As I said in my last post Knip mode claims they changed the way their patterns are drafted to make sure they have a better fit. Because of this I started making a muslin of the jacket. So glad I didn't take my good fabric to start with.
I made the body and am that disappointed that I probably won't bother to attach the sleeves or the collar. It's basically shapeless, as on the model in the magazine. So perhaps I should have known better from the start. But the line drawing showed such nice shaping....
For me it's totally unclear how Knip Mode thinks their patterns will fit better. This is what it says in the magazine: The fit of the patterns is optimized. The patterns used to be big and are now better adjusted to the size chart. The size chart is unaltered.
This is my translation but it basically says they will stop making the patterns (too) big compared to the size chart. Great, it's good when you can choose your pattern based on a size chart and know the patterns have realistic ease compared to the style of the garment and you don't have to choose a size (or two) smaller because you know the patterns of the company are always bigger than expected.
But why, WHY are there only 3 hip circumferences for the jacket pattern? Knip modes' size range includes all sizes from 34 to 56. Yet there are only 3 hip lines on the patternsheet, one for sizes 34-38, one for 40-46 and one for sizes 48-56.
That means that someone with a hip measurement of 102 centimeters (size 40), will end up with a garment that will fit someone with a hip measurement of 114 centimeters (size 46) as well. That's 12 centimeters of extra ease. In the size range 48-56 it's even 24 centimeters!
Below is a photo of one of the pattern pieces where you can clearly see the lines for the 3 groups of sizes. It's the same for all pattern pieces in the hip area. In the shoulder/bust area there are individual lines per size. The fit in that area is better, but it all ends with a waist/hip pattern in 3 sizes.
Last point of attention is that size 40 is probably not in the right group. On other pattern pieces the size 40 line ends up in the line for sizes 34-38.
Enough said, I think I will call it a day on this jacket pattern and will not buy Knip Mode for a long while. I will make a photo of the muslin in its present state, even if it's just for the record.
Sigrid this is a really helpful post to those of us who get Knipmode but can't read Dutch! I had no idea of the drafting change. Do you know which issue this starts with - I'll make a sticky note right on the issue for reference?
ReplyDeleteThat is really too bad about that jacket as well. It looks horrible on the model and I would have completely dismissed it as not for me but that line drawing really caught my eye. If that were a more fitted garment, it would be striking.
Gayle
The change is from January 2020, so only last month.
DeleteI'm still thinking on how I can make it work, I still love the design lines.
Oh my this is a *huge* change! What could have possibly provoked such a drastic change to the draft? I can't imagine this being popular at all.
ReplyDeleteTrying to get less lines on the pattern sheets? Make it "easier" for the not so advanced sewists? I have no idea but it definitely is not done with proper pattern drafting and real care for the sized differences in mind. That for a pattern company who claims to cater for all sizes!
DeleteA few years ago, Burda went from eight to four pattern sheets by creating a death-maze of overlapping lines. It makes the patterns more challenging to trace, but not impossible. If this was Knipmode's motivation, there are certainly better ways to do it!
DeleteThere are soooooo many patterns and pattern companies that cater to beginners. I hope Knipmode isn't taking that road. =/ If they desire to reach that market, perhaps they can publish one-off editions similar to Burda Easy.
But changing the draft completely is mind-boggling!
I don’t think in this case it’s a matter of wanting to reduce the number of lines, as this jacket has a pattern sheet of its own!
DeleteAh, thanks for that. I will make note of the month for reference and will bear in mind to really look carefully at the modeled silhouette from now on.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of this jacket, it looks like it fits her reasonably well through the shoulder area but goes boxy from the bust downwards. Just reducing width through the side seams could work for some of the issue but in spite of the seamlines, it seems that there is not a lot of dart shaping through interior of the body, although the line drawing suggests otherwise. Given that, even going down a size or more in the lower body probably would not give the suggested shaping that we are looking for. Not what you would want to hear but...it will probably be a lot easier it the long run if you were to use your own sloper to draft the design! But that defeats the purpose of using the magazine, ie someone else has already perfected the draft and worked out the bugs, in the first place - arghh.
That is absolutely absurd!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sigrid, my clients often use the Knip Mode. It looks as if they have adopted the Small Medium and Large sizes. Is it only with patterns which are to be made with stretch? Tomorrow one of my clients will come with Knip Mode Februari. I is good to know this in advance.
ReplyDeleteThey do have patterns with sizes Small/Medium/Large too, but they have a special marking (text in white circle). This jacket pattern was not indicated like that.
DeleteIk deel je bericht even in onze Knipmode Facebook groep.
ReplyDeleteBen benieuwd naar hun ervaringen hierover want het klinkt inderdaad niet logisch.
Hallo Simone, leuk je weer te "zien". Zou heel graag andere meningen/ervaringen horen. Ik heb gegoogeld maar niets gevonden. En aangezien ik geen Facebook heb kan ik daar geen informatie vinden.
DeleteI have had similar experiences with the new sizing of Knipmode. Before the changes a size 34 was too big on me, now I tried a new drafted pattern from the January issue in a size 36 (which is actually my size when I look at my measurements in the size chart) and it's too small! It was supposed to be not oversized anymore, but this is a whole new problem the created! Especially for beginners that rely on the size chart... I'm not buying Knipmode anymore...
ReplyDeleteKnipmode editors are rapidly killing their brand. For me the main issues are the inconsistent sizing, bad grading and incorrect technical drawings. I’ve asked a few questions about the sizing, especially regarding their statement about the size charts staying unchanged although the cup size suddenly went from b to c-cup. I got no answers, and was in fact told to ignore that fact as ‘it’s not a big deal’. Sizes are all over the place, which gives me reason to believe the rumour that they buy patterns from several unknown sources. Knipmode refuses to answer that question as well. I could live with any size chart, but not with inconsistency.
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