Neuroscientist + Curious Mind + Passionate Maker
Can I find a better fitting sweater pattern for Ryan? My goal was to knit a better-fitting sweater for Ryan, using an old sweater to avoid wasting yarn. I am looking for a sweater pattern that can avoid some common issues that can ruin the fit of the sweater. Specifically, I want to avoid a... Continue Reading →
I have a down jacket that no longer fits. It's never really fit, but it definitely doesn't work anymore. It's a 10-year-old Arc'teryx Thorium AR. It has always been a bit snug, and the arms and torso are short. I've gotten used to the jacket over the years, and my entire winter layering system depends... Continue Reading →
The Union St Tee has been my go-to pattern for a while now. My first post about the Union St Tee was in June 2019. I made a size XL, did my typical 1/2 inch forward shoulder alteration, lowered the front shoulder, and scooped out some of the armscye. One year later, in June 2020,... Continue Reading →
Next year will be my third year using direct-to-film clothing labels. I have loved keeping track of my makes each year, and this is a great way to remember when items were made. The DTF I use is from Transfer Superstars. Their DTF is amazing. It's easy to apply. Stretches with the material. Doesn't crack... Continue Reading →
Ryan desperately needed a new tote bag to carry his many bottles and lunch bag. The old bag was frayed and falling apart. Moreover, it couldn't hold all three bottles and his lunch bag. I figured out the footprint needed to fit everything (12 inches tall, 10 inches wide, and 9 inches deep). However, trying... Continue Reading →
In the 1950s, Lieutenant Gilbert S. Daniels led a study that collected measurements from over 4,000 US Air Force pilots, such as height, weight, and chest circumference. The researchers used these measurements to calculate average values to design a new cockpit. Surprisingly, when Daniels compared the cockpit dimensions with the average measurements, he found that... Continue Reading →
I read about this method first from Kennis Wong, “You’re doing it wrong: Why your hip measurements don’t work,” Itch to Stitch Blog, March 1, 2016. In her post, she quotes the Frabjous Couture blog and a textbook: The Frabjous Couture blog is no longer available, but I was able to find the post on... Continue Reading →
In this post, I will discuss a second way to measure your body for pants. The previous method had some validity concerns as it only considered the widest part of your torso, which doesn't provide information about the relationship between your waist, hips, and upper legs. Relying solely on your widest circumference to determine your... Continue Reading →
Hello again. This is the second part of a two-part series. In the first part, I outlined some important objectives I believe any process should prioritize, especially when measuring, sizing, and fitting pants because these fundamental goals help improve accessibility and inclusivity. In this post, I will use these objectives to evaluate the first of... Continue Reading →
Welcome to a two-part series that aims to teach everyone a simple technique for measuring and determining your pant size. Finding a new-to-me method got me thinking about how I evaluate techniques and what makes a technique "good." In part one, I'll introduce key objectives that any method or technique should strive to achieve to... Continue Reading →
In this post, I'll cover two important topics. Firstly, the significance of studying the style and fit of pants. Secondly, I'll delve into the process of transforming full-length pants into shorts. Last month, I wrote a post about the Dani Shorts by True Bias and shared my experience transforming full-length pants into shorts. However, I... Continue Reading →
I was pleasantly surprised when I created my Pomona shorts and discovered that the center grainline was balanced correctly for my body. I have struggled in the past with fitting pants that lack a side seam. When I made my shorts, I hoped to apply my laser-level method to learn more about how pants with... Continue Reading →
