The Thirteenth letter

Dear community,

It's time to share with you the latest updates from the past few months, marked by a year that strives to be distinct. Honestly, I haven't entirely adhered to the concept of a "gap year" as I had mentioned in my previous letter. Despite ordering a book on visible mending with a kit, I haven't dedicated the necessary time to it yet. Knitting and indigo dyeing have also been put on hold, and you might be wondering why.

In my previous letter, I mentioned updating some patterns as one of the goals for this gap year. However, what has been on my mind for a while now is a much larger project than just refreshing a few designs. This led me to reconsider my size chart and basic pants and bodice blocks—foundational elements that will serve to construct my future patterns.

The testing phase for the new basic pants in range 2, from size 48 to 64 (UK 12 - 32), has just concluded with very encouraging results. For range 1, version 1 of the pattern has already been tested with very positive feedback. Still, I've decided to make some modifications and am currently testing version 2. Feedback will be collected by February 25 2024, and the final pattern may be a combination of the two versions.

Currently, I'm working on the bodice block, a complex task as i'd like to offer different cup sizes (Range 1 A/B, C/D, E/F range 2 C/D, E/F, G/H). To be honest with you, it's a monumental task that could lead to an extra workload with each pattern release. I'll fully commit to this direction only if the tests prove genuinely successful and it's worth the effort.

Initially, I had thought of offering different statures rather than cup sizes. However, after testing the range 1 pant pattern in three statures (short, regular, tall), I abandoned this idea based on feedback, as it didn't seem particularly compelling. For example, some people had a height of 158 cm corresponding to "short," but their rise actually matched the "regular" stature, and they simply had short legs, or vice versa. Given that adjusting stature is relatively straightforward, I prefer to focus my energy elsewhere, perhaps on offering multiple cup sizes (busty friendly) for even more inclusivity in my patterns.

In parallel with this work, I've started exploring different pattern-making methods for @latelier_des_modelistes and delving into the issue of cup sizes. You can read my latest article on this topic here: https://readytosew.fr/en/journal/the-bust-cup-dilemma-in-pattern-drafting-article-1-b218.html

The work I'm doing simultaneously for l'atelier des modélistes to make fashion pattern-making accessible and assist those who want to create their basic pattern or venture into custom tailoring is a significant and long-term project. Various articles on this subject are planned to be released gradually.

In conclusion of these first three months of the "gap year," it's indeed the beginning of a unique year, a year of exploration, self-learning, and knowledge-sharing, but certainly not a restful year. Such is life ;-)

I want to express my heartfelt thanks for your ongoing support and understanding throughout this period of evolution. I am aware that, from the outside, Readytosew may seem dormant due to the lack of new patterns, and yet, it's quite the opposite.

Best regards,
Raphaëlle