Without our students, we wouldn’t have had a “living research laboratory.” Thanks to them we have evolved from determining alterations from measurements and premade gingham pants in our days teaching at Meier & Frank department store, now Macy’s, to tissue-fitting today’s students.
We also thank those who graciously volunteered to be models for this book in hopes of sharing their challenges so you could benefit. Some of our models are Certified Palmer/Pletsch Instructors who were taking workshops here in Portland and offered to be in the book. Models are Marta Alto, Jean Baxter, Connie Hamilton, Sue Neall, Alicia Panetta, and Melissa Watson. On the cover left to right are Susie Brown, Nancy Seifert, Melissa Watson, Verna Day, and Ethel Harms.
Also, a special thank you to former Palmer/Pletsch traveling associates Lynn Raasch, Karen Dillon, Leslie Wood, Kathleen Spike, and Barbara Weiland, who contributed to ideas for our books over the years.
The pattern companies have always been open to our “opinions,” such as putting the finished garment measurements on the pattern envelope. We have loved the connection. Thanks to Bob Hermann, Sidney Tepper, Carl LaLumia, Kathleen Len, and Nancy DiCocco from McCall’s and to Karen Burkhart, now with Simplicity, whom we worked with on our very first pant pattern for Vogue and then at McCall’s.
Also, a special thanks to the technical people at McCall’s, who have helped build fit information into the tissue and guidesheets and, on occassion, know our techniques so well, they just do the patterns: Benhaz Livian, Charlotte Schulze, Christine Carballeira, Pamyla Brooks, Ruby Madraswala, and Stacy Wood.
Without our talented production team and their long, intense hours of work, this book would not exist. Our artists, some of whom we’ve worked with for 25 years, often even made samples to test the instructions. Our most sincere thanks to Linda Wisner, Jeannette Schilling, Kate Pryka and Theresa O’Connell. Also, several people read the book one or more times during its re-creation including Connie Hamilton.
Thanks to all Palmer/Pletsch teachers worldwide who are spreading their fashion sewing passion. This also includes Sue Neall, who flew to Portland, Oregon, from Sydney, Australia, to give us that much needed push and motivation to finish in less than four years.
Lastly, thanks to our families who’ve been so supportive over the years and especially during the final production of this book, including Melissa Watson, Cleo Cummings, Anastasia, Jerry and Chris Alto, and Paul Tucker. At our warehouse, for support while we were away writing, a thanks to Jeff Watson and George Palmer.
Pati Palmer and Marta Alto have been teaching intense four-day pant fitting workshops for the nine years since this book was first published. The refinements they have made to their fitting and sewing techniques have been added to this Second Edition, including a chapter on fitting and sewing jeans. See the back cover for what is new in this edition.