... OTOH in modern patterns, you pick the bust size and go with that.

I think you need a great big red sticker on the outside of your patterns that says 'IMPORTANT: this is not a 'modern' pattern. For sizing, pick your _biggest_ measurement and cut to that size, regardless of which measurement it is."

I think I could package the pattern with flashing lights, M, and some people would still not read a word of it.

And someone who touts himself as "a tailor of 40 years' experience" really shouldn't make this kind of mistake. So whose kidding who here?

...it's Dia de los Locos and nobody thought to tell me, isn't it?

Nah. Just a typical day at Reconstructing History.

Well, I think that you're partly right, but I don't know Hebrew. This holiday started around sunset last night and I think it'll go till sunset tonight. You've got to be here. I'm at *home* and we've got the crazies. See last night's post. It's only *barely* slowed down.

Wow. Lover-leeeeee.

Right now we're having greyhound Insane Five Minutes. Does that count?

Yes. I expect the cat version any time n - whup, just started.

Well, the pups are pooped now and napping quietly. I hope the cats have an equally short attention span.

Well, one's a kitten, so we can hope.

And boy, was it loud for those five minutes! During their daily Crazy Time, they forget that greyhounds don't bark.

LOL at greyhounds not barking. Our cats are generally quiet during Insane Cat Time, but then there's the danger to one's legs if you happen to get in the (changes on the instant) pathways they're tearing around on. We'll notice I'm sitting cross-legged on the computer chair for the next while.

The parrot just fell off his perch here.

There was much flapping and squawking, followed by an embarrassed expression and then he turned his back to me.

He's embarassed. Sebastian does that: "I meant to do that. I didn't trip. I meant to do that!"

Oh, I know he's embarrassed. I try not to laugh too hard at him when it happens.

Poor birdie. :-)

Um. Muslin much? Am I weird for cutting the pattern out to the largest measurement, transferring it to waste cloth, and making adjustments on the waste cloth first?

Really. Because if I'm weird, I'd like to know.

If I'm doing something in heinously expensive fabric, damned straight I'll do it your way.

If I'm doing it in cheap-ass fabric, I could care less.

Yeah. And you don't call me and say, "What are you doing to do about it?" Because the answer is, "I'm going to scold you like a third grade teacher for not reading the instructions!"

No, I'll call you and cry... And then I'll beg you to tell me how to fix it! :)

Of course you're weird. But that's not why. =)

It's the glasses, isn't it?

Yup!

I'm in the weird club, too, I guess. I figure out what size I think I'll need, trace it onto muslin, and then use that as my pattern to cut out a secondary muslin for fitting. I rarely actually cut the patterns themselves, because I'm terrified that I'll F it up somehow. ;)

We dress up in funny clothes and go by assumed names, sometimes different names on different weekends. Is there anything about us that isn't weird? ;)

Welll..... when you put it like THAT....

*grin*

You said it girl, not me! :)

No. That practice was drilled into me at the Costume Shop. Not the least because we can fit down the large-pattern-size muslin for all actresses, but scaling up the smallest size is insanity. I still do this, and I don't even use my commercial patterns for other people! (well, not yet).

Not only do I muslin, then paper pattern, then cut... I fit the lining again. ;)

This begs the question, what did you say to him when he called to complain?

To be honest, Bob dealt with him. But he began with, "Sir? Did you follow the instructions in the pattern? What size is your chest? What size is your waist? Did you cut the coat in the size specified for your waist size which is larger? No? Oh... {pregnant pause}"

By the end, he admitted to Bob that he was rushing to get something done for this weekend, and didn't do any of the things you're supposed to do. He also didn't look at the size chart. He practically apologised before he got off the phone.

There is really no excuse for someone to cut the wrong size when the size chart is on the back of the pattern. It's obvious that he just didn't look at it.

This is the reason I've changed all my women's sizes to letters instead of numbers. Women were cutting their American store sizes, not the sizes specified by the measurements on my pattern back cover.

I think you should leave Bob in charge of answering the phone. :-)

He already is. =)

Just for the record, though, I have never been nasty to someone on the phone. I'm actually very polite. But I will scold someone for ignoring the instructions. I write them for a reason after all!

of course not. I'm just thinking that then you don't have to deal with 'that sort'.

Anything I can foist off on Bob, I do. *twinkles*

Actually, the personality involved wasn't going to do anything but give a female voice a hard time. But to a deep male voice, he'd be on better behaviour. So that was the deciding factor.

Amazing that human beings have survived so long on this planet!
Time to thin the herd???

Edited at 2008-04-30 11:16 pm (UTC)

Heh.

*** snicker***

Isn't that just insane? At first, I always get paranoid that there's something radically wrong with my pattern, no matter how many times I've used it myself for all the sizes. But then the guy talks some more and it always ends up that he's either WAY underestimating his size, or he's forgetting that he has a big huge gut, or some other head-in-the-sand thing. Last week, I had a woman complain about another one of my patterns, that it was "way too small" for her son. Then she talked some more and told me about how another company's doublet pattern was also way too small for him. Methinks she doesn't know how to use a measuring tape or something. If every pattern you've ever used don't fit your son, I think your son *must* be the problem. Better send him back to the factory for a refit! ;)

I don't think the son is the problem I think the problem lies between the ears of the one holding the measuring tape.

I really, really, REALLY wanted to tell her that her measuring tape must be broken. *WINK*

"Better send him back to the factory for a refit! ;)"

I'm trying very hard for that mental image not to come....oh...failed.

Even people that can't count (like me) don't make that mistake.
'nuff said :)

Precisely!

But Kass, I have a 34" waist, just like I did in High school! Why doesn't the coat close across my belly?

This drives me to drink! You have far more patience than I do! And if this guy really had 40 years experience as a tailor, he should have known better!

"but Kelly, don't you know, anyone can sew!" ARGH!

Unfortunately, "40 years experience as a tailor" often translates to "I have been making costumes like T-tunics since I started doing historical stuff 40 years ago".

Technically, I've been playing the piano for 30 years. I'm still not exactly brilliant at it... 8)