Sorry for your loss. That is very nice poetry.

From a Tailor and Cutter book about using Block Patterns. https://web.archive.org/web/20150915032820/http://www.cutterandtailor.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1358It describes how to change a pattern for someone like you. This just one section of the book.

Tend to think the waist line height is best equal to the widest part of the bulge. A flatter seat needs less darts and narrower. Some people don't need any. To appear "normal", for some people, a trace dart is sewn in. Each figure is different. Where the dart is placed andit's angle depends on the figure. Where there is tightness means not enough cloth. Don't know how much was scooped out the seat seam and if you have inlay to use. Letting out the back fork will help to. Some tailors add half an inch to the side seam incase they need to slide the whole pattern over a bit and refigure from there. Making your own clothes is an adventure. Plus, there are lots of options you can include throughout the years of making.

Hi Kwan, Have you not done anything? There are other pattern systems on the internet. Some of the measurements are different. And the pattern method is drawn different. Never the less you end up with a suit kind of pattern. The front edge style can be drawn different. The front edge style can be determined at one of the fittings. Many coat styles are decided that way. If you look at inlays (extra cloth for fitting) your chest is larger than average and there are two inlays for larger chest. One on the front edge and the other involving the armhole. This shows that the pattern in that region can be wider. And the purpose of darts and fish's is to bring the size narrower to fit another part of the body. Which would be for a coat the chest size down to waist size. Some bulging bellies why put a breast dart in? But you would need larger than normal. Some tailors don't cut breast darts. Some of these darts are figured at the fitting, and then cut. Since bodies are different where does the dart go. Should it be closer to the front edge? Or, closer to the armhole? And, how wide should it be sewn. Some other thinking here. Your chest circumference the pattern needs to be adapted. Some people need a wider back, and to keep the circumference the front is made narrower. Inlay for that, too. You on the other hand have a large chest. So a wider front and a narrower back at chest level. It also means the front neck is raised and the back is shorter. When you draw the pattern these are things to wonder about when adjusting the pattern. Since tailors don't really know if the pattern is correct they have inlays for extra corrections at the fittings. This is normal. Roy has a very nice coat style. But some of the measurements are confusing you. If you look up Clarence Poulin he has a simple pattern system. After you draw it, or another one, you might be able to shape it more like Roy's. One other advice. Buy the cheapest cloth at a local fabric store for trial fittings, to work out the details. If you are short on cloth you can add to it by just sewing it on extra. Some tailors make the "real" pattern after the fitting from cheap cloth. Otherwise, it can gets very expensive. Another consideration. Large muscles require extra room.

In the US in the early part of the 1960s some were less than 2 inches. In the 1970s they got clear out to the armhole, and some beyond the sleeves. Styles come and go. They last five years or more. Fashions are quicker. Younger people like fashions. My uncle and other guys in there 30s would get sent home to change from fsshion suit into a style (business) suit back in the 60s. The narrow lapels were style. The wide lapels were style, unless they went past the armhole. Shapes of trouser legs were all over the place too. One type of style is a plain jane. In the Old days tailors liked changing styles because it kept them busy. Tailors would tell men that they are getting out of style. "Those clothes are out of style." Looking at bums on the street and the you could tell the decade the trousers were made and the coat a different decade and the overcoat another decade- nothing matched. The plain Jane gets tiresome. This is why styles came and went. A bit of fun. A lot of older men heading towards the top brass positions where told, "No more fashions." When tailors made fashions they were far more interesting because of the individual details. Mass-production makes a million exactly the same. Sometimes marketers get involved and brainwash, "You like this." Some are good artist. Before mass production tailors made all the styles and fashions and other types of clothes. You can read about Henry Poole as a child bringing his school friends to his father's tailor house. These children were told to come in the back door, Saville Row. They were all wearing fashions. I read that he eventually had three different locations. Saville Row for the wealthy. Two other locations for the middleclass business men and the younger guys for fashions. 3 different doors to keep the different kinds of groups apart. Lots of books and lots of photos and paintings showing us that clothes are ever changing. For several hundred years tailors made them all.

Roy's basic patterns are very nice. His instructions for assembly are "Swell Chest" instead of drape. Crooked cut instead of straight. There are reasons for both. The original reasons for drape was to create an image that the skimpy guy did not appear skimpy. Many developments happened after that as the imagination wandered to many places. With thousands of tailors and customers competing against each other is going to create thousands of variations. Some tailors are very narrow minded. I was told, back in the sixties, that the best drape is down the center of the chest. Some tailors like it in front of the scye (armhole). The Swell method allows for the artistry of the Iron. The best of these is art top art. Absolute magnificence. When making, for a guide, words like elegance, magnificent, a collection of these kinds of words can be infused into the garment. In the old days there wasn't much paper. My grandad, was asked how to make a pattern, that this young man found in a book. The pattern was about four inches (10 cm) in size. It had two measurements. One of the symbols is T and I don't remember the other one. But,the T might mean thumb width. The other measurement is put your arm straight out in front of you. Put your thumb up. The distance from the top of your thumb to the tip of your nose is the other measurement. Everyone has different lengths. But, you learn to work with yours for making garments for everyone. There is a simple way to enlarge the pattern to working sizes. And then, all the adjustments for the customer, including styles, fashions, whatever. The reason why I'm saying this is because I want your mind flexible. I don't have the books and literature available to help. Some of the old tailors said that the shoulder point at neck is the key to the pattern. It can be used that way very well. Perhaps average chest size is 40", waist 35", seat 42". Differences are 5" and 2" from chest. If you are going to use Roy's pattern, use his differences. I'm going to suggest using your waist measurement and use Roy's differences for the chest, perhaps the seat measure. When making the pattern pay attention to the ease additions and where they are at. You might need a couple extras. One tailor said for large muscle guys to take two measurements of the chest. Relaxed and, under pressure. Add half the difference to the relaxed, and use this chest number. Arnold Schwarzenegger went to a tailor. The tailor didn't know how to make clothes for such large muscles. When finished Arnold put it on and flexed his muscles. The coat ripped to shreds. Most these strong guys take their coats off if going to lift something heavy. Generally, how much expansion room is necessary? And when relaxed don't want the garment baggy. Distributing the cloth to hide bagginess can be figured at the fitting. Another consideration. Breast dart going clear down to the hem to get rid of extra cloth below the chest. A group of Italian tailors cut all their coats that way. Some others only for large chest. Some tailors never run that dart to the chest. Make the pattern for proportionate 37 inch waist, and we'll think about the chest adjustments later. Chest measure will probably be 42-43. It is also good to look at inlays for coat patterns to see where chest expansion will be going. What I'm thinking is that the neck point and front edge of syce are most important. Everything else can be widen or narrower. In other words, the chest can be wider and the underarm moved over. And that the warp threads hang perfectly plum where they are supposed to. The block pattern can be slipped right and left to accomplish for larger chest. I'll give you some measurements for help later.

Wondering what became of this?

Don't remember. But, I think it was used as a glue. I think it can wash out easy, if you want to change something. The old trousers didn't have any creases down the front and back. If you use it for trouser creases will it have a negative effect on the dye? A couple of dabs on a cloth and then pressed onto another would temporarily hold them. Maybe it is not used anymore for good reasons.

If you are putting in pleats there is no reason for a front dart. Some tailors, instead of cutting a pattern open, they draw part of the pattern on the cloth, and then, shift the pattern, to draw the rest of it. This way they keep the pattern intact. You can do this for pleats and flares or bells for leg style or fashion. Shift the pattern horizontal for thicker cloth. And, whatever reasons. Sometimes draw part of it, and then, draw connecting lines after shifting.

What is the persons posture? A stooped person has a rounded back vertical and width wise. Round means longer. The total circumference doesn't change. This means that the front is shorter length and width. The opposite for erect posture.

The front neck points are long and the back neck points are short from the hem. To balance this out "slide" the backs up on the side seams. The the back shoulder seam is trimmed where it overlaps the front. Perhaps the top front could be trimmed, if the armhole gets too deep. The top of the back sideseam is trimmed or folded. Part of the hem is used to fill out the bottom length. Some people need the fronts moved out on the shoulder seams to help line up the fronts. Which requires the front of scye to be "scooped out". The reason for this is the chest needs to be narrower, which sometimes means the back needs to be wider. Having inlays in these places is a requirement for this method of correction.

Is it possible to get the shears welded back together? Pipe fitters at oil refineries are extremely good at welding. Read that the handle and the blades could be different materials welded together. If so, you might need to do some research. If the welder doesn't know the lingo that would probably be the wrong welder. Decades ago I watched a video of a French blacksmith hammering out a pair of shears. In those days they made them for the individual like tailors make clothes for individual.

Another thought. Which side are you pressing from? The underside shrinks the most.

One old tailor said when you fold the pleat over into place put a little bit of slack on the top layer. What may be happening, the top layer looks short and is pulling back, therefore, pulling it open.

It seems the Brits cut a narrow sleeve. Tailors from other places the cultural norms were different. Wider sleeves and no shirt cuffs showing. Shirt cuff showing is rather flashy. More suitable for the city. The world has changed. We don't travel in buggies and wagons. Tires last more than 3,000 miles. Flats are rather rare, instead of normal. Some clothes are more decorative. Changing a tire in 30 degree minus weather with shorter, tighter sleeves is not practical. And, coldweather can be dangerous. Clothes still need to meet local basic demands. There are fewer of these demands. Some about clothes are about fun. Shirt cuff extended makes less wear on the expensive coat cuff.

Put a damp rag on it and put the hot iron it. Some cloths the bottom layer will shrink. Otherwise, take the seam apart and hand sew it so it slightly rolls in. Don't want the roll noticeable to the untrained eye. It's a smart looking coat.

The first I learned about hand made buttons is to use two strands of buttonhole twist. Lay them side by side. On trousers they are more flexible. A business suit gimp might have the best appearance, sometimes. A sports coat is very different coat. I would think for most a softer buttonhole. Whatever the customer wants. It's theirs.

Here is one from Maurice Sedwell by Andrew Ramroop. https://youtu.be/sjHZiyrACkY?si=mSPnhTiNjXFK2xCM

Practice makes perfect. Sometimes it never seems true, at least, not soon enough. The knots (pearls, purls) pulled to latch- is tight enough. The knots setting a little higher look best. Pulling the thread, not the needle, up and whatever direction, getting them in a nice straight line and setting the proper height. With practice you will be making fewer and fewer movements as your skills develop. Clothes that go in the regular wash, jeans for example, I won't use silk twist, but sewing thread, two strands, not twisted, but side by side. I like the look.

Some men have narrow shoulders. Some tailors make the shoulders of the coat broader to give the appearance that the man has broader shoulders.