Bodymapping: The Step-By-Step Guide to Fitting Real Bodies

by Kathy Illian

Guides the reader through Bodymapping, a streamlined fitting process, from start to finish. Step-by-step illustrations and photos will teach the reader how to create a Bodymap and convert it into a base pattern, which can be used to create perfect-fitting tops, jackets, and dresses based on 15 different fashion blocks.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0873416252
• ISBN13: 9780873416252
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Krause Publications
• Length: 120 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.2" x 10.8"

Customer Reviews

Bodymapping is an excellent, well-written "how to" book.

Bodymapping is an amazing concept that practically revolutionizes the way seamstresses can be assured a perfect fit every time for their clients, or themselves. Kudos to Kathy Illian for not only coming up with this idea, but for explaining it in an interesting, easy to follow way. The book is very well written---it combines step by step instructions,with clear pictures which makes it very easy to visualize and then utilize Illian's Bodymapping technique. This book is definitely worth the money and I'm going to tell all of my fellow sewing friends to rush out and get it!

It fits! It's my design, my details.

I am a happy born again dressmaker, after having given up and quilted for a long time. Thanks to this book I can decide what I want, use my map to make a pattern, and wear my sewing skills instead of hanging them on the wall. If you follow the book, and you will most likely need a buddy, you will have a working map of your body and the directions to create patterns for the vast majority of basic styles we really wear. This is a customized sloper and introduction to patternmaking and design. There's a ton of valuable information crammed into this book, even if you don't create the bodymap. Bodymapping is not designed to help you alter commercial patterns. It is designed to free a serious sewer, enabling confident creativity.

a non-traditional approach to fitting

i am very pleased with the new concept of fitting to my body. since it has been difficult and impossible to fit a pattern to my assemetrical type body, this approach is the only one that has worked for me. once you understand that this book is intended to fit for each individual and not a book on pattern alterations, it is very easy to understand. one needs to look at this book as a new approach to fitting.

A lot of information I haven't seen in other books.

Kathy Illian addresses several problems that I have not seen in other books -- such as the shape of the armhole. I think the information on averaging the side seam and on the relationship of the sleeve to the armhole alone is worth the price of the book. There is also some good information on how commercial patterns are designed that I have not read anywhere else. I think the book is well organized and clearly written. I'm frequently disappointed by fitting books...but not this one. It's a really innovative concept. I don't know why no one thought of it before!

Excellent information resulting in great fitting garments!

I am an experienced home sewer and needed help fitting my ageing body. Many fitting books try to guide you through general body differences but with Bodymapping you actually end up with a pattern that has been draped on your own body and shows your own angles and curves and the result is a garment that fits.There are many steps in this process and you will need to spend some serious time doing this but my sewing buddy and I have used this book and found the fit of garments we made to be superior to any of the previous methods of fit. This book is not intended to show you how to alter commercially available patterns but to create one to precisely fit your own body. I found the instructions for making additional styles from the basic block to be clear. I have made the tanktop, and armhole princess styles with ease.