Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

Vintage Jumper – Easy Hacks

The Vintage Romper is here and we couldn’t be more excited to share with you the blog team’s take on some easy hacks. Grab your patterns and let’s get started!

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Pants/skirt

Do you love shorts like we love shorts?! Then you’re in the right place. I’m going to spend a little time today showing you how to hack the new Vintage Romper into a shorts or skirt only piece. It couldn’t be easier and I have even filmed a little tutorial showing you how to adapt the waistband pattern piece and then put the waistband together too, which you can find here:

However, if you like it old skool here is the written blog post. 

 

First you will want to cut out your skirt or pants pieces as per the regular tutorial. Then take your waistband piece and double the height of it. I used the Youth pattern to make mine and this measured 2 inches in height so I doubled it to make it 4 inches tall and then cut the length out as usual. I wasn’t going to use the strap pieces so I extended the waistband height out over the strap piece here, just to save paper.  Cut your waistband lining piece out in the same way.

 

Waistband piece cut with the height doubled

 

shorts pieces, pockets, waistband outer and lining.

You will then have your pants/shorts/skirt pieces; pockets if using; extended waistband pieces; interfacing if using.  Construct the rest of your garment as usual until you get to the section where you have to attach the waistband. You will attach the waistband as per the tutorial, the only difference being you don’t have the bib and straps to sandwich between the outer and lining of the waistband pieces. So you will attach the waistband outer right sides together with the pants/skirt.

Waistband with overhang

You will have an overhang of the waistband over the edge of the pants piece .  This is correct, it enables you to attach a fastening for the top of the waistband at the end, like a button and buttonhole or poppers. Then sew the lining right sides together with the outer, up one short edge, along the top and down the other short edge.

 Clip your corners, turn it through.

 

Topstitching after pressing

Press and topstitch around the entire waistband. 

Then finish off your garment as per the regular tutorial instructions and you’re done!

We style them with tights, Doc Martins and a crop length Hepburn. I loved it so much on the shorts I had to do it for the skirt too!  

Anyone else find that their child turns into a karate expert as soon as you turn on a camera?!

Obviously you can also just sew this up with the regular height of the original waistband too. The choice is all yours! 

 

Happy sewing! 

 

Dana x

 

 

Front zipper

Up next we wanted to show you a different style jumper that can be achieved with the new Vintage pattern. Let’s add a zipper to the front instead of the side. This a s great opportunity to show off your favorite zippers and pulls. For my example I am using zipper by the yard with a fun rainbow finish zipper pull. I also went with a Doodles French Terry instead of stretch woven. Cut your pattern as instructed in the tutorial. You will make two changes. Remove the part of the waistband beyond the notch on both ends. Repeat for the waistband lining. The other modification would be for the bib. Cut two 2 mirror images instead of 1 set mirror pieces and the lining on fold.

After sewing the darts on the back pants pieces, sew the back crotch seam and the two side seams. The pants will not be sewn at the front crotch just yet.

Prepare the bib by sewing the left side main and lining piece right sides together along the top and slanted side raw edge. Repeat for the ride side bib. You will now have two bib piece that will have raw edges on the vertical center seam and bottom.

Attach the main print waistband to the pants right sides together by matching the center to the center back and the raw edged to the front raw front seam.

Pin the straps matching the strap placement notches. Place the bib on the top edge of the waistband, right sides together matching the raw edges. Repeat on the other side with the other half of the bib. Place the lining on top, right side down, sandwiching the bib in between the main and lining waistband. Stitch in place.

Mark the place of the zipper stop on the wrong sides of the fabric. Place the front of the jumper right sides together matching the front raw edge. Baste in place from the top to the marked point and sew in place down from that point along the front crotch seam. Attach the zipper using the same technique as in the Vintage Jumper tutorial.

Finish your jumper by attaching the straps to the front and hemming. All done! I can’t wait to see your take on this hack.

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Overall buckles

Love the Vintage Jumper, but you’re terrified of button holes? Never fear! Buckles are here!

Adding buckles as a button replacement is an easy and super cute hack… no extra sewing involved!

For the Vintage Jumper, you’ll need 1 ¼” buckles. I ordered mine from WAWAK and they came within 2 days, but you can also order from Amazon or pick them up in your local fabric store.

I’ve put together a video tutorial, but if you prefer written instructions, just scroll a bit further!

Mark your button placement on the bib with tailor’s chalk, 1” from the top and side edge of the bib.

Take your button post and push it through the backside of your bib, at your chalk mark, going through all layers of your fabric.

Protecting the front side of your button (as I’ve done here with a simple cloth bag), hammer the button post into the button.

Thread your straps through the buckles, starting with the top…

Running through the bottom…

Back through the middle…

And behind the front of the strap, back through the top loop.

Give yourself plenty of play in your straps to make fit adjustments

5.     Adjust the straps to your preference and you’re done!

I have always loved overalls! I am so glad to have this updated pair in my wardrobe. As with all Patterns for Pirates makes, you can’t stop with one. I already have the fabric ready to make another pair soon.

I hope you enjoy your new jumper!!

Rachel

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Skip the Zip

If you’d rather skip the zip you can choose a fabric with high stretch and recovery and slip it on/off. It’s a very simple modification, just make sure your fabric is stretchy enough to slip on and off with the snug waistband at natural waist. You will want a fabric that is more stable and can “hold” that waistband shape nicely. Or you can add some 1″ elastic into the waistband to help keep the shape.

Cut out all your pieces the same, except the waistband. You will need to trim off the extra 1″ on each end since we will not have them overlapping for a button. If you’re adding elastic I cut mine just slightly shorter then my new waistband piece so it would be snug to her waist.

Instead of sewing your zip into your side seam you’ll just stitch it up. Stitch your waistband pieces into a circle. If you are adding elastic sew it into a circle as well.

You will follow the same steps as the tutorial attaching the main waistband piece, sandwiching the straps and bib between the main and lining waistband, and top-stitching band. You will just be sewing in a complete circle rather then having the ends that overlap for a button.

All done, now you can just slip it on/off with no zip!

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Zipper Guard

If the feeling of the zipper on your skin bothers you- you can add a simple zipper guard quickly and easily. You will cut out 2 rectangles (you can curve the bottom edge if you’d like I did or leave it a rectangle) a little longer (1-2″) then your zipper and about 2″ wide.

Stitch your pieces right sides together along one long and short edge like a L (J if you curved your corner like me) shape. Trim seam allowance and flip right sides out. Press and stitch.

Place your zipper guard along the side seam with zipper with the raw edges aligned to the seam allowance of the front pant/skirt. Stitch guard to seam allowance (do not stitch through pant/skirt).

Pin in place from front. Stitch in the ditch along your zipper seam on the front pant/skirt through the zipper guard.

You can also continue to stitch in the ditch across the bottom and up just a little to help keep the guard in place when taking on/off. This is what it will look like after with the zipper guard keeping the zip from touching your skin:

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Add some Ears

Adding a little face and ears is always a way to make my daughter super happy with something I sew her. She requested a kitty for this one after seeing one similar at a store. It was such an easy little modification. I simple free-handed the ears… but we do have some ears in the Oversized Sweater-Youth pattern and I used the faces from our free Animal Faces for our Jolly Roger Raglan. I only freehanded the ears to make sure they fit perfectly and…. well… I didn’t want to print anything 😉

Stitch the ears up and sandwich them between the main and lining bib. Ta-da… that’s it! So cute and simple!

What an amazing line up! We look forward to seeing  your own “”hacked” Vintage Jumper  creations on Facebook and Insta.

New Pattern Releases :: Vintage Jumper

Happy October, y’all!  We are beyond thrilled to be sharing with you our newest release: the Vintage Jumper!  The youth sizes range from 3m – 14 and the adult sizes are for the full, newer size chart, extending from XXS – Plus 5X!  If you haven’t sewn with us in a while, please make sure to check the size charts, as there were slight adjustments made to accommodate the new size range for adults.

The Vintage Jumper gives you an adorable retro feeling with a snug waistband right on the natural waist, slim through hip and flares out down the legs. The simple cross strap back adds to the vintage look along with the pocket styles. You can create a cute jumper with the skirt options or an overall/dungaree with the pant options! You can layer under for warm or cold weather and keep these in your wardrobe year round! Drafted for a stretch woven you can pick up so many different adorable fabrics to sew up.

Options include: mini skirt, above-knee skirt, shorts, capri and pants lengths.  There are also all the pockets you could ever need, with optional front, back and bib pocket options!

Also included in these patterns are videos, to help compliment our tutorials and help you on your way to some happy sewing!  You don’t have to fear the zipper anymore because this tutorial includes TWO videos with step by step guide on both methods on inserting the zipper.

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

Let’s take a quick look at the different lengths and features!

SHORTS LENGTH
CAPRI LENGTH
PANTS LENGTH

What are you waiting for?  Head on over and grab yourself a copy of these delightfully retro patterns!  The Vintage Jumpers are available on sale (no code needed) through 11:59pm CST, October 8, 2020.

VINTAGE JUMPER | VINTAGE JUMPER – YOUTH | VINTAGE JUMPER – BUNDLE

Maybe hoping for a little more inspiration before you make the purchase?  Head over to our Facebook group where you can see tester albums full of amazing images!  Adult Album / Youth Album

If you’re looking for even more options, we show you a few more ways you can use this pattern in our Vintage Jumper Easy Hacks post including how to skip the zip or buttonholes!

The Peg Event :: FOE Pocket Hack for the Peg Legs – Colorblock Pack

Welcome back to another day of The Peg Event! We hope you are loving our newest release of the Peg Legs – Colorblock Pack and update to the beloved Peg Legs, and Peg Legs – Add-On Pack!

Before we get to the main event, I’d like to remind you that we’ve got a sitewide sale happening from now until Saturday, September 12.  In addition to that, we’ve got an awesome giveaway happening, with 14 amazing prizes (and 14 amazing prize winners)!  You can read all about The Peg Event HERE.

Our Fabulous Group Admin + Tester Extraordinaire, Dana Cole, is being extra amazing today and bringing us an easy hack for the new Peg Legs – Colorblock Pack.  Take it away, Dana!

FOE Pocket Hack for the Peg Legs – Colorblock Pack

If, like me, you made about a million Fierce Bras you probably have lots of leftover bits of Fold Over Elastic (FOE) hanging around in your elastics box.  Using FOE to bind the top of the pockets in the new v-contour waistband, or the side pockets of the side colour-block Pegs released during the previous update helps give them even greater stability.  I have been for several runs in my new Peg Legs with my phone in the pocket and it has stayed secure the entire time. It’s so easy, here’s how to do it.

First cut out your pattern pieces as normal and then grab your FOE.  I used ½” here but you could use a ¼” if you have that too.

In the new v-contour waistband there are two pockets which sit on top of one another over the centre back panel piece.  I am using the smaller pocket, which sits on the outermost layer for our example today.  The fabric is a swim knit, which I love to use for running Pegs.

Make sure you exercise your elastic really well. Then lay it down next to the top of your pocket and cut it to the same length.

Then sandwich the raw edge of the top of your fabric inside the FOE, so the FOE folds down over the top and covers the front and back equally.

Pin/clip in place.  I like to use a glue marker here at either end to stop the elastic from shifting when you start to sew and remove the pins/clips.  I use these all the time when sewing slippery or delicate fabrics.

I like to use a triple zig zag stitch when topstitching elastic on swimwear, sports or lingerie.  It’s not only a great stretchy stitch but because it is so wide it also helps keep that elastic down and stops it from flipping up, which is what happens if you don’t sew close enough to the edge.

Make sure your needle when it swings to the left comes right to the edge of the elastic.  This helps stop it flipping up too.

All done!   Now just assemble your other pocket, if you are using it, the same way and then construct the rest of your Peg Legs as per the tutorial.

Enjoy your new Pegs!!


I like this one for my phone…and this one for my keys!

Thanks and happy sewing, Dana xx

Here are some links to all of our FREE leggings patterns, so you can get to sewing!

PEG LEGS | PEG LEGS – ADD-ON PACK | PEG LEGS – COLORBLOCK PACK

But wait!  There’s more!  We’ve got a giveaway prize to tell you about!  Sponsoring today’s portion of The Peg Event is a fabulous fabric company!

SLY FOX FABRICS – www.slyfoxfabrics.com
INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK GROUP

Sly Fox Fabrics is the best source for affordable, luxurious apparel fabrics.  We offer a range of apparel fabrics, including buttery soft Double Brushed Poly which is perfect for soft, cozy Peg Legs!

One lucky winner will walk away with a $50 Gift Card to their shop!  And on top of that, you can enjoy a 20% Discount thru 9/12/20 by using the code: PegLegMania

The two fabrics featured in the image above can be found here: Heavy Double Brushed Poly Solid – Black | Double Brushed Poly – Field of Dreams

**Daily and Grand Prize winners will all be announced together on Sunday, September 13.

The Peg Event :: Peg Legs Release + Update – What’s New?

What a day, what a DAY!  We are pumped about our newest release of the Peg Legs – Colorblock Pack and update to the beloved Peg Legs, and Peg Legs – Add-On Pack!

Before we get moving too far into this, I’d like to remind you that we’ve got a sitewide sale happening from now until Saturday, September 12.  In addition to that, we’ve got an awesome giveaway happening, with 14 amazing prizes (and 14 amazing prize winners)!  You can read all about The Peg Event HERE.

Let’s talk the new Peg Legs – Colorblock Pack, shall we?

The Peg Legs – Colorblock Pack is a special spin on our basic leggings pattern.

This new Colorblock Pack give you a super fun diagonal piece on the thigh for a lot of fun opportunities with different fabric combinations. The diagonal colorblock is also super flattering on the front and back. The waistband is a high waisted/high rise contoured waistband but this time we gave it a little heart/v shaped to the back side to show off those squats you’ve been working on!

The waistband also has a fun diagonal pocket or two to hold your things…because pockets are important! We truly hope everyone enjoys this fun new pack to the Peg Leg collection!

Options include: Shorts (5″ inseam), Bike (just above knee), Capri (calf), 7/8 (above ankle), and ankle lengths. You can choose from plain waistband, 1 pocket or 2 pockets.

Enjoy several videos throughout the tutorial like what fabric suggestions and a complete sew up from start to finish.

They are drafted in adult sizes and are for the full, newer size chart, extending from XXS – Plus 5X!  If you haven’t sewn with us in a while, please make sure to check the size charts, as there were slight adjustments made to accommodate the new size range for adults.

Peg Legs – Colorblock Pack

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

Let’s take a look at some of our tester images!

If you’re looking for a little more inspo from our fabulous testers, head over to this FACEBOOK ALBUM to look at all the goodness they are providing you!

On top of the new release covered above, we also gave an update to our original Peg Legs pattern, as well as the Peg Legs – Add-On Pattern!

What changed?  Here are the details:

  • We adjusted our size chart and range to match with our updated range.  Now Peg Legs can be made for anyone sizes XXS – Plus 5X!
    • If you haven’t measured yourself in a while, take some time to do so.  It’s healthy when sewing for yourself anyway, because weight and size can fluctuate so much and you want to make the perfect size for yourself.  But also, our chart adjusted ever so slightly and you might fit into a different size range now.
  • We added a projector file for our friends who like to use their paperless technology.
  • There are a few more labels added to the pattern pieces, to help with common questions we’ve seen come up over the years.

Here are some links to all of our FREE leggings patterns, so you can get to sewing!

PEG LEGS | PEG LEGS – ADD-ON PACK | PEG LEGS – COLORBLOCK PACK

But wait!  There’s more!  We’ve got some giveaway prizes to tell you about!  Sponsoring today’s portion of The Peg Event are two fabulous fabric companies!

WANDERLUST DESIGNS – www.wanderlustcustomfabric.com
INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK GROUP | PINTEREST

Wanderlust Designs Inc has been selling custom fabrics since 2015.  They carry many bases including Cotton Lycra, Brushed Poly, Athletic and Swim, all of which are fantastic for Peg Legs.

One lucky winner will walk away with a $50 Gift Card to their shop!  And on top of that, you can enjoy a 10% Discount thru 9/12/20 by using the code: PEGLEG10

THE STYLED MAGNOLIA – www.thestyledmagnolia.com
INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK GROUP

TSM is a one stop shop where you can find all things custom printed fabric. They offer custom printed fabric on 14 different base options with no minimum order requirements. TSM specializes in high quality custom printed Athletic bases found in many ready to wear athletic garments and offers three different methods of ordering: Retail, Preorder, & Pick-A-Print.

One lucky winner will walk away with a $100 Shop Credit to spend on their fabrics!  And today only, you can take advantage of a 15% Discount by using the code: TSMLOVESPEGS

**Daily and Grand Prize winners will all be announced together on Sunday, September 13.

X Factor Sew Along – day 2

Welcome to day 2 of our X Factor Sew along. Today is a pretty easy and quick day. We sew the front seam of the bodice and the shoulder seams. Place the two mirror front bodice pieces right sides together, matching the center seam. Using your sewing machine, stitch a couple of inches at the bottom with a 1/2 seam allowance. You can sew the rest of the front seam with the serger if you prefer. 

Once this step is completed you will sew the shoulder seams right sides together, following a 1/2″ seam allowance. 

Tip: Add clear elastic to the shoulder seams to strengthen them and make sure the shoulders don’t stretch throughout the day. 

We have included two FULL pattern sew ups in the tutorial (see page 7). Judy has covered all options in the two videos so you can always refer to them throughout the week. 

Upon completion of today’s steps snap a picture of your progress and add it to the day 2 check in photo comments in the X factor SAL album located in the P4P & M4M sew along group.

 

X Factor SAL | day 1

X Factor SAL | day 2

X Factor SAL | day 3

X Factor SAL | day 4

X Factor SAL | day 5

X Factor SAL | day 6

X Factor SAL | day 7

New Pattern Release :: Sailor Gaiter FREEBIE (5 Sizes Included!)

2020 has been a rough year for a lot of people, and so we’re popping in with an unscheduled freebie to hopefully make your day today!

The Sailor Gaiter is a classic knit, stretch neck gaiter.  It is super useful for everyday situations (think: bicycling, working out, general accessorizing, etc.)!

**If you’re planning on using this as a face covering, per your local mandated requirements, please review the guidelines provided by the CDC. This face covering is intended for general public use only and is not intended as a replacement for medical grade PPE.

You can wear it a ton of different ways for your own style and whatever you’re doing at the time.  Some of the most popular ways are as a face covering, headband, around your neck,  (the tall option) hat/beanie, and more.

We also added a ear loop option to help keep it on and up for those doing activities moving around a lot.

You can line it for a 2 layer option or just use 1 layer and hem the edges.
**If you choose the double layered option, you might want to consider sizing up, as it can start to get a bit tight with those extra layers!

The Sailor Gaiter is a perfect scrap buster!  It takes very little fabric, and very little time to put together!  All you need is some high stretch knit and you’ll be on your way. Our favorite fabric types for the gaiters were cotton lycra/spandex and athletic knits.

With five sizes in this quick and easy pattern, you can create a Sailor Gaiter for everyone from child to large adult.

What are you waiting for?  Go grab the pattern now!  SAILOR GAITER FREE PATTERN  And then be sure to head over to our Facebook Group, or to tag us on Instagram so we can see what you made!

We hope this freebie helps make 2020 just a little smoother for you and yours.

New Pattern Releases :: XFactor Crop + Dress!

We’re so eXcited!  Why?  Because the newest pattern from P4P just dropped today and it’s eXcellent!  The XFactor Crop + Dress, for us Pirates, is one of those “x marks the spot” kind of deals.  We are just in love with it and think you will be too.  For both of these patterns, the youth sizes range from 3m – 14.  And the adult sizes are for the full, newer size chart, extending from XXS – Plus 5X!  If you haven’t sewn with us in a while, please make sure to check the size charts, as there were slight adjustments made to accommodate the new size range for adults.

The X Factor Crop & Dress is an adorable pattern that gives you drastically different garments depending on the options you choose. You can create a cute, trendy workout crop or rash gaurd. Or you make a fit and flare dress that is comfortable and flattering.

Options include: crop / dress length, vneck / crew neck, short / three-quarter / long (hemmed or cuffed) sleeves, or tank top.

Also enjoy several videos throughout the tutorial, including a complete sew-up of the pattern.

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

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

CROP + DRESS LENGTH

CREW + V NECKLINE

SLEEVE LENGTH OPTIONS

What are you waiting for?  Head on over and grab yourself a copy of this eXtra fun new pattern!  The Xfactor patterns are available on sale (no code needed) through 11:59pm CST, August 4, 2020.

XFACTOR CROP + DRESS | XFACTOR CROP + DRESS – YOUTH | XFACTOR CROP + DRESS – BUNDLE

Maybe hoping for a little more inspiration before you make the purchase?  Head over to our Facebook group where you can see tester albums full of amazing images!  Adult Album / Youth Album

If you’re looking for even more options, we show you a few more ways you can use this pattern in our XFactor Easy Hacks post.

X Factor Top and Dress Easy Hacks

 

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Mini or Peplum options

First easy hack that we waned to show you is how to shorten the X Factor dress to a peplum top or mini dress. For my example I decided to make a running dress with a mini skirt. I used swim fabric for this cute green dress.

You will start by grabbing the skirt pattern and marking your new cut lines, one for peplum and one for mini skirt. I used the Sweetheart dress skirt as my guide since that one includes all 3 option. The Sweetheart skirt is a full circle while the X Factor one is a half circle. Lay the X Factor pattern piece on top of the Sweetheart pattern matching the bottom edge. 

Mark the new cutting line starting with the “fold” edge. Using a French curve, or if you have a steady arm, just your hand, draw the two new curves. Make sure that you keep a constant distance from the bottom edge on both sides of the pattern. If you do not have the Sweetheart dress pattern you can measure 5″ up from the bottom for the Mini or 10.25″ up for the Peplum option. 

Once you created your new pattern piece, cut your fabric and sew the dress a instructed in the tutorial. I skipped hemming my swim skirt so mine final mini look is 1″ longer than intended. Your dress, your call! 😉

 

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Tie Back

Crop tops are back in a big way and the X Factor Crop is such a standout! It will take you from the gym to date night (if you’re not too sweaty, of course!)… there aren’t many garments that can do that!

The Patterns for Pirates team always loves to give you even more options. I’m so excited to share with you a tie-back hack for the X Factor! And, it really couldn’t be simpler.

Assemble and cut your preferred pattern pieces. For this make, I chose the cropped tank.

Modifications are so simple!

You will square up the cross-over pieces of the Front Bodice…


And cut 2 of the Back Band pieces (on the fold).

Assemble the top per the pattern instructions, stopping at the step for attaching the Back Band.

From here, you’ll attach your two band pieces, one to each end of the bodice cross-over.

At this step, I serged all of my edges. That is a matter of preference! You can leave them raw if you prefer.

Finally, finish all edges with a narrow hem.

Throw your top on, tie it up, and get ready to turn heads… no matter where you are! You can even experiment with tying and wrapping your top in different ways.

You’ve got the X Factor!!

  

 

…..

Separates

We couldn’t let this Easy Hacks series end without a separates option, especially since the top is already a stand alone pattern. So for the separated you just need to finish the skirt waist without attaching it to the top. You can do that in various ways. I opted for a simple waistband. I cut 2 of the back band pieces. After pressing them wrong sides together, open them back up and sew the two ends RST to create a loop. 

If your waistband piece has excellent recovery and stretch you can continue marking the quarter points. If you’re not sure, I would add 1-1.5″ wide elastic in the waistband to make sure it stays on throughout the day. 

Mark the skirt quarter point and pin the waistband to it matching said points. Attach the waistband using your favorite stretch stitch. All done. You just created a half circle skirt that pairs beautifully with the X Factor Crop top and not only. 

 

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Nursing friendly  

 

Last but certainly not least Djem is showing us how to modify the X Factor dress to make it nursing friendly. 

 
Prep the front bodice, add lightweight interfacing to the triangle notches. Complete the bodice per tutorial. 
Add elastic to the top of the front skirt using a zigzag stitch. Measure the top of the front skirt and multiply by 90% to get the elastic measurement. I found 1/2” and 3/8” wide elastic to work nicely. Optionally, serge the top of the skirt, without cutting anything off, to have a nicer finish. Continue with the tutorial for the pockets and sewing the skirt side seams. 
 
  Now the fun part! When attaching the skirt to the bodice, drop the front of the skirt at the side seams. 
 
 Find the center of the front skirt and mark. Sew the triangle notches on the bodice together with a stretch stitch. Pin or clip the bodice notches with the center of the front skirt. 
 Tack the bodice notches and skirt together. Keep your tack on the elastic. 
Voilà! 

Essential Tank Update & Youth

It’s release day!  Some years ago, 4 to be exact, we released the Essential Tank.  We hadn’t added the youth version to the pattern line-up and after years of requests, we thought it would be a great addition while we updated the Essential Tank to include our extended sizes.

The Essential Tank still ranks as one of the most popular and well, essential pieces that many P4P members rave about and now your littles can wear them too!

The Essential Tank received an update to include our extended sizes up to Plus 5x.  The original options remained, but don’t worry there are plenty to choose from while the Youth Essential Tank is brand new!  You can choose from 2 backs (racerback and straight tank straps) and a multitude of hem lengths that include: shirt, curved hem, tunic, above knee dress and maxi dress lengths.  You can also finish y our neckline and armholes with traditional t-shirt bands or binding.  Both patterns include all the usual digital file formats and the most recently requested projector files!

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

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

HEM OPTIONS: SHIRT, CURVED HEM, ABOVE KNEE DRESS, MAXI (side slits for youth)

 

RACERBACK OR STRAIGHT STRAPS TANK

T-SHIRT BANDS OR KNIT BINDING

 

You can also check out our round-up blog post from the original release for more in-depth deets about the adult version HERE but couldn’t leave out a few of our amazing testers from this re-release! How gorgeous do they look?!?!

 

In case you were looking for some more inspiration, you can find all of our tester images in our Facebook group!  Go check them out: Essential Tank Facebook Album | Essential Tank – Youth Facebook Album

Are you ready to sew your new favorite tank?  Go grab the patterns now!  If you already purchased the Essential Tank, just go into your downloads and download the file again.  (you will see 2016 and 2020 on the copyright so you’ll know its the updated one 😉 )

ESSENTIAL TANK | ESSENTIAL TANK – YOUTH | ESSENTIAL TANK – ADULT/YOUTH BUNDLE

 

Last but not least, check out some of our previous hacks!  OPEN BACK ESSENTIAL TANK and MATERNITY

The release sale (no code needed) will be through Wednesday, July 29th (11:59PM US Central Time Zone).

Happy Sewing, Pirates!

New Pattern Releases :: Sunflower Swim Top + Busy Bee Swim Bottoms!

To help your summer go swimmingly well (ba-dum-ching!) we are bringing you a brand new set of swimwear tops and bottoms!  And we couldn’t be more excited about sharing them with you all.  In both adult and youth sizes, we are happy to introduce you to the Sunflower Swim Top and the Busy Bee Swim Bottoms!  For both of these patterns, the youth sizes range from 3m – 14.  And the adult sizes are for the full, newer size chart, extending from XXS – Plus 5X!  If you haven’t sewn with us in a while, please make sure to check the size charts, as there were slight adjustments made to accommodate the new size range for adults.

Okay, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s start first by telling you all about the Sunflower Swim Top, shall we?

The Busy Bee Swim Bottoms will have your swimsuit drawer full in no time with a variety of looks! You can mix and match with your tops easily, depending on your mood or where and who you’re going swimming with!  In case you’re feeling like you want more coverage, you can grab the high rise and brief options.  But in the event that you’re feeling like baring it all for less obtrusive tan lanes…go for the cheeky and low rise. Or you can pick between those two with a mid-rise, which hits just below the belly button.  Mix in some ruching at the side seams for a fun detail. These bottoms are very simple and quick to make with the waistline and leglines hemmed under with swim elastic. You can also choose to partially line or fully line.

Options include: low rise, mid rise, high rise, cheeky booty cutline (adult only), brief booty cutline, ruched side seams, partially lined or fully lined.

Enjoy several videos throughout the tutorial like adding/removing length, complete sew ups of ruched, plain, partially and fully lined bottoms.

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

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

SUNFLOWER BACK FINISHES

SUNFLOWER TOP HEMS

SUNFLOWER NECKLINES

BUSY BEE RISES

BUSY BEE LEG LINES (ADULT ONLY)

What are you waiting for?  Head on over and grab yourself a copy of these swim separates!  The Sunflower Swim Top and Busy Bee Swim Bottoms will be on sale (no code needed) through 11:59pm CST, July 5, 2020.

Don’t see the perfect bundle for the patterns you’d like to buy? Don’t forget you can always make your own bundle!

SUNFLOWER SWIM TOP | SUNFLOWER SWIM TOP – YOUTH | SUNFLOWER SWIM TOP – BUNDLE
BUSY BEE SWIM BOTTOMS | BUSY BEE SWIM BOTTOMS – YOUTH | BUSY BEE SWIM BOTTOMS – BUNDLE

Maybe hoping for a little more inspiration before you make the purchase?  Head over to our Facebook group where you can see tester albums full of amazing images!

Sunflower Swim Album | Busy Bee Swim Album | Sunflower Swim Youth Album | Busy Bee Youth Album

If you’re looking for even more options, we show you a few more ways you can use this pattern in our Sunflower Swim Top Easy Hacks Blog Post!

Newest Patterns