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X Factor Top and Dress Easy Hacks

July 28, 2020


 

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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! 
Processed with Focos
Processed with Focos

Filed Under: Frequently Asked Questions, Pattern Hacks, Pattern Release, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

P4P nursing hacks

June 12, 2018

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

 

RELAXED’S RAGLAN Nursing Hack

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

 

HENLEY nursing hack

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

 

FST/LMU MASH nursing hack

A lot of us are big fans of the FST/LMU mash so we couldn’t skip this mash in our nursing line up hack. You can find the details here.

 

LAYER ME UP nursing hack

Our Layer Me Up Shirt has a nursing hack on the blog as well. Judy is showing us here how to modify the shirt to achieve a nurse friendly look.

 

BOUNDLESS nursing hack

The Boundless Knit Dress nursing modification can be found here. The same technique can be applied to other dresses like the Sunshine or the Sweetheart dress.

 

BOHO BABYDOLL nursing hack

Our Boho Babydoll hacks includes a split side seam modification is that is great for nursing as well. You can read Erinn’s blog here.

 

CAREFREE CARDIGAN nursing hacks

Our cardigans are already nursing friendly but Judy took it up a notch with the Carefree Cardigan Button Hack. The blog can be found here.

 

 

ESSENTIAL TANK nursing hacks

Last but not least we have an Essential Tank hack that is nursing friendly too. Judy shows us here how to achieve an open back look for the ET.

 

All you have to do now bookmark this blog post so you have easy access to all our nursing hack and get sewing. 🙂

 

 

Filed Under: Frequently Asked Questions, Pattern Hacks Leave a Comment

Boundless Nursing Mod

August 5, 2015

I had lots of inquiries about nursing option for the Boundless Knit Dress.  I know ladies love to create items they can wear during and after pregnancy! Since the Boundless has a lined bodice it is a super simple modification to do! Here is how I did mine 🙂

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I cut out all my pieces normally- main fabric bodice, lining bodice, sleeves, skirt, and I did pockets for this one too! I did a mini length and didn’t add my 3″ I should for being super tall because I wanted a tunic length! I wear tunics and leggings much more then a dress 🙂

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Choosing fabrics: I choose a spandex blend for both since the main fabric would be pulled and stretched a lot, you want it to have good recovery and not get stretched out and sloppy by the end of the day! The lining I choose a true spandex.  I thought it would be soft on my skin, stretch nicely with the changes throughout the day of your bust measurement and be sturdy enough to do well with cut outs.  I also choose a solid b/c it when you lift up you will actually be showing the wrong side of the fabric.  You COULD sew the lining were a print shows, but you might make your brain very tired trying to figure it out 😉

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You can follow the normal directions in the tutorial all the way through the bodice and skirt construction.  ATTACHING the skirt is where we will change it up a bit! 🙂  ***Although, after creating mine I SHOULD have put right side of bodice to WRONG side of lining–this way the sides seams wouldn’t show when you pull up!***

Here is my bodice, again put together just as the directions say in the regular tutorial.  For the main bodice fabric I choose to hem with an elastic hidden in the hem.  I would’ve use a clear elastic if I hadn’t been all out 😉 so I used what I had! I measurement the finished bodice and cut to that size.  I did not add for a seam allowance b/c I want to stretch it EVER so slightly with attaching.

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Sew the elastic ends together creating a circle.

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Now, I TOTALLY messed up here with pregancy brain, but didn’t want to unpick it! lol… so bare with me with this picture that is wrong! You want to baste the elastic stretching it EVER so slightly (I mean just barely) to the wrong side of the bodice edge.  See my mistake 😉 I did right side lol!

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Fold under and hem with the elastic enclosed in the hem. (Mine was obviously not enclosed b/c I messed up!)

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Now for attaching to the skirt. I recommend using the “Traditional Gathering Method” for the skirt since there is elastic in the bodice, it might start getting bulking with elastic also in the skirt!  Attaching the top with right sides together, but only catching the lining.  The main bodice piece will be free.

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Now you can try on and mark/make cut outs in the lining.  I used my handy pen that disappears with a hot iron! I didn’t take pictures with the cut outs 😉 I’ve been asked several times what shape I cut out.  I just did a horizontal slit below the apex (fullest part) of my bust.  I thought it showed through the least that way.  I just opened up the slit to use it.

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Here is my finished nursing tunic from the Boundless Knit Dress!

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And some with Little Guy sneaking in the action of course! He’s showing off his new toy! And I LOVE his face in the 2nd one, looks like he’s super impressed with the nursing mod! 😉

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Love the pockets and the tunic length 🙂

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Filed Under: Pattern Hacks, Uncategorized 20 Comments

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