I've been sewing for my girls for about 5 years now, since my oldest was really old enough to show that her skinny minnie size wasn't changing and there really wasn't anything to fit her body type in the stores besides turtlenecks and t-shirts--and sometimes those are still too short.

Most of my patterns I've liked, I've bought larger sizes for as well, so that when my girls are older I'll have larger sizes but there are still sometimes when a new pattern catches them in the stores and they like it.

That happened last month when we were going through Joann's. My youngest DD, age 6, saw a McCall's pattern she loved. Now, since my girls are so tall, I normally have to lengthen dresses so I looked for the measurements on the back of the finished garment but it stated that it was printed on tissue. I was a bit discouraged but bought extra fabric. She became ill a few days later so I set the pattern aside. Yesterday, I went to start putting the dress together but there were no measurements on the tissue.

I called McCall's customer service and they stated that they no longer pring finished garment measurements on patterns for children. I'm not sure why, but this is there current practice. I do not know if this is the practice for other companies but it is for McCall's. So, if you need to make alterations to a pattern that require extra fabric, be sure to buy a bit extra on top of what you normally would add because you won't know until the dress is made if you have enough. Thankfully, I bought extra of her fabric because she wanted a matching hat and bag for it so I have plenty.

thanks for letting us know

Thanks for the heads up.

oh goodness. I don't make much from clothing patterns these days but i'm not surprised. it seems to depend on where these companies have their products made.

i've noticed shoes are wider now than they should be. makes it difficult to find any that fit without having to by shorter ones.

I rarely make garments anymore. in recent years when i was helping my girls i was surpised at how little info is printed on the tissue now.
I help with our local 4H clinics and feel bad for the beginners. even the Easy patterns have so little information/instructions the kids struggle. I would have to say the majority of the mistakes we see, it's due to unclear instructions. the kids say "i did exactly what it said" and they have, but the instructions are so vague if you don't have the knowledge beforehand, you're lost.

I have found that the "Easy" patterns are not as easy at all. When I started garment sewing 5 years ago (I've only been quilting for 2 now), the "easy" patterns were the ones to trip me up. If I went with a normal pattern rated for beginners, I was fine. I think it may have something to do with the instructions and the pictures not quite going together at the same pace. Either way, I learned more by trial and error than any of the instructions.

Kudos to you bakermom for going out there with the 4H groups. There's not a lot in our area and what I've found is something I could teach my girls. But, for the mothers who work or don't know how to sew, I'm glad there's still programs out there to teach and raise up a new generation of sewers!

A lot of the kids we have coming in for help have moms that don't sew. some are able to go to a grandma or neighbor for help but many can't. i have found many of the moms are excited to learn along with their kids.

That is so good, bakermom. My mother and grandmother (on my father's side) were both great sewers but neither of them had good patience to teach. They would rather do up something for me than to teach. Five years ago I asked a woman in our church who sewed if she could teach me. She admitted that teaching wasn't her strong point, either, but she set up a day for me to sew with her friend who was a teacher and a sewer. I had one lesson with her and learned the rest from books.