Blog - Patterns for Pirates

Basics of Sewing Swim

April 25, 2016

As I’m approaching my very first swimsuit pattern release, I realize there will be a lot of questions about sewing swim!

So here are some bullet points you’ll need to know before you jump into your first suit! 🙂

Common Questions:

What type of fabric do you need?
- Nylon Spandex is the traditional swim knit. There are also some polyester spandex blends that are capable of with standing the chlorine and can hold up to the activity.
- My favorite suit I made was out of supplex, a nylon spandex. I almost always use a nylon spandex rather than the poly blends, it’s just my personal preference.
- Just like all fabric types you will have a wide range of quality. Great swim knit can be a breeze to work with, while cheaper/thinner/slinkier swim knit can really test your patience ;). If you’re sewing swimwear for the first time, I’d recommend buying a good quality swim knit even if you’re nervous. It is much easier to work with!
- How can you tell if it will be easy or more difficult to work with online? Watch the weight- steer clear of lightweight, drapey descriptions and try to stick with medium weight knits.
- Lining- You can use a swim lining or just self line with more swim knit. The self lined suit will most likely fit and feel a bit tighter because usually your swim knit is a bit more stable than the swim lining.
Do I need special thread?
- Nope 🙂 You can use standard poly thread like always.
- You can use a stretch thread in your loopers or bobbin for more stretch. I’ve done both and haven’t ever had issues with threads popping, but I recommend it if you’re planning on getting tons of wear and being very athletic in it. (I highly recommend it for youth- they wear them more often, are more active and they often get passed down to other kids throughout the years.)
What is the best stitch?
- You can use your serger or your favorite stretch stitch.
- When using my machine I usually use the lightening stitch or regular zigzag stitch. I use my coverstitch as well for finishing hems.
- I baste with a stretch stitch as well, you can technically baste with a traditional long straight stitch, but if you don’t pull your basting stitches you will hear those threads pop when you try on/wear…which can be scary ;).
What kind of needle should I use?
- You need to use a stretch needle. These are best when sewing fabric with high spandex content.
What other notions will I need?
- You will need a SWIM elastic. Even if you are using the top as a sports bra, I still recommend using the swim elastic. It has more stretch then regular elastic and will withstand the wear and tear much better.
- I highly prefer the cotton swim elastic to the clear plastic kind. It is so much easier to work with and softer.
- Don’t let the elastic scare you!
- And don’t skip it! I know a lot of ladies will use bands on swim in place of elastic, but I don’t recommend it. Elastic keeps it shape always- wet or dry. Swim fabric on the other hand gets heavier and stretches out when wet (and depending on quality can stretch enough that it is loose while swimming.) So, if you don’t ever want to loose your bottoms or have to constantly tug back in place don’t skip the elastic!!
- Here is a little video of me putting in some swim elastic to help!

How can I make sure the top is supportive enough to hold me up?
- Follow the tutorial and use all the suggestions to add more support. If you skip any, you might regret it if you’re looking to be very active or have a larger bust to hold up.
- Power mesh- this is an inner lining mesh spandex that you can use to add more support to a suit. It stretches less than swim knits, so it will hold in your body better on that section you place it. I only recommend using it in some of the suit and for adults only. I like to use it on the front of both the top and bottoms. If you have a smaller bust, you most likely will not want it in the top. It is something that will “smoosh” you like a minimizer. There are varying degrees/quality of power mesh as well. You can get looser and stronger depending on how much activity and “smoosh” you’d prefer in your suit. There is also “power net” which is an even tighter mesh. Use this one with caution as you might need to go up a size to accommodate the amount of stretch.
- Swim cups- I used a sew in swim cup in almost all of my suits and sports bras too. I like the tighter feel (the cups don’t stretch like swim knit- so it will feel and be tighter across the chest if you sew them in.) and the thicker layer of coverage for my bust. I HIGHLY prefer the soft cups. I find the molded cups to be really unforgiving in perfect fit (lets just say the D/DD was no where NEAR fitting my D cup bust… I was really channeling the Madonna cone look :/ ) and are much more difficult to get placed perfectly and to sew in nicely and neatly. For larger then a D/DD cup you’re really only getting some coverage for the “important part”. You will need to slip your lining on (I recommend wearing a bra/sports bra) to get a good placement and make sure it’s covering that important part, pin in place, and sew in.
- Remember you’re looking for your sewing cup size- which is the difference between your upper and full bust (NOT under and full bust). You don’t want your cups oversized. They will take up too much of your top and you will loose too much stretch that you need for a good fit.
- I also have an option for adding boning to the side seams, my other sister Megan loves this one! You’ll just need lightweight boning:
Where can you get these supplies?
- Here is a Note on my sister’s (the swim suit sewing queeen ;)) FB page with tons of suppliers:
  - https://www.facebook.com/notes/coles-creations/buying-swimsuit-fabric/10150740266823620
How tight should it be?
- Traditional swimsuit fit has negative ease, meaning the finished measurement of the suit will be smaller then your body. It will have to stretch to get on. Suits are generally 20-25% negative ease. Some athletic ones (think Speedo, Nike, etc) have 30% for more intense work out/swimming needs. Don’t size up if you plan on swimming at all in it, you will need that negative ease to keep the suit in place when wet. If you are at the lower end of your size range you might even need to take a bigger seam allowance to make it snug enough (this will depend on quality of swim knit as well, the super stretchy thinner fabric will mean you will need it tighter).
- The elastic around the edges of the suit are there to help keep everything in place as well. It might “squeeze” you a bit when not wet, but again you will want that very snug to make sure your suit isn’t shifting while you’re swimming.

Have FUN sewing and swimming!

Have you heard about P4P’s Peg Legs? And no, we are not talking about those wooden pirate legs! P4P released the Peg Legs some months back in celebration of reaching 5k members in the P4P Facebook Group. (crazy right!?!? since we just celebrated reaching 15k members last month!) If you don’t have them, you can grab them HERE and don’t forget to join the Facebook Group for a special promo code (check the pinned post for details)! In the last few months, we’ve seen the good, the bad, the fails and the “HAAALLPP” questions posted frequently. So, just like any introductory 101 college course, we are going to give you all the basics with this crash course to make a successful pair of Peg Legs!

First and foremost, if you are new to P4P, check out our First Time User Tips. Pattern Assembly, a few fabric shops, general cutting instructions, and sewing machine stitches are all discussed there. So now that you’re familiarized with P4P, here we go!

What are Peg Legs? A classic mid-rise, tight fit leggings pattern for 4 way stretch knit fabrics. Options include 4 lengths: shorties, bike, capri and ankle with a no elastic waistband.
Sizes Included: XXS – Plus 3x
Fabric Recommendations: 4 way stretch knit with at least 50% stretch (vertically and horizontally). Typically 5% spandex or more will work.
- Cotton Lycra/spandex (note- Lycra=spandex). Medium weight is usually 10oz or more
- Rayon spandex. This is typically thinner so may not be opaque. One of our tunic tops to cover your booty are a MUST 😉
- Nylon spandex / Supplex – great for performance wear. This usually has a higher content of spandex and will feel tighter, much like compression wear. Some prefer to size up 1 for a more comfortable fit.
- Polyester spandex – brushed polyester spandex is what many of the boutique leggings are made from however, it is a slightly harder to find the fabric in retail stores. Be sure to check the vertical stretch percentage as some may be less than the 50% require stretch.
- Stretch Fleece – Fabrics such as Polartec Powerstretch are a 4 way stretch fleece. Regular fleece, like blizzard, anti-pill and cuddle fleece found in retail stores are NOT recommended.

Fabric is extremely important to get an accurate fit. Here is an example of the same size medium, capri length made from a 2 way stretch ponte de roma and a 4 way stretch rayon spandex. You can see the overall fit of the 2 way stretch is much shorter in length and has a lower rise. I am able to put on the 2 way stretch pair but because there is no vertical stretch, they do not stretch and bend with movement and tend to slip down over time. While they are a super cute fabric, sadly, they sit in my drawer as they are not comfortable to wear.

STRETCH PERCENTAGES

So, you ask, how do I know if my fabric is 4 way 50% stretch knit? A 4″ piece will stretch to a minimum of 6″ both vertically and horizontally. Below is a stretch percentage guide. Cut a scrap piece of your fabric 4″ x 4″. Fold in half so it is now 2″ x 4″ and place at the end of the stretch guide. Hold fabric at one end (where indicated) and grab the opposite end and stretch. If you can stretch the fabric to 5.2″, your fabric has 30% stretch, 5.7 is 40% and so on. Unfold and refold the opposite direction and test again. To determine horizontal stretch, your grainline will run vertically with the stretch perpendicular and horizontal. The vertical stretch is with the grainline. For a printable copy, head on over to our Facebook Group and download a copy from the files section. 🙂 Need more help? Megan from Made from Mermaids has a great blog post with video about stretching fabrics. You can check it out HERE.

PICKING YOUR SIZE

Now that you have checked your fabric, how do you pick your size? If you are unsure on how to measure your body, check out our “How to Measure Yourself” post. The peg legs use the high hip (where your hip bones are) and the hip (across the fullest part of your booty) measurements to determine size. If you are in different sizes for your high hip and hip, you can grade between the two or use one size for the waistband and the other for your “legs”. This works best for those that have a high hip 1 size smaller than their hip. If your high hip is larger than your hip, it would be best to grade your sizes.

ADJUSTING THE RISE AND LENGTH

The Peg Legs are a mid rise legging, meant to hit under your belly button. For those wanting a higher rise or more tummy coverage, you can either add a taller waistband than the pattern calls for or increase the rise of the legs and use the existing waistband measurements.

Taller waistband: increase height of waistband to 10″ instead of 7″
Fold Over Yoga Band: double the height of waistband to 14″

To increase the rise of the legs: 1) follow the curve of the rise to a larger size on the pattern and blend. OR 2) Slash and Spread – Cut the pattern horizontally through the rise, add the desired amount and smooth out the curves.

Our patterns are drafted for a curvy 5’5″ frame. Using the same principle as found in our Petite & Tall Fitting Adjustment post, you will adjust your length of the legs by 1/2″ for every 1″ over or under 5’5″. The Peg Legs’ have a 28″ inseam for ankle length. If your inseam is shorter or longer, you will adjust to your desired length in the same manner.

Determine the amount you need to adjust your length by. Using the principle above – A 5’10” woman would need an additional 2.5″ (5’10” – 5’5″ = 5″ ~ 5″ x .5″ = 2.5″ ). A 5″1″ woman would need 2″ subtracted (5’1″ – 5’5″ = 4″ ~ 4″ x .5″ = 2″). It is best to split the total length that needs to be added or subtracted throughout the entire leg. Slash and spread the pattern in equal parts and blend the lines. The most common areas to adjust are the shorties, bike, and capri lengths as there are cut lines already indicated on the pattern. You may also need to adjust the rise, higher or lower depending on your desired height.

CUTTING YOUR FABRIC

You will need the following: 2 legs (mirror images) and 1 waistband. Note: the greatest stretch should be horizontal and what goes around the body. To create mirror images you can cut your fabric two ways:

Cut 1 pattern piece with pattern writing face up. Flip your pattern piece over and cut again.

Cut your pattern piece with fabric on the fold to create mirror images with 1 cut.

Once you’ve assembled your pattern, pre-washed your fabric and cut your pattern pieces you are ready to sew up a pair! Because this is a great beginning knit project, we have included a quick video tutorial! Enjoy!

Sewn up a pair of Peg Legs? We would love to see what you are all creating. Join the Facebook Group and share away.

Sweetheart SAL: Recap

March 21, 2016

Holy potatoes you guys! For our first Sew-A-Long, this was an amazing way to make it happen. Last week was an absolute blast and we’d like to thank you for hanging with us the entire time. There were so many remarkable dresses and peplums sewn in the last week…I can’t even handle it.

If you’d like to look back on the Sweetheart + Me Hearties dresses and peplums that were sewn and shared, go check out the album HERE.

Now let’s talk about the friendly little competition we were having. We had our gorgeous gals put their finished items into the album on Facebook and let the rest of the P4P family vote (with “likes”). Here are the three lucky gals that are walking away with some new P4P patterns! Congratulations ladies!

Fan Favorite: Molly Wynne Stonesifer

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Admin Pick: Brianna K. Karle

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Random Draw (but also incredibly gorgeous dress!): Heidi Hilmerson

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I hope you all had as much fun, and got as much out of it, as we did. Now go rock those circle skirts all over town!
Day 1: Fabric Selection.
Day 2: Printing + Measuring.
Day 3: Cutting Fabric.
Day 4: Bodice + Sleeves.
Day 5: Skirt + Hemming.
Day 6 & 7: Catch-Up Days.
Day 8: Recap + Winners Announced!

Sweetheart SAL Day 5: Skirt + Hemming

March 18, 2016

This is it! Your dress is almost finished! Today we are attaching the skirt to the bodice and hemming it. So excited!

floral

Since there is no gathering involved in the skirt portion, it is super easy and fast to attach the skirt. But because it’s a circle skirt, the bottom hem is vast…yet totally manageable. Here are some hem options that we like!

Hem option #1: Traditional Hem

For this, you simply fold the fabric up 1/2″ toward the wrong side, press, then fold another 1/2″ and topstitch. I like to run the serger around the edge of the fabric first, so there’s more of a solid edge to work with while folding. But it’s not necessary.

hem1

Hem option #2: Bind/Use Trim

Just like you did for the arm and neck openings, you can use knit binding, FOE, trim, or even a lace. Make sure you aren’t stretching your bindings at all. And be aware that this will make your length 1 inch longer. (The circumference lengths are already included in the pattern, to make it even easier on you!)

hem2

If using a trim, simply stitch your trim to the skirt edge, right sides together. Flip the trim down and topstitch.

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Hem option #3: Coverstitch

This gives you a more professional finish on your hems, but requires a coverstitch machine. (If you don’t have a coverstitch machine, you can simulate this look by serging the edge of your fabric, folding your fabric up 1/2 inch, and sewing with a double needle.)

Hem option #4: DON’T HEM!

Sound too good to be true? Perhaps. But in some cases, it just makes sense to leave the edges raw.
I totally left this new dress of mine with a raw edge on the skirt and I loved it. So much so that it called for a one-woman dance party.

sweetheart finished dance

**Hem tape is HUGELY helpful. With all versions of hemming, really. Some prefer a wash-away tape (like THIS), while others like to use a different type of stabilizer (like THIS).

YOU GUYS! We did it! You made it to the end and have finished a new, amazing, custom-fit, piece of clothing. We are so proud of you! If you’re sewing along with us, be sure to tag @PatternsforPirates and #P4PSWEETSAL on Instagram. And don’t forget to join us on the P4P event page: Sweetheart SAL on Facebook.

Thanks for sewing with us! Come back tomorrow to catch the linkup/contest for your completed Sweetheart or Me Hearties outfit. It’s going to be so amazing to see what you’ve made!

Day 1: Fabric Selection.
Day 2: Printing + Measuring.
Day 3: Cutting Fabric.
Day 4: Bodice + Sleeves.
Day 5: Skirt + Hemming.
Day 6 & 7: Catch-Up Days.
Day 8: Recap + Winners Announced!

Sweetheart SAL Day 4: Bodice + Sleeves

March 17, 2016

So. You’ve printed your pattern, figured out your size, and now cut your fabric. What’s next?

Let’s get to sewing! Today is about the top half of your pattern. We are going to stitch your bodice together. And we’ve got a trick to get a lower neckline (if that’s what you’re wanting in your pattern) as well as a sleeveless option for the Me Hearties pattern. Let’s get to it!

There are a ton of options for the bodice part of the Sweetheart/Me Hearties dresses. You can colorblock, do an overlay, choose your sleeve lengths, use FOE (fold over elastic)/trim/t-shirt neckband bindings, etc. Pick your poison when it comes to how you want to style your dress. The sky is the limit!

But let’s say that you wanted a lower neckline than what the pattern calls for. Can we do it? YES WE CAN!

I have a larger than average bust and tend to like a lower neckline on my shirts. Luckily, when you sew for yourself, this is super simple to do. Cut your front bodice piece out and determine where you’d like the neckline to sit.

**Keep in consideration your neckline finishing. For this particular top, I used a standard tshirt binding for the neck. But using FOE or trim will give you a wider neckline opening. So just make your adjustments according to your final vision for your top/dress.

Because we are adjusting the actual size of the opening, we will need to figure out new measurements for the neckband. Once your front and back bodices are pieces are sewn together at the shoulder, fold your piece out flat at the neckline. Without stretching your fabric, lay it flat and measure the opening. Multiply that number by 2. This is your new neckline circumference.

But what is your new neckband/FOE length requirements?
Neckline circumference X .85 + 1″ (for seam allowance) = Neckband/FOE length

Use your new length and finish the neckline however you’d like!

~SLEEVELESS AND OPTIONAL NECKLINE AND ARMHOLE FINISHING METHODS~

The girls Me Hearties does not have a tank option in the pattern but we are going to show you how to hack it… two ways! You can also apply these methods to the Sweetheart if you want a wider sleeveless option as well.

For both methods, you will calculate the bands the same. For consistency and as shown in the pattern, I did the bands in the flat. You can do it in the round if you prefer but will need to adjust your band measurements to include a seam allowance (like the neckband measurement shown above). If using the Trim Method, trim your pattern pieces first, then calculate your armbands.

How to calculate armband measurements: Sew one shoulder seam with 1/2″ seam allowance. Measure the armscye (as shown below) and multiply by .85.

TRIM METHOD: For this method, you will use your existing pattern pieces for the bodice (either the full front and back bodice or the top front and back of the color-block) and trim 1/2″ off each armscye. Proceed with the instructions in your pattern and use your favorite method to finish the neckline and armholes. (FOE, traditional knit binding, or lingerie elastic)

HIDDEN SEAM TURNED FACING ARMBANDS:

(I also used the same method on my neckline. Note: This will lower your neckline by 1/2″)

ay 1: Fabric Selection.
Day 2: Printing + Measuring.
Day 3: Cutting Fabric.
Day 4: Bodice + Sleeves.
Day 5: Skirt + Hemming.
Day 6 & 7: Catch-Up Days.
Day 8: Recap + Winners Announced!

Sweetheart SAL Day 3: Cutting Fabric

March 16, 2016

Welcome back! So far, we’ve learned how to pick the perfect fabrics and get the perfect fit. And today, we are diving right in and cutting into your beautiful fabrics. And we are also going to be sharing TWO new options for the skirt portion. So before you cut, maybe you’ll want to consider these “hacks” as well!

Let’s get started!

The circle skirt is the trickiest part of the pattern to cut. But once you realize how to fold your fabric for cutting, it is actually pretty easy! The pattern includes a full circle skirt and has the option to cut with a pattern piece, or to save on some paper and just cut with a small guide and your own measurement.

I prefer to cut my own circle skirt length, by just using the cut out piece provided. It gives me full control of the length I really want. But it is purely preference in this case. When you are using the cut out, make sure you’re measuring from the end of the circle you’d cut out…and not from the corner of your folded fabric. Otherwise your length will be off by several inches. (Ask me how I know this.)

We wanted to provide a couple of fun alternates for your circle skirts. So before you cut into your fabric, consider these alternatives!

Alternate #1: Full Circle Skirt with Waistband.

You can take the skirt portion of the Sweetheart + Me Hearties patterns, skip the bodice, and add a waistband. And it’s super easy to do! We are providing you with measurements for a yoga-style waistband…no elastic required.

Alternate #2: High-Low Skirt

Getting a higher cut in the front, and lower dip in the back of a circle skirt is SO EASY. It’s as simple as moving the waist cut-out to a different place on the skirt itself. Three steps and you’ll have a fishtail-esque skirt! (This would also work well with the skirt-only adjustment that we explained above. ^^^)

1.) Open up your skirt so you’re seeing a folded semi-circle. Slide the very top layer until it’s the length that you want for the front of your skirt (be sure to take into account the waist cutout!). Sturdier fabrics are way easier to handle with this process. My skirt above was a slinky rayon blend and it took a lot of patience to get into place. So go slow. Make sure everything is flat and even before you make your cut!

2.) Carefully, fold your skirt in half again, so that it is quartered. You will be back to four layers of fabric, just like when you were originally cutting the circle. Take your waist cut-out piece and cut your opening.

3.) Open up your skirt. You should now see a large circle with a smaller waist circle cut out, somewhere off center. Your high-low skirt is now ready to attach to the bodice!

Is your fabric all prepped, cut and ready for tomorrow’s next step?
Show us your pretty stack of fabrics, just begging to be sewn into something amazing! If you’re sewing along with us, be sure to tag @PatternsforPirates and #P4PSWEETSAL on Instagram. And don’t forget to join us on the P4P event page: Sweetheart SAL on Facebook.

Thanks for sewing along with us! We are having a blast sewing with you this week!

Day 1: Fabric Selection.
Day 2: Printing + Measuring.
Day 3: Cutting Fabric.
Day 4: Bodice + Sleeves.
Day 5: Skirt + Hemming.
Day 6 & 7: Catch-Up Days.
Day 8: Recap + Winners Announced!

Sweetheart SAL Day 2: Printing + Measuring

March 15, 2016

Welcome back to the Sweetheart + Me Hearties Sew-A-Long. Let’s get Day #2 started!

Today is all about printing and assembling your pattern. And measuring yourself correctly, so we make sure to get the best fit.

Patterns for Pirates patterns have lots of little extras for you. First, the newest files are set up with a “layers” feature. You can read all about how to access the layers HERE.

And on top of that, they are “no-trim” pages. And that’s exactly what it sounds like! The pages are set up to print and be taped/glued together without needing to get scissors out and trim the edges before assembly. It makes this step of the process even quicker. Need help assembling the no-trim pages? No problem! Judy created this fabulous video for us. Go check it out HERE. (You have to be a member of the P4P Facebook group to be able to see the video.)

Before you hit print, BE SURE that your pages are set to print at 100%, no scaling. We still recommend printing only the first page and measuring your 1″ x 1″ (or 4cm x 4cm) square to verify the print size is correct before printing the entire pattern. Even if your square is off by the teeniest amount, the entire pattern will be affected and your dress will not fit. Save yourself some ink and paper (and fabric!) and verify the settings first.

Now let’s talk measuring yourself!

Judy created an entire post dedicated to measurements and how to properly measure yourself. You can see the full post HERE. However, since the Sweetheart + Me Hearties patterns have a full circle skirt, which makes it very forgiving in the hips, the most important fit aspect of this pattern is the bodice.

Full Bust: Full bust is around the fullest/biggest part of your bust. You want the tape as even horizontally as possible.

Over Bust: This is taken around upper back, under arms and over your bust.

Under Bust: This is taken directly under your bust around back. Try to keep your tape as even horizontally as possible.

Waist: This is your natural waistline. Contrary to most belief, it is NOT your belly button or where you wear your pants (even though you might like high waisted pants). It is taken at the smallest part of your mid section. If you don’t have a very defined natural waist there is a very easy way to find it.

Take any kind of stretch trim, fold over elastic, thin elastic, even a strip of knit will work, and tie it snuggly around your mid section. Now MOVE around, bend walk around, sit down, it will naturally settle on your smallest part.

This is your natural waist

Side Waist Length: Taken from your armpit vertically down to your natural waist. This measurement is vital in any pattern that should hit as your natural waist. (Ahem, Sweetheart Dress!) Making sure this measurement is accurate will give you the most flattering fit. If the seam doesn’t hit you at that smallest point then you’re not using it to your advantage. 😉

Start with your arms DOWN. You want your tape to start where your crease naturally lies— not all the up to your arm. Think where you’d like your shirt to be (if it’s all the way up as tight as possible then it is uncomfortable and you can’t move your arms around).

This was such a hard picture to get! But here are the best we could get to explain… yes, I taped the tape to myself lol!!!

What if you’re taller or shorter than the pattern is drafted for?

The Sweetheart dress was designed for the average “side waist length” of 8 inches. If you measure more or less than that, it’s incredibly important to adjust your pattern to fit your body properly.

We recommend to adjust differently, based upon your bust size. If you have a smaller/larger bust than the pattern is drafted for, make your height adjustments at the bust line. If your bust measurements are the same, add or remove the length below your bust line.

What if your measurements don’t fall within one size?

That is why you’re sewing for yourself, isn’t it? To get the perfect fit? Well then let’s get that perfect fit!

Let’s say your measurements fall in a “medium” bust and a “large” waist. Cut the pattern out, by grading between the two sizes. Before cutting, simply draw a line on your paper pattern, blending the sizes at a midpoint. You want your line as smooth as possible between to the two sizes.

WHEW! Did you soak in all of that information?
Hopefully now, your pattern is printed, taped/glued together, you have properly measured for your size, cut the pattern pieces out and are ready to start cutting into your pretty fabrics tomorrow. If you’re sewing along with us, be sure to tag @PatternsforPirates and #P4PSWEETSAL on Instagram. Don’t forget to join us on the P4P event page either: Sweetheart SAL on Facebook.

Thanks for sewing along with us! We look forward to a week worth of sewing with you!

Day 1: Fabric Selection.
Day 2: Printing + Measuring.
Day 3: Cutting Fabric.
Day 4: Bodice + Sleeves.
Day 5: Skirt + Hemming.
Day 6 & 7: Catch-Up Days.
Day 8: Recap + Winners Announced!

Sweetheart SAL: Day 1 – Fabric Selection

March 14, 2016

Welcome to Day 1 of the P4P Sweetheart + Me Hearties Sew-A-Long! We are so glad you’re here.

Today, we are talking fabric. Let’s be honest, if you’re here, fabric is probably your favorite thing to talk about already. So this is going to be a fun topic. Let’s get started!

Fabric choice can really make or break a garment. Not just the color or pattern, but the kind of fabric you use.

There are so many fabrics out there that you can get lost in the different options. What helps is to familiarize yourself with how the fabric will look once it’s on you (how it will drape and fit). Feeling fabric for the amount of stretch, thickness, and drape will help you pair it with the right pattern.

So what is the right fabric for the Sweetheart pattern?

We highly recommend a more stable knit. Ponte de roma, jegging, scuba, liverpool, and thicker cotton lycras are fabulous for this pattern, specifically because of the circle skirt. Fabrics with a higher drape will still work, but beware that the skirt could end up being a bit more clingy that you were hoping.

For the overlays and colorblocked top pieces, feel free to use any of the above listed fabrics, as well as stretch lace, mesh knits, rayon blends, etc.

Ponte de Roma: (or ponte, ponte roma, ponte di roma, etc) This fabric is a double knit in construction, and tends to look the same on both sides. It’s a sturdy knit, generally with a horizontal stretch only, although can sometimes also be found with a vertical stretch. It’s made up of poly, rayon and spandex blend (the more rayon the softer the feel). It can pill easily, but if you hang dry should last you with normal wear. The rayon gives it a good drape still, see how the skirt falls towards the body.

Jegging: Typically thought to be used for skinny pants and other bottoms, jegging is a medium-weight stretch fabric. You can also find it labeled “denim knit” in some shops. Often, it has a denim-style look (think blues and blacks) and is meant to mimic jeans while keeping the comfort of stretch fabric. It has some vertical stretch. Weight of jegging knit can vary widely, so if you’re using it for the sweetheart you want to keep it a bit thicker.

Scuba: A highly structured, one sided fabric, made of neoprene (with a sleek surface, much like a scuba outfit). Typically only has a horizontal stretch and is easy to sew with, however isn’t the most breathable fabric. These types of knits have a great stretch and recovery, like ponte does, but doesn’t have as soft of a drape. Your skirt will stick out a bit more away from your body.

Other fabrics that are very similar are liverpool, true neoprene and techno. They will all feel, stretch and drape about the same.

Fukuro: Soft to the touch with a nice stretch. The face of fabric has texture to it while the back has a smooth finish. It is a more structured knit and skirt will again stick out away from body more.

Cotton Lycra: This semi-opaque knit has a soft hand. Most commonly has both horizontal and vertical stretch. The word “lycra” is a brand/trademark of spandex. Any time you see this fiber listed on a label, expect comfort, movement, and shape retention that won’t wash away. Depending on weight you may feel a bit more “revealed” in cotton lycra on the top half, because it isn’t as thick as those listed above. Your skirt will have moderate drape towards the body. The vertical stretch could cause your bodice to pull slightly longer with the weight of the skirt pulling it down. (It was very windy, so the dress is being blown under my booty by the wind! It is not the fabric draping under there naturally!)

You can choose a fabric with a softer drape, like ITY, poly blends, rayon spandex, etc. But they will drape down towards your body. Your skirt will hang on your body instead or stick out away from it. We still recommend one that has good weight for the bodice to hold shape well and since it is fitted to help not show lumps,bumps,bra lines, etc.

Now that you’ve chosen your fabrics, share them with us! Tag @PatternsforPirates and #P4PSWEETSAL on Instagram. And be sure to post your fabric picks in our event page: Sweetheart SAL on Facebook.

Thanks for sewing along with us! We look forward to a week worth of sewing with you!

Day 1: Fabric Selection.
Day 2: Printing + Measuring.
Day 3: Cutting Fabric.
Day 4: Bodice + Sleeves.
Day 5: Skirt + Hemming.
Day 6 & 7: Catch-Up Days.
Day 8: Recap + Winners Announced!

Sweetheart + Me Hearties SAL: Get Ready!

March 13, 2016

Get excited. Why? Because Patterns for Pirates is having our first Sew-A-Long! Our timing couldn’t be more perfect for Easter sewing either…because it’s for the Sweetheart + Me Hearties Dresses! Eep!

The SAL (sew-a-long) begins on Monday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning it all out ahead of time. Because these are full circle skirts, they do take a bit more fabric than a basic tee/dress would…so start digging through your stash or head out to your local fabric shop to make sure you have enough to make your perfect dress (or peplum).

And don’t forget to join us in the Event Page for the Sew-A-Long on Facebook: HERE.
The SAL itself will be on this very blog, but we will be extending the party over to the group and event on Facebook for even more interactive fun!

And before we go…here is the schedule, so you know what to expect from us. We will even be throwing in some new tricks and pattern hacks, so you can get even more out of these adorable patterns. Can’t wait!!

Exposed Seams Boutique Look Hack

March 8, 2016

I’ve seen the boutique french terry raglan with exposed seams countless times in the group, pinterest, and other sewing boards over the past couple years! I made one about a year ago, but never wrote up a blog about how to get the look. We’re still asked for it all the time, so I did another one while we’re updating the Women’s Raglan to include the extended plus sizes and new features our newest P4P patterns have, like layers. It’s looser fit is perfect for french terry, which is what the boutique ones are always made of and gives the same “slouchy” looser fit.

Overall, it is a really basic “hack”. But, I’m going to have to beg forgiveness for the photos! Apparently I did not check my photos as I was taking them and they are not great quality! Hopefully you can enjoy my Peter Pan-esque comedic shadow in them!

You will cut out your pieces exactly the same as a normal raglan for the main shirt. If you want to add the cowl with unfinished bottom edge you will cut 2 like the pattern states, but NOT on the fold. You could still cut on the fold to keep the fullness and just not sew in the bottom edge as well. Depending on how thick your fabric is and how big you want your cowl. I easily get claustrophobic with things around my neck, so one layer not on the fold was an easy decision for me ;).

When assembling the sleeves to the bodice front and back you will put WRONG sides together and stitch with your sewing machine using your favorite stretch stitch.

Trim the notches and smooth out your seam allowance.

Press seams out. You could top-stitch here if you preferred, but I left it open and free 😉 I thought it went with the look better.

Sew down side seams with right sides together, like you would normally.

I added the inseam pocket option from the Add on Pack as well (I can’t seem to make a tunic length without this option anymore!). I went with hemming the front to the right side to show the wrong side there as well.