Prepare and compare

There are several important things to have in mind every time you look for a pattern: a solid image of the type of garment you want to sew, your personal preferences about fit, the kind of fabric you want to use, the degree of difficulty you're prepared for, how much time you have to sew this garment, and an understanding of sizing conventions and ease.

Visualize style and fit

The first step in evaluating patterns is to have a strong idea of what you would like to make. Take note of current trends in stores or fashion magazines. Measure garments or patterns that you love and that fit well, and then look for a pattern with similar measurements (at bust, waist, hip, and shoulder width, as well as garment length and hem width). Also, look for the words "loose fitting" in the pattern description on the back of the envelope if, for example, you're going to layer heavy sweaters under a jacket. If you want a fitted, curvy jacket with little or nothing underneath, look for the words "semi-fitted" or "fitted."

Know your fabrics

It's wonderful if you can choose a pattern before you have a fabric in mind, because then you can closely follow the fabric recommendations listed on the pattern envelope. However, I often find that I'm inspired by a gorgeous fabric, purchase a length of it, and then have to hunt down a pattern to match.

If you have a specific fabric in mind, try to find a pattern that recommends fabrics with the same fiber content and weave. Or make sure that the fabric you chose has a similar weight and drape. Heavy fabrics don't drape the way lightweight ones do, and they add bulk in the seams.

Also note whether a knit or a stretch fabric is recommended for the pattern you're considering; if that's the case, then the pattern will include less ease than one that's made for nonstretch fabrics.

Don't get in over your head

Figuring out a pattern's level of difficulty and comparing it with your own skills is the next important step. Decide whether you feel up to a challenge, and realistically address how much time you can devote to a project. Thinking about options ahead of time eliminates surprises later. If you're looking for a quick-and-easy project, consider whether you can eliminate tricky construction elements on a more complicated pattern: Use snaps instead of buttonholes, omit pockets, remove the vent in the sleeve, or replace a fly-front zipper with an invisible side-seam zipper.

Sizing considerations

Remember that not all patterns are sized the same. Sizing and fit standards can vary from pattern company to pattern company, especially among independent manufacturers. But, by reading the pattern envelope and taking initial measurements, you can confidently use patterns from any company and make the fit your own.

That said, the Big Four -- Vogue, Butterick, McCall's, Simplicity -- standardized their sizing, based on a B-cup bra. But picking a pattern by bust size alone isn't always enough. If you're a C cup or larger and you pick a pattern to accommodate your bust size, it may be too big in the back, neck, and shoulders, which are difficult areas to adjust. For a more proportionate pattern, also refer to the high-bust measurement (just above the bust, under the arms) noted on the Web sites.

No matter how a pattern is sized, I suggest trying to pick a multi-sized pattern--because most of us fall between sizes in at least one area of our body. For skirts and pants, you can pick a size according to your hip measurement; then adjust the waist as necessary.

Is the pattern easy to alter?

With all the body shapes out there, you'll probably have to make some adjustments to any size pattern. The key is to make altering as simple as possible. Remember that patterns with many pieces, and princess seams in particular, are easier to alter. With more seams to work with, you can simply add to or subtract from the width and fold horizontally as needed to lengthen or shorten.

Patterns with few pieces tend to be more difficult to alter. Jacket patterns without a center-back seam and those with vertical darting in the front and back are trickier to alter than those with princess seams. Pants also tend to be difficult to alter, so I suggest finding (and sticking with) a basic pant pattern that closely matches your measurements and shape, and make minor style adjustments as needed.

Ease: all-important, often  forgotten

Once you determine a pattern will be easy to work with, turn to the amount of ease in a pattern (the difference between your actual measurements and those of the tissue), which can make or break fit, regardless of size. Ease allows for movement; the amount of ease varies with the garment style.

Typically, a pattern company builds 2 in. of ease into its basic sloper (a base pattern that represents the dimensions of a specific figure, without additional design features) and adds additional ease for the style of the garment. A fitted dress, for example, may have 3 in. to 4 in. of ease at the bust, and a loose-fitting dress may have up to 8 in. of ease.

Some pattern companies provide all the finished measurements (bust, waist, hip, hem width) on the envelope and let you figure out the ease for yourself. Other companies note ease information on the envelope. In addition, on their Web sites, both Vogue and Butterick include an in-depth ease chart that lists the ease allowed in a variety of silhouettes.

So before you go pattern hunting, figure out how much ease you want in the bust, hip, and finished width. To determine how much ease you want, refer to the photos and caption below. Once you know how much ease you'd like for a specific garment style, you're ready to play with the pattern tissue itself.

Measure the pattern itself

When opening the pattern, have your ease and measurement preferences in front of you to compare with the corresponding measurements on the pattern. If the pattern measurements vary too much from what you're looking for, consider choosing another pattern. However, if the pattern has the ease you want and the fit is close, it's a smart purchase. When you get the pattern home, you'll only need to make simple, speedy adjustments. Then you'll be ready to confidently make a fitting muslin.

It only gets easier

Picking the right pattern may seem like a lot of work. But if you look for patterns that meet your criteria in terms of style, construction time, and skill level, and then compare your desired garment measurements with the pattern, you'll learn to easily pick patterns you'll love to sew and wear again and again.