Articles by Kathleen Cheetham

	Just Add Sleeves Threads, Issue #164, January 2013 Sleeveless top and dress styles are very popular but not always for everyone. In Threads #164, Kathleen shows how to add a cap, a short and a long kimono sleeve for added style or coverage. Any sleeveless garment can be used. For this article, Kathleen used View C of the Wrap Jacket/Blouse #203. Read the bonus tutorial: Adding a Fluttery Sleeve to a Sleeveless Garment.
	Scale it Down Threads, Issue #163, November 2012 Kathleen's article, "Scale it Down" answers pattern adjustment questions like how to create a smaller size, slash & pivot for a smaller bust, blend sizes, shorten pattern tissue accurately and choose a size correctly.
	Sewing Destination: Vancouver BC Threads, Issue #155, June/July 2011 Sewers often ask Kathleen where she finds the beautiful fabrics for her sample garments. Often, the fabrics come right from home in Vancouver BC where one can still find a wealth of independent fabric shops. In addition to being richly ethnic, Vancouver is also a fashion city, home to many well-known designers who offer their unique taste in fabrics and sell off their line ends to the local retail fabric stores. In this coastal city there are stores that cater to the outdoor lifestyle, to high end specialties, to exotic beauties, to funk and to notions aplenty. In this article Kathleen shares her favorite shops, places of inspiration and some excellent places to stop and eat.
	Design Feature: Kathleen Cheetham Tracings, Volume #2 Kathleen Cheetham is known for her fit expertise and for producing Petite Plus Patterns, a line of patterns designed especially to fit full-figured petites from size 12-24. She teaches classes on fitting, tailoring and design and has worked on film sets, in the factory and in ready to wear. What does Kathleen work on when she's looking for a change? read more >>
	Plus-Size Pattern Alteration Sew News, Issue #312, Aug/Sept 2009 Few of us can compare our bust, waist and hip circumferences to a pattern’s measurement chart and fit exactly within the lines. In this article Kathleen shows you how to use a multi-size pattern to custom-fit your unique shape and proportions. Techniques described address: different size top and bottom disproportionate front and back grading up or down for measurements outside the pattern’s size range
	Full & Fabulous Threads, Issue #142, April/May 2009 Many of us have tummies that are proportionately fuller than the rest of our figures. This presents a fitting challenge when we buy or make pants, skirts, jackets and blouses for ourselves. As sewers, we have the power to create a better fit because we can often solve these fitting issues with an alteration to the ready-made garment or to the pattern tissue. Kathleen shows how to refine and modify the pattern and also offers some design changes that will accommodate our tummy fullness.
	From Sloper to Shirt - Part 2 Design Your Own Blouse Threads, Issue #138, August/September 2008 Make the shirt you always wanted. Turn the bodice sloper from Threads issue 130 and 131 into a classic button-front shirt. Complete your shirt with a sleeve and collar. Kathleen shows how to draft your custom-made sleeve with cuff and a one-piece convertible collar.
	From Sloper to Shirt - Part 1 Design Your Own Blouse Threads, Issue #137, June/July 2008 Make the shirt you always wanted. Turn the bodice sloper from Threads issue 130 and 131 into a classic button-front shirt. Kathleen shows you how to inject design ease to the neck, body and armholes and add design features to create a yoke, button extension and front facing.
	Plus-Size Draping - Part 4 Design Your Own Skirts Threads, Issue #133, October/November 2007 Make the skirt of your dreams. Using your skirt sloper from Threads issue 132, Kathleen shows you how to create patterns for a straight skirt with three different waistbands, add pockets and create a kick pleat, then moves on to show how to turn the same sloper into a flared skirt.
	Banish the Baggy Seat Sew Stylish, Issue #2, Fall 2007 Sometimes pants fit perfectly everywhere but in the seat. The baggy-seat fitting problem is much easier to solve than you'd ever guess - even for beginners. Kathleen explains how two quick tucks can fix the problem on ready-made pants and continues to show how to adapt this fix on your pant patterns.
	Plus-Size Draping - Part 3 Drape a Skirt Sloper Threads, Issue #132, August/September 2007 This article gives step-by step instructions for how to make a custom skirt pattern by draping fabric onto the body. Draping is a wonderful way to get an exact replica of the figure and solves many fitting problems related to unusual shapes, assymety, and posture. In the end, you will have a basic skirt sloper that can serve as groundwork to design other skirts. This sloper can lead you to A-line, gored, flared, or any other skirt style pattern. And, every skirt you design from this sloper automatically fits and hangs beautifully. Read this article at the Threads Magazine site.
	Plus-Size Draping - Part 2 Add a Sleeve to Your Bodice Threads, Issue #131, June/July 2007 Draft a sleeve to fit your arm and armhole. A tight sleeve is annoyingly uncomfortable. The beauty of having your own sleeve block is that all the fitting adjustments are built in. Since it already fits, you can get right to the design process. Kathleen takes you through the steps of drafting a sleeve block using your measurements and your bodice block (Threads 130).
	Try Plus-Size Draping - For the Best Bodice Ever Threads, Issue #130, April/May 2007 When your measurements go off the charts, draping gives design freedom. Kathleen takes you through the steps of draping a bodice then transferring the information to pattern paper for a sloper (or block) that is an exact copy of your figure. Here is the perfect way to get your proportions right and turn pattern fitting into a breeze.
	Make a Smooth Pivot Threads, Issue #129, February/March 2007 This is an add-on to the article Altering Patterns for the Well-Endowed by Lynne Garner. Kathleen explains how to accomplish slash and pivot adjustments on your pattern without buckling the pattern.
	By the Seat of the Pants Threads, Issue #128, December 2006/January 2007 Sometimes pants fit perfectly everywhere but in the seat. The baggy-seat fitting problem is much easier to solve than you'd ever guess - even for beginners. Kathleen explains how two quick tucks can fix the problem on ready-made pants and continues to show how to adapt this fix on your pant patterns.
	One Pattern…Three V-necks Threads, Issue #119, June/July 2005 Flat, frilly, or convertible - all these collars start from the same neckline. No need to buy another pattern - Kathleen explains simple pattern making techniques to give you more style mileage on your basic v-necked pullover.