Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

Fall in Love with Sewing :: 120K Member Saleabration and Giveaway :: Fabric Sponsors

We’re still sharing the love of sewing with our Fall in Love with Sewing 120k member Saleabration and Giveaway!  I hope you have had a chance to enter something and have some more planned!

 

 

 

We have highlighted all of our Admin Love Bundle and how they fell in love with sewing in Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 posts! So now it is time to show off our awesome Fabric Bundle Sponsors!

 

 

GRAND PRIZE SPONSORS:

 

     

 

RUNNER UP PRIZE SPONSORS:

 

What sewist wouldn’t love to get all this fabric fun?!? Wishing everyone luck as they get in their last entries!! You can turn in entries until November 18th 11:59PM US Central Time Zone! If you need a refresh on rules here is the blog post!

Good Luck! <3

Fall in Love with Sewing :: 120k member Saleabration and Giveaway :: Admin Love Bundle Cont’

We’re continuing to show off our wonderful admin/moderators with a little bit about how they fell in love with sewing,  along with their pick for the Admin Love Bundle that is part of the Grand Prize for our Fall in Love with Sewing Giveaway .

First up today is the lovely Aretha! She picked a pack of needles.  It’s so nice to not have to worry about breaking one, needing a sharper, newer one mid project! This pack is an assortment of different needles so any project you decide hopefully this pack will have you covered!

Lacy said she absolutely loved having a travel sewing machine! Now, this is something I do not have personally! She has this smaller Janome  sewing machine she can travel easier with and can sew while she’s gone!

Katy added a nice rotary blade.  I have to agree whole heartedly! I love having a nice rotary blade to cut out my pattern pieces, especially a rectangle piece with a quilters ruler! This is a Kai brand that is my personal favorite! There isn’t a safety button though so you must be careful if you have little ones around!

Kaara suggested a big cut mat.  Oh yesssss! I loved when I could finally afford a really large cut mat! When you’re cutting out larger adult size pattern pieces the larger the cut mat the better!!

Rachel wanted to add a bodkin.  A bodkin is another that I must confess I don’t have in my own sewing space, but maybe I will grab one and try it out 🙂

Stacey went with a bodkin as well! It must be worth grabbing and trying there were several admins that suggested this for the bundle!

Amanda suggested yet another thing I’m missing out on currently!! An Ottlite LED Lamp.  She has one and loves it! I’m currently hoping Santa hears my call for one! 😉

Caitlin wanted to share a dressform! I’ve never used a dress form much other then to look cute in my sewing space and snap a picture on every now and then.  I could find a small size (Bust: 33-40″Waist: 26-33″Hips: 35-42″ ), medium (Bust: 39-46″Waist: 32-40″Hips: 41-47″), large (Bust: 44-50″ Waist: 37-43″ Hips: 46-52″), full figure (Bust: 48-54″ Waist: 41-47″ Hips: 51-57″), petite (Bust: 30-36″ Waist: 22-28″Hips: 31-37″), and child  that you can pick which suits your sewing best!

Megan went with one of my favorite things in my own sewing space: Frixon pens. They’re so great for marking pattern pieces quickly and then the ink dissapears with a little heat.  You can use your iron or throw it in the dryer to remove the markings.

Riley suggested a roll of Pellon 810.  This is great to use for tracing off patterns.  It’s almost cloth-like, but sheer and has a grid which makes it great for pattern tracing.

Beth suggested adding Wash Away Hem Tape.  This is something I used constantly before I had a coverstitch machine.  It really helps stabilize a knit while hemming on a machine so you don’t get waves from the machine slightly stretching the knit fabric as it pulls it through the feed dogs. It is also handy just to temporarily hold something in place perfectly while you sew!

Liesel was one of the first to find her bundle item and we were all in awe of it! It is a small rope light you can stick to your sewing machine to give you more light right were you need it! Genius! I have to put that on my wish list for sure!

We have another fun batch of admins tomorrow as well! If you missed it here is the first day of admin love bundle!

Don’t forget to enter the contest and take advantage of our huge site wide sale! It’s the last sale of the year! Code: fall120k for 30% off your total cart.

 

Fall in Love with Sewing :: 120k member Saleabration and Giveaway :: Admin Love Bundle

As the Patterns for Pirates FB Group has grown over the years, we’ve added more and more admins/moderators to help keep the group moving! Now as we’re hitting 120k members, we have a pretty large group of wonderful people that help me approve new members and posts, answer questions, go live in the group with sewing topics, and more to keep the group inspiring and helpful for everyone!

I thought it would be really fun to highlight each one with their item they picked for the Admin Love Bundle that the Grand Prize Winner wins for the Fall in Love with Sewing Giveaway we’re doing this week!

I also asked them to tell us a little something about how they fell in love with sewing.  I always love to hear how people started their journey into sewing!!  I loved reading all of them and I hope you do too!  We have so many I’m going to split them up into 3 days. So here are the first bunch to enjoy:

Since I got to pick out the Grand Prize I didn’t pick out an item for the Admin Love Bundle!

Katy picked out a pair of Kai scissors (which also happen to be my very favorite sewing scissors!).  They are so sharp and comfortable to use without breaking the bank!

For Nicole her pick was a nice iron! I LOVE that! Pressing can absolutely make a sewing task so much easier and your end product looks vastly better! This is the iron I have personally and love it!

For Alex’s pick she went with a point and tube turner.  I love this too! This is the tool my mom used and so I always had one as well.   They were quite difficult to find for a while, but seem to have made a come back recently! I think they make turning a tube so quick and easy.

Erinn picked a quilters’ ruler for her sewing supply she loved! It makes cutting rectangles much easier and quicker for sure! I always grab mine with cutting neckbands, cuffs, ect even if there is a pattern piece! I find it much more accurate and straight then just using the piece on it’s own.

Up next is Angela who wanted to share her love for a french curve ruler set! I have recommend grabbing a french curve in many blog posts and videos 🙂 It is something that is so nice to have when adjusting patterns. 

 

Elisabeth’s pick was a SemiFlex Sewing Guage.  This is so handy when you’re trying to evenly space things like buttons, button holes, etc.  You can skip the math! I always grab mine with I’m adding buttons, button holes, snaps, etc.  You can just decide how many you’re wanting and spread the guage to the top and bottom and it will even space your marking points for you in seconds!

Michelle recommended a magnetic pin holder.  No more loosing your pins! and if you happen to drop a few you can use this to find and pick them up easily.

Dana wanted to share one of her favorite fitting books: The Palmer Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting: Sew Great Clothes for Every Body. Fit Any Fashion Pattern (Sewing for Real People series) This happens to be a book I also love and have recommended in past blogs as well! It’s a great fitting guide book for anyone wanting to learn how to better adjust patterns to fit their body (or anyone else they’re sewing clothing for).  Learning your body and the personal adjustment it needs can be so amazing! Having clothes that fit you perfectly or even just much better then you can pick up at a store is absolutely something that will make you love sewing even more in my eyes!

Aaronica recommended a hem gauge.  There are many kinds of hem gauges (and we had a couple different kinds recommended for this bundle even)! This one is great to use for hemming.  You can fold the fabric to the line you need and press with your iron right on top.

Amy suggested clips.  These are used like pins to hold fabric or pieces together.  A lot of sewists prefer clips for most projects.  I love to have both clips and pins at my desk and pick the one that works best for that certain time every time!

Jennifer wanted to add a box of glue sticks! They’re quick and easy to stick your PDF trimless pattern pieces together!

Lizzy picked a little set of small snip scissors.  These are so nice to have right next to your machine (and a pair by each machine if you’re lucky enough to have multiple). They’re quick and easy to snip off threads as you finish your seams.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know a few of our admins a bit better and look forward to a couple more days! Don’t forget to enter the contest and take advantage of our huge site wide sale! It’s the last sale of the year!

 

Fierce Bra & Undies :: New Pattern Release!

Hey there Pirates!  Today was a day I thought would never come… a bra and undies pattern release! I never had my sites set on doing undergarments, but my strong desire to have a soft knit bra that fit was too much to deny any longer!  The Twist Back Top was such an adorable open back pattern that begged for a cute strappy bra under… so the Fierce Bra was born!

Then who could resist some matching undies to the bra right?! The Fierce Undies came right along as well 🙂 Both Adult and Youth can feel fierce in their undergarments now!

Lets talk Fierce Bra first! This pattern is a great first bra for any sewist to try their hand and get sizing and adjustments down for more involved bras.  It is drafted to be a light to medium impact sports bra… what exactly does that mean? It would give enough support for a walk, yoga, or other light to medium exercising.  It’s not a high impact- which would include running, jumping, burpees, ect.  Depending on fabric and options you choice you can essentially create a lounge bra with minimal support (and lots of comfort ;)) or a more medium support.

The straps are created with 1″ FOE (Fold Over Elastic) which is a super simple and quick method.  The exposed elastic band at the bottom gives it a unique detail and options to use different width elastics that you may find and fall in love with!

 

The youth pattern covers a size range from 12M – 14.  Adult covers XXS-Plus 5X plus it includes a SBA (Small Bust Adjustment) and FBA (Full Bust Adjustment) pieces if your upper and full bust don’t fall into the same size on our chart.  Sound complicated? Don’t worry, we have a video in there to explain it all <3

Don’t forget that super adorable strappy back! Not only does it look cute, but the straps also provide support both criss cross and traditional straight straps which allows the pressure of the straps to be distributed a few more spots on your shoulders and back…meaning… more comfortable! It’s just a bonus that it looks great with open back tops!

Okay… now lets chat about the matching Fierce Undies!! Underwear can be so fun to sew up.  It takes just scraps of fabrics and are so quick to make!  Bonus, you can have extra freedom choosing fun prints and fill up your drawers with something super practical at the same time!

The Fierce Undies are a sportier looking underwear pattern with an exposed elastic waistband that matches the Fierce Bra.

INCLUDED STYLES: Youth Includes a brief and shorties options.

Adult includes a thong, full coverage brief, and cheeky options.

INCLUDED RISE OPTIONS:

We also included a few different rises to choose from.  Youth includes low rise and mid rise.

The Adult Fierce Undies includes low rise, mid rise and high rise options.

You can even customize your waistband by what thickness your elastic is… the thicker the elastic the bit higher the rise will be!

VIDEOS! Don’t be worried if you’ve never ventured into undergarments before… I included several videos in both tutorial about supplies, sizing, and a video of a complete bra and undies sew up!

**Want to learn more about how to measure yourself for this patterns?  We’ve got you covered with an in-depth blog HERE.  And in case you’re new to Patterns for Pirates and PDF patterns in general, we have a great blog full of new-user tips HERE to help you get started!  As with all of our current releases and updates, the pdfs now include our layers feature and can be found in Letter, A4 and A0 sizes.  And for even more helpful fun, we have a *free* printable that you can use to help record your measurements as you take them.

Make your cute matching sets as cute or spicy as you want!

Ready to fill your drawers with practical pieces and plow through that scrap bin?  Go grab the patterns now!

FIERCE BRA | FIERCE BRA – YOUTH | FIERCE BRA BUNDLE

FIERCE UNDIES | FIERCE UNDIES – YOUTH | FIERCE UNDIES BUNDLE

 

 

Hoping for a little inspiration before you get to sewing?  Just take a look at this pattern on all of the amazing shapes and sizes of our testers, and get a look at more examples of all the options in our albums in the P4P Facebook group!

Fierce Bra Album | Fierce Bra – Youth Album

Fierce Undies Album | Fierce Undies – Youth Album

And if our pattern alone doesn’t provide enough options for you, we’ve also included a blog post that will help take the Fierce patterns to the next level!  Go check out our Easy Hacks Post to see how to make some slight alterations to the original pattern, to customize it even further!

 

The release sale (no code needed) will be through Thursday 7th (11:59PM US Central Time Zone).

Happy Sewing, Pirates!

Hepburn Top and Dress : : New Pattern Release!!

We’re so excited to share the newest patterns in the P4P collection… the Hepburn Top and Dress will take you from summer crop to winter turtleneck dress and everything in between! All the options will have you creating a huge variety of timeless wardrobe staples.

These patterns are a slim fit silhouette great for flattering your figure and also amazing for versatility because you can tuck them in or layer easily during colder weather.  The classic details will never go out of trend including the side seam split and turtleneck options.  The simplicity of the garment means it’s a quick and easy sew while the look is very polished!  By using different fabrics and options you can come out with an athletic looking crop or a holiday party dress! The possibilities are endless <3

Drafted for a high stretch knit fabric some of our favorites were rayon ribbed knits, rayon spandex blends, poly rayon spandex blends, double brushed poly, single brushed poly, cotton lycra, athlethic spandex knits (we even used swim for a rashguard top!), and of course sweater knits!

Options include: hemmed neckline, mock turtleneck, fold over turtleneck, tank, short sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, long sleeve hemmed, long sleeve with cuff (both regular and fold over style), crop, shirt, above knee dress, and below knee/ midi dress lengths.

**Want to learn more about how to measure yourself for this pattern?  We’ve got you covered with an in-depth blog HERE.  And in case you’re new to Patterns for Pirates and PDF patterns in general, we have a great blog full of new-user tips HERE to help you get started!  As with all of our current releases and updates, the pdfs now include our layers feature and can be found in Letter, A4 and A0 sizes.  And for even more helpful fun, we have a *free* printable that you can use to help record your measurements as you take them.

Let’s take a quick look at the different options!

HEMMED NECKLINE / MOCK TURTLENECK / FOLD OVER TURTLENECK

YOUTH— HEMMED NECKLINE / MOCK TURTLENECK / FOLD OVER TURTLENECK

CROP / SHIRT / ABOVE KNEE / MIDI LENGTH

 

YOUTH—CROP / SHIRT / ABOVE KNEE / MIDI LENGTH

TANK / SHORT SLEEVE / 3/4 SLEEVE / LONG SLEEVE (HEMMED, CUFF, FOLD OVER CUFF)

YOUTH— TANK / SHORT SLEEVE / 3/4 SLEEVE / LONG SLEEVE (HEMMED, CUFF, FOLD OVER CUFF)

SIDE SEAM SPLIT DETAIL

YOUTH— SIDE SEAM SPLIT DETAIL

 

What about a little fabric choice inspiration??  One of the most common questions when we release a new pattern is what we suggest as the best fabrics. So, here are some of our favorites during testing:

ATHLETIC KNIT AND COTTON SPANDEX

FRENCH TERRY AND JERSEY

 

RIBBED KNITS

DOUBLE BRUSHED POLY

SWEATER KNITS / WAFFLE KNITS

 

VELVET AND LACE

I can’t wait to see what varieties everyone makes!  Go grab your pattern(s) now!

HEPBURN | HEPBURN – YOUTH | HEPBURN BUNDLE

Need more convincing?  Just take a look at this pattern on all of the amazing shapes and sizes of our testers, and get a look at more examples of all the options in our albums in the P4P Facebook group!

Hepburn Album | Hepburn -Youth Album

And if that didn’t give you enough options, make sure to check out the hacks post to help take your patterns even further.

The release sale (no code needed) will be through Monday, August 19, 2019 (11:59PM US Central Time Zone).

Happy Sewing, pirates!

 

 

P4P University- Pants and Their Wrinkles

We get a lot of questions about fitting, wrinkles and pull lines and how to fix those when sewing for different body types.  Pants seem to cause a lot of anxiety for some sewists when it comes to the crotch area and the lines they can see there, but it isn’t too complicated as it seems.

First, lets talk about wrinkles and pull lines in general.  You will never have a garment that will never have any in any position.  Meaning a garment is drafted and fitted to look great in one main position (usually standing up straight with feet slightly apart for pants).  So, if you’re only getting wrinkles or pull lines when moving a certain way don’t worry! A garment can’t be perfectly drafted and fitted to every movement you’re going to be in.  I often see that sewists are worried about this though… “I have wrinkles when I sit” is a very common plea for help… but the truth is you should! You need that extra length when you’re standing and it will wrinkle or bunch when you’re not using that length when sitting.

 

But, if you’re fitting pants and you’re having wrinkles or pull lines when just standing straight then you’ll want to alter the pattern for a better fit.  Lets go over some wrinkles and pull lines and what you would need to do to fix them.  I have the issue on the left, followed by how you would alter the pattern in the middle, and to the right what your new pattern piece will look like against the old one (old pattern in pink and new altered in black).

When you have wrinkles this indicates that you have too much fabric somewhere and it is bunching up.  Pinching out the excess will show you exactly where the extra fabric is coming from usually and if it is horizontal, vertical, or both that needs to be taken out.

When you have pull lines this indicates that there is not enough fabric somewhere and it is straining.  If you’re unsure you can unpick to let the tension out and see if the lines go away.  The gap that your seam spreads would be the amount your pattern needs to not strain.  You can unpick along the side seam to check for horizontal pulling or along the top waistband for vertical.  You might need both as well if you’re getting bias pulling.

The same goes for booty with wrinkling vs pull lines and vertical vs horiztonal.   But, I wanted to touch on a common fit issue I see asked about, which is pulling under the bum.  This is generally when your booty is a bit lower then the pant is drafted for.  Lowering the booty curve will help elevate that straining and pull lines.

 

Pants aren’t all that scary 🙂 Once you learn the basics you can alter the pattern for your perfect fit easily!  Good luck!

Spring Time, Sale Time!

Spring time is here…and with it flowers are blooming and sales are happening!

Please enjoy our Spring Sale 4/2/2019-4/12/2019 (11:59PM US Central Time Zone) with code: springtime for 30% off your total purchase! The code will pop up on  your checkout page and you can just click to apply 🙂 So no need to worry about jotting it down or trying to remember it exactly!

We only have site wide sales 2-3 times a year, so grab the patterns you’ve been eyeing while you have the chance! <3

Have fun shopping and then sewing!

 

Sporty Piko :: New Pattern Release!

I’m so excited to share our new releases with you today! The Sporty Piko has quickly been filling up my closet! You can get such a great variety of looks with this pattern <3

You wont believe all these looks can come from just one pattern! The Sporty Piko and Sporty Piko- Youth will have you asking, “How many Sporty Pikos is TOO MANY?” 😉

 

These patterns are drafted for a stretch knit fabric, but you are open to so many different types depending on what look you’re going for.  Want an everyday tee?  A hemmed option paired with  drapey jersey will give you that look.  Or are you going for a sweatshirt feel?  Try a french terry paired with the hood, drawstring or banded option for that more sporty style.

Both the adult and youth versions have a very loose, relaxed, even oversized fit.  They are drafted with two sleeve lengths (short and long sleeve with cuffs), a large size range (XXS – Plus 3X in women’s and 3M – 14 in youth), have multiple length options (crop hemmed, crop with drawstring, shirt banded and curved tunic), two choices to finish off the neckline (traditional neckband and a hood) as well as a fun, optional front chest pocket.  The back has a yoke at the top you can play up or down depending on fabric choices.

The Sporty Piko can make a great athletic top or a basic everyday tee too.  They’re so quick and simple to sew up you will have a stack in no time!

 

**Want to learn more about how to measure yourself for this pattern?  We’ve got you covered with an in-depth blog HERE.  And in case you’re new to Patterns for Pirates and PDF patterns in general, we have a great blog full of new user tips HERE to help you get started!  As with all of our current releases and updates, the pdfs now include our layers feature and can be found in Letter, A4 and A0 sizes.  And for even more helpful fun, we have a *free* printable that you can use to help record your measurements as you take them.

Let’s take a quick look at the different options!

SHORT SLEEVE

LONG SLEEVE WITH CUFF

CROP HEMMED OR DRAWSTRING

SHIRT BANDED OR CURVED TUNIC

NECKBAND OR HOOD

FRONT CHEST POCKET

BACK VIEW

The most difficult thing will be to decide what option to sew up first!  Go grab your pattern(s) now and go ahead and plan one of each!

SPORTY PIKO | SPORTY PIKO YOUTH | SPORTY PIKO BUNDLE

Need more convincing?  Just take a look at this pattern on all of the amazing shapes and sizes of our testers, and get a look at more examples of all the options in our albums in the P4P Facebook group! Sporty Piko Album | Sporty Piko-Youth Album

And if that didn’t give you enough options, make sure to check out the hacks post to help take your patterns even further.

The release sale (no code needed) will be through Saturday, April 6, 2019 (11:59PM US Central Time Zone).

Happy Sewing, pirates!

Baby Set with Nancy’s Notions

This post was created in partnership with Nancy’s Notions.  All opinions are my own.

Today’s blog is a rare occasion here on the P4P site… Generally I don’t do a lot of sponsored posts, but when Nancy’s Notions contacted me to do a little show off for their 2018 holiday blogger gift program I just couldn’t resist. I grew up watching Nancy on PBS with my mom and was honored to hear from them <3

Nancy is absolutely a great sewing icon who taught so many so much! I still have her fitting book sitting right on my desk 🙂

They sent me some adorable kitty fabric, red interlock and red ribbing to match.

The kitty fabric is a cotton spandex – perfect for baby clothing since it’s natural fibers, soft and easy to get on and off with the high stretch.

I used it for the Petite Pegs and part of the Teeny Beanie.

The red interlock I used for the main body of the Wee Lap Tee and the matching driving worked perfectly for the neckband, wristbands, and the band for the hat as well.

Although Nancy’s Notions has been a go to shop for quilters  they’re starting to carry more and more apparel items as well! So, if you’ve never checked them out or haven’t looked in their shop for apparel sewing in some time I’d click on over and check it out.  You can use this code for free shipping on orders $49 or more as well: 189501-1121 🙂

All the patterns I used for this baby set you can find in our freebie section here on the site! A great little gift for a baby shower or an easy and quick basic set to fill up baby’s wardrobe!

It’s part of Nancy’s Notion’s Holiday Blogger Gift Program 2018!

FREE Convertible Cover Pattern + 100k Sale-A-Bration Day 2!

EEP!  Are you guys ready for the second day of our 100K Sale-A-Bration?!?!

If you missed what the party is all about, go read all about the giveaway, sale, and the pure appreciation/joy/excitement surrounding this big milestone HERE.

As we all know, the owner, designer and fearless leader behind Patterns for Pirates is Judy Hale.  P4P is such a big part of her life, and you can tell that she brings a lot of personal experiences and interests into her designs.  When we celebrated our 75K Milestone (which feels just like yesterday), our freebies were themed around the wee baby that was still growing inside of her belly.  Judy’s nesting for her third child ended with her designing and sharing the Wee Lap Tee, Petite Pegs, Teeny Beanie and Burp Cloth.

This time around, the baby boy is here and our freebies are a little more focused on the daily needs of the Momma!  It’s time to introduce you to the Convertible Cover Pattern!

The Convertible Cover is multifunctional, 4-in-1 cover that is so easy to make, and even easier to fit into your daily routine!  You can use it as a cover for infant car seats, nursing, high chairs, and shopping carts.

You must use a breathable, lightweight fabric with a high stretch.  The fabric content is vital.  Natural fabrics that breathe are needed to keep baby safe and at a safe temperature while in use (ie: rayon spandex, modal, bamboo spandex and lightweight cotton spandex.)

**We care about the safety of your child!  Always remove cover from your child’s infant car seat before placing it into a vehicle and never leave your child covered while unattended. It is important to monitor your baby to ensure they do not overheat in warm climates or during the hot summer months. Keep the cover away from any heat source.   Please use recommended breathable fabrics, and always remove cover before placing baby into vehicle. If gifting the cover please give safety guidelines to the recipient.

Let’s take a peek at all of the ways it can be used, shall we?

INFANT CAR SEAT COVER

NURSING COVER

HIGH CHAIR COVER

SHOPPING CART COVER

What are you waiting for?

Go grab your copy of the Convertible Cover now!

Also be sure to head over the Patterns for Pirates Facebook Group and enter yourself into today’s daily drawing for the 100K Sale-A-Bration

Happy Sewing, Pirates!

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