Why I Wish I'd Had The Fitting Book When I Started Sewing

I sew a lot of my own clothes because ready-to-wear rarely works for my body. I have a long torso, and my waist and hips measure nearly the same — so anything fitted either rides up, pulls in awkward places, or hangs completely shapeless. Fitting room visits have a way of feeling more defeating than fun.

Sound familiar?

If you've ever walked out of a dressing room feeling discouraged, I want you to hear this: learning how to alter patterns and adjust fit is genuinely life-changing. When your clothes are made to fit your body — not a standard size chart — you move differently. You feel more confident, more comfortable, and more polished.

My Fitting Journey (The Long Way Around)

I've been sewing since my teens, and most of what I know about fit came from trial and error… A lot of it. I've unpicked more seams than I can count. Over the years I figured out which silhouettes work for my shape, how to adjust for torso length, where to move the waist seam, and how to add shaping where ready-to-wear never bothers.

But it took years.

That's why I wish I'd had The Fitting Book by Gina Renee Dunham from the start. She sent me a copy to review, and reading through it, I kept thinking: this would have saved me so much time.

Who Is Gina Renee?

Gina graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and went on to work in both high fashion and activewear before becoming a freelance patternmaker. After relocating to Germany, she launched her own independent pattern line — Gina Renee Designs — and shifted her focus to teaching fit through online courses and educational resources.

What sets her apart isn't just her credentials. It's that she doesn't simply tell you what's wrong with a garment. She shows you exactly how to fix it.

What Makes The Fitting Book So Useful

This is not a breezy overview of fitting theory. It's thorough, practical, and specific. The kind of reference you'll reach for again and again.

The book walks you through adjustments for:

• Armholes and necklines

• Waist placement and shaping

• Sleeves

• Lengthening and shortening

• Full and narrow adjustments

• And much more

You can read it straight through to build a solid foundation, or keep it on your sewing table as a go-to reference whenever you hit a snag.

One of my favorite sections covers how to read the wrinkles in a garment — specifically, the difference between draglines and bubbles and what each one is actually telling you. Instead of guessing, you learn to diagnose the problem and apply techniques like slash-and-spread or slash-and-close with real confidence.

It's the most comprehensive fitting guide I've come across, and I'd consider it essential reading for anyone ready to move beyond the basics.

My Honest Take

Even after years of sewing, I still picked up new ideas from this book. That's saying something.

If you're serious about sewing garments that look polished and feel incredible to wear, The Fitting Book belongs on your shelf. With nearly 500 glowing reviews on Amazon, I'm clearly not alone in that opinion.

As Gina puts it, you deserve to have clothes that fit well and make you feel great. After years of chasing that goal through trial and error, I can tell you — this book is the shortcut I wish I'd had.