Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

P4P Henley Sew-Along | Get Ready!

Are you ready for another sew-along with the Pirate Crew?  We are so excited to tell you that we are bringing an entire week of P4P Henley love!  We thought it was time to shine some light on these “oldie but goodie” patterns of ours, and especially love it because the patterns cover your entire family.

Welcome to Henley Sew-Along Week, friends!

The party doesn’t start officially until tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare yourself a little bit beforehand.  In celebration of the Henley Sew-Along Week, all three patterns can be discounted an additional $3, using the code “henleysal” until January 20, 2018 (11:59pm Central Time).

Yo Ho Henley | Women’s Henley | Men’s Henley | Henley Bundle

Be sure to join us in the Event Page for the Sew-Along 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!

If you’d like to get a leg up on the yardage of fabric you’ll be needing, here are the size charts and fabric requirements, for easy access:

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!!

**The links won’t be active until the scheduled date.

January 14: Announcement.
January 15: Choosing Your Fabrics, Printing + Measuring.
January 16: Cutting Fabric.
January 17: Placket.
January 18: Sleeves.
January 19: Attaching Neckband + Hood.
January 20-21: Catch-Up Days.
January 22: Recap + Winners Announced!

Walk the Plank PJ Bottoms :: New Pattern Release!

Oh man.  Not only is today a release day, but it’s also a day that I get to make a fun announcement.  Or rather, TWO fun announcements!  Are you ready for this?

First, let’s talk about our newest pattern, and the final pattern in the P4P Summer of Wovens.  The Walk the Plank PJ bottoms are super easy to make, even easier to wear, pajama bottoms that are a unisex pattern and available in sizes 3M – adult Plus 3X.  Both the adult and youth patterns include three lengths (short shorts, knee length, and pant length).  The adult sizes have a differing mens and womens rise, as well as varying inseams (30″ / 32″ / 34″ / 36″ ).

The Walk the Plank pant truly is a quick sew!  All sizes were drafted to fit on a 44″ wide fabric, so you can easily use your favorite flannel or quilting cotton.  The patterns feature no side seam, and no waistband piece, as well as a quick elastic installation.  **Plus 3X were drafted with an extra side seam, so those sizes can use 44″ fabric as well.

Here’s a quick peek at the lengths:

SHORT SHORTS

KNEE LENGTH

PANT LENGTH

We have been running a contest over the last week.  You can read up on P4P’s Next Top Tester HERE if you’re interested in the process.  We had 650 (give or take) applicants that we invited into our Top Tester group.  These ladies went through some work for us!  They didn’t know what they were signing up for, but we had them all test the Walk the Plank PJ Bottoms for us!  Everyone did amazing, even amidst all of the chaos that testing in a group that size can bring.  And guess what?  We have a winner!

Well, we have four winners.  These testers did an incredible job, on all levels of testing.  It’s not just about taking pretty pictures.  It’s about providing feedback, supporting fellow testers, being around to ask/answer questions, and help with marketing.  We are so happy to have them on board with us!

Congratulations to our first ever Patterns for Pirates’ Next Top Tester: Amber Jones Zelenay 🎉🎉🎉
Our Second Place winner is: Karen Grimshaw
AND congratulations to the Runners Up: Bethany Tolman and Michelle Tobey

Want to know the best part about this pattern?  It’s FREE!!  We wanted to have a little end-of-summer celebration and thought this would be a fun way to party with you all.  Plus, it’s perfect timing with the holidays right around the corner.  Family Jammies Photo Op?  I think so!

Grab your copy of the Walk the Plank PJ Bottoms in UNISEX ADULT or UNISEX YOUTH today!

**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!  And, 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.

If you’re still needing more inspiration, be sure to head over to the Patterns for Pirates Facebook Group Albums for the Walk the Plank PJ Bottoms to see what our amazing testers have sewn for themselves.  Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram (@patternsforpirates | #patternsforpirates) and to share your finished items over in our Facebook group!  We love to see what you make!

Happy sewing, friends!

P4P’s Next Top Tester

“How do I become a P4P tester?”  It’s a question we’ve heard a million times.  We even wrote a blog post all about how to get noticed by the Pirate Crew.

But friends.  Listen up.  Because next week, we are bringing you a special opportunity that just might fast track you into our tester group.  Allow me to announce:

That’s right!  We are doing an open call for a FULL BLOWN pattern test for P4P, and you’re invited!  Be sure to check the Patterns for Pirates Facebook Group on Monday, because we will posting a tester call.  And we are taking EVERYONE.  It’s going to be a wild ride and I couldn’t be more excited!

Top Tester will be putting you through the ringer.  You will be taking on a pattern test, and you’ll be doing all of the steps that we do for any of our normal tests.  Which means we will have size assignments, fit pictures and feedback, final photos, tutorial feedback, and promoting of the pattern when it gets released.

#P4PNTT will result in two official winners: a Top Tester and the Runner Up.  But first, let’s talk schedule.

Tester Call!
Monday, September 18, 2017
I will post a “Tester Call” for the challenge in the Patterns for Pirates Facebook Group. You’ll need to sign up with your size and information in the form we will be sharing with you.  There area actually two unisex patterns, and we are looking for men, women, boy, and girl models.  Everyone is welcome to join!

Measure, measure, measure!! Kids grow fast and weight/size fluctuates weekly.  Make sure you have the most up-to-date measurements so you can make the appropriate sized garment.  Knowing your actual measurements and not what you’d pick up in a store is SO IMPORTANT for testing.  We want to put out a pattern that is drafted for the proper sizes.  (Need help measuring?  We’ve got a post HERE all about it!)

We aren’t telling what the pattern is until you’re in the group (since we’d like to keep it a surprise) but we didn’t want to leave you scrambling for fabric this week.  Here are the fabric requirements, based upon 44″ wide WOVEN fabric.

Print, Sew & Fit Feedback + Tutorial Edits/Feedback
Tuesday, September 19 – Friday, September 22, 2017
All participants will be added to a private Top Tester group on Facebook. (Remember to check your emails on Tuesday for the invites!!)

Print, assemble and cut your pattern.  Select your fabric.  Sew up your garment.

This portion of the process, we ask that you make your assigned version first, and you make sure to only print the pattern right before you’re about to sew — since we can make several changes to the patterns during the process and we want people sewing the most recent update.

Show us “fit” pictures with feedback.  This is a huge step in getting our patterns just right.  These do not need to be professional pictures.  They can be cell-phone shots or selfies, but we need to see how things are fitting in the size you signed up for!  It helps us identify any fit issues throughout the testing process.

We will also be posting the tutorial for the pattern(s) for you to edit.  The PDF will be located in the files within the Top Tester group and will have spelling mistakes, typos and maybe some construction errors.  Put on your “editing eyes” and catch the problem areas and provide us with revisions.

Final photos
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Take your photos and load them into the Top Tester group.  We prefer natural, outdoor photographs but understand completely that the weather doesn’t always cooperate.  You will need to provide at least 5 pictures showing fit from all angles. Think front, back, side shots, close up on details, etc.  You may style them as you like, but remember the focus of the picture should be the garment and it should make sense for the item you’ve sewn.  **You do not need to have a fancy DSLR camera and photo editing software to produce clear, beautiful tester photos.**

All of these tasks must be completed by their respective deadlines in order to be in the running for Patterns for Pirates’ Top Tester title.  Most of our testing periods last 4-7 days.

Winners will be announced on Monday, September 25, 2017!  Here are the prize packages:

Top Tester- 1st Place
Guaranteed testing spot for next 3 patterns
3 P4P pattern pack of choice
Pattern of Choice from Cole’s Creations and Made for Mermaids
LFRB Fabric Bundle from Sly Fox Fabrics

Runner-up
Guaranteed testing spot for next pattern
3 P4P pattern pack of choice
LFRB Fabric Bundle from Surge Fabric Shop

*Note: while only 2 winners will be selected, depending on your performance and effort, you may be invited to join our testing group!!! Bring your A-Game, P4P Fans!

**Winners will be chosen by the Patterns for Pirates Team**

Are you ready to party?!  Make sure to tune into the P4P Facebook Group on Monday, so you can join the tester call!!

Peg Legs SAL: Day 7 – Recap and winners announcement

We made it to the last day of the Peg Legs sew along. You all did an amazing job this past week! I’ve seen so many beautiful pairs of Peg Legs being sewn.

Let’s recap what we did so far:

Day 1: Fabric selection

Day 2: Printing and measuring

Day 3: Cutting the fabric

Day 4: Attach add ons

Day 5: Sew inseam and attach legs

Day 6: Attach waistband

Without further ado…here are our 5 Peg Leg SAL winners

 

First winner: Sarah Wilkinson

$15 P4P store credit

$50 So Sew English store credit

$50 Stika Fabrics store credit

$50 Midnight Mountain Fabrics store credit

$25 Beanpop store credit

$50 RP Custom Fabrics store credit

 

Second winner:  Erin Cooper

$15 P4P store credit

$50 Aurora Designs store credit

$50 Little Bear Fabric + Trim store credit

$50 Smoogie Custom Fabric store credit

$25 Little Lady Bug Fabrics Gift Card

$30 Store Credit($50 NZD) Levana Fabrics

 

Third winner: Raven Brown

$15 P4P store credit

$60 Boss Lady Fabric store credit

$50 The Fabric Snob store credit

$50 RockerBye Destash Fabric store credit

$50 Water Tower Textiles Canada store credit

€25 Droomstoffen store credit

 

Fourth winner: Lorie Peugh Judd

$15 P4P store credit

$50 Made Whimsy/ You Made Something store credit

$25  Star Dust & Moon Beam Textile Company gift card to each store

$50 Pretty Posh Prints store credit

$50 Sash Fabrics store credit

$30 Phat Quarters store credit

Big prize winner: Phillipa Lyes

$50 P4P store credit

$100 Sincerely Rylee store credit

$75 Sew Vagabond store credit

LFRB full of fabric from Sly Fox Fabrics

$50 True North Fabrics store credit

$50 Sweet N Charmed Fabric store credit

 

Congratulations to all of the winner and all participants! Please contact the shop owners to claim your prizes.

 

Thank you to the sponsors who made all these amazing prizes possible. Be sure to check out their awesome fabric selections!

Made Whimsy Fabric

Sew Vagabond

Sly Fox Fabrics

True North Fabrics

Sincerely Rylee

RP Custom Fabrics

Smoogie Fabric and Design

Sitka Fabrics

Star Dust and Moon Beam Textile Company

Levana Fabrics

Midnight Mountain Fabrics

Water Tower Textiles

Droomstoffen

Aurora Designs

Boss Lady Fabrics

Little Bear Fabric and Trim

Sash Fabrics

Rockerbye  Destash

The Fabric Snob

So Sew English

Fabricmail Sweet N Charmed

Phat Quarters, Pretty Posh Prints

Little Ladybug Fabrics.

Peg Legs SAL: Day 6 – Attach waistband (with optional pocket)

Can’t believe we’re almost at the end of the sew along. Today we’ll be attaching the waistband. Whether you’re doing the high or low rise or the contoured waistband like I did, now is the time to add it to the leggings. This step can also be done with the sewing machine or the serger. If you use a sewing machine, remember to set it for a stretch stitch. A triple stretch stitch will work great!

If you are attaching your waistband with your serger you can either do a regular overlock stitch or you can even do a flat lock stitch. Using a flatlock stitch will eliminate the bulk at the seam that you get with an overlock stitch.

For this sew along I used the new contoured  waistband which, let me tell you, is the best thing ever! Best tummy control while still comfortable.

It is very important to cut your fabric along the grain. We have seen some FB comments suggesting to cut the waistbands against the grain for more support. I highly discourage that because your peg legs will loose shape in the wash and will not fit as intended.

TIP: If you are more of a rectangular shape than hourglass, you can add elastic to the top seam of your contoured waistband.

You can see the waistband construction video here.

Don’t forget to post your final picture in the Peg Legs SAL event and hastag it #peglegsSAL before May 3rd 10 pm EST. Be sure to come back on Wednesday for the Sew Along recap and the winners announcement.

Peg Legs SAL: Day 5 – Sew Inseam and attach legs

Welcome to day 5 of the Peg Legs Sew Along! Today we will be sewing the inseam, hemming each leg and attaching them. Start by pinning (or clipping) the inseams on each leg, right sides together. You can either serger it or stitch it with your sewing machine. If you use your sewing machine for this step, make sure to use a stretch stitch!

If you’re using your serger, test the stitches on a scrap piece of fabric, preferably the same as the one you used for your pegs.  Testing first will give you a chance to see if you need to make any adjustments to the tension or stitch length or width.

Once you’ve sewn the inseams you can either hem or sew the crotch curves. I prefer to hem first because I find it easier to maneuver if the legs are not attached together. When hemming your Peg Legs make sure you steam press before and after you stitch. You can use your coverstitch machine or your sewing machine for this step, just remember to use a stretch stitch.

Last step of the day is sewing the crotch curve. Pin or clip the curve right sides together, matching the inseam and the back and front rise. The easiest way to do this is to turn one of the legs inside out and place the other leg (right side out) inside.

You can see the day 5 video here !

When you’ve finished these steps, don’t forget to post a picture in the Peg Legs SAL Event and hashtag it #pegsalday5.

Peg Legs SAL: Day 4 – Sew add ons (pocket, color block, side strip etc)

Hello there! Day 4 is here and we’re starting to sew! Woohoo! Today we’ll be putting the leg pieces together. If you added a pocket, or a side strip, or color blocked the side strip, now is the time to put them together.

I love to work “assembly line style” so I pin…well clip…all pieces together first. Then sew/serge and then topstitch. If you are using a sewing machine make sure you use a stretch stitch like the “thunderbolt” , a triple stretch stitch or a very narrow zig zag. When top stitching with a sewing machine I highly recommend using twin needles. Check out the Twin Needles Blog for some tips and tricks!

For my SAL Peg Legs pair I stitched with my serger and topstitch with the coverstitch machine. You can see how I put together the add ons in the day 4 video here!

If you want to take it up a notch you can use decorative top stitching too. The Decorative stitching blog is an excellent source for all of you who would like to take the Peg Legs up a notch!

 

Once you’ve assembled your leg pieces post a picture in the Peg Legs SAL Event and hash tag it #pegsalday4. See you back here tomorrow!

Peg Legs SAL: Day 1 – Choosing the fabric

Welcome to day 1 of our big 50K celebration Peg Legs Sew Along! With all the amazing things happening this week it was a given that we would sew together the new updated and FREE Peg Legs and add ons patterns.

Let’s get started by selecting the fabric. This step is very important as choosing the right fabric is extremely important ensure proper fit. Weather you choose, double brushed polyester, cotton spandex or performance knit, it is a must to check the vertical and horizontal stretch. The Peg Legs require the use of fabric with 50% horizontal AND vertical stretch. Typically fabric with 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.
  • Nylon spandex / Supplex – great for performance wear. This usually has a higher content of spandex and will feel tighter, much like compression wear.
  • 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.

Our Peg Leg 101 blog is full of useful information for first time Peg makers and not only so be sure to bookmark it.

Have you decided which add on will you be using? So many choices, right? I will be making the color block option with a pockets for this SAL. Make sure you also check out the awesome hacks we have been showing you this past week.

I decided to use a this Cosmic Thunder nylon spandex and accent it with Lime moisture wicking poly spandex (both from Made Whimsy fabric). If you would like to mix and match fabric types I recommend using fabrics with similar weights and stretch. Remember to always prewash your fabric before cutting it! If you’d like to know more about the various types of knit fabrics out there, be sure to check out Knit Types blog here.

Once you decided which fabric(s) you will be using post a picture of them in the Peg Leg SAL Event and hash tag it #pegsalday1

We could not end day 1’s blog without telling about the awesome prizes. Make sure you sew along with us this week and post your daily pictures in the Peg Legs SAL event because 5 lucky winners will be receiving P4P store credit and fabric from our sponsors.

Thank you:

Made Whimsy Fabric

Sew Vagabond

Sly Fox Fabrics

True North Fabrics

Sincerely Rylee

RP Custom Fabrics

Smoogie Fabric and Design

Sitka Fabrics

Star Dust and Moon Beam Textile Company

Levana Fabrics

Midnight Mountain Fabrics

Water Tower Textiles

Droomstoffen

Aurora Designs

Boss Lady Fabrics

Little Bear Fabric and Trim

Sash Fabrics

Rockerbye  Destash

The Fabric Snob

So Sew English

Fabricmail Sweet N Charmed

Phat Quarters, Pretty Posh Prints

Little Ladybug Fabrics.

Spring Mini Capsule Winners

Wow, we have LOVED seeing everyone’s mini capsules they made during the contest! It was amazing to see so many wonderful outfits. Plus doesn’t it feel great being ready for Spring?? If you haven’t finished your mini capsule yet, please continue to work on it and post when you can. We would still love to see what you create 🙂 We enjoyed it so much, we will be hosting another capsule contest in the Fall. Now on to the winners! Winners will be tagged on Instagram and/or Facebook and simply need to email patternsforpirates@gmail.com AND madeformermaids@live.com for their pattern prizes. Fabric and grand prizes just email M4M. Drumroll please…

5 Winners each get to choose 1 pattern of choice from EACH M4M & P4P:

Alicia Zylstra from our FB groups.

@faerieflings from Instagram.

Debbie Brennan‎‎ from our FB groups.

@sillybugzboutique from Instagram.

 

Sara Marie from our FB groups.

 

3 Winners each get to choose 3 patterns from EACH P4P & M4M:

@sewing4sanity on Instagram.

Alyssa Arthur from our FB groups.

Amanda Massicotte Jones from our FB groups.

1 Winner for a $50 store credit to Sincerely Rylee ‎‎Fabric Shop:

@songofgrace on Instagram.

1 Winner for a $50 store credit to Pretty Posh Prints:

Cherie Williamson from our FB groups.‎

1 Winner for a $100 store credit to Knitpop:

Abby Mercer Eason from our FB groups.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER with their choice of a Brother Coverstitch Machine or $100 Joann Fabric Gift Card:

Nicole Joyce from our FB groups. 

CONGRATS to all the winners!! Thank you so much again to our sponsors and everyone who participated! If you blogged about your capsule sewing, please leave a link in the comment section below so we can check it out.

Spring Mini Capsule

We’re rounding out our Spring Mini Capsule Contest that we partnered with Made for Mermaids and I’m here to show you the two I got finished! (I wanted to make four…two got completed 😉 )

Katy , Alex, and Roberta  all shared theirs as well!

I finished up my Little Guy’s spring capsule quick! This totally gave me false hope of  finishing all of them lol! I did mostly tees and shorts since our spring gets pretty hot here in the south. Here was my plan for him.  I ended up leaving the yo-ho henley off for another raglan and the Lumberjack for a muscle tank.  I also didn’t quite make it to any undies…but he really needed the shorts and tees more anyways!  I switched out the joggers for the Cpt. Comfort jeans after finding some adorable striped denim that needed to be used.

I did 3 pairs of Pirate Playground Pants in the shorts length option.

These are a french terry with inseam pockets. I added some top-stitching to the pockets as well.

  Another french terry pair here with inseam pockets and I added a little stripe down the side in the wrong side of the french terry.

And yet another french terry 😉 Can you tell my favorite fabric for the Pirate Playground Pants yet? These are the patch pocket option I added a little band to the pocket with the wrong side of the french terry.

One pair of Cpt. Comfort Jeans that I modified to a shorts length in a striped denim.

And one pair of Swashbuckler Swim Trunks.  I still need to find the perfect drawstring for these!

Tops I did a three Jolly Roger Raglans in short sleeves. Two basic tees in cotton jerseys and one in swim fabric as a rash guard!

I added a Wingman Shirt in a cotton spandex.

And a Muscle Tank too.

We had fun with the silhouette machine and added a few of his favorite things to the plain ones.  The graphic ones took Mama a LOOOOONG time to get drawn out, but Little Guy is over the moon with them so I guess the time was worth it 😉

They can mix and match a bit and now he’s ready for that warm weather! <3 I loved this little challenge and contest so much I told Megan we’ll need to do another in the Fall!

My Little Guy isn’t one for modeling much- so here are a few shots of them on a super silly boy!

 

I also snuck in another mini capsule for a baby shower gift! Hers didn’t mix and match quite as well as a traditional capsule should…but I still thought it was a great little set 🙂

For bottoms I used the Baby Bear Joggers with yoga waistband and cuff options. As well as some quickly drafted size 3 month leggings (as I called Megan complaining her Bonny’s didn’t go down to a small enough baby size 😉 )

I did 3 tops for her.

A Heart Breaker Cami in the plain option.

A Sugar Pie in short sleeves and curved tunic hem option.  I added a cute little vinyl as well.

And a tiny Me Hearties in short sleeve and peplum options. I finished all the edges with a little scallop elastic.

For her layering pieces I did two Butterfly Cardigans.

One in tunic length with tall bands in a ribbed knit.

And one is a very lightweight sweater knit in tunic length and short bands.

I added in two little headbands using M4M knit headband and a little tiny hat too 🙂

Although you can mix and match a bit I paired them together for a few photos of my favorite outfit pairings! <3

The teeny tiny capsule was oh so cute to make and I think mama to be enjoyed it too!

We have absolutely loved seeing everyone’s mini capsules for this contest.  I think it must go down as one of my very favorite contests we’ve done!  Don’t miss out on the rest of the capsules that were shared here: Katy  , Alex and Roberta.

We will be announcing the winner tomorrow!

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