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Aunt Norie’s Sewing Room

By Eleanor Mckee - | Apr 3, 2012

Each of us can count our blessings in more ways than we can count, when we really stop and think about it. For instance: just the fact that we can walk into a clothing shop and just try on and actually buy a garment to fit us.

Yes, many folks have to buy just a larger top than a bottom. That’s very common, almost no problem at all. However, for many, it gets much more complicated.

When they began to make patterns, three sizes in one, that was a big help in itself. However, they are made to cut away the pattern pieces you don’t need. I found years ago a great way to help when you find yourself “in that corner,” so to speak.

More recently they began making patterns in more than three sizes in one envelope. I have made, as I call it, a master pattern. With just a couple of glue sticks and the back side of gift-wrapping paper (which was white), I spread the paper on my cutting board and anchored it down with straight pins, just poking them through the cutting board, a nice big sheet of white paper looking at me.

I then cut the pattern pieces in strips I could handle and made a pencil line at each edge. Then with just regular little glue sticks I smeared the glue from edge to edge and spread the pattern pieces over the glue, as one would in applying contact paper.

The original pattern has five sizes. I can and have made many patterns from it. One can make different sizes and types of tops, bottoms, sleeves, etc., on and on.

Now with marking pens of different colors, of course, using your ruler, outline each size, (the lines of each size) then overlay the pattern with thin Pellon or regular pattern-making fabric, or any other paper or fabric you can see through. Tracing the lines of the size you need, you can create many sizes, etc.

I have often thought of, for basic garments, using such a unit for a child growing up. Oh yes, they outgrow patterns just as fast as they outgrow anything else.

God bless all of you. Love.

— Aunt Norie, P.O. Box 265,

Tonganoxie, KS 66086; auntnorie@att.net.