Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

Naughty Nice + Sugar Spice PJs :: Easy Hacks

Our newest pajama patterns are just so perfect for the holiday season, aren’t they? So if it’s a party, let’s make it a pajama party with some easy hacks that will add even more options to the Naughty Nice and Sugar Spice PJs you’ll be making.

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Zipper

 

Let’s start by switching the front of the Naughty Nice pajamas from a button/snap placket to a fun zipper. Fear not, it’s super easy! I personally find the zipper to take less time than adding all the snaps or buttons. Grab a 9″ zipper and let’s get started.

Sew the pajama as instructed in the tutorial, except for the neckband. You won’t be using the one in the tutorial, you’ll make a new neckband.

Lay your zipper right side down on the front opening. The to of the sipper will be at the curve. Sew it as close to the zipper teeth as possible. Using a zipper foot will make this easy.

Repeat the process on the other side of the zipper.

On the wrong side of the fabric, sew a straight stitch where the fabric and zipper meet and remove excess zipper.

Now that we added the zipper we need to create a new neckband. With the zipper closed measure the neck opening. I like to lay mine flat but you can measure anyway you feel comfortable.

Cut your neckband 85% of the neckline opening plus 1″ for seam allowance by 2.5 inches. Fold your neckband widthwise and round your open edge to resemble a henley neckband. Open then neckband and fold it lengthwise, wrong sides together. Give it a good press and mark the back and the quarter points.

Mark the quarter points on the neckline opening. With the zipper open, pin (or clip) the neckband in place.

Attach the neckband using a stretch stitch. Optionally, top stitch. I actually like to topstitch around the neckline and zipper right now, using a continuous stitch.

All done! You can use the same technique to add a front zipper to the Sugar and Spice PJs too. You will just have to adjust the zipper length.

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Lace Up Front

Want to spice up the naughty version or just want some extra fun detail? Instead of snaps or buttons, use grommets/eyelets on the front neckline.  Use as many or as little as you prefer.  I chose to do 4 spaced about 1.5″ apart.  Use drawstring, ribbon, lace or our knit fabric to create the string and lace it up!

 

 

 

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Hood

When I was searching for inspiration for my Naughty Nice PJs, I kept coming across hooded versions of this same style pajama.  I’m not sure how comfortable a hood would be to sleep in, but to have a little extra coziness around you while you’re lounging around?  Sign me up!  Plus, I think this pattern will translate so amazingly well for costumes next Halloween, and a hood is always a good thing to be able to attach for those as well.

You can use your favorite hood piece from any pattern.  I chose to use the Women’s Henley hood piece.

Assemble your hood piece like you normally would.  I chose not to line mine and hem it instead.

You’ll need to take two measurements:
— The width of the bottom edge of your hood, where it will attach to your PJs.
— The full length of the neckline + placket opening.

You won’t be using the neckband piece that comes with the pattern.  Instead, you’ll need to do a little more math.

(Neckline Opening Measurement – Hood Width Measurement) / 2 + 1″ Seam Allowance

This will give you your new placket piece length.  You’ll want two of them, for either side of the openings.

With your placket pieces folded in half (wrong sides together), pin it along the front placket opening and stitch.  Repeat with the second placket piece on the opposite side.  Follow the instructions just like the Naughty Nice / Sugar Spice patterns call for, to finish the bottom of your placket pieces.

With right sides together, align your hood piece along the raw edges of the neck opening.  Pin and stitch.  You’re done!

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Leg Placket

 

The last easy hack we wanted to show you is geared towards the Sugar and Spice. We all know how changing a bitty’s diaper can be difficult when they get all wiggly, especially in the middle of the night. So I wanted to show you how to add leg plackets to make changing a little easier.

Make the pajamas as instructed in the tutorial but do not stitch the inseam. Instead, add the cuffs flats, right sides together.

Once you add the cuffs, your pajama legs will look like this.

Open the PJ legs and measure the front and back inseams.

Cut two strips of fabric and interfacing that will be the measured length plus 1″ by 2″ width. Add the interfacing to the placket, fold and press lengthwise.

Fold the placket pieces right sides together and sew a stitch along each short end. Use a 1/2″ seam allowance. Cut the seam allowance to about 1/8″ and turn outside out. Press.

Pin each placket strip to the leg opening, making sure you match the front placket to the front opening and the back placket to the back.

Stitch in place and top stitch. If you used a serger to add your plackets, take a look over this blog to see how to finish the serger tails.

All you have to do now is add your snaps. Space them about 1 – 1.5″ apart from each other.

All done! Now you have easy diaper change Sugar Spice Pajamas!

There you have it, 4 easy hacks to give your pajamas even more options! We can’t wait to see what your Naughty Nice and Sugar Spice Pajamas will be. Post your creations in the P4P group!

Alex, Nicole and Katy

SOS Knit Pants -easy hacks

Not only did the SOS Knit Pants get a facelift but we also released the mini version and added a few easy hacks. Here are some of the P4P team’s favorite mods you can do to get even more looks.

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Moto Hack

 

The SOS Knit Pants have been around awhile and there seems to be a never-ending request for a Moto style option.  With the revamp of the original pattern, we thought, what better time to take the Moto for a spin.  Rather than trying to make you figure out the pieces on your own, we decided to provide a full step by step tutorial, including pattern pieces…for FREE!  You can “purchase” the Moto Hack HERE.   These are definitely not a “quick-sew”, so be prepared to spend some time stitching all those pin-tucks, but seriously… how amazing are the final results!  (This is for the women’s version only at this time but don’t worry…we plan on releasing the same hack for the girls’ soon!)

 

 

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Contour Waistband

Admit it, you’ve been thinking about using the Peg Legs contour waistband that’s included in the free Add-On with all our pants patterns, haven’t you? Well, I have, so I wanted to show you how easy it is to replace the SOS elastic waistband with the contour one.

Cut your SOS Knit Pants fabric pieces without the elastic and the knit waistband. Print and cut the contour waistband included in the Peg Legs Add-On. Sew the knit pants and the contour waistband as instructed in their respective tutorials.

Tip: If you would like the extra tummy control you can add a layer of power mesh in between the lining and the main fabric of the contour waistband.

For my contour waistband, I used custom brushed poly so it is pretty thick. The lining is the same fabric so I did not add any power mesh.

Attach the contour waistband to the SOS pants the same way you would attach it to the Peg Legs.

Tadah! All done. All you have left to do now is enjoy your new contour waistband SOS knit pants.

Note: please note that the rise on the contour waistband SOS will finish a little higher than the original pattern.

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Shorts

SOS Knit Shorts is one of the most popular requests and probably one of the easiest modifications.  Determine your desired inseam and preferred hem allowance.  I chose to keep the 1″ hem (1/2″ folded twice) as shown in the pattern and a  5″ inseam.

Measure the length of your inseam, starting 1/2″ from the pattern line (for seam allowance) to your desired length.  Draw a horizontal line across the leg for both front and back.  Now that you have adjusted your inseam length we will make our hem gauge for the hem. Cutting the outward notch will allow the hem to lay flat once folded.  The angle of the gauge should be a mirror image of the seam just above it so that when its turned under it will lay flush.  Again, my hem allowance is 1″, if you choose to do a narrower or wider hem, you will want to make your hem gauge to match the same length of your hem allowance. This is super easy and can be done both skinny and straight leg options.  Now, you can customize your pants to any shorts length!

 

 

 

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Button/Snap Waistband

 

 

Most of the time, everyone raves about a “jean” with an elastic waistband that was accomplished with the SOS… I mean, other than leggings or sweats, what could possibly be more comfortable and look like real pants?  With a few simple steps, we’re going to transform the SOS to mimic real pants with a semi-functional waistband to give you an even more RTW jean/pant look!

 

First, add 1″ to the waistband and elastic measurements.  You’ll need that little extra so that the waistband overlaps one another.  Construct you pants as instructed in the tutorial except as follows:

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Zipper Accents

The SOS just screamed for a zipper detail so I made myself a pair using some pretty decorative lace zippers. Here’s how to achieve this look.

Print and cut the SOS knit pants pattern pieces and grab two lace zippers. I used 9″ ones. I did cut a calf length instead of the pattern’s ankle length because I had a remanent of this grey athletic fabric that I really, really wanted to use. It’s very easy to make 3/4 length SOS pants…just cut both the front and the back leg at the calf marking instead.

Using a fabric pen or tailor chalk, mark the top of the zipper on both the front and back side seam.

We will now be changing the construction of the pants a little. Sew the pockets and crotch curves as instructed in the tutorial. Sew the inseam next. Hem your SOS pants using a coverstitch or twin needles.

Now that the inseam and hem are done, you will sew the side seams. Using your serger or a stretch stitch sew the side seam, front and back, right sides together and STOP AT THE MARKED POINT. Using a basting stitch, sew from the marked point to the hem.

Place your zipper on the right side of the pants and pin pit n place. It is important to have the zipper teeth on the side seam.

Remove the basting stitches to make it easier to sew the zipper in place.

Using a zipper foot and a straight stitch, sew the zipper on, making sure you fold the lace under the hem.

All done! Now go to Pinterest for some more zipper skinnies inspiration, order yourself some lace zippers and get creating!

 

How’s that for more options? We hope you love the hacks as much as we do.  Sew up a pair of SOS Knit Pants using one of our hacks?  Be sure to share in the Facebook Group or tag us on Instagram (@patternsforpirates).

 

Alex, Katy & Nicole

Tulip Tee Easy Hacks + 100k Sale-A-Bration Day 6!

The Tiny Tulip and the Tulip Tee are not only free but also packed with options. Well that didn’t stop the P4P blog contributors team to show you some easy hacks that will give you even more looks.

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Ruffle on girls tee

Adding a ruffle is so easy and gives such a cute look! The tulip is a long hemline to add one, so keep that in mind when picking how wide and gathered you’re making it.  I choose to make mine just one layer (not folded) with a raw edge so keep it from being heavier on her. I also wish I would’ve not gathered the under tulip section in hindsight! So, learn from me and do the top section that hides under not gathered 🙂 to keep it flatter underneath and lighter as well.

I quickly measured my hemline and doubled, plus a bit extra for wiggle room.  I cut a few strips to that length and the width I wanted. Another thing to think about is how wide the ruffle will be on the shoulder (you don’t want it wider than the shoulder piece once attached).  Mine is about 2″ finished.

Seam the strips together and gather using your favorite gathering method.  If you need more guidance in gathering here is our blog post with a few ways we like to gather: www.patternsforpirates.com/easy-gathering-methods .  I used my serger to gather this time.

With right sides together, pin the ruffle to the hemline of the shirt. This is where I would advice to pull the ruffle flat along the top edge of one tulip piece so that it is flat on the under layer instead of completely ruffled like mine.

Stitch on.  You can top-stitch if you prefer; I didn’t only to keep from adding anymore weight to the top since I was using a light weight rayon spandex.

Complete the shirt as the tutorial instructs.  Take some cute pictures!

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Banded tulip option

We know some of you are not be fans of hemming 😉 so I wanted to show you how easy it is to add a band to the Tulip Tee. Simply sew the side seams as instructed and then measure the bottom raw edge.

It is easier to fold the shirt along the back fold and measure as shown below then multiply by two.

You will cut the band 2″ by the length of the raw edge. For sizes 4T and smaller you may get away with only one band out of the width of fabric. For bigger sizes, including the women ones you will need to cut the 2-3 band pieces. You can either cut two pieces plus seam allowance and have a seam on the center back or you can cut 3 band pieces, 2″ by the length of the tulip raw edge and one 2″ the length of the back bottom raw edge.

Fold the band length wise, wrong sides together and press. Pin in place the band along the raw edge of the tulip and back bottom. Sew or serge in place with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Optionally top stitch. Press and steam iron and continue sewing as per the tutorial.

All done! Super easy, right? Please note that this method will yield a shirt that is 1/2″ longer than the original length.

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Bands on short sleeves

Hate hemming?  Then this hack is for you!  Adding bands instead of hemming is a great alternative way to finish raw edges.  If you’ve sewn other shirts you’ve likely done this technique before; it’s very easy to calculate on your own.

 

You’re done!  No hemming needed. 🙂

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Faux cami layer

Love the look of wearing a camisole under your tulip tee but don’t want to wear and another layer? Adding a faux cami to the tulip back option is an easy hack that offers a little more coverage and takes only a few quick minutes.


For this easy hack you will need to cut both the two tulip back pieces and a plain back piece. Begin by taking the plain back piece and pressing raw edge of bottom hem 1/2” up to wrong side. Hem.

With right sides together, place one tulip bodice on the plain bodice. Pin or clip in place. Repeat with opposite side tulip bodice. Place the plain back piece right side down on top of the front/tulip pieces, matching side seams.

Pin or clip in place. Stitch side seams and then continue on finishing your top as instructed in the pattern tutorial. That’s the whole hack, simple as that!

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Tank

 

 

With a couple of small modifications, you can turn the Tulip Tee in to a Tank.

 

Using the tulip crossover piece as a guide for the shoulder width, mark and draw a vertical line to the bottom of the dolman sleeve opening and then draw a horizontal line from the bottom of the dolman sleeve opening to your previously drawn line (shown in red).  Next, using a french curve, draw the armscye from the shoulder seam to the bottom of the dolman sleeve, but stopping at the side seam to remove the “wing” of the dolman. (shown in blue).   Sew up your top as per the tutorial.  To finish the armholes, I chose to hem 1/2″.  This will give you a more open and lower armhole.  If you prefer to band them, use the same method Elisabeth did above, when adding bands to the short sleeve. (Armband = 2″ by .085 of the opening +1″ seam allowance).

 

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Tulip Cowl 

We all love a cozy sweater and I couldn’t resist replicating this boutique style top that has been circulating the sewing groups lately. Our Tulip Tee and Tiny Tee were the perfect base. For the Cowl piece I used our Raglan Add-On Cowl and Jolly Roger Add-On Cowl pieces.  I did not make any changes here for the size Large or Size 4 youth, but just throwing caution in the wind, check your pieces so that the neckline of the Tulip body and the cowl equal one another before cutting in to your beloved sweater knits.  I did not check each size to confirm they all fit exactly.

Sew up both the tulip top and Cowl pieces as instructed in their respective tutorials.

Women’s Tab Piece: 11″ x 3″

Youth Tab Piece: 7″ x 3″ (Note: I made a size 4, so you may need to adjust the length of the tab. Subtract 1″ from the height of the cowl pattern piece to determine the length.  You can adjust it longer or shorter depending how tight you want the tab around the cowl)

Tadah!

 

If you love our Tulip Hacks as much as we do, be sure to hop on over to our Facebook Group and share with us!

 

 

P4P Maternity Wear :: Hack & Tips

Today I’ll be talking about P4P patterns and maternity!  We got lots of questions in the Facebook group about what kinds of patterns can be used for maternity as-is and what kind of modifications or hacks can be done in order to make patterns maternity friendly.  I’ll go over a categorization for P4P patterns and which ones can be worn both pre, during, and post maternity and how to do a simple hack to make most other knit top/dress/swim patterns accommodate a bump.

For links to all patterns, check out the women’s section of the shop.

Pattern Breakdown

No Modifications Needed

These patterns should work for most women for a majority of pregnancy, if not the whole way.  Some women may prefer more ease than others.

  • Cocoon Cardigan
  • Free Spirit Tank
  • Grandpa Cardi
  • Pumpkin Spice Dolman
  • Relaxed Raglan
  • Summer Kimono
  • Carefree Cardigan
  • Boho Babydoll
  • RagDoll Raglan
  • Boundless Knit Dress
  • Peg Legs with Maternity Add-On
  • Siren Swim Top
  • Favorite Tee (earlier pregnancy)
  • Everyday Elegance Top (earlier pregnancy)
  • Go To Jacket (earlier pregnancy)
  • Pirate Pencil Skirt (earlier pregnancy)

Here’s examples of how these some of these patterns fit with no mods on a 22 week bump!

Simple Hack Suggested

For most women, a simple hack I’ll show you below should make these patterns pregnancy-friendly.  Disclaimer: Some women have had success wearing some of these patterns without any mods during pregnancy, or towards the beginning of pregnancy.  Personal body shape, fabric choice and fit preference will play a large role in this.  I would suggest using the hack in general because they will likely fit better this way.

  • Essential Tank
  • Slim Fit Raglan
  • Sweet Tee
  • Layer Me Up Shirt
  • Favorite Tee
  • Wiggle Dress
  • Cross My Heart Cami
  • Women’s Henley
  • Boyfriend V-Neck

Not Suggested for Maternity Wear

  • Timeless Tunic
  • Brunch Blouse
  • Sweetheart Dress
  • Sunshine Dress
    • Could possibly work very early pregnancy.
  • Hello Sailor Swim Bottoms

Simple Maternity Hack

Before you cut into your fabric, you will want to double check your measurements because they will definitely be in flux during pregnancy.  To ensure the best fit, choose the size that you currently measure, not just your pre-pregnancy size.

Here’s what you will need:

  • Desired pattern to hack
  • Any required notions for pattern chosen
  • Layer Me Up Maternity Add-On
  • 1/4″ elastic

For this tutorial, I chose to show how to use the Layer Me Up Maternity Add-On with the Essential Tank.

After you’re done making the changes to your pattern, add the elastic as shown in the Layer Me Up Add-On instructions.  Then, finish sewing up your desired pattern as per those instructions.  That’s it!  Use these same guidelines to combine the add-on with any of the patterns shown on the Simple Hack Suggested list above.

As a bonus, I’ll also point out that knit pants with an elastic waist can be easily adjusted for under-belly maternity wear by slightly decreasing the rise.  (See this post for more info on adjusting the rise.)  I lowered the rise about 1.5″ on the front of the Mama Bear Joggers to make these shorts maternity-friendly.

Feel free to try this out with any knit P4P shorts or pants.  You could try it with woven pants as well, if you are more adventurous as this may require more adjusting.  Don’t forget the Peg Legs have the Maternity Add-On as well, which works perfectly!

With just a little hacking, a lot of patterns can easily be made maternity friendly.  Happy sewing!

 

So Classic Sundress Hacks

The So Classic Sundress has released so grab your favorite wovens and sew yourself or your little ones a pretty dress. In true P4P fashion we have gathered some easy hacks that you can make to the So Classic Sundress that will give you even more options than the many included in the pattern.

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Gathered Thick Straps

The first hack we have for you is a gathered strap. If you would like a little more shoulder coverage or just want a fun new option, this hack is for you. Cut your dress as per the pattern instruction and simply cut the straps wider. For youth 3M to 4 you will be cutting the straps 7″ wide by the length given in the pattern. For 5 to 14, your straps will be 8″ by the length. If you are making this hack for the women’s dress then your new width will be 8″ (XXS-S), 9″ (M-XXL) and 10″ (1x-3x). The length will be the one listed in the tutorial.

Fold the straps lengthwise, right sides together and stitch with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Trim the SA to 1/4″, press open and turn the straps inside out. Press and optionally top stitch.

Sew two gathering stitches at the top and bottom of the straps. One should be about 1/4″ away from the raw edge and the other 5/8″ away.

Pull the gathering stitches so the  straps are 3/4″ wide for sizes 3m to 4. Your finished gathered straps will be 1″ ( for 5-12 and xxs – xs), 1.25″ (m – xxl) and 1.5″ (1x-3x).

Repeat this step for all raw edges of the straps.

Continue sewing the dress as shown in the tutorial. Tadah! you have a brand new option added to the So Classic Sundress repertoire.

 

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Skirt

For this hack, we’re going to do something that we love to do to our dresses- create separates. In this case, we’re creating a classic style woven skirt using the bottom portion of your So Classic Sweetheart dress. This is a great hack for everyday wear or more professional look as well.

To begin, you will want to decide which version of the skirt you would like, plain front or button up, along with length. Once you’ve decided, you will want to cut out your skirt pieces as given in the tutorial chart. The only change you will need to make is to your waistband. You will want to double the length when cutting it out.

To assemble the waistband, begin by stitching your waistband pieces together using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

If you are making the button placket, you will now have a long waistband piece, that is constructed in the following order: front waistband, back waistband, front waistband. If you are making the plain front, you should have a tube. Trim seams and press open.

Fold waistband in half lengthwise, with wrong sides together. If desired, you can top stitch 1/8″ from top of waistband. Baste only your back waistband piece together.

Cut your piece of elastic to the appropriate length given in the tutorial chart. Using a safety pin or other tool, pull your elastic through the back waistband casing.

You will now stitch in the ditch at the waistband seams to hold elastic in place.

Your waistband is now ready to be attached to the skirt! Follow the directions as given in the tutorial and begin to enjoy that gorgeous skirt you just created!

~ Nicole and Erinn

(Nicole is wearing the button placket skirt and Erinn is wearing the plain front version)

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Ties Straps

I’m here to show you a super simple tie strap hack! This hack is great for tiny babies who are more difficult to get dressed, a grow with me length of strap that is super quick and easy, a way to get the perfect strap length every time, and of course, just another adorable detail to change the look up a bit.

Start by cutting 4 halter straps rather than just 2.

Follow the tutorial to finish the straps just as the halter straps are finished.

For placement use the suggested placement for the regular/traditional straps.

Finish constructing bodice and dress just as the tutorial instructs.

Enjoy the adorable bows on the shoulders!

Judy

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Simple Belt

 

While browsing Pinterest I saw a dress very similar to the So Classic Sundress that featured a real belt instead of a waistband so I knew I had to make a simple one and show you how to make your own belts.

Start by gathering your supplies. You will need fabric, any woven fabric will work, belt hardware (that I actually upcycled from an old one) and grommets.

Cut a strip of fabric 4 inches wide by 50-60″ long depending on the size you’re making.

Fold the fabric lengthwise with the right sides together and sew around the raw edge leaving a 2-3″ opening. Turn the belt with the right side out, topstitch around the edges so you close the opening and give it sturdiness.

Using a fabric marker or chalk, draw a 3/4″ line about 1.5″ away from the edge. This will be your buttonhole marking.

Sew a buttonhole using your buttonhole attachment. If you need a refresher on buttons and button holes check out the P4P University blog here.

Add the belt hardware as shown in the pictures below and sew in place. Optionally you can slide one additional metal belt loop on the belt.

Take the other side of the belt and mark your grommets positions. Make sure that you add your grommets to the right side of the belt so it matches the other end. I like mine spaced 2″ apart. Try the belt on to see if you need to add any additional grommets.

There you have it! You made your very own belt. Now think about all the fabric possibilities! 🙂

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Bow front

 

Adding a bow can be another way to add a pop of color or a cute detail to your dress. We’ve shown it here for the girls, but you could easily add this to the women’s as well using the same methods.

You will want to begin by cutting your rectangular bow pieces. You will need two rectangles. To determine the width, follow the graphic below (this is just a guide, you can make your bow wider or narrower, based on preference). For the length, you will want to make sure that it is wide enough to tie and fit across the bodice piece. It’s ok if it is too long, as you can always trim it down later.

Taking one of your rectangles, fold it in half with right sides together. Stitch, using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Repeat with other bow. Next, cut a “v” notch from the top of each piece, as shown below. Press seam allowance open.

Holding the bow slightly open, it should create a tube. You will want to align the stitched edge with the opposite side now, to create the curved edges of your bows (the seam should now be in the middle rather than the edge). Stitch around the curve, using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Repeat on other bow.

Trim along the curve’s seam allowance using either pinking sheers or scissors.
* If using scissors, make small cuts into the seam allowance, making sure to not cut through stitches. This will help your curve to lay smoother.

Using your favorite turning tool, turn bows inside out, smoothing out the edges and press. Top stitch if desired.

Taking your center bodice piece, position each bow and baste into place (make sure to leave enough length to tie the bow, as shown in the next step!). Trim any excess length. Attach side pieces as directed in tutorial.

You now have two options- You can either tie the bow in a simple knot, like this. 

Or, another option is to create a center tie to hold the bows together. If using this method, you will not need as much length when you baste your bows.

You will want to begin by creating a small tube. Cut a rectangular piece 2″ width and approximately 6″ long. Fold in half, right sides together, and stitch using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Press seam allowance open and turn tube right sides out. Press, making sure that the seam is in the middle back of the tie.

Overlap your bows and wrap the center piece around them.

Stitch across the center piece to create a loop (as shown where pin is placed above). Trim any extra length that you might have and rotate the seam to behind the bow. Finish dress as per tutorial.

~ Erinn

Piping

If you know me you know I’m a huge piping fan, store bought piping that is. If I can add it to a dress I will, so it is only normal that I added it to the So Classic Sundress.

After cutting your pattern pieces as instructed you will add the piping to the desired seams. I love it at the princess seams and the sweetheart neckline. You could add piping to the straps, the waistband and even the bottom hem if you’d like. I would not recommend adding piping to the back as piping doesn’t look nice gathered.

Sew the piping to the center princess seams using a zipper foot. Store bought piping are smaller than the 1/2″ SA included in the pattern so place it a little bit away from the edge.

Sew the princess seams with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Take the front of the bodice and pin in place the piping at the raw edge. Start 1/2″ away from the side seam and stop 1/2″ away for the other side seam as shown below.

Sew in place and continue the dress construction as per the tutorial.

Such a fun detail and so easy to add!

 

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No Waistband

 

You might have noticed above that I skipped the waistband piece on the bodice. This is such an easy hack. All you have to do is use the lining pieces as the main piece. So you will be cutting two front linings (one in the main fabric and one in the lining), four front side linings (2 sets of mirrored pieces with the lining fabric and two with the main fabric) and two back lining pieces (one in the lining and one in the main fabric).

You can make this hack for all straps options and for both women and girls. 🙂

 

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Shirred back

The So Classic Sundress feature elastic casing at the back bodice but if you or your little one prefer the feel of shirring or would just like an extra option you can do that so easily. Construct the bodice as shown in the pattern and skip cutting the elastic pieces. and creating the casings and replace with shirring.

All you have left to do now is shirr the back using elastic thread. Follow the tips in the Shirring 101 blog we have for you as part of our P4P University. Easy peasy!

 

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Adjustable Straps

The pattern includes standard or suggested strap lengths, but some may prefer to have adjustable straps.  I adjusted the width of my straps to do spaghetti style and used “lingerie” sliders from Joann Fabrics.  There are wider width sliders and rings available from various shops (such as Bra-Makers Supply) if you prefer to keep a wider strap to cover your bra straps.

Cut 2 longer straps (these will be the adjustable section ) and then 2 short straps (this will be attached to the back portion of the bodice).

My straps were 1.75″ x 28″ (the length of the halter straps in the pattern).  In retrospect I think adding about 8″ to the shoulder strap lengths in the pattern would be sufficient enough.  My sliders ended up on top of my shoulders and I really didn’t need all that extra length.  The short strap is 1.75″ x 3″.

Fold each strap in half lengthwise right sides together and stitch.  Trim and press seam allowances open.

Now you have a completed set of adjustable straps. Treat them as a single strap and attach to the bodice as shown in the tutorial.  The shorter strap side should be attached to the back bodice. I also chose to do a criss-cross, so instead of placing them parallel, cross them over to create an X when attaching them to the front and back bodice.

….

Front Bodice Cut-Out

The So Classic Sundress is a classic, vintage style but with this slight modification, you can make it edgy and on trend. You can adjust the size of the cut-out to your preference but I used the empire and princess seam as a guide as to where to place mine.

Construction is slightly different and since we will be enclosing our front bodice in the waistband you will not use the lining pieces in the pattern.  Instead, cut out 2 (mirror image) of all the main front bodice, main back bodice and front and back waistband pieces.

Now we will move on to construct and attach the waistband and skirt.

Now that you have all these extra options, go sew some So Classic Dresses and don’t forget to show them off in the P4P group !

Alex, Nicole, Judy and Erinn

P4P University – Shirring 101

In this month’s P4P University blog we decided to focus on shirring. Shirring is the process that will give elasticity non stretchy fabric by shrinking it.

Start by winding the bobbin with elastic thread. I recommend winding the bobbin by hand instead if the electric winder. This will ensure that the thread is not too tight on the bobbin.

TIP: Wind several bobbins before you start sewing.

Replace your regular thread bobbin with the elastic thread one and manually pull the elastic thread up by hand turning the machine wheel.

I have made this video with my tips for easy shirring so take a look before you start.

 

Choose light weight fabric!

As with all sewing, fabric type/weight makes a huge difference. The lighter the fabric, the tighter will your shirring be. Voile or chiffon will shirr better than quilting cotton, denim or corduroy won’t shirr at all.

Adjust the tension and length according to your machine and fabric!

Not all sewing machines will shirr the same way. Some might “fuss” more than other, so it’s very important to test on a piece of fabric (the same as the one you’re using in your project) what tension will work best. I personally prefer the longest stitch length and the highest tension.

Do not use the automatic thread cutter!

I know for some, like me, using the automatic features of our machine is like second nature but try to remember to disengage the automatic thread cutter so you avoid having to manually pull the elastic thread up with every row. See video above.

Space your shirring rows equally spaced, no more than 1/4″ apart!

For best shirring results your rows should be about 1/4″ apart, or less. The closer the shirring rows, the tighter the elasticity.

Steam, steam and STEAM again!!

Once you finished your shirring rows take your project to the ironing board and give the shirred rows several bursts of steam, on both sides. You will see the shrinking magic happening right before your eyes. This step is NOT OPTIONAL, it’s a must do when shirring.

There you have it! You are now ready to shirr all the woven tops!

P4P nursing hacks

Ahoy, pirates! Throughout the years the P4P team has showed you lots of ways to hack our patterns and make them nursing friendly.  So today I wanted to put them all together in a round up blog. this way you have easy access to them at all times.

 

RELAXED’S RAGLAN Nursing Hack

Nicole is showing us how to modify the Relaxed Raglan (or the Ragdoll, or the Slim Fit Raglan) to make it nursing friendly. You can find the blog here.

 

HENLEY nursing hack

Next up we have a Henley modification that can certainly be applied to the Brunch Blouse as well. The blog can be found here.

 

FST/LMU MASH nursing hack