My name is Tineke van der Kwaak, and I’m a tall (188 cm / 6 feet 2 inches) and curvy person. I’ve always struggled to find clothes that actually fit. Most of the time, I don’t buy clothes because I love them — I buy whatever I can fit into.

A while ago, I started making my own clothes, dreaming of finally dressing in a way that reflects my personal style. I soon discovered that the problems I had with store-bought clothes were just as present in commercial sewing patterns. The garments I made didn’t fit well at all — and there were simply too many fit issues for a beginner sewist to fix.

So I took a different route: I began drafting my own slopers (or blocks). My goal was to get one basic pattern to fit really well, and then use that as a foundation to create my own designs — patterns that I know will work for my body. This blog is where I’ll share that journey. I hope it inspires others with similar ambitions, and that we can learn from each other along the way.