Imagine you are checking your size run of a new design. As you review the samples, you notice something isn’t fitting quite right. (Thankfully, you caught it before giving the okay for production!) You compare the samples to the tech pack and spec sheet. They meet the spec so it isn’t a sewing or cutting issue. It must be something with either the pattern or the grading.
There are signs you can look for to uncover which it is. Once you’ve found the root of the fit issue, you’re one step closer to correcting it. Plus, you’ll know who to reach out to to get it resolved.
Signs it’s a pattern problem
The base size doesn’t fit
The base size is the size that the pattern is developed and initially sampled in. It is not a graded size. If there are any fit issues in the base size, you’ll know they will need to be corrected on the pattern.
One caveat: do make sure to measure your samples against the spec before you fit them. This rules out any cutting or sewing issues before considering the pattern itself.
The fit issue is present in all sizes
Grading changes the size, but should not change the fit. Therefore, if there is a pattern issue in one size, it will show up in all of the sizes. For example, if you notice that the sleeves are too long in all sizes, the sleeve pattern needs to be shortened. If the fit issue is consistent across the whole size range, it is a pattern problem. The graded sizes won’t fit unless the base size pattern does.
The body shape doesn’t fit your target market
Patterns are made to fit a certain body type. The style, silhouette, or fabric may be forgiving and fit well on a range of body shapes, but it can only really be drafted for one. If you want to fit a curvy shape with a smaller waist and larger hip and thigh ratio, the pattern needs to match. The body type doesn’t change when you grade a pattern. If you notice your sample doesn’t fit the body shape of your target customer, that needs to be changed in the pattern.
It is important to communicate your target customer and the desired fit of your brand to your patternmaker from the start. That fit will be incorporated into the pattern from the very beginning and prevent fit issues from showing up later.
The style “runs large” or “runs small”
This might seem like a problem with the size grading, but it is best addressed in the pattern. Sometimes the fit isn’t bad, but it is different than the customer expects. This could be due to different personal fit preferences, communication about sizing, or it could signal that the fit of the pattern needs a second look.
Perhaps you intended your sample size to be a M, but it ends up fitting more like a S when you do your sample fitting. If you discover this before the style has been released, your patternmaker can adjust the sample pattern to match the expected fit of its labeled size. If you don’t catch this in development and later realize this through customer feedback, it is harder to address. Depending on how drastic the discrepancy is, you can make a note about the fit on the product page, re-label the garments, or adjust the fit of the pattern for the next production run.
Signs it’s a grading problem
The fit issue only shows up in certain sizes
If your base size fits well, but the other sizes don’t, it is a grading problem. Good grading will carry through the fit and styling of the base size to all the other sizes in your range. You want to see consistency in how the style fits across different sizes. If that consistency is absent, talk to your pattern grader about adjusting the grade rules.
You may notice that one end of your size range fits okay, but the other end has fit issues. For example, the smaller sizes look good, but you notice fit issues in the larger sizes. You can adjust the grading only for certain sizes that need it.
The sizes with the fit issue are far away from your base size
You might notice that fit issues appear only in the smallest or largest sizes in your size range. This is caused by a combination of both the grading and the pattern. You can only grade so many sizes up or down from your base size before the grading breaks down and the fit gets wonky.
If the only sizes with fit issues are 3 or more alpha sizes or 4-5 or more numeric sizes away from your base size, the solution is to split your size range into two base size patterns. You can then dial in the fit of the two base sizes and grade from those for a better fit across the board.
The fit issue gets worse as the size gets farther from the base size
If you aren’t grading too many sizes from one base size pattern and there are still fit issues concentrated in the smallest and largest sizes of your size range, is a sure sign that the grading needs to be adjusted. As I’ve said, grading should change the size, but keep the fit consistent. If the grade rules aren’t working for your product and sizing, the issues will compound with every size away from the sample size.
Grading adds another layer of variables to fit issues. Before jumping into corrections, you will want to determine whether the problem stems from the pattern itself or the grade rules. Start by assessing the fit of the base size and make any adjustments there first. Only tweak the grading once the fit of that base size is just right.