Spring Mini Capsule Winners

April 11, 2017

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

April 10, 2017

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!

#allP4Ptoday winners

March 31, 2017

DECEMBER

And just like that, a new year is almost here. Hope you all had a fantastic holiday season! We couldn’t end the year without announcing our last 2017 #allP4Ptoday winner!

So without further ado…our December winner is:

Laura Van Niejenhuis

Laura has been rocking #allP4Ptoday every month since we started the contest. From casual to party attire, Laura has made them all and looks radiant in them.

Thank you all for a fantastic 2017!🎉 Keep posting your all P4P outfits next year too, we will be watching! 😉

NOVEMBER

Ahoy, pirates! We hope you had a wobbly gobbly Thanksgiving celebration! We saw some awesome P4P outfits being shown off this month. As always choosing only one winner was super hard.

Drumroll…. our latest #allP4Pwinner is Maggie Runyon!

Maggie’s post brought a smile to all the team’s face so we just had to pick her as our November winner. She looks adorable in her Wiggle dress … but little miss stole the show in her Fav tee dress. Congratulations, Maggie!!

We can’t wait to see your holiday all P4P outfits! Use the hashtag #allP4Ptoday so we can spot you!

OCTOBER

Boo! The trick or treating month has come and gone! We absolutely loved seeing you rock the Gone Batty shirt and incorporating P4P in your fall sewing.

Our October #allP4Ptoday winner is…. MAGDELYN GAMBLE !

Magdelyn rocked those Disneyland family outfits! She is definitely an inspiration, she chose the perfect P4P patterns ( Henley, Peg Legs and Sugar Pie) so that everyone was comfortable for the long walks while still being “park ready” and cool.

The Sweetheart dress gets a lot of love from our October winner, she looks absolutley gorgeous in both the dress and the peplum top. Thank you, Magdelyn for sharing your creations with the P4P group.

I can’t wait to see your November entries and how you incorporate P4P in your Thanksgiving sewing. Don’t forget to add the #allP4Ptoday to your posts so we can see YOU when we search for our monthly winner.

SEPTEMBER

And just like that fall is here!!! I think most of you are just as excited as I am for some cooler weather and some pumpkin spice everything.

September P4P group wall was filled with amazing creations! We’ve seen lots of pegs, SOS and cocoons…clear sign of autumn’s arrival. So without further ado….our September #allP4Pwinner is…

JESSIE KILGER!

Jessie rocked her Pegs, SOS, Cocoon Cardigans and Favorite Tees like a boss! I loved how she shows the versatility of our patterns and look adorable doing it.

Keep posting those #allp4ptoday outfits in the P4P group! Maybe October’s winner will be YOU!

AUGUST

Ahoy, pirates! The month of August brought a lot of fantastic #allP4Ptoday outfits. We’ve seen kids going back to school and teachers ready for a brand new school year. One mom and teacher really stood out this month so let’s give a big “Congratulations!” to our August winner…

Britina Gilkey

Britina really brought her A game this past month…check out how many cool #allP4Poufits she posted!

From PSD to Peg legs, she’s done it all! We were just so happy to see all the great posts.

Happy sewing, pirates and remember to hash tag your #allP4Ptoday outfits.

JULY

Another summer month has come and gone. Have you guys started sewing for fall? Personally, I am not quite ready to give up on summer just yet…so when I was scrolling to all the amazing #allP4Ptoday photos one stood out for being what summer is all about.

Our July all P4P today winner is…..

Callie Zerby

Doesn’t Callie look stunning in her Hello Sailor and Siren Swim Top ? We hope you had an amazing birthday party, Callie!

If you’re wearing all P4P, snap a pic, post it in the group and tag it #allP4Ptoday…you may be our next lucky winner!

JUNE

Summer is officially on and so are the #allP4Ptoday outfits! We loved seeing all the light and breezy creations you posted this month and the occasional layered look from our friends down under. You guys were really rocking your P4P this month and we couldn’t be more proud.

Without further ado…the June winner is:…Beth Pannecoucke !

Beth has been showing off her baby bump comfy looks throughout the month so she caught the team’s eye. Just look how adorable she looks in her Favorite Tee and Palazzo short.

From the Cross my Heart Cami to FST and Cocoon Cardi, Beth has been rocking them all!

Don’t forget to hash tag your all P4P outfits post in August too. We look forward to seeing some of your Summer of Wovens creations too!

MAY

Can’t believe we are at the end of May already. Another month has passed and you have all outdone yourself. We’ve seen so many beautiful #allP4Ptoday outfits…you guys really like to make it hard on us to choose the monthly winner.

We’ve seen some spring outfits, some summer ones, even some special event ones. MeMadeMay was big in the Pirates land!

Drumroll….May’s winner is…. Susan Priddy – Fox! Susan has done a beautiful job making her and her daughter’s outfit for such a special event. Congratulations, Susan!

Don’t forget that the #allP4Ptoday contest is ongoing so keep those hashtags coming. You never know, next winner may be YOU!

APRIL

Once again you guys have not made our job easy, but that’s a good thing! We absolutely love seeing all of you rocking P4P outfits. April brought a lot of stunning Easter entries, I wish we could list them all.

Ok, Ok…I won’t make you wait any longer. Our April winner is Emily Merkel! Just look at this cool dude and tell me you can resist his smile. I couldn’t. He is just the cutest showing off his #allP4Ptoday outfit.

Keep those hash tags coming as there will be a winner every month. Happy sewing, pirates!

MARCH

Ohh wow! You guys have not made it easy for us to choose a March winner. We loved seeing you all rocking #allP4Ptoday and everyday.

Without further ado….our March winner is….. Lizzy Price! Lizzy just shines in all her pictures and since I couldn’t choose just one of them, here are a few that stood out. I think she might just be our SOS pants queen 😉

Thank you all who posted during March and don’t forget to keep showing off those P4P outfits. Use hashtag #allP4Ptoday so we can find them and who knows? Maybe YOU will be our April winner. You can read the contest details here.

Spring Women Capsule

March 30, 2017

As I was going though my closet a couple of weeks ago I realized that I barely have any solid color pieces. I made it a point to make more solid clothes so as soon as I learned of the P4P/M4M capsule collaboration plans I knew I have to step up my game and have a plan. I started with building just a start off, mini spring capsule. I chose the pieces based on what I feel most comfortable wearing and what will suit the hot Florida spring.

I made myself sew mostly solids…you have no idea how hard that is when you’re used to making only outfits in bold prints 🙂 . The best thing to consider when building a mini capsule is how the pieces will mix and match together. Try to use solids that will visually complement one another.

If you do want to add print to your capsule, use prints that will include some of your colors in your solid line up. For example, I chose this dandelion Art Gallery cotton spandex for my M4M Chloe skirt because there is white and aqua in the print and the background color complements my capsule tops beautifully.

I highly recommend including a white or black top in your capsule. For my white option I chose the M4M Mama Ava because it’s relaxed fit will work with all my bottom pieces.

Layering pieces are a must when you plan out your capsule. I went with the Free Spirit Tank and a short sleeve Cocoon because I can easily transition them in summer.

The Cross My Heart Cami was a must because…just look how perfect it layers with the Pumpkin Spice Dolman and the Mama Isabel Dress.

I hope my mini capsule inspired you to try one for yourself too. I know now I am even more motivated to make a capsule for my boys. Their closet lacks solid basics pieces even more than mine…but that will change! 🙂

So there you have it…9 pieces…a lot of possibilities.

Don’t forget to check out the P4P/M4M capsule contest for a chance to win some amazing prizes!

Spring Mini Capsule Sewing & Contest

Alex

Spring Mini Capsule Sewing & Contest

March 27, 2017

Hey ya’ll- Judy’s sister, Megan here from Made for Mermaids! Judy and I have been talking about how badly we needed to start sewing warm weather clothes. Our kids have simply outgrown all their Spring (aka Summer in Dallas 😉 ) clothes. While we are constantly sewing for new pattern releases, most the time we’re using prints to show in tutorial and testing photos. Many times pieces end up not making any sense in our wardrobe and I find myself wearing the same staple, simple tops I have in my closet over and over. We decided a mini capsule was the perfect solution!

What is a capsule wardrobe?

It’s a wardrobe made up of really versatile pieces that you completely LOVE to wear. Pieces that are simple; they can be mixed, mashed and worn several different ways. It’s about quickly and effortlessly being able to put an outfit together. Now a full capsule wardrobe is made up of jewelry, shoes, accessories, everything you need to wear on a day to day basis. What we’re going to be doing is sewing 9 staple pieces for your closet. I’m trying to sew 3 mini capsules… I know I know, but we really need these so I’m hoping I can get them all done! One for myself, one for my daughter and one for my son.

How do you plan capsule sewing?

This will be different for everyone, depending on where you live, lifestyle and personal preferences. I can tell you how and what I have chose for our mini capsules. I love to have a board to help me plan. The visual really helps me be able to put it together exactly how I want. Don’t worry, I have FREE Photoshop templates if you’d like to make your own with photos or text. You can also use picmonkey or another editing/collage type site to help you. If you need directions on how to use the template, check the bottom of this post. Simply click each link below and they will download.

M4MWomensCapsuleTemplate

M4MGirlsCapsuleTemplate

M4MBoysCapsuleTemplate

First I decided what pieces I wanted to sew. I looked in my closet (and kid’s) and tried to see what was missing. Now I just typed these out, but you can do more of a suduko style where each row and column make an outfit, so you can REALLY make sure all your pieces can be worn together.

How do you choose patterns?

I choose patterns a few different ways.

1- What do I LOVE to wear and feel GOOD in? What do I find myself always pulling out of the dryer to wear again? Same for my kiddos. I find them asking to wear the same shirts and dresses all the time.

2- What is my wardrobe lacking? Do I need shorts, tanks, tees? We moved last Fall and my daughter’s new school dress code is much more strict than her last. She can’t wear any sleeveless tops or dresses, which throws out 90% of her Spring wardrobe from last year. I know I sound like a broken record… but it’s HOT here in Dallas so I plan on making her a LIGHT cardi to be able to throw over tanks.

3- What will work with the warmer weather? Luckily for both M4M and P4P most our patterns have tons of options with different sleeve and hemlines that can be worn year-round 😉

How do you choose fabrics?

What makes capsules great is they are no fuss. So you don’t want to choose fabrics that clash, but rather coordinate and compliment each other. Think solid or solid-like fabric for most of your mini capsule. What am I talking about with “solid-like”?? A print that reads as a solid to blend the other fabrics together and something that coordinates with the focus fabrics. Think subtle: stripes, dots, heathered, burn-outs, etc. Also think about using different textures, so even if the fabric is solid or plain, it looks different against another piece. Choosing different types of fabrics will help your wardrobe not look or feel too bland. Remember to think about the weather and choose fabrics that won’t feel too warm. I know you know, by now that Dallas is HOT 😉 so I like to use ITY, rayon spandex, rayon challis, georgette, model, bamboo jersey, chiffon and light, open weave sweater knits when moving into warmer weather.

Here is Judy’s mini capsule fabric laid out for her Little Guy! He’s old enough that he wanted to help pick! So, lots of superheros going on, which he considers a neutral 😉 She managed to keep in within a color scheme to help the tops and bottoms coordinate with each other.

How does the contest work?

We have several random participant prizes for you! To enter, all you need to do is sew a 9 piece mini capsule using all M4M and/or P4P patterns…now if you already have a favorite, staple piece you’ve sewn from one of our patterns and MUST have it in your capsule, that’s ok. They can be mash ups or a combo of our patterns. Then post your final capsule in our FB groups (P4P and/or M4M). The final post must be in a collage format. You can also share on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or other sewing/fabric FB groups. You MUST use the hashtag #sewminicapsule and we would love if you would tag M4M and P4P, and use #madeformermaids and/or #patternsforpirates . If you don’t use the hashtag we won’t be able to find your entry! You can sew multiple capsules for yourself and little one/s for more than one entry. Contest ends April 10th. We will have 12 random winners, open to international friends. Are you ready for prizes??

5 winners will get 1 pattern of choice from EACH P4P and M4M.

3 winners will get 3 patterns of choice from EACH P4P and M4M.

1 winner will get a $50 store credit to Sincerely Rylee Fabric Shop.

1 winner will get a $50 store credit to Pretty Posh Prints.

1 winner will get a $100 store credit to Knitpop.

Our grand prize winner will get their choice of a Brother Coverstitch 2340cv OR $100 gift card to Joann Fabric!

We can NOT wait to see what you make! If you have questions, need advice, inspiration, make sure to post in our FB groups, (P4P or M4M) we would LOVE to see what you’re sewing for your capsule!!
How to use the Photoshop templates-

Open file in Photoshop. Download all the photos you may want to put on your board. Click on the layer that says ‘Place Photo Here’. Click “File”, “Place” and then choose the photo you’d like. You can resize the photo by holding Shift and dragging the corners. Repeat with each box. Then save as a photo file so you can share with us!

If you want to just add JUST text to the board, click on the layer that says ‘Place Photo Here’ then add your text there for each box.

If you want to add text on top your photo, add a new layer above the layer that says ‘Place Photo Here’. Then add your text there for each box.

Want some inspiration?? Check out these boards from our team and/or blog contributors!

all p4p today

March 1, 2017

One of our biggest joys is seeing you wear P4P outfits and feeling beautiful! From Slim Fit Raglans to SOS pants, from Timeless Tunics to Free Spirit tanks, we love them all!

Are you wearing head to to P4P today? Will you be rocking a full Patterns for Pirates outfit tomorrow? Post a picture in the Facebook group or on Instagram of your outfit and hash tag it #allP4Ptoday. We will pick our favorite each month. In order to qualify for the contest, the photo must be taken when you’re wearing the outfit, whether it’s at home or out and about. Selfies in the mirror in your sewing room will not count. We want to see you wearing what you’re sewing and love it!😊 The lucky winner will be receiving a P4P pattern of their choice! Sounds fun?

Just in case you need some inspiration here is some of our “all P4P” looks that we rocked this past year.

Pumpkin Spice Dolman and SOS Pants

Sweetheart peplum and pirate Pencil skirt

Boundless maxi dress and Men’s Henley

Essential Tank, Cocoon Cardigan and SOS Pants

Timeless Tunic and pirate Pencil Skirt

Slim Fit Raglan and SOS pants (adjusted for shorts)

Sunshine dress

Mama Bear Joggers and Women’s Henley with faux layers

Essential Tank – dress length

Free Spirit Tank dress with the LMU sleeves hack and the free scarf (available on the blog)

Relaxed Raglan and Peg legs

Sweet Tee dress and Cocoon Cardigan

So get to sewing and show off your outfits, pirates! Don’t forget to hashtag #allP4Ptoday !

Alex

P4P Cardi Week :: Carefree Flannel + Vest Hack

January 28, 2017

The Carefree Cardigan is such a great drape cardigan and as it has a nice loose fit you can easily use it to make a vest and because of the shape of the cardigan it will work in woven. Yep I said it you can make this vest in woven!

This is a super quick hack, start by cutting your 2 front pieces and back out of your flannel and you are going to want to choose the longer length of the two length, you aren’t going to need any of the band pieces for this. Depending on your height you may want to remove or add length. I’m a shorty so I remove a couple of inchs from the bottom and also from the front side as the drape is quite long on me.

Sew your shoulder, skip the sleeves and sew the side seams as per the directions. Now instead of adding bands we are going to hem the armholes and all the way around your neck, down the front and across the bottom. I serged all the way around first to finish the edges. The serged edge gives me a perfect 1/4 inch to flip and iron and then I flipped it one more time so my serged edge was hidden and hemmed all the way around as close to the fold as you can. Another tip is to trim your corners, it just makes them a bit less bulky to hem. Do the exact same process to your armcycles and voila you have perfect draped flannel vest! If you don’t have a serger just use a zig zag stitch to finish the edges. Another cute option would be to fringe the front of your cardigan, you would still need to hem around the neck and down the sides but you can easily just pull the threads along the front and or the bottom till you have the amount of fringe that you would like.

I live in Canada so I really like the extra layer that sleeves add so for this second version I cut the back and sleeves out of a knit and then cut the front pieces in a flannel. I used the exact same construction as above with no bands and just hemmed all the way around and I have another cute cardigan but got to use my warm flannel!

Now go sew up all that gorgeous plaid flannel that you have been hoarding! – Angela Newman

Take a look at our jam-packed schedule of cardigan love!

Saturday, January 21: #P4PCardiWeek Announcement

Sunday, January 22: Cocoon Lace Hems & Butterfly Ruffle

Monday, January 23: Ribbon Tie Closure Hack

Tuesday, January 24: Carefree Cardigan Fringe Hack

Wednesday, January 25: Duster-Length Adjustment

Thursday, January 26: Kimono Ruffle Sleeves + Hem

Friday, January 27: Varsity Sweater Style Hack

Saturday, January 28: Carefree Cardigan Flannel + Vest Hack

Monday, January 30: #P4PCardiWeek Winner Announcement

You can follow along on the blog here, or in our Facebook group. Search #P4PCardiWeek to be able to find our posts all over social media. And please feel free to sew-along with us on one or all of the days. The more the merrier!

But wait, there’s more! We wanted to create a friendly pirate-y competition with our P4P Cardi Week!

Between tomorrow and Saturday, January 28, sew up a Patterns for Pirates cardigan using one of our hacks, or by keeping the pattern as-is. Share your photo with us on Instagram or in our Facebook group and use the tag#P4PCardiWeek We will pick our favorite and the winner will win a free P4P pattern of choice AND be featured on this blog. Fun right?

To make it even better we have put all the cardigan patterns in the shop on sale all week (no code needed)!

Now get out there and sew some cardigans, matey!

P4P Cardi Week:: Varsity Sweater Hack

January 27, 2017

Let’s talk game day attire… I know we have some sports fans in the Facebook group and if your house is anything like mine, it revolves around football. Even if it doesn’t, the Varsity style sweater is a nod to a throwback classic look. Some months back Judy showed us how to add a stripe accent to a raglan sleeve during our #P4PRaglanWeek (read more about it HERE) . Using the same idea, I hacked the Cpt. Mack’s Cardigan to replicate a Varsity sweater.

Print, assemble and cut your pieces as instructed in the pattern.

After looking at a few Varsity style sweaters I decided to go with 2 stripes on the left sleeve only. You can choose a number of different fabrics to use for the stripes. I ended up using a flocked heat transfer vinyl but you could also use knit scraps. Placement of your stripes is your preference depending on size and quantity. My stripes are 3/4″ wide and are placed just below the short sleeve cut line and above the 3/4 sleeve cut line. (Note: the left sleeve is with the back of the sleeve to your right hand side when looking at the fabric with right side up. The elbow patches are show on the pattern piece.)

I also added an applique to the left front body. I used the flocked heat transfer vinyl again and pressed it directly to white knit and then used Heat & Bond Hem Tape to secure in place. Top-stitching is optional but decided to keep it as is. If you choose to add an applique, embroidery or any additional embellishments to the main body, do it prior to construction. It is much easier to add when your pieces are not sewn together yet.

Another design element that I noticed when searching for inspiration was the contrasting pocket bands. Using Patty’s idea during #P4PRaglanWeek (details HERE) I added the feature to the patch pockets.

That’s it! Easy, right?!?! Use your favorite team colors or maybe even your little one’s school colors for the perfect school pride cardi. This of course can be used to hack the women’s Grandpa Cardi as well.

We’re nearing the end of the #P4PCardiWeek but be sure to take a look at our jam-packed schedule of cardigan love!

Saturday, January 21: #P4PCardiWeek Announcement

Sunday, January 22: Cocoon Lace Hems and Butterfly Ruffle

Monday, January 23: Ribbon Tie Closure Hack

Tuesday, January 24: Carefree Cardigan Fringe Hack

Wednesday, January 25: Duster-Length Adjustment

Thursday, January 26: Kimono Ruffle Sleeves + Hem

Friday, January 27: Varsity Sweater Style Hack

Saturday, January 28: Carefree Cardigan Flannel + Vest Hack

Monday, January 30: #P4PCardiWeek Winner Announcement

But wait, there’s more! We wanted to create a friendly pirate-y competition with our P4P Cardi Week!

To make it even better we have put all the cardigan patterns in the shop on sale all week (no code needed)!

Now get out there and sew some cardigans, matey!

P4P Cardi Week : Grandpa Cardi in Duster Length

January 25, 2017

After spending way too much time browsing for sewing inspiration online, one of the biggest trends I’ve notice is the amount of long cardigans, also known as the duster length. While the original duster length was worn by the adventurous horsemen of the Wild West, I’ve decided to put a Pirate’s twist on it by using the Grandpa Cardigan. And what’s not to love about the Grandpa Cardi? It’s cozy, the perfect layering accessory, and always stylish! With a few quick and easy mods to the pattern, you too will be ready to join in on one of the hottest trends!

Determining Length
First you will need to determine how long you want your duster. For me, I chose to have it hit right around my mid-calf. I measured from my underarm to mid-calf, which was a distance of 40″ (I’m 5’7″ for reference).

Adding Length to Back and Bodice Pieces
To add my length, I traced the pattern as is, using the tunic cut length. I then placed my tape measure from the bottom of the armcyce to the edge of the tunic cut line on the front bodice piece. For an XS, this measurement was 23″, meaning that I needed to add an additional 17″ in length (you will want to measure this distance if you are using a different size). I then drew a line 17″ down from the tunic cut line, keeping these two lines parallel. Once the line was drawn, I connected the new duster length cut line perpendicular to the original pattern. Repeat this step on the back piece.

Adding Length to Collar
The Grandpa Cardi is very easy adjust the length of the collar. The band is only stretched around the neckline, while there is a 1:1 ratio below the slight V. Since I added 17″ in length, I added this same amount at the end of each collar piece from the tunic cut line. This will not alter the part of the band that needs to be stretched, only add to the section that is 1:1.

Finishing Duster Cardi
Once you have lengthened all pieces (and cut out your sleeves), assemble the pattern as per the tutorial.

And if you needed a little more inspiration, the Duster happens to pair amazingly well with the Boyfriend V-neck! You should probably just grab that one as well if you don’t already have it! Make sure to check out the bottom of the page to read about what the other ladies have in store for you during #P4PCardiWeek. ~ Erinn

Take a look at our jam-packed schedule of cardigan love!

Saturday, January 21: #P4PCardiWeek Announcement

Sunday, January 22: Cocoon / Butterfly Ruffle + Lace Hems

Monday, January 23: Ribbon Tie Closure Hack

Tuesday, January 24: Carefree Cardigan Fringe Hack

Wednesday, January 25: Duster-Length Adjustment

Thursday, January 26: Kimono Ruffle Sleeves + Hem

Friday, January 27: Varsity Sweater Style Hack

Saturday, January 28: Carefree Cardigan Flannel + Vest Hack

Monday, January 30: #P4PCardiWeek Winner Announcement

But wait, there’s more! We wanted to create a friendly pirate-y competition with our P4P Cardi Week!

To make it even better we have put all the cardigan patterns in the shop on sale all week (no code needed)!

Now get out there and sew some cardigans, matey!

P4P Cardi Week :: Carefree Cardigan Fringe Hack

January 24, 2017

So you’ve been perusing Pinterest and you see all of those must have, trendy fringe cardigans. Now you’re looking at your library of sewing patterns and wondering which one can you easily hack into one of those gorgeous cardigans for yourself? Well here is a tutorial to show you how to easily transform the Patterns for Pirates Carefree Cardigan into a DIY fringe cardigan! Follow along to find out how easy this look is to achieve. At the end I have added the option to attach a button closure too!

First things first, which fabric should you use? My favorite knit fabrics to use for this purpose are knit fleece, closed weave brushed hacci sweater knit or a light-medium weight poly rayon spandex french terry. That said, you could do this with pretty much any knit. Be careful of really loose weave sweater knits though (the ones you can see through). They may fall apart on you during the fringe creation.

Step 1: Whatever you do, DON’T SKIP THIS. Before you make your fabric selection and begin cutting out your garment pieces, test out how the fabric is going to look once fringed. To do this make a few ½” wide by 6” deep cuts perpendicular to the selvedge edge. Tie a couple of these strips into a knot together just as it will be done on the finished cardigan. Some knits will stay structured; some will come close to falling apart. It is important to test the fabric to determine if your chosen fabric is going to give you a desired look.

Step 2: Cut out all pieces of your Carefree Cardigan for a ‘neckband only’ version, except for the neckband. For the neckband you are going to cut out a band half the cut chart width plus a seam allowance of 1/2″ for hemming.

Step 3: Assemble your cardigan as directed by the Carefree Cardigan pattern tutorial with the exception of the neckband. You are attaching the neckband without folding it in half to form a closed band. You want an open raw edged band.

Step 4: Using your sewing or coverstitch machine, you will then hem the long exposed edge of the neckband and along the bottom hem. Use a 1/2”” hem width here. You want it thin so that it doesn’t become bulky when you create the fringe. Lastly, hem the sleeves as directed by the pattern.

Step 5: Lay your cardigan out on your cutting mat, lining up the unfinished edge along a straight measurement line on your mat. Decide how wide you would like your fringe to be. Take your scissors and cut strips about 6” deep along the entire length of your cardigan front, every ½-1”. I chose to cut ½” strips. Go back and seam rip the hems on the bottom and top strips that you have now cut into fringe strips. You may want to add some reinforcement stiching to the hem stitches at the beginning and end just before it turns into fringe.

Step 6: The last step is to finish the fringe edge. This is done by tying the base of the strips into knots all down the front. Decide how many strips you would like to be knotted together to create some separation. I chose to knot 2 strips together down the entire length of my cardigan.

If you choose not to add a button closure you are now all finished!

OPTIONAL Button Closure

Step 7: Following Judy’s lead in her Carefree Cardigan Button blog tutorial, I chose to add a button to mine to finish off the look. To do this I put on my cardigan and played with different variations of button placement; to decide how I wanted the cardigan to be styled. I settled on adding a 1” shoulder button.

[center button placement]

[shoulder button placement]

Step 8: Once you have decided on placement, mark it. A lot of the time I like to use dry erase crayons to mark placement. The mark is easily visible on any fabric and it stays put until you throw your garment in the wash. Mark the button location both on the overlapping bodice front and the under lapping bodice front.

[dry erase crayon]

Step 9: Use your sewing machine to create a buttonhole on the overlapping bodice front in the top corner. If you are using an oversized button or do not have an automatic buttonhole presser foot for your machine see Judy Hale’s post HERE. Carefully cut open the buttonhole with your seam ripper.

[automatic buttonhole presser foot]

Step 10: Now attach your button with your sewing machine or by hand on the under lapping bodice shoulder where you have placed a marking. Try it on and adjust button placement if necessary.

All done!

Keep your eyes peeled for some other fun tutorials the ladies at Patterns for Pirates have prepared for you this week! Be sure to read all the way through the end of this post to find out about the contest we have running this week!

-Kelly Bailey

P4P Blog Contributor

Take a look at our jam-packed schedule of cardigan love!

Saturday, January 21: #P4PCardiWeek Announcement

Sunday, January 22: Cocoon Lace Hems and Butterfly Ruffle

Monday, January 23: Ribbon Tie Closure Hack

Tuesday, January 24: Carefree Cardigan Fringe Hack

Wednesday, January 25: Duster-Length Adjustment

Thursday, January 26: Kimono Ruffle Sleeves + Hem

Friday, January 27: Varsity Sweater Style Hack

Saturday, January 28: Carefree Cardigan Flannel + Vest Hack

Monday, January 30: #P4PCardiWeek Winner Announcement

But wait, there’s more! We wanted to create a friendly pirate-y competition with our P4P Cardi Week!

Between tomorrow and Saturday, January 28, sew up a Patterns for Pirates cardigan using one of our hacks, or by keeping the pattern as-is. Share your photo with us on Instagram or in our Facebook group and use the tag #P4PCardiWeek. We will pick our favorite and the winner will win a free P4P pattern of choice AND be featured on this blog. Fun right?

To make it even better we have put all the cardigan patterns in the shop on sale all week (no code needed)!

Now get out there and sew some cardigans, matey!

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

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

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

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

1 Winner for a $100 store credit to Knitpop:

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

What is a capsule wardrobe?

How do you plan capsule sewing?

How do you choose patterns?

How do you choose fabrics?

How does the contest work?

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