Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

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!!

  

 

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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!

Sunflower and Busy Bee Easy Hacks

It’s swimsuit season! The new Sunflower Swim Top and Busy Bee Swim Bottoms are the perfect addition to your summer wardrobe. Dana is showing you below how to make a longer ruffle while Rachel is taking the Sunflower Top and making is shorter. Enjoy these cute easy hacks! 

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Longer Ruffle

This is a really easy hack if you want a little extra tummy coverage or just want the look of a longer ruffle. 

Cut out all your pattern pieces as usual but when you come to the ruffle you will cut it a little differently. First of all you will want to decide how wide you want your ruffle to be.

I measured the original piece which is 2 inches wide and I decided that I wanted to increase this to 5 inches wide.

I simply laid my perspex quilting ruler out over the pattern piece and used it to help cut out the original length and the increased width. 

Here is my finished ruffle.  Measuring 5 inches wide, in comparison to the original pattern piece.

Then just sew it together as usual. Easy peasy! 

Happy sewing! Love, Dana x

 

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Shorter Top

Forget the itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-yellow-polka-dot bikini… bananas are so much more fun!

Here’s how you modify the pattern for Sunflower Swim Top if you’d like to sport a shorter length. You’ll be modifying the pattern pieces, but the actual construction of the top will follow the pattern instructions as written.

You’ll need the front and back pattern pieces and the shelf bra pattern piece.

With both the front and the back pieces, it is most important to preserve the curves at the bottom of the pieces. You’ll see how I did that in the pictures provided.

Cut the back piece into thirds as indicated in the photo below. You’ll be discarding the center piece.

Take the top and bottom thirds and line up the bottoms of the cut-out curve, where you see the green line in the pic. Tape together. I added a little snipe of paper, where the green circle is, to help visually with cutting my fabric.

And that completes your new back pattern piece.

Line up your front and back pattern pieces and mark the bottom of the back piece on your front piece. This will ensure that your front and back pieces line up when you’re constructing the top.

Place your shelf bra pattern piece on top of your front pattern piece and line up the “fold” edges. The left edge of the shelf bra piece should intersect the mark you made on the previous step.

Trace the bottom edge of the shelf bra and cut along this line to create your new front piece.

Once you have your pattern pieces ready, construct your top with the instructions provided. You can even work in a shelf bra at this length if you desire.

Isn’t sewing for yourself so much fun? I can’t wait to rock these bananas at the pool!

 

Rachel

Which one of these hacks will you try first? As always, post your creations in the Patterns for Pirates Facebook group so we all get a chance to admire them. 

Runabout Romper – easy hacks

It’s here! It’s here! The Runabout Romper and Dress patterns (adult and youth) and jam packed with option but we couldn’t let this release pass without adding a few more. The P4P bloggers will show you how to make separate pieces, paperbag shorts, looser pants, slimmer shorts, button front and tunic length. Let’s take a look! 

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Separates 

 

I absolutely fell in love with the off the shoulder neckline of the  Runabout Romper but wanted it in shirt form for non-romper days.  So, of course, an easy hack was needed and I now have the coziest sweatshirt ever.   It’s so easy to do!   First, start by printing just your top pieces, putting together, and cutting them out. 

Now you are going to want to turn them into full-length top pieces.   To do this, first- add a few blank pieces to the bottom of your pattern piece lined up along your fold line. 

Then go ahead and grab your favorite p4p top that has the length you want, I chose the banded sporty piko.   Alternatively, you can measure from your natural waist to where you’d like it to hit (don’t forget to take in account the seam allowance built in the waist).  

Lay the top of your chosen pattern piece on top of your romper top piece lining up your shoulder and the side seam (your actual widths may be different).  

Make sure your pieces are straight and trace the bottom of your piece to get the length you want for your top and up the side of your piece. Repeat with the other piece and cut out along where you traced and you’ll have two new full-length shirt pieces. 

Sew together as directed by the pattern and either hem your top or if you are banding your shirt you’ll simply measure the bottom of your new top all the way around and multiply that by .85 plus seam allowance to get the width of your new band.  I can’t wait to see your cozy shirts!! 

Happy Sewing, 

Michelle

 

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Paperbag Shorts

 

I absolutely love the paperbag waist trend that is so popular right now! The cinching is universally flattering for all figures.

Once you’ve mastered the Runabout Romper waistband, you can easily turn the pattern bottoms into pants or shorts with this cute ruffle feature. And I’m here to show you how to do it!

Start by cutting the bottom pieces to your preferred length. I’ve decided to make shorts for this tutorial.

Sew the pants or shorts pieces together per the pattern instructions.

Now for your waistband…

Add an inch in height when you cut your waistband pieces… instead of 2” tall waistband pieces, yours will be 3” tall.

If installing grommets, you will mark your fabric and add those to your outer waistband where indicated by the pattern piece.

Next, take your inner waistband piece and stitch with right sides together, stopping 1” above the bottom of the band. Press the seams to one side.

This opening will become your entry point when you install your elastic waistband.

Stitch your inner and outer waistband pieces, right sides together, along the top edge per the pattern instructions.

Open with right sides out, wrong sides together, and press your top seam to the inside. You may wish to topstitch this edge for a crisper finish.

Sew a second seam 1” down from the top edge.

Sew your waistband to your shorts or pants per the pattern instructions and complete your bottoms accordingly. Enjoy!!!

I’ve paired my shorts here with a Hepburn top. Cute, cute, cute!!

 

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Tunic/top 

 

Hi, I’m going to show you how easy it is to make the new Runabout Romper as a tunic/top instead of a dress. 

First of all you will want to decide how long you want to have the skirt portion, as this is going to determine how long your top is. You could make the bodice first and attach the waistband onto it (just safety pin your elastic together to try on) and measure how far you would like the front of your top to come down, or you could just be brave and guestimate. 

 In this picture you can see I’m wearing my Runabout Romper dress, which was perfect because I could use the waistband on it to help gauge how long I wanted the top to be.  There are two ways to make your top, either with a straight hem or keeping the curve of the dress hem. I chose to keep the curve. Hold the front skirt pattern piece up to your body and make a mark when it’s at the right height, don’t forget you’ll need to add a combined 1 1/2″ for the seam allowance at the waist and the hem allowance.

Using the mark I just made on the paper at the fold line, I then measure and make the same mark at the other side of the pattern piece at the outside seam line and rule a line across. For me, this mark was 10 inches down from the top edge of the pattern piece. Then repeat for the back piece. Fold the top of both pieces down (you might need to flip a corner out of the way by the curved hem edge) and you have your new top length pattern pieces. 

If you want a straight hem to your top, you  just have to fold the bottom of the pattern piece up to get rid of the curve, rather than the top of the pattern piece down to keep the curve.

Cut your fabric out using your new pattern pieces and construct as per the Tutorial. 

Enjoy!

Dana xx

 

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Slimmer fit shorts

 

The jogger shorts are some of my favorite shorts. They’re fitted but not too fitted–they have the perfect amount of ease in my humble opinion and as we enter the hot summer, they were screaming to be added to this romper! It’s such a super easy hack that you’ll be cranking out Runabout Jogger Short Rompers super fast. 

Let’s get into it!

  1. Print out your bodice option and the jogger patterns. 
  2. Decide what you’d like your inseam to be and add .5 in for the seam allowance. I did a 4″ inseam here so I measured out 4.5″ from the crotch curve. Draw a line from the inseam to the outseam. Do this on both the front and back pieces.
  3. Cut the new pattern piece.
  4. Assemble per the instructions. 
  5. Enjoy your super cute and cool new romper!

                                                                        …..                                                                      

Straight pants

 

I absolutely love the look of a wide-leg jumpsuit, and this hack gives me exactly the look I’ve been looking for! 

First off, we need to make our new pant leg pattern pieces using the existing front and back shorts pieces. I laid mine on top of the jogger legs as a guide for length. Using a straight edge and marker, I drew a straight line down from either side of the shorts pieces, ending 3 1/2” below where the jogger piece ended (this is to account for the added length of the jogger cuff). After doing this for both front and back pieces, you now are ready to cut out your new wide-legged pants!

Sew up the romper as directed, hemming pant legs 1”. Now take a step back and admire your new trendy jumpsuit!                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                  

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Faux buttons placket

 

Inspired once again by Pintrest and a photo Katy showed me, I made myself a faux button up Runabout romper. Want to see how I did it? Keep reading! 

I cut the pieces exactly as in the pattern, except for the front bodice. The front bodice will not be cut on fold but will be two mirrored images. Using a ruler, add 1.5″ extra width to the center of the front bodice. Cut two mirror images!

If you are using a projector, like I am, simply place a ruler along the fold line to measure the 1.5″. Cut along the ruler for the center bodice. 

Turn the two bodice pieces wrong side up and fold 1/2″ along the center, press. Fold again another half an inch and press again. If you are adding faux buttons like I am, you don’t really need interfacing. If you plan on adding real buttons and make buttonholes, or add snaps then you should add a 1/2″ wide strip of interfacing along both sides of the front bodice. 

Sew the folded hems down with a scant 1/2″ seam allowance. 

Time to make the neckband. Fold it in half width wise and then again length wise. Curve the raw edge as shown below. You will now have a long necknand, Henley style. Fold it again along the length and press. 

 

Overlap the center fold of the bodice 1/2″ and pin it in place. You will now treat that piece as the front bodice from the pattern. Sew the dress or romper as in the tutorial. Pin the neckband starting with back center and working your way to the two fronts. Sew in place with 1/2″ seam allowance using a stretch stitch or your serger.  

Now it’s the time to decide if you want a real button up or just the look of one. The buttons do not need to be functional, they can be there just for looks. I have sewn the buttons through all layers about 1.5″ away from each other. The top button is only attached to one side, just a personal style preference. Super easy! If you would like functional closures you will sew buttons on one side and button holes on the other. 

All done!! Time to enjoy your new romper! 

Hope you enjoyed these easy mods to the Runabout pattern as much as we enjoyed making them for you. Don’t forget to show off your creations in the Patterns for Pirates Facebook group or #p4p on Instagram so we can admire them too. 

New Pattern Release :: Runabout Romper + Dress!

I’m excited to share the newest P4P pattern with everyone!  Right now, so many of us are trying to find a little more peace of mind.  Trust us, we are too.  So we thought it would be the perfect time to add some stylish “secret pajamas” to everyone’s closets. Who doesn’t love being comfortable and also love feeling cute too?! The Runabout Romper & Dress will give you both with a quick easy sew.

With this loose, slouchy fit, you’ll be comfortable all day.  But we made sure to mix in some extra style with off-the shoulder looks, high/low skirts, slitted maxi lengths, and elastic cinched waistlines that will leave you feeling pretty darn good! There are so many options that you can make a huge stack and no one will ever know you’re sewing the same pattern, on repeat!

Consider yourself to be more of a visual person?  Listen, friend.  We’ve got you covered there as well.  Our tutorial is packed full of videos, covering topics like fabric choice, sizing, mashing sizes, sewing the waistband and even a complete sew up video from start to end with with our Pirate Captain Judy!

RUNABOUT ROMPER | RUNABOUT ROMPER YOUTH | RUNABOUT ROMPER – BUNDLE

There are multiple sleeve options.  You can pick tank, dolman short sleeve, or dolman long sleeve…depending on weather.  There are also a ton of bottoms to pair with your bodice.  Enjoy choosing between a curved knee length skirt, maxi length skirt with side seam slits, a looser-fitted shorts romper, or trendy jogger romper bottoms.  With all of these options, you can add a cute faux drawstring, chest pocket, and/or slat pockets.  Trust us on the pockets — we make sure they’re “real” pockets and you can actually fit things inside of them.

The dolman bodice includes a scoop neckline with a bit lower back (which still safely covers bras) and a super fun off-the-shoulder style neckline.  The elastic waistband on every pattern option hits right at the natural waistline, allowing for a flattering silhouette.

We suggest using knits that are light-to-medium weight and have a softer drape.  Think: double brushed polyester, rayon blends, sweater knits, modal spandex blends, bamboo blends, tri-blends, french terry/rayon blends, ribbed knits, and lightweight cotton blend jerseys.

**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!

BODICE OPTIONS: TANK, SHORT SLEEVE DOLMAN, LONG SLEEVE DOLMAN

DOLMAN NECKLINE OPTIONS: SCOOP AND OFF THE SHOULDER

DRESS OPTIONS: KNEE LENGTH AND MAXI LENGTH

ROMPER OPTIONS: SHORTS AND JOGGERS

EXTRAS: CHEST POCKET, FAUX DRAWSTRING, AND SLAT POCKETS

Whatever you do… DON’T FORGET THE POCKETS!

Whether you’re looking to lounge about in complete comfort:

Or dress it up to go out:

Ready to runabout the town house in your new digs?  Grab the patterns now!

RUNABOUT ROMPER | RUNABOUT ROMPER YOUTH | RUNABOUT ROMPER – BUNDLE

Maybe hoping for a little more inspiration before you make the purchase?  Head over to our Facebook group where you can see a Runabout Romper + Runabout Romper – Youth album full of images of our amazing testers!

The Runabout Romper & Dress has you covered!  If you’re hoping for even more options, we show you a few more ways you can use this pattern in our Runabout Romper Easy Hacks Blog Post! I hope everyone out there is staying healthy and happy.  The Runabout Romper & Dress will be on sale (no code needed) through Friday May 29th.

And if our pattern alone doesn’t provide enough options for you, we’ve also included a blog post that will help take the Runabout Rompers to the next level!  Go check out our Easy Hacks Post to see how to make some slight alterations to the original pattern, to customize it even further!

New Pattern Release :: Classic Sports Bra!

We know that times are……something right now.  Our new normal isn’t anything remotely what normal used to mean to us.  It’s scary, lonely, wacky, busy, boring, stressful, and all of the descriptive terms you could ever lump into a couple months of life.  Let me begin by telling you that our hearts go out to everyone right now.  Our entire Pirate Crew hopes that you are safe, healthy, and maintaining whatever version of “okay” you can muster up during this moment in time.  We absolutely love our Pirate Family and we wish you all the best.  Thank you for continuing this feeling of community and camaraderie that we are all craving and deserving at this moment in time.  You have no idea how much you mean to all of us.

And with that, we were hoping to bring a little sewing excitement into your lives!  (drum roll please) :: It’s release day, y’all!  Let’s talk about the Classic Sports Bra, our newest pattern duo!

 

Right now, sports bras might be more important than they’ve ever been.  I can’t tell you how many of my friends are either completely taking advantage of their new schedule by working out more than ever before — and how many of my friends are taking advantage of their new schedule by rocking loungewear all day, every day.  Whichever version of my friends that you are, we’ve got you covered.

The Classic Sports Bra is…well…a classic sports bra!

You can create a light impact bra out of casual fabrics for lounging, sleeping, and all around comfort.  You can use an athletic knit for a light impact for yoga, walking and other lighter exercising.  You can add more support with inner-lining, removable cups, more stable athletic fabrics like supplex, using the more supportive wider under bust band for a great medium impact sports bra ready for light jogging, hiit workouts, zumba, ellipital, etc.  Anyone can find their favorite combo with racerback and straight strap options, full back or with a cut out and hook and eye bra back closure.  Lets talk a little more about that bra clasp option… it’s amazing! It’s simple to attach and makes getting the tight fit bra on and off so much easier– especially after a hot workout when you’re sweaty!! wheww!

The sizing follows our normal XXS-Plus 5X size chart, but ALSO includes both small bust and full bust adjustment pieces.  So if you find your full bust falls into a size smaller or larger then your over bust…we have you covered!  Youth sizing is 12 months to 14.

The front color-blocking is perfect for using up those beloved….hoarded? 😉 fabric scraps you have saved for the perfect project! You can make a more solid by using all the same fabrics or create a super fun combo with all different fabrics!

The tutorial includes several videos throughout the tutorial including fabric selection, size mashing for youth, sba and fba explanation for adult, piecing the front color-blocking, “burrito roll” lining method and sewing in elastic, bottom binding, attaching hook and eye bra closure and TWO complete sew ups using different options.

You will also find one more file with our new release… the Projector File.  This is a larger PDF with all pieces on the fold facing the same direction, a couple grid layers you can turn on to scale and off to cut, and one big page to scroll down as you cut.  I hope this helps all those jumping into the new trend of going paperless!

**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!

COLORBLOCKED FRONT

FULL BACK

BRA CLASP

STRAIGHT STRAPS

RACERBACK STRAPS

So whether you’re ready to lounge or get active… maybe a little of both… you can grab the Classic Sports Bra and be ready for it all!

CLASSIC SPORTS BRA| CLASSIC SPORTS BRA – YOUTH | CLASSIC SPORTS BRA – BUNDLE

We know times are crazy right now and a lot of us are trying to budget more- so I took the time to hunt down a few small shops that sold the hook and eye bra clasps in a variety of colors (fun!) so we could help support a small business AND I could give you all an exclusive coupon code to help if you need this supply that might not be in everyone’s stash already! <3

– Stitch Love on Etsy or her own site code p4p20 for 20% off
www.stitchlovestudio.com/

– Sasha Fox Sewing Supplies on Etsy code: PIRATES40 for 40% off
[www.etsy.com/shop/SashaFoxStudio

-Bra Makery: 30% code for the website PATTERNSFORPIRATES (only on the site not on Etsy).
www.thebramakery.com

So you if need some hook and eye bra clasps for a new Classic Sports Bra, I would love for you to support one of these small businesses that gave us a great discount!

And if our pattern alone doesn’t provide enough options for you, we’ve also included a blog post that will help take the Classic Sports Bra to the next level!  Go check out our Easy Hacks Post to see how to make some slight alterations to the original pattern, to customize it even further!

 

The release sale (no code needed) will be through Friday, May 1, 2020 (11:59PM US Central Time Zone).

Happy Sewing, Pirates!

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