Sew what? Of corset was
Saturday March 15th 2014, 10:03 pm
Filed under: Non-Knitting

The first actual blueberries of the year! (And yes that’s an empty suet cage that somehow was left on the side of the pot when John was arranging the netting over the blueberries. So there it stays for now.)

I figured I ought to put the peer pressure of having a blog to work for me to induce me to start that long-thought-of-but-not-done baby sweater. And so I went looking for my go-to site for child measurements.

Back when I used to sew a lot–we’re talking 25 and more years ago–sewing patterns had not changed sizing the way the ready-made garment industry had been doing, and ready-mades have changed even more since then. When my kids were little I bought a skirt pattern with three sizes offered and remember having had to sew the largest, grumbling that I just was not a 14 thankyouverymuch.

Which I’m only mentioning not out of misplaced pride but surprise. Because I stumbled across that particular pattern a week or two ago, long saved only because I always did really like that style. Still do. Flipped it over to look at the chart on the back out of curiosity.

And this: when I went to Bev’s Country Cottage’s size chart, there’s an adorable picture of her and her grandson by way of illustration with his measurements at five and a half years old.

I stared at her page.

“Twenty-four inches around his tummy.”

At five and a half years old. Judging by her chart, he was on the small side for his age.

A twenty-four inch waist is what that sewing pattern claimed was the standard size for a full-grown woman wearing a size 10. Blink.

I used to think the clothing industry had participated in intense size deflation in order to stroke egos and boost sales, and certainly that didn’t hurt the trend, but,  my stars. Expecting a small-to-average woman not to be the same around as a typical four-to-five-year-old seems pretty darn normal to me.

(Ed. to add, I have started the sweater for Hudson’s first birthday and so far the knitting seems to be coming in right on target at 21″ around. It feels great to finally have that thing going. Thank you all, and you didn’t even know you were helping out.)


2 Comments so far
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Good luck with the sweater! Ahh….clothes sizing….always a mystery. I, too, used to sew most of my clothes, and still do occasionally. Never sure what will fit until I measure the pattern pieces. Some add so much “ease” as to be too big! I remember when the sizes in more expensive stores were larger. I could wear a 6 at Macy’s, but 10 or 12 at Mervyn’s Now, they’re all over the place. I have shirts small, medium and large in my closet, all fit me the same. And the slacks and jeans I wear are 6, but I am not any smaller. Crazy!

Comment by DebbieR 03.16.14 @ 9:11 pm

I use that site for measurements, too! Way to go on the birthday sweater. 🙂 And I recently had to go jeans shopping…clothing sizes mean much less than they once did. I actually bought a second pair of the same brand and style of “gorgeous pants,” but had to buy it a size larger than the first pair. I don’t know what’s going on, but it seems like all the standards have flown right out the window on ready-made sizing.

Comment by Pam 03.17.14 @ 7:55 am



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