| Colour | | | | Scale |
| How do you approach shopping for knitting yarn or | | | | Whilst shopping, for example for material to make a |
| dressmaking fabrics? Planning which colours to look | | | | dress , skirt or top it is important to consider your |
| for, to enhance clothes that you already have, is the | | | | scale as this has a large influence on how the |
| best thing to do. If you have visited a colour, style | | | | garment looks on you, rather than on the model on |
| and image consultant you will not only know which | | | | the front of the paper pattern envelope. Large scale |
| colours suit you but you will know how to wear | | | | patterns on fabrics can be misleading and not look |
| these colours. People who visit me for a colour | | | | large at all in a store. However, once you have |
| consultation often tell me that they have got in a rut | | | | assembled the item and eagerly tried it on you may |
| with their clothes and often when shopping or making | | | | be very disappointed. Scale as a topic for you and |
| things for themselves they often go for similar | | | | your image consultant is more than whether your |
| colours. After a consultation they feel they really do | | | | size is grande or petite, we will discuss with you the |
| know how to use a greater colour range more | | | | scale of your features for example face, hands, feet |
| confidently. | | | | and ankles and how this affects details in clothes. |
| Body shape | | | | Once you have experienced this you are likely to find |
| Being a knitter and spinner myself I am a fairly | | | | this more useful than you ever imagined. |
| frequent visitor to shows and exhibitions and see | | | | Fabrics |
| many people wearing items they have made. An | | | | Understanding the best fabrics for your body is |
| important aspect of how good the item looks when | | | | important for anyone who makes clothes for |
| worn is whether it flatters body shape. All too | | | | themselves, be it by sewing, knitting, crochet or felt |
| frequently it seems that attention, and many hours | | | | making. You will need to know where you have |
| of labour, is concentrated on the item without | | | | curves, straight bits, bits to hide and bits to draw |
| sufficient consideration to whether it suits the body | | | | attention to. Once you know about fabric and your |
| lines of the wearer. If you make a lot of items for | | | | body, then you are much more likely to be able to |
| yourself, do consider the advice an image consultant | | | | find (or make) fabric that will flatter the body. Your |
| can give you. Think of all those items that you have | | | | task as a clothes maker is to make that decision |
| lovingly made that you can't wear! This need not | | | | when you are planning the item and possibly when |
| happen again, once you know how to dress your | | | | making the fabric itself. Once you know about fabrics |
| body shape. | | | | and your body then you will be able to make a |
| Style personality | | | | sample of sufficient size to see how the fabric |
| You may use shop displays as a source of inspiration | | | | 'hangs'. |
| for knitting or sewing items. You may be tempted to | | | | Texture |
| rush home and make your own versions. However, | | | | If you knit, crochet or make felt then do be aware |
| do you know which styles really suit you in terms of | | | | of how different parts of your body react to fine |
| style personality? You might know that you prefer | | | | and thicker texture. For example a really beautifully |
| smart clothes but what does this mean to you and | | | | constructed thick aran jumper, that has taken hours |
| your colouring and body shape. An image consultant | | | | of making can swamp the wrong body shape and |
| can work with you in some depth to tease out your | | | | may end up in the drawer unworn, whereas using |
| style personality which will help you to develop the | | | | the same pattern in a finer, thinner fibre could have |
| look that you want to achieve. Without this | | | | resulted in a much worn and appreciated item. |
| knowledge you may end up with a range of items in | | | | Making your own clothes can be wonderful, we all |
| your 'made by me' wardrobe that don't work. | | | | know how pleasurable it is to receive compliments |
| Proportions | | | | about how good we look, when we have laboured |
| Knowing one's body proportions and how to dress to | | | | over an item for hours. Conversely we know how |
| make the most of these is often one of the most | | | | frustrating it is when no one mentions what we are |
| important aspects of a consultation for some of my | | | | wearing and this just confirms what we already |
| clients. Even changing the sleeve length can make | | | | know - that it doesn't work on us. By visiting an |
| such a difference to the overall appearance of an | | | | image consultant you can know so much about |
| item when worn. If you knit and sew to standard | | | | personal aspects of colour, style and image. This will |
| patterns then knowing about your proportions of | | | | enable you to be confident that what you make will |
| could make such a difference to how the garments | | | | really suit you - no more time needs to be wasted |
| you make work for you. | | | | on things that don't work. |