SHARE SUCCESSES, CHALLENGES, TIPS You could share sewing ideas, model garment ideas, class pricing, class set-up ideas, free seminars to promote classes, new ways you have used slides or taught a technique---the sky is the limit!
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One last note about an
interesting video: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=6Cf7IL_eZ38&vq=medium
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It
has been all too long since I communicated with you. It was a busy
spring. We made the Jeans and Fabric DVDs, then we had our February
Fit-a-thon and the Puyallup Sew Expo. In March we had 40 Aussie
ladies in Portland to teach and tour with. In April I went to NYC,
and I spent May traveling (some vacation in Mexico). 
OK,
so I first bought a Nook Color. It is fascinating. You can download
books from Barnes & Noble and you can surf the Internet and get your
e-mail. The screen was ultra clear. It was reasonably fast on the
Internet. But I took it to Mexico and there was too much glare to
read a book on it in the sun.
Be
sure to read the success stories of a few of our teachers who have
taught the 
Please
help me solve this crotch dilemma. I don’t know what I am doing
wrong. Cindy had baggies (bubble) right in the front of the
crotch/pelvic area. My first instinct was to pinch out, which we
did, but it did not go away, so we took another pinch out (deeper).
After three adjustments we had deepened more than 1”. There was
no change; the baggies were still there. The pants fit
great everywhere else and she was willing to let it go, but I was
not satisfied.
M5941
– the little cropped jacket.
