My mom has sewn for many years, making shirts for my dad, dresses for me and my sister, work suits, vests, qipao/cheomsang, and slacks for me.
When I was a kid and she was in the middle of sewing, I remember the sleeve packets that held the tissue-thin tan colored pattern sheaves of papers, McCall's and Simplicity were the brands I remembered. I used to teach myself anatomy by studying the fashion art on these packets. Elongated and elegant women, lean muscular men with boyish hair, children in all sorts of outfits. I learned some of the differences between women and men, boys and girls, and especially skin tones and shades. And while some were more expressive and detailed than others, I really taught myself on how clothing fell on a body, how it framed. I learned hairstyles and gestures. By the time I was doing art classes in elementary, I had a pretty good handle on anatomy compared to my classmates. These pattern sleeve packets even had an added bonus: showing how much styles, trends, and fashion changed within a decade. 
