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Ease
Ease is the difference between the circumference measurements of the figure and of the garment. The amount of ease should be sufficient for comfort and in keeping with fashion, the style and type of garment and fabric used.
Very loose garments look clumsy. Insufficient ease in a garment is indicated by tight horizontal creases or by the garment riding up on our figure. Excessive ease is indicated by loose vertical folds.
Line
Line refers to many aspects of fitting, the silhouette of the garment, the proportion of garment to the figure and of various parts of the garment to each other, the shape of curved lines and the placing of the details of the design.
When fitting for line, study the general appearance of the entire garment taking particular note of the silhouette and proportion obviously. Silhouette varies according to fashion, but good line is not determined by fashion and the rules apply constantly. The correct proportion can only be found when actually fitting the garment on the figure, as it is dependent on individual figure and on current fashion and is affected by every detail of design such as placing of the seams and the width of the collar. Good proportion accents the attractive points of the figure.
Set
Set refers to the way in which the fabric fits to the contours of the figure: the fabric should be perfectly smooth and free of creases in all areas. In common with balance, the set will be correct when the grain is correctly positioned, but as set is such many people prefer to fit by observing and eliminating any creases, rather than by correcting the position of the grain.
Incorrect set is indicated by creases in the fabric which are caused by a curve or hollow of the figure needing more or less width or length. Creases may be tight or loose, and vertical, horizontal or diagonal. The following are general suggestions for the removal of creases which apply to all areas of the garment, but which need to be interpreted according to individual circumstances.
Tight horizontal creases indicate that the garment is riding up on the figure, due to the circumference of the garment being too small in that area. They may be removed by letting out the nearest vertical seam.
Loose vertical creases indicate that the circumference of the garment is too large in that area, and may be removed by taking in the nearest vertical seam.
Loose horizontal creases indicate a fault in the balance between the front and back lengths, and may be removed by shortening either the front or back length, according to the location of the creases.
Tight vertical creases may be removed by tracing the creases to the curve at which they originate, and providing more length, and width if necessary, to cover the curve.
Tight diagonal creases may be removed by tracing the creases to the curve at which they originate, and providing more width and length to cover the curve: by letting out the nearest vertical seam and the nearest horizontal seam above the creases. Loose diagonal creases may be removed by taking in the nearest seam above the widest part of the creases.
Balance Balance is the relationship between the garment and the figure, and between various parts of the garment. The balance is correct when the garment hangs equally either side of the figure at all points when viewed from the front, back or side and with vertical seams perpendicular to the ground.
Grain Refers to the lengthwise and crosswise threads from which a woven fabric is constructed. Although straight grain refers to either set of threads, the straight grain line on a pattern is always placed parallel to warp threads. The warp threads which are thicker and stronger in most fabrics than the weft threads take most of the strain and also ensure that garment hangs attractively.
The warp grain should be perpendicular to the ground on the centre front and centre back lines, and on the centre line of a sleeve. If any of these lines have seams which contain flare, the straight grain line is usually positioned approximately midway between the centre and side seams. The weft grain should be parallel to the ground on the front and back width lines, the hip line and the top arm line of a sleeve.
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