Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

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!

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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. 

Classic Sports Bra – Easy Hacks

The newest P4P pattern is a must have for work out aficionados and not only! So many options are already included but you know us, we have to add just a few more to our easy hack blog. This time, the P4P blog team will show you how to make the Classic Sports Bra with a solid front, an exposed elastic and without a clasp but still having the cut out. Let’s get started!

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Solid Front

 

 

One of my favorite attributes of the Classic Sports Bra is the colorblocked front. But let’s say you have a favorite panel or fabric that you want to show off and you rather not have 3 front pieces…create your own “one piece solid front.

 

 

Overlap the three front pieces 3/8″ as show above. The overlap will be 3/4″ – the total of the two seam allowances. Scotch tape the 3 pieces together or trace them to create a new one. Now that you created a new pattern piece, simply cut it from your main fabric and proceed to cutting all the other pieces of the pattern (back, linings, band, elastic).

Sew the bra as instructed in the tutorial and enjoy your brand new creation. Easy peasy!

For my solid front Classic Sports Bra I used cotton lycra for both the main and the lining. It makes the most comfortable lounging bra ever!!!

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Exposed Elastic

Sometimes you find cute or extra special elastic and you want to show it off! It’s a super easy modification to stitch on the elastic without the knit band so it is exposed.  If you have the Fierce Bra you can follow those instructions.  Just make sure if you’re using a hook and eye bra closure option that your elastic width coordinates perfectly with your clasp size.

I had ordered this navy elastic with silicone stripes on the underside to help it stay in place and have been wanting to try it out on a sports bra…so here was a great opportunity!  You can also find elastic with prints or words on them as well.

Sew up your bra exactly as you would until the underbust band steps.

Mark your center front of your sports bra and your center of your elastic.

Pin your elastic onto the sports bra with the top edge of the elastic 3/8″ away from the sports bra’s bottom raw edge. (Tip- I like to baste my sports bra around the bottom edge 3/8″ away so I have a clear marking to follow).  You do not need to stretch either the elastic or the sports bra at all.

Stitch the elastic in place using your favorite high stretch stitch (mine is a triple step zigzag).

If you’re using the hook and eye bra closure option attach bra clasps just the same as the tutorial.

Now enjoy!

Judy

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No Clasp, Cut Out Back

 

To create a sports bra that has the keyhole back detail, but without the bra closure, you’ll need to make one small change when cutting your pieces, and a few minor adjustments when sewing on the band.  When cutting out your pieces, you can go ahead and cut out all the front and back pieces from the main and lining as you normally would, but then you’ll need to create a new bottom band piece for the elastic casing.  The new band piece you will be using for this hack needs to be the WIDTH of the full back option band, and the LENGTH of the bra closure option band.  You can either mash the two pattern pieces together, or simply use the measurements from the cut chart. I find using the cut chart quicker and easier than mashing the two pattern pieces.  Again, make sure you use the WIDTH of the Full back piece, and the LENGTH of the bra closure piece. For the elastic, make sure you cut the elastic itself the width of the full back option as well.

After cutting, you will assemble the sports bra according to the pattern up until the point of attaching the band.  For this hack, you will take your band piece, and fold it right sides together lining up the short ends, and sew together.  I prefer to use my sewing machine so I can press the seam open and reduce bulk here.

Your band should be the same width as the bottom of the sports bra.  Using the seam as the back center point, quarter the band and mark the front center and sides.  Match up these points on the bra and mark them as well.  I also like to mark the outsides of the cutout to make sure the band gets even attached.

Slide your band inside your bra, lining up the RIGHT SIDE of the band against the lining.

 

Sew or serge your band onto the bra, sewing all the way around even across the opening to give a nice edge for folding the binding there.  After it has been sewn on, pull the band down and press seam allowance down as well.

Go ahead and stitch your elastic closed in a loop, by overlapping the ends and zigzagging to secure together.  The elastic should also be the same width as the band.  Slide the elastic up over the band.

 You will then need to fold the bottom ¼” of your band up and press flat, and then fold up and over the elastic encasing the elastic. 

 Pin (and/or clip) the band all the way around the bra, making sure you have fully covered the seam allowance. 

Edge stitch all the way around, then put that comfy, cute bra on and ROCK IT! 

Happy Sewing!

Jody

Now that you have seen how easy it is to get 3 more options for the Classic Sports Bra, go sew yourself or your little one, one! 🙂 We would love to see your creations so share them in our P4P Facebook group too or hash tag #patternsforpirates on Instagram.

 

Flutter Wrap – Easy Hacks

Bring on spring!! You have to admit that our latest release, the Flutter Wrap Dress is giving us all the spring and sunny vibes! I am so excited to share with you some easy hacks that the P4P blog team has prepared. Whether you like a thicker belt, neckbands or a split flutter sleeve, we have them all!

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Thicker belt/ties

Adding thicker ties to the wrap dress can be a cute variation to make them a feature of your sew.

Firstly, grab your pattern pieces for the waist ties. Measure the length of the short width and then double it. For example: if your ties measure 2 inches wide, then you need to cut them at 4 inches wide instead.

I like to remake my pattern pieces with the new measurements to make it quicker for cutting the ties out, but you could just as easily note the measurements and use a ruler and cutting tool to make your tie pieces too. Take your fabric and cut wider ties – one short and one long. Sew them as per instructions starting on page 17 in the pattern.

Next step is to sew a gathering stitch across the open end of the ties to reduce the width of the ties by half. Attach the ties as per the pattern instructions.

Happy sewing!

xx Katy

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Hemmed maxi flounce option

The wrap dress is gorgeous with the flounce option. However, I stumbled upon another beautiful way to finish the maxi length hem without the flounce or a straight hem line. All I did was cut my fabric using the flounce hem line then I sewed the hem with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

The curve can be a little tricky. I recommend that you use a metal curved hem ruler, press your hem, and then clip it. If you don’t have a metal curved ruler, I suggest wash away hem tape. Either will give you a beautiful finish.

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Split flutter sleeves

For this hack, we are going to split the flutter sleeves for a fun and cute way to add a little extra detail to your flutter sleeves!

First, you will cut straight down the middle of the flutter sleeve pattern piece, then cut out your sleeve pieces. You will have four sleeve pieces instead of two. Begin constructing the garment as instructed, including the seam that is sewn to join the edges of the sleeve piece together.  

Next, lay the bodice face up with right sides out, place the sleeve piece on top with right sides together and match the top of the sleeve seam with the top of the bodice side seam. Pin in place all along the armscye, and butt the ends together once you get to the top shoulder seam. You may want to baste here where the edges meet together to prevent them from shifting around while sewing. Then stitch.

Press the armscye seam towards the shoulder seam, and repeat with the other side. Then construct the rest of the garment as indicated in the pattern. 🙂

Neckband

 

We’re going to show you how easy it is to replace the french binding on the gorgeous new Flutter Wrap Dress with a neckband.  Sometimes you may want a little extra coverage if you are planning on wearing the dress to work or if you are just quite large-busted, like me. It’s really easy to do and I hope you’ll love the results.

First of all you need to construct your dress as usual but do not cut out the ‘neck binding’ piece as we won’t be using it, however do remember to leave yourself a suitable piece of fabric to cut the neckband from later!  Follow the tutorial and stop when you reach the ‘finishing the neckline’ section. If you plan to add the flounce to the neckline along with the neckband then go ahead and follow the steps in the tutorial that show how to construct the neckline flounce and baste it into place.  In the example below I am not using a neckline flounce, to make it a little clearer for you.

 

 

You will need to measure the length of your unfinished neckline by measuring up the front of one bodice piece, along the top of the neck and down the other bodice piece.   The easiest way to do this is to fold the dress in half, matching the centre back and the ends of the two bodice pieces. I like to pop a few sewing clips on to hold it in place.

 

 

 

 My measurement from centre back to the end of the bodice is 28 inches.  Then I simply double this to find the entire neckline measurement: 28 X 2 = 56 inches. Then I take my 56 and multiply it by 90% to reach 50.4 (which I will round up to 50.5 inches).  This is the measurement I will use for the length of my neckband. The width of your neckband will depend on personal choice but I will use 3 inches, as once the neckband is attached with a ½ inch seam allowance I’ll be left with a 1 inch band width.  So my measurement is 3 X 50.5 inches, with the stretch going along the length of the band. Here is my band after cutting.

 

 

Then I attached my neckband as normal. Fold the fabric wrong sides together along the length.  Then find the middle of the band and mark with a pin or clip.

 

 

 

Attach the middle of the band, right sides together and raw edges up with the centre of the back bodice piece (it’s already marked by the centre seam).  Then you will need to stretch the band to fit the neckline up to the shoulder seams about the amount you would normally stretch a neckband to fit. I have included some photos for reference.

     

 

 

Next you clip the end of the neckband to the end of the bodice on the left side, and ease the neckband to the bodice front along its length.  You will need to slightly stretch the neckband to fit along the bodice length.  

 

 

 

 

 

Repeat for the other side of the bodice. Sew the neckband in place using a ½ inch seam allowance.  Flip the neckband up, press the seam allowance down and topstitch if desired.

 

 

 

 

You’re all done!

 

 

 

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Snap to Keep Neckline in Place

Sometimes when you have babies being held and tugging at you a true wrap top/dress can be risky if they pull the wrong way! Adding a quick and easy sew on snap right at the cross over of your vneckline is a super simple solution.  First grab some sew on snaps from your local craft shop or favorite online crafty retailer:

 

Try on your Flutter Wrap and mark with your favorite marking tool where you want your snaps.  I like to mark both sides exactly where I want each snap to make sure they’re nice and even.

 

 

Hand sew each snap on- I’m not a big hand sewing fan, but these only take a minute!

 

Enjoy your wrap stress free from moving around and exposing more then you want!

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Snaps instead of ties

 

Last but not least I wanted to show you how to replace the ties for the witty bitty flutter wrap dresses and tops. Some may find it easier to snap the outfit instead of tying it. For my example I used the knee length flutter sleeve option but this hack can be done to any of the styles. Let’s get started!

Cut the fabric pieces but skip the two ties (the long and the shorter one)! Using an erasable pen or tailor tack, make a mark 3/4″ away from the raw edge, between the two notches. See image below.

Sew the shoulder seam and add binding. I will show you now how to create a faux wrap with only one set of snaps. If you prefer a real wrap with two sets of snaps, scroll to the end of the blog. Place the dress front and back right sides together as shown below. Sew all 3 layers together on one of the side seams but only two layers (the ones that match at the arm opening) on the other side.

Hem the side of the overlapping piece as in the original pattern. You will now add two 3/4″x3/4″ of stabilizer to where the snaps will be placed. Use the initial marking points as a guide for the snaps.

Add the male snap to the wrap and the female snap to the other side. All done! The wrap dress look without the “hassle” of the ties.

As promised above, here is how to keep the wrap but still add snaps. Place the front and back of the dress right sides together as shown above and sew together the two layers ONLY on both sides, matching the armpit and bottom. Add snaps on both sides using the markings you did. Super duper easy!

 

Will you be sewing the first Flutter Wrap for you or for your little one? Regardless of your pick, we hope you will show it off in the Patterns for Pirates Facebook group and hash tag it on Instagram so we can admire it too!

Oversized Sweater :: Easy Hacks

It’s here! It’s here! The comfiest, snuggliest, coziest sweater you will ever have. The Oversized Sweater includes so many options for both youth and adult but we couldn’t help ourselves…we wanted more! The P4P blog team is showing you how to make an Off the shoulder sweater, a mini dress, a color blocked one, the cutest pom poms hack ever and a higher side slit one. Enjoy!

 

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Off the shoulder

Off-the-shoulder shirts are my jam. I still remember falling all the way in love with the first one I saw Alex do for the Relaxed Raglan. This Oversized Sweater is the PERFECT top to hack into your favorite Pinteresty slouchy off-the-shoulder sweater. And it’s pretty easy! Grab your fabric and pattern pieces–let’s get started!

Layer your front, back and sleeve pieces on top of each other.

Measure down 1/2 inch.

Draw a line. This is going to be your new cut line.

Cut out your pieces.

**Tip: Place a clip on the front of the sweater to differentiate your pieces.

Sew your sleeves on first. They aren’t going to be sewn all the way up so remember that. You’re going to sew them on similarly to how raglan sleeves are done. They’ll look like this:

Once the sleeves have been attached to both the front and back pieces, it’ll look like this.

Cut a neckband 3 inches in width by 85% of your measurement of your shoulders (with shoulders down, measure around your body). Add the neckband.

Finish assembly as instructed in the tutorial and then rock the hell out of it!

I’m wearing a hachi sweater knit in a straight P1 with a curved hem.

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Mini dress

Next up, we have a mini dress hack. I love anything that I can wear that’s comfy, but that’s also really sexy, and this mini dress hack fits the bill perfectly.

For this version, we’ll be using the high-low hem option of the sweater.  Because the bottom of both the front and back pieces of the bodice are straight, it’s very easy to simply add length to the bottom of these to lengthen your sweater into a dress. How much length you add to the bottom of your pattern pieces is completely up to you, but I found that 4 inches was perfect for the “mini” look I was going for.

When cutting out both the front and back pieces of your sweater, simply add 4 inches to the length at the bottom of each. Please note that the high-low bands were not changed at all for this hack; only the length of the main body pieces have been altered.

Cut and sew together the rest of the sweater as described in the tutorial, and voila! You now have a cute and very trendy mini dress, ready to go!

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Poms

If you’re anything like me you might have an addiction to Faux Fur Poms especially on the littles! They are just so cute! I’m going to show you a quick and easy way to substitute the ears for Poms! You’ll sew your hood together exactly the same as all of the instructions but before sewing the hood I recommend marking your ear placements slightly past the seam allowance in a washable pen that way you know where to place your poms. Then I highly recommend adding interfacing where your poms will be for added durability especially if using a pom with snaps.

 

Now if you have a sew on pom you’ll sew it right along the markings you made for the ears. I recommend going directly through the seam allowance, once again for added durability.

 

If you are using a pom with snaps (which I recommend for washing purposes as well as pom changing fun!), push your seam allowance toward the back of the hood and attach your snap through your interfacing and the seam allowance.

and wallah! You are done and now have super cute pom ears!

 

Happy Sewing,

Michelle

 

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Colorblocked

I am all in anytime that I have a chance to sport some spirit gear for our local team (Go Grizzlies!). Awhile ago, I was doing some aimless browsing and came across a colorblocked sweatshirt that was absolutely perfect. Of course they didn’t have our team colors, but the oversized sweater was the perfect starting point to recreating this sporty look.

To begin, you will want to divide the front and back bodice pieces, as well as the sleeve, into the sections. For mine, I began with the front bodice piece. I measured 5″ down from the neckline and placed a vertical line. I then measured 6″ below that to create my second color block. The remaining section will be for my third color block.  For the back bodice, I lined up the bottom hemline of both front and back piece, and transferred my lines to this piece as well.

To create the colorblocked sleeve, I began by aligning to top of the sleeve with the front bodice neckline and again, transferring these lines.

Once the lines are drawn, you will then need to cut your pieces on these lines (you can also fold your pattern on each of these lines if you’d rather not cut your original). To cut the fabric, you will need to add an additional 1/2″ to each line you drew, both to the top and bottom colorblocked sections of this line, to account for the seam allowance.

Now that you’ve cut out your pieces (phew, wasn’t that fun?! haha), you will begin to reassemble the bodices and sleeves. With right sides together, match up each colorblock section and sew using a 1/2″ SA.

Once your pieces have been sewn together, you will then follow the original tutorial to construct your sweatshirt.  And just like that, you’re now ready to show off your favorite colors, prints, or school spirit all in one fun, colorblocked sweater!

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Higher side split

Let’s end this easy hacks series with a Pinterest inspired hack. One of the testers shared a picture of a high side slit oversized sweater and I knew I just have to have one. This is super easy look to achieve!

I chose to make the slit 5″ but that is just a mild suggestion. You can certainly make it bigger (or smaller) if you’d like. Mark 5″ up from the bottom raw edge on all 4 side seams. You can use pins, clips or a tailor chalk.

Sew the pattern as instructed in the tutorial but stop the at the 5″ mark. You may find this step easier to be done if you sew (at least the last few inches) with a sewing machine. Repeat the steps on the other side.

Press a 1/2″ hem on both sides of the side seam. Stitch the hem down with a zig zag stitch, twin needles or a coverstitch.

Continue adding the front and back bands ad in the tutorial. See that was super easy!

I did the hack on my turtleneck version but it would be super cute on all neckline.

Tip: If you would like to make the high side seam on the curved hem option you would have to sew the side seams the same way you do the high low option. 

 

Hope you enjoyed these as much as we loved making them for you. As always, don’t forget to show off your creations in the P4P Facebook group or Instagram (use #patternsforpirates) so we can ohhh and ahhh over them!

Gala Gown :: Easy Hacks

It’s a Gala Hacks party! In true P4P fashion, our amazing blog team has some fun, easy hacks and mash ups ready for you.

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Gala – Sweetheart mash up

There’s no denying that the Gala Gown has all of the drama and beauty needed for all of those amazing times in our life. However, it can also be transformed into a fun little top with very little effort! I used the bodice of the Gala Gown for this look, however I paired it with the peplum skirt option from the Sweetheart Dress. 

To create this look, cut and assemble your bodice from the Gala Gown as directed in the tutorial. You will then want to use the peplum skirt option from the Sweetheart Dress. Mark the quarter points on both the bodice and the skirt. Slip the skirt over the bodice, right sides together, and match quarter points. Attach using a ½” SA. Finish your peplum by hemming and you’re all done!
~ Erinn

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Gala – Pencil Skirt mash up

Loving the new Gala top but looking for something a little more form-fitted through the hips?  I’m going to take you through a super quick and easy mash with the Freebie Pirate Pencil Skirt that’ll give you a totally different look. Go ahead and grab your Gala Bodice Lining and your Pencil Skirt Pattern (high rise height) pieces.  You’ll want to make sure the bodice bottom is close to the same width as your pencil skirt top for mashing (based on your sizing it should be).  You may have to grade your pencil skirt pieces slightly to match the Gala Bodice.  I did this through the added waistband height.

Next, you’ll need need to add the Pencil Skirt band height to your pencil skirt pattern.  You’ll take the given band height and divide it by 2 and then add that to the top of your pattern pieces.  For example- the band height on mine called for 5 inches so I added 2.5 to my pattern piece ( since the band is folded in half for the actual skirt height).  This is what you’ll cut for the bottom of your dress.

Now, sew your bodice as directed in the pattern and the side seams of your pencil skirt.   You’ll end up with two separate pieces that look like the photo below.

Finish your dress by sewing your bodice to your skirt piece just like you would if you were sewing the standard Gala skirt and you’re done!  Totally new look- perfect for New Years’ Eve fun!

 

Happy Sewing and Cheers,

Michelle

 

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Gala – Boundless mash up

It’s no secret that the Boundless dress is one of my favorite P4P dresses so it was only natural that I would mash the Gala Gown bodice with the Boundless skirt. This is a super easy hack.

All you have to do is cut the Gala Gown bodice and sleeves and the Boundless skirt. I used bamboo knit for my whole dress but if you used stable knits for the top, I encourage you to use fabric with great drape for the skirt.

Sew the top and the skirt as instructed in the patterns. You will be adding the skirt as in the Boundless tutorial, using elastic to stabilize the waist.

Hack: I used the width of the fabric and stitched the skirt in a loop. I marked the sides and front of my skirt and attached it to the bodice with the seam in the back. 

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Ribbon Belt

I see a lot of posts wanting something to really highlight the waist when wearing a dress, but if you’re wearing a more formal dress you might not have a belt that goes! A ribbon belt can be very elegant and simple to create to give yourself a little more definition or attention to your waistline.  You can grab any ribbon style you’re drawn to that coordinates with your dress and attach whatever embellishment you find that makes your heart sing!

Some ideas would be appliques, belt buckles, brooches, fabric flowers, hair-clips, bows, etc.  I picked up satin ribbon and some great velvet ribbon as well.

To create it you just need to cut your ribbon as long as you’d like- so the waist measurement plus enough to tie a bow and however long you want  your tails.  I like to have my tails go to almost the very bottom of my hem personally, but that’s just personal preference.  Make sure you finish the edges if you pick a ribbon that frays.  Satin ribbon I prefer to heat seal with a flame.

Find the center of your cut ribbon and attach your embellishment with hand stitching.

There! You now have a beautiful belt that will look stunning on your more formal dresses! It’s quick and simple for such a fabulous add on and the possibilities are endless!

 

Here a a few modeled with the Gala Gown.

Judy

Which hack will you make first? Don’t forget to share your creations in the P4P Facebook group so we can all admire them too.

Fierce Bra and Undies – Easy Hacks

Ahoy, pirates! In true P4P fashion we could not let the DOUBLE release happen without showing you some simple hacks for your new Fierce Undies and Bra. All these simple mods can be applied to both our adult and youth pattern.

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Undies with bands

   

I love the new Fierce Undies. They feel so amazing! But I know sometimes I prefer a knit waistband instead of elastic. So today I will be showing you how to hack a knit waistband on the Fierce Undies.

 

The first thing I did was cut and assemble the pattern according to the pattern. Then I measured the top of the undies to see how wide it is.

Now here is the formula I used to the band width: (undies width X 2)+1 X 80%. I like to use 80% because I like my band a little smaller but not too tight. Here is a picture of my measurements. 

So my finished number is 24.8. So I cut my band at 4” tall and 24.8 wide. I cut my band 4” high because I like the 2” thickness. I fold my band short ends together and sew.

Then I fold it again raw edges together.

 

Now I quarter the band and undies, then I put the band over the undies with right sides together matching the quarter marks.

Sew the band on, top stitch if desired.

Now you have a knit and Fierce undies! 

 

 

 

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Undies with picot lace

Nicole will show us how to add picot trim to the leg opening soon!

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Bra with knit biding

For this hack, we will be using knit to create a binding instead of fold over elastic (FOE). This is a a great hack to use if you don’t have any FOE on hand or if you want your binding to be a cute print or exact match of one of your fabrics.
To get started, cut out the three 2” strap pieces using the width measurements as indicated in the elastic cut chart according to your size. Optional: serge along the long edges for additional stability. Then, press all three binding pieces into 1/2” strips: Fold pieces in half, press, open back up, then bring raw edges to meet at the center crease, press, fold in half, press.
Open up your binding neckline piece, match the center point of binding (right side) to the center point of the neckline (lining side). Stretching slightly, stitch along the neckline using a stretch stitch and a 1/2” seam allowance (along the first crease).
Finger press binding and seam allowance up, then re-fold the binding in the same manner as done previously to get a 1/2″ strip. Re-fold the entire strip to form your straps and pin/clip in place. Stitch using a stretch stitch along the entire binding to close and finish the binding/straps.
Continue with pattern instructions for construction. Repeat binding steps with outside straps: be sure your binding pieces are open before stitching the ends together when getting started on the outside straps.
 
and now you have your own custom knit binding! <3
(bra pictured has elastic band attached differently than pattern)
Lacy

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Youth bra with cups

My daughter is getting to be that age that she wants just a bit more coverage and loves all her ready to wear sports bras that come with padded cups. The first thing that she asked me about the new fierce bra is if it had cups and I said no but not to worry I could add them for her.  This hack is super easy and the construction does not change at all!  Let’s get started!

First we are going to trace off our front piece, next we need to create an opening for our cups to slide into.  I used my french curve but you can certainly free hand a curve similar to what I have shown here.  I just estimated how big to make it, it does not need to be to big, you want to be able to easily slide a cup in and out of it.  Next cut away the line you drew on your piece, this will now be your lining piece. You will cut one main front and one lining from your newly created piece.

Your construction will stay exactly the same, you will just have the curves in your lining piece.  I choose not to finish the edges of my curves as I was using a really nice quality athletic fabric but you can always finish that edge with your serger or with a narrow hem on your sewing machine.  Once finished you will be able to slide in cups, I just grabbed a set from my daughters ready to wear bras but you can also buy bra cups and cut them down to fit.  My daughter is only 10 and really doesn’t need them to add any type of support she just likes the extra coverage so really any cheap cups from Amazon will do the trick and are easy to cut to size.

All done and my girl is happy to have a bra made to fit her perfectly

Angela

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Undies with lace band

Up next I wanted to show you another way to add a waistband to the Fierce Undies. Instead of the 3/4″-1.5″ waistband elastic you can use stretch lace. I used 1″ for my example but 1.5″ would work beautifully as well. Start by cutting your pattern as instructed but cut stretch lace instead of elastic.

Sew the short ends of the lace to form a loop. You may find it easier to use a piece of water soluble stabilizer between the machine’s feed dogs and the lace so as to deter your machine from trying to “eat” your fabric.

Sew the undies as instructed in the tutorial. Pin the lace at the top, overlapping 3/8″. The wrong side of the lace will be against the right side of the undies. Sew in place using a zig zag stitch of a coverstitch.

Tadah!  Done! You just added one more option to the Fierce Undies.

Judy is rocking a pair of Fierce Undies with a 2″ lace band.

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Swim suit

Last but certainly not least we want it to show you how easy it is to make  Fierce Swimsuit. You will need:

  • swim suit fabric
  • swim lining (or solid swim like I used)
  • 1″ swim elastic for the waistband and under bust band
  • 3/8″ swim elastic for the leg openings and bra straps
  • optionally power mesh and cups (I have not used them on mine)

Start by cutting you undies front and back pieces from swim, the liner from solid swim or lining. Cut the waistband 3″ by the length of the waistband elastic (from the cutting chart) plus 1″ for the seam allowance. Cut the 1″ swim elastic the length of the waistband elastic from the chart. Now cut the bra pieces, making sure that the under bust band is 3″ wide by the length of the elastic plus 1″ seam allowance. You will also need to enclose swim elastic in the bra straps so you will but binding strips that are 1.5″ wide by the length of the pattern straps pieces.

Sew the undies and side of the bra (and lining) as instructed in the tutorial. Now let’s make the waistband and the bra under bust band. Same technique…butt the ends of the elastic together and sew with a wide zig zag stitch. Overlap the band with the right sides together and sew it in a loop using 1/2″ seam allowance. Insert the elastic inside and put pins or clips at the quarter mark. Put the bands aside for now.

Hem the legs of the undies as in the pattern. The only difference will be that you will be using swim elastic for the briefs and thong, no elastic for the cheekies. Take your swim elastic and baste it to one edge of each of the bra straps.

Attach the bra straps binding as Lacy is showing you in the hack above.

All you have left to do is add the waistband and under bust band that you prepared earlier. Mark the 4 quarters of the undies waist and under bust opening. Add the respective band matching the quarter points. Sew them with your serger or a triple stretch stitch. Optionally, top stitch.

All done! You just added one more swim suit to your collection. You can use the same tips for both the youth and the adult pattern.

We hope you enjoyed these spins on the new Fierce Undies and Fierce Bra pattern. Don’t forget to share your creations in the Patterns for Pirates Facebook group or tag us on Instagram @patternsforpirates.

 

Twist Back Top Easy Hacks

The Twist Back Top features a super fun back that inspired us to show you some easy hacks that will add some more options to the pattern. Let’ get started!

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Criss Cross Back Strap

 

Criss Cross Hack Twist Back

The new Twist Back top is so much fun to wear and style. While I love both the single strap and no strap options, adding a criss cross back strap is an easy and quick hack for another great look.

Begin by cutting and assembling your pattern according to the instructions for whichever sleeve length you choose. After your top is completely sewn together, take your Back Strap Pattern Piece and instead of cutting one, cut out two. I also like to add a little extra length here to play with while placing the straps. I added about an extra inch and a half to mine.

Sew the strap pieces and turn right sides out according to the pattern. Once you have two straps, begin placing them on your twist back top. I used the pattern’s back strap placement mark to place the top pieces of my criss-cross and moved around the straps until I liked how it looked. Be careful not to stretch your straps too much while placing, while also not having too much slack. You want the straps to lay flat while wearing. The best way to ensure the correct placement is to try on your top before sewing the straps in. I ended up moving mine around a little here and there before I was happy with the placement. In the end you can see my strap pieces are about 3 inches apart from each other.

Sew your straps in place and trim off any excess fabric. You now have a fun new criss cross back strap.

Shannon

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Bow Back

   

The Twist Back Top is already so much fun but if you want to add another little detail, I am here to show you how. Instead of the back shoulder strap, I added some ties to make a cute little bow and you can too with these simple steps!

You will start off just as the pattern instructs, with cutting your pieces. The only difference will be when it’s time to cut that back shoulder strap. You can use any length desired to make them longer or shorter but I used the included pattern piece as a guide for the youth version and it worked out perfectly.Instead of cutting one piece, I folded my fabric in half and cut two shoulder strap pieces on the fold. This gave me two pieces that were both double the size of the pattern piece. For the youth size 6, my  ties ended up being 11.5″. (I shortened them from this photo)You then fold the straps in half, with right sides together, and sew along the long edge and ONE short edge. Turn your straps right side out and press. Note that using this method, your seam will be along one edge as opposed to the middle like the original back shoulder strap. 

Find your shoulder strap marks and attach one tie to each side at the markings. Before you sew on, it is a good idea to clip or pin them in place, and check the length of your ties. Once they are sewn in place, continue on as the pattern instructs and then you will have your adorable new top!

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Banded Tank

The muscle tank look may not be for everyone and we get that so I’m going to show you how to do a super simple banded hack–it’s unbelievably easy!

Instructions:

Print, cut and assemble the pattern just like the directions advise to.

When you get to the part about hemming the armcyce, stop!

Measure the armcyce (front and back) and then multiply this number by 85%.

Cut bands from your fabric with a 2in height and whatever 85% of the armcyce is.

Add the bands to the arms and boom! You’re done!

Just that easy!

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Hemmed instead of banded

Last but not least I wanted to show how your Twist Back Top would look if you skipped the bands and simply hemmed the back and neckline. This is such an easy hack because it can be used for both tank and dolman and you do not need any new pieces.

Start by printing and cutting the pattern according to the style preference and sizes. I went with the tank option in a rayon french terry. Do not cut the two back band or the front neckline one. Mark the strap placement according to the pattern. For the mark, draw a line that is at least 3/4″ long.

Sew the shoulder seams. Press the back and neckline 1/2″. Optionally you can use pins or clips to hold it in place. For rayon french terry I found that I do not need pins along the back once pressed and steamed.

Using your coverstitch or a zig zag stitch (or twin needle) on your sewing machine hem along the pressed edge and iron it again.

All you have left to do is sew down the back strap using the markings you made earlier. I used a zig zag stitch for this step.

All done! All you have left to do is enjoy your new top and show it off.

Now that you have these additional options in your portofolio, start creating your unique Twist Back Top  and make sure to share them in the P4P Facebook group.

Hepburn Top and Dress – Easy Hacks

The Hepburn Top & Dress has released and it will surely become a staple in your year round wardrobe. Our amazing (and growing) team of blog contributors has some easy hacks for the new pattern. Take a look and get sewing!

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Swim top/rashguard

The fit of the Turtle Neck Dress is so fantastic that modifying it to be a a rashguard is very simple!

The first thing you need to do is decide which pattern options you would like to use and gather your supplies. Swap out your sweater knit for some swim knit, and your clear elastic for swim elastic.

Cut out your pattern pieces and neckline elastic according to the tutorial. For all options, you will continue on following the tutorial until it is time to hem.

If you choose to make a cropped swim top, like I am, you may want additional swim elastic for the bottom hem. This will help keep the hem from rising up while swimming. For this option, you will want to trim half an inch from the bottom of the front and back bodice pieces.

 

I simply wrapped the elastic around my waist and cut at a comfortable length. The elastic will be attached in the same way you attach the neckline elastic for the crew neck.

All other hemming options can follow the tutorial. Now you can enjoy your new swim top!


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Zipper Workout Bra

For this hack, we will be working with the crew neck, crop, tank option. In addition to the materials listed in the pattern, you will also need: 

  • Fabric for the lining
  • Zipper that is slightly longer than the shortened crop bodice (detailed below)
  • Wash away wonder-tape (our new BFF!)
  • FOE/knit binding
  • 1” elastic
  • Soft bra cups
  • (Optional Hook & Eye Closure)

1. Assemble Bodice and Lining

2. Attach Zipper with Wonder Tape!

Find the center of the front neckline, cut straight down from top to bottom.

Place a strip of wonder tape from top to bottom along the edge of one half of the bodice. Do the same for the coordinating lining piece, peel off the paper strip.

With right sides together, place zipper along the edge of bodice.

Next, peel off paper strip on lining and place wrong side of zipper along right side of lining.

Check to be sure zipper is placed correctly, gently finger press in place. (Clip in place if needed).

Stitch 1/4’’ away from the zipper from top to bottom.

Repeat with other side. Your fully lined zipper is now attached with just two lines of stitching!! Zip up zipper, add reinforcement stitches across the bottom of the zipper, and trim the extra zipper fabric from off the top and bottom.

Finish neckline with your favorite finish. I used FOE, but you could also do a knit binding. Just be sure to fold the ends under so the edges are finished.

3. Add Bottom Band

Cut a band with the following formula (adjust length as needed): Length = 3.5” by Width = (75% of Underbust Measurement) + 1”

*Optional* Hand sew hook and eye closure at top of zipper.

And you are done!!!

   

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Picot trim

Anyone else buy tons of picot elastic thinking you are going to make all the bras and underwear? Well picot elastic can easily be used for other items and is a great finish for a necklines as well!  This is a quick easy hack and all you need that is different from the original requirements is picot elastic!

We are only going to make very minimal changes.  My picot elastic was 1/4 inch so I did not bother trimming the neckline down at all.  We are going to cut the picot the same length as what the pattern calls for for the clear elastic.

 

Now press that top stitch cause pressing is the key to a really great finished product and finish the rest of your top as instructed.  You can also use this method for the armholes if you choose but sometimes picot can be scratchy, mine was super soft but I choose to just use it for the neckline.

 

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Lettuce hem

Next up we have the lettuce hem hack. This is an easy and fast way to finish your edges with a little added style!

First off, we need to trim the hem allowances at the neckline, sleeve edges, and bottoms of both front and back pieces of the pattern to account for not using a traditional hem on these edges.

Trim 3/8″ off of the neckline.

Trim 1/2″ from the sleeve edges.

And trim 1″ from the bottoms of both the front and back bodice pieces.

Now that we’ve got our pattern pieces properly modified, cut and sew up your top as usual, using the new trimmed pattern pieces.

Next, set up your serger for a rolled hemline. Consult your serger’s manual for exactly how to do this on your machine, but in a nutshell, you will use only one needle, narrow the stitch width, decrease the length and increase the lower looper tension.

Begin with the neckline of the shirt. Sew the neckline as if you were finishing with a rolled hem, but stretch the fabric firmly before and after the presser foot. The tighter you pull, the more waves your lettuce hem will have!

Repeat on the raw edges of both sleeves and bottom hemline.

And that’s it! Now you have a beautifully finished tee with cute lettuce hems.

 

 

Caitlin

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Higher side vents

 

Let give this dress a nice higher vent to add extra sexy to it!

 Here’s how I made this little hack.

I started with cutting the mid-length version and marking the vent line for the knee length.

I continue sewing up the dress according to the instructions. 

Here is a picture to show the different vent lines. I followed the directions for the vent except I used the knee length instead of the mid length marking. 

Hope you all love this hack!!

Andrea

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Skirt

Next up we have a super easy, fun skirt hack. Nicole paired her skirt with the Sporty Piko crop but you can certainly wear it withe the cropped Hepburn top. Start by deciding where you would like the skirt to hit. Nicole is wearing a high waist style so she cut the pattern 1″ front and back pieces above the waist line. Now grab a 1″ knit elastic piece and stretch it around your waist (or high hip, depending on your skirt preference). Cut the elastic based on your waist and comfort. Sew the side seams and hem the bottom of the skirt following the tutorial instruction.

Using your serger or a zig zag stitch attach the elastic to the waist.

That’s it! All you have left to do now is enjoy your new skirt.

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Hepburn / Boundless mash

My turn!! You know there’s nothing I like more than a good dress! So once I have sewn the dress included in the pattern I just had to try mashing it with the Boundless skirt. Here is what I did:

Cut the preferred Hepburn style (tank, sleeves, etc) CROP top. Now grab the Boundless pattern (or even the Sunshine) and cut the waist skirt (not the empire one).

Sew the Hepburn crop top as instructed in the tutorial. Now grab some 1/4″ elastic and measure the opening of the bottom hem. Cut the elastic the same size as the measurement you just took and sew it in a loop.

All you have to do now is attach the skirt to the Hepburn top following the Boundless (or Sunshine) tutorial. Boom! One top…so many new possibilities!

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Hepburn / Sweetheart or Me Hearties mash

 

We could not end this hacks series without showing you how beautiful a Hepburn / Me Hearties (or Sweetheart) mash can be. Here is what how to get the look.

Judy has made he little star a 3/4″ sleeves, turtleneck crop top Hepburn and omitted hemming the bottom. Of course, you can choose any of the crop top styles included in the Hepburn pattern. Then she simply cut a Me Hearties circle skirt, sewed the side seams and hemmed the bottom.

All that left to do it attach the skirt to the top, following the Me Hearties instructions. Don’t forget the seam allowance is 1/2″.

Now tell me this cutie is not making you want to sew a Hepburn/Sweetheart mash for you too. I know that’s my next project!

Hope you enjoyed these easy hack as much as we enjoyed making them for you! Time to get sewing and remember to post your creations in the Patterns for Pirates Facebook group so we can all admire them.

Summer PJs easy hack

As with all new P4P patterns our blog team has some easy hacks ready for you to take your Summer Pjs up a notch. It is a sizzling summer after all…

Knit and FOE

Let’s start with a simple fabric switch. If you are anything like me you have piles and piles of knit fabric in your stash. Let’s make the Summer Pjs with jersey knit. The other replacement we are making is switching the bias tape for FOE (fold over elastic).

I used 5/8″ FOE for mine but any width bigger would work too. One of my favorite parts of making the Summer PJs with knit is that I can coverstitch the hem.

Sew the PJs as instructed in the tutorial. When adding FOE simply fold it in half and sew it on with a lightning bolt stitch or triple stretch stitch. You can get away with using a straight stitch since the pattern has plenty of positive ease so you won’t really be stretching the binding.

I left the FOE as is for the back strap but you can certainly fold that one over as well.

Use lots of pins when adding the long back strap. It will help if you steam press the FOE fold prior to pinning or clipping it in place.

That’s it! No changes made to the actual pattern pieces just fabric choice…easy peasy!

Lace Insert

If you are looking to make your Summer Pjs just a little more sexy…why not add a lace insert to the front of the top or nightie? Grab your favorite lace or very wide lace trim and let’s get started. Cut the fabric as instructed in the pattern. Using a disappearing pen, like a Frixion , mark on the front piece the “V” you would like to be lace. This is where you choose how “risque” you would like to make your pajamas. Mark another line 1/4″ inside of the first one. This will be your cutting line for the main fabric. Cute along the green line and remove the inside triangle.

Cut down your lace a 1/4″ bigger than the size of the bigger triangle. If you use gallon lace or trim make sure the pretty details (like Judy’s black accent) is at the top. Mark 1/4″ inside the V lace triangle with the disappearing pen or tailor chalk. This will be the stitching line.

Place your lace triangle over the front piece right sides together matching the stitching lines (red). Sew over the marked lines with a straight stitch, pivoting at the center V. Flip the lace piece inside the main fabric and finish the raw edges with a zig zag stitch. Top stitch 1/8″ away from the edge.

If your lace has a raw edge at the top, follow the pattern to add bias binding. If your using lace with a finished edge like Judy’s then simply skip the front bias tape.

All you have left to do now is enjoy your new sexy summer pajamas.

 

Ruffles

Ruffles can add such a soft, feminine detail and to me, the new Summer PJ’s has so many great places to add a ruffle. One of the first places is the legs. You can add ruffles to either the cheekie or shorts length. For this tutorial, I added ruffles to the shorts length.

To begin, you will want to assemble your shorts as directed by the tutorial, with the exception of hemming.

Once you’ve constructed your shorts, you will need cut your bands that will be used for the ruffles. The band needs to be 3″ x width of fabric. If you would like your ruffle more full, you can always sew two strips together to create a fuller look.

Once the strips are cut, you will want to press them in half, with wrong sides together.  Unfold your strips. With right sides together, stitch the ends together, using a 1/2″ seam allowance to create a loop.

Re-fold your band. Using the longest straight stitch on your machine, create your gathering stitches. You will want to use two rows of stitches, one at a 1/4″ from the raw edge and a second 5/8″. Repeat on other band.

Mark the middle of your band with a pin or clip. Pulling the bobbin thread, begin to gather your band. You will then want to match up the seam of the band with the crotch seam and the middle with the outside leg seam.

Evenly distribute your gathers and attach using a 1/2″ seam allowance. To finish, press the seam up and top stitch around the legs if wished!

Another quick and easy way to add ruffles to the Summer PJ’s is to add one to the neckline. I chose to add this to my daughter’s nightgown and we are both in love with the results. Many of the steps will be the same as above. After cutting out your top, stitch your side seams together. For the ruffle, you will want to cut a strip of fabric that is 3″ x double the width of the neckline. Press this strip of fabric in half, wrong sides together.

Using the longest straight stitch, create your gathering stitches by stitching a straight line at both 1/4″ and 5/8″ from the raw edge.

To gather, pull the bobbin thread until the strip is the same width as the neckline (** Leave 1/2″ ungathered on both ends to help reduce bulk when attaching the binding).  Baste around the armscyes and neckline to hold ruffle in place.

Continue to finish the top according to the tutorial, attaching the binding to the neckline as instructed, treating the ruffle and neckline as one.

Now that you have your youth and adult Summer PJs, and learned some easy hacks, time to get creative with your own pajamas. Don’t forget to share your pretties in the P4P Facebook group so we can all marvel at their beauty.

Alex and Erinn

Minute Maillot – Easy Hacks

Don’t let the name of the pattern fool you! While The Minute Maillot is a super quick sew, it is full of options. But you know us- we like to add more easy hacks that you can customize to your preference.

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Separates

Although I love the Minute Maillot as a one piece, I tend to wear a lot of two pieces in the summer and this pattern is so quick and easy to hack into a two piece!  Let’s jump right in!

Step 1 – Grab your both your front and back lining pieces.  All we need to do is add a bit of length to these pieces.  Add 1 1/4 inch to the bottom of each piece and then draw your side seam line down on a curve to match as shown here. You will do this on both your front and back piece.  NOTE: This is going to work best on the high back, the mid back will work but its going to leave you with a very thin back band.

 

Step 2: Cut out your pieces you will need one main and one lining of each the front and the back.  You will sew in your cups if using them just as instructed in the pattern but DO NOT sew on the underbust elastic! Assemble the top just as instructed in the pattern.

Step 3: Your top is now assembled and we just have to finish the bottom. Cut your 3/4 inch under bust elastic as stated in the chart and butt the edges together and zig zag in the round exactly like shown in the tutorial. .  Instead of attaching it to the lining only we are going to attach it in the same way as we did the neckline and arm elastic.  First we will quarter our elastic and suite and match them together.  The elastic will be on the lining side of the suite.  Baste your elastic to your suite making sure that the edge of your elastic matches the edge of both the lining and the main fabric.  I choose to serge my elastic on, you will need to slightly stretch the elastic to match your suite.  After you have it sewn in place you will flip it up to the lining side and top stitch in place, again just like all your other elastic in the suite you want to top stitch right on the edge of that elastic as close as you possibly can, this helps prevent the elastic from flipping out on you.

All done! Quick and easy and super cute! This would also work great in athletic fabric for a sports bra! I paired mine with the Hello Sailors bottoms but you could easily hack to make your own bottoms from this pattern as well!  You just need to figure out where you would like the top of your bottoms to hit and add 3/8th to that.  You would add 3/8 inch elastic to the top on the lining side and then top stitch in place!  You can also apply this same hack to the girls suit, just decide how long you would like your top you can make it as long or as short as you would like, add 1/2 inch to where you decided you would like it to finish and add 3/8 inch elastic to finish the bottom.  No measurements are provided for this but I would do an inch less then the finished measurement so you can stretch that elastic just a little bit.

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Low back strap

My favorite back option of the Minute Maillot is for sure the low one! I also feel like it gives me the opportunity to get even more creative. Let me show you how quick and easy it is to add a strap to the back.

Start by making the swimsuit’s low back option, any front option or leg you prefer. We will add the strap once the suit in completed. Place a quilting ruler at the bottom arm opening and measure the opening of the back at that level. In my case (1x) it is 9 inches.

Cut your back strap 6″ wide by the back opening you measured earlier. In my case I used a swim piece that was 6″x9″. This is a step you can customize to your liking. If you’d like a thinner strap you can certainly cut the fabric shorter than 6″. Fold the strap right side together lengthwise, sew along the top with a 1/4 or 1/2″ seam allowance (depending on your preference). Turn the strap inside out.

Bring back your swimsuit, back side up, and mark the point on the opening that matches the bottom arm opening.

Pin your strap in place making sure that the top of the strap matches the mark you just made on both sides of the back opening.

Sew the strap in place using a zig zag stitch, stretch stitches or your coverstitch. That’s all!

Tips: Using the same technique you can make the back with two or three thinner straps, two long ones  tied in a bow, two thinner ones crossed like an X….endless possibilities!

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Ruffles at the legs

Looking for one of the fastest way to make most little girls happy- add ruffles! For this hack, you will first need to cut and assemble your pattern according to the tutorial, stopping at the step which attaches the crotch seam. Once assembled, you will want to measure the width that you would like your ruffles to be. I choose to measure from the side seam to approximately the leg curve, giving me a 3″ area to add the ruffle to the front, as well as another 3″ to the back.

You will now cut the rectangles needed for the ruffles.  You will need a total of 6 rectangles, 3 for each side. To determine the total length needed, I took my 6″ I measured above and multiplied by 1.5. If you’d like a more full ruffle, you could multiply this width by 2. For the height, I cut each ruffle to 2″. My final ruffle measurements were 9″x 2″. After you’ve cut your rectangles, you will want to sew your gather stitches (the longest straight stitch on your machine). I like to sew two rows of stitches to help create more even gathers.

Beginning with your bottom ruffle, match the center of the ruffle with the side seam, then pin in place 3″ from the side seam on both the front and back bodice pieces. Pull your gather strings and adjust as needed.

Attach the ruffle using a narrow zigzag stitch. You may now remove the basting stitches.

Repeat these steps with both the middle and top layer, placing it 1″ above the previous layer.

After attaching the ruffles, finish sewing the crotch seam as directed in the tutorial and then finish by adding the elastic! Lastly, show it to that little cutie and see her face light up when she sees the added flair to her suit!


~Erinn

 

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Maternity

 

Hi Lovelies,

Today we are going to discuss how to hack the new suit to be maternity friendly. You’re going to need the Maternity Layer Me Up add on pattern piece and your front piece of the swimsuit. Okay, let’s get started!
First, before cutting fabric we will need to modify the front pattern piece.  You’re going to take the front piece of the swimsuit and you’re going to measure one inch above the High Leg cut line. From there you will have two pieces to add your LMU in the middle.
You’re going to tape the top area of the LMU maternity add on where the red line is in the picture by the bust line curve.
Then, you’re going to tape the bottom piece of the swimsuit by the bottom notches on the LMU pattern piece. You will now blend the bottom of the belly area on the LMU to bottoms swimsuit piece.
Now, you’ll use your newly drafted maternity front piece to cut out the front of your swimsuit (and your swim lining if you’re fully lining the front of your swimsuit).
Next, you will be gathering the center belly section. Instead of using elastic to gather like in the LMU add on instructions I did the traditional two basting stitches and gathered by hand to match the back swimsuit pattern piece.  You will start gathering at the top notch under the bust and go until the very last notch on the belly.
From here on out you will continue with the Minute Maillot instructions as normal. Bam, you’re done with your beautiful new maternity swimsuit!

Amanda S

 

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How Low Can You Go Back

I love a dramatic low back! The low back option included is a bit lower then natural waistline.  I kept seeing gorgeous Pinterest photos of super low backs and had to try one!

I marked a line from the high cut legline horizontally across my back piece.  Then marked a vertical line just continuing the back low cutline vertically down until it met with the horizontal line I already marked.  Using a french curve I drew the curve (you can also cut out and use the curve from the low option if you don’t have a french curve handy).

I sewed up the suit exactly the same, just lengthening the back elastic to match the lower line. (I didn’t measure, I just applied it as I sewed only stretching where needed).

Ta-Da! A super dramatic low back that would be stunning on any beach or romantic get away… I’ll have to try to get invited to one of those one day to show mine off 😉

Judy

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