“The Perfect Fit” Every Dressmakers Dream Book One

Dedicated to ALL those who want to sew clothes that FIT. Sijwah presents an exciting and wonderful world of personal sewing, regardless of the sewing techniques you have attempted in the past. The Sijwah Measuring System grew out of, Signe’s sewing journey which started in the 1950’s. Signe experienced a fair amount of frustration with using the commercial patterns which were based on commercial sizing. When sewing for herself, her family and for clients there were numerous challenges getting the garments to fit well. She then studied at “The McCabe School of Dressmaking” which at that time was in Johannesburg, South Africa, and later took an additional “Flat Pattern Course” from the University of Natal. Both of these programmes were based on commercial sizing, as that was all that was available at the time. Signe, through trial and era, developed her own measurement system to create “The Perfect Fit”, that she has been using and teaching for over 50 years. Signe has poured her wealth of knowledge, gained throughout her dressmaking and teaching experiences for all of these years, into these three books to make it available to anyone who is interested in going on a “Step by Step” journey to learn how to create “The Perfect Fit”. You too can learn how to make clothes that FIT – whether for yourself, your family or anyone else that you may make clothing for. Book One is the school teacher. In it you learn how to take correct measurements, draft a Body Basic pattern, representing a dressmaker’s mould on firm paper, of the person whose body you measured, your own or another person. Once that basic is tested on the body for a correct fit and any problems are rectified, Lesson 6: “Preliminary to Designing” gives a brief glimpse into what you can make using copies of the master basic.