Twig and Tale has a growing collection of patterns in our Men's/Straight Fit size chart - and this post celebrates that! If you sew Men's or Straight Fit patterns for yourself or a loved one, here is a list of fitting guides to help you make garments with the best possible fit.
The Men's/Straight Fit patterns are offered in two ranges: 30-52" size range, which carries directly on from our children's sizes and also includes free youth/tween sizing, and the 46-66" size range which runs to a 66" (167.5cm) chest and a 66"(167.5cm) hip.
Note that "Straight Fit and Curved fit" aren't a reference to "plus-sizes", but rather body shapes (curved meaning having a bust). It is a naming convention that offers an alternative to traditional gendered labels.
One of the many wonderful things about sewing is being able to create clothing that fits well and feels comfortable.
All T+T patterns include instructions for blending sizes in the tutorials, and sometimes that is enough to achieve a great fit. However, if you need a more technical pattern adjustment, we offer a wide selection of fitting guides here on the Twig + Tale blog. These will help you step-by-step to modify pattern pieces specifically to your measurements.
It takes a bit of extra time at first, but once you've adjusted the pattern pieces, they can be used again and again, resulting in garments that with a custom fit. We think you'll love the result!
Here is a collection of our most popular pattern fitting tutorials for our Men's/Straight Fit patterns. Each one provides detailed instructions and illustrations to guide you through modifying the pattern pieces and achieving a custom fit.
Fitting adjustments for tops
- Shoulder width adjustment - adjust a top with a set-in sleeve, like the Breeze Shirt, for a wider or narrower shoulder.
- Forward shoulder adjustment - for those whose shoulders tend to round or slope forward, this adjustment can greatly improve the fit of tops with a set-in sleeve.
- Fuller arm adjustment - to accommodate a larger upper arm or bicep in a top with a set-in sleeve.
- Shoulder width adjustment for a raglan sleeve - adjust a raglan sleeve, like the Grove Coat, for a wider or narrower shoulder.
- Fuller abdomen adjustment - add extra ease just to the abdomen area of a top, without impacting the fit across the chest and shoulders.
- Broad shoulder adjustment - adjust the shoulder width of the Forester Coat or Trailblazer Vest for outerwear with a custom fit.
Fitting adjustments for trousers
- Fuller seat adjustment for trousers - adjust pull-on shorts or trousers, like the Shore Pants, to accommodate a fuller seat without impacting the front rise.
- Fuller abdomen adjustment for trousers - adjust pull-on style trousers for a fuller abdomen by adjusting the front rise.
- Lower front rise/wearing under a panniculus - adjust pull-on style trousers to sit underneath a fuller abdomen or panniculus by reducing the front rise.
- Waist height adjustment for a flatter rear - eliminate sagginess in the rear of pull-on trousers by reducing the rise in the back only.
Fitting adjustments for footwear
- Adjust boots for a high instep - adjust Tie Back or Animal Boots to have extra ease over the foot for a higher instep.
- Adjust boots for a wider ankle - adjust boots so they are easier to get on and off for a wider ankle.
- Adjust boots for a fuller calf - adjust tall boots to fit a fuller calf.
- Adjust Wayfarer Shoes for a high instep - create more ease over the top of the foot for comfortably-fitting shoes.
We encourage you to give some of these fitting tutorials a try - most of them are quite simple to do, and can really improve the fit of your handmade garments! If you have any questions or would like to share your Twig + Tale garments, join us at our Twig + Tale Chat Facebook group.
You can read more about our Men's/Straight Fit size range here.
