Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this episode, Heather sits down with Gabby Brown — technical designer, longtime fit educator, and host of our Fitting Room sessions for Crew Unlimited members — to talk about her new book, Plus-Size Patternmaking for Womenswear: Inclusive Sizing, Pattern Drafting, and Fitting, co-written with Leila Kelleher (Assistant Professor of Fashion Design and Social Justice at Parsons, and co-founder of the pattern brand Moona and Broad).
Gabby and Heather dig into why so much of what's in this book has never been written down before — from ditching the French curve in favour of hand-drawn shapes that actually work on plus-size bodies, to a full chapter dedicated to running a respectful, comfortable fit session. They talk about drafting for mobility and gender-neutral fit, the (extremely relatable) mystery of why gusset sizing never seems to fit anyone, and the industry economics that keep plus-size offerings stuck at a fraction of straight-size options. Gabby also shares the three-year journey of writing the book with Leila — almost entirely over Zoom — and what it was like handing off a project meant to give the next generation of pattern makers the tools nobody taught them in school.
📖 Get Gabby's book, Plus-Size Patternmaking for Womenswear: amzn.to/4xU9zVj
✂️ Want personalized fitting help? Gabby hosts live Fitting Room sessions exclusively for Crew Unlimited members. Join Crew here: closetcorepatterns.com/pages/join-crew
Where to Find Us!
Closet Core Patterns
Blog – blog.closetcorepatterns.com
Instagram – instagram.com/closetcorepatterns
Pinterest – pinterest.ca/closetcorepatterns/_saved
Shop – closetcorepatterns.com
Our Sister Brand
Core Fabrics
Instagram – instagram.com/corefabrics
Shop – corefabricstore.com
In this episode, Heather sits down with Gabby Brown — technical designer, longtime fit educator, and host of our Fitting Room sessions for Crew Unlimited members — to talk about her new book, Plus-Size Patternmaking for Womenswear: Inclusive Sizing, Pattern Drafting, and Fitting, co-written with Leila Kelleher (Assistant Professor of Fashion Design and Social Justice at Parsons, and co-founder of the pattern brand Moona and Broad).
Gabby and Heather dig into why so much of what's in this book has never been written down before — from ditching the French curve in favour of hand-drawn shapes that actually work on plus-size bodies, to a full chapter dedicated to running a respectful, comfortable fit session. They talk about drafting for mobility and gender-neutral fit, the (extremely relatable) mystery of why gusset sizing never seems to fit anyone, and the industry economics that keep plus-size offerings stuck at a fraction of straight-size options. Gabby also shares the three-year journey of writing the book with Leila — almost entirely over Zoom — and what it was like handing off a project meant to give the next generation of pattern makers the tools nobody taught them in school.
📖 Get Gabby's book, Plus-Size Patternmaking for Womenswear: amzn.to/4xU9zVj
✂️ Want personalized fitting help? Gabby hosts live Fitting Room sessions exclusively for Crew Unlimited members. Join Crew here: closetcorepatterns.com/pages/join-crew
Where to Find Us!
Closet Core Patterns
Blog – blog.closetcorepatterns.com
Instagram – instagram.com/closetcorepatterns
Pinterest – pinterest.ca/closetcorepatterns/_saved
Shop – closetcorepatterns.com
Our Sister Brand
Core Fabrics
Instagram – instagram.com/corefabrics
Shop – corefabricstore.com
