Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

X Factor Sew Along – day 7

Congratulations to all participants in this month’s sew along. You are all winners in my book!  We absolutely loved seeing all the X Factor crop and dresses made last week. Without further ado…

Our first winner is Jeanne T Weidner! Jeanne won a $20 gift card from Patterns for Pirates and a $25 one to Mily Mae Fabrics. The X Factor was Jeanne’s first sew along and she did fantastic! 

Congratulations go out to Kaitlin Schwartz too! Kaitlin will receive a $20 gift card for Made for Mermaids and a $25 store credit to Milly Mae Fabrics. Her little girl just shines in her mini X Factor dress. 

A huge THANK YOU to our sponsor, Mily Mae Fabrics who set our winners up with store credit and provided the gorgeous bamboo Lycra I used during the videos. You too can grab some here.

September is Mermaids month in the M4M & P4P Sew Along group. Colleen will be announcing which pattern we will be sewing together this month. 

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

Fierce Bra SAL day 7

Thank you for joining us this past week! It is time to announce our Fierce Bra SAL winners so without further ado…

Congratulations Tiffany Nash! Tiffany won a $20 gift certificate to Patterns for Pirates and a $25 gift card to The Styled Magnolia Custom Fabrics.

 

Our second winner is Andrea Opalewski! Andrea will receive a $20 gift card from Made for Mermaids as well as a $25 card to The Styled Magnolia.

Huge THANK YOU to our Sew Along sponsor for not only providing the prizes but also the fabric I used for my own Fierce Bra and Peg Legs.

Fierce Bra SAL | Print and cut pattern [day 1]

Fierce Bra SAL | Choose and cut fabric [day 2]

Fierce Bra SAL | Prepare lining and sew side seams [day 3]

Fierce Bra SAL | Sew front neckline [day 4]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add shoulder FOE [day 5]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add under bust elastic [day 6]

Fierce Bra SAL | Winners announcement [day 7]

Fierce Bra SAL day 6

You did it! Last sewing day of the Fierce Bra SAL is here! Today we are attaching the under bust elastic and of course showing off our custom made bras. Whether you went for more of a loungewear bra and used cotton spandex or preferred an actual, medium impact sports bra and used athletic knit, your waistband will be plush (or underwear) elastic.

You can “get away” with 3/4-1″ elastic if you are using cotton lycra. However, if you would like a sports bra that will be good for workouts, use 1.5-2″ plus elastic. If you have sewn the Youth Fierce Bra you can use 3/4 or 1″ plush elastic.

 

Here is the last sew along video. Take a look over it and post your completed Fierce Bra in the comments of the day 6 photo of the sew along album. Of course you are welcome to brag in the main P4P group too 🙂 Great job, everyone!

 

Fierce Bra SAL | Print and cut pattern [day 1]

Fierce Bra SAL | Choose and cut fabric [day 2]

Fierce Bra SAL | Prepare lining and sew side seams [day 3]

Fierce Bra SAL | Sew front neckline [day 4]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add shoulder FOE [day 5]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add under bust elastic [day 6]

Fierce Bra SAL | Winners announcement [day 7]

Fierce Bra SAL day 5

 

Good morning! Today we are adding the FOE shoulder straps. Start by marking your straps front and back notches. Do not skip this step! Sew one strap in a loop. Match the front notch to the front pick up and the back notch to the back pick up. Pin in place. You will stretch the FOE to match the armscye.

Day 5 video is posted below. Once you add both shoulder straps post a picture of the completed steps in the comments of “day 5” photo of the Fierce Bra sew along album.

Fierce Bra SAL | Print and cut pattern [day 1]

Fierce Bra SAL | Choose and cut fabric [day 2]

Fierce Bra SAL | Prepare lining and sew side seams [day 3]

Fierce Bra SAL | Sew front neckline [day 4]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add shoulder FOE [day 5]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add under bust elastic [day 6]

Fierce Bra SAL | Winners announcement [day 7]

Fierce Bra SAL day 4

Good morning, pirates and mermaids! Today’s step is attaching the FOE to the front of the neckline and the overlapping back. It is highly important to triple check that the fold over elastic ends are not twisted when attach them to the back of the bra.

Make sure you mark your notches (center and pick ups) on the FOE as the center fold over elastic part is smaller than the front curve. You will be stretching the elastic to match the neckline.

Below is today’s video. Once you finish your steps post a picture in the comments of day 4 photo of the Fierce Bra SAL album in the Sew Along group.

Fierce Bra SAL | Print and cut pattern [day 1]

Fierce Bra SAL | Choose and cut fabric [day 2]

Fierce Bra SAL | Prepare lining and sew side seams [day 3]

Fierce Bra SAL | Sew front neckline [day 4]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add shoulder FOE [day 5]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add under bust elastic [day 6]

Fierce Bra SAL | Winners announcement [day 7]

Fierce Bra SAL day 3

Let’s start sewing! On day 3 we sew the inner lining to the lining piece and sew the side seams on both the main and the lining. The youth Fierce Bra does not include a “cups” option however, Angela showed us in the release hacks blog how to add cups to the youth bra. You can check it out here. If you would like to sew one of the hacks during this sew along, your entry will still count for the prizes 🙂

If you opted out of the cups, you will only have lining and main and your steps today will be just sewing the side seams…super duper easy! 

Take a look over the day three video below and post  picture of your progress in the comments of day 3  picture of the Fierce Bra SAL album.

Fierce Bra SAL | Print and cut pattern [day 1]

Fierce Bra SAL | Choose and cut fabric [day 2]

Fierce Bra SAL | Prepare lining and sew side seams [day 3]

Fierce Bra SAL | Sew front neckline [day 4]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add shoulder FOE [day 5]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add under bust elastic [day 6]

Fierce Bra SAL | Winners announcement [day 7]

Fierce Bra SAL day 2

Welcome to day 2 of our Fierce Bra sew along. Today we will be choosing the fabric, cutting it and gathering all necessary notions. To make the Fierce Bra you will need athletic knit or cotton spandex fabric, 1″ Fold Over Elastic (FOE), 3/4″ – 2″ plush waistband elastic and optionally power mesh or cups.

For my Fierce Bra I decided to go with a gorgeous athletic knit I got from The Styled Magnolia. I am using solid purple supplex, also from TSM, for lining and a nude swim for the inner lining. I am using 1″ FOE and 1.5″ plus elastic, both from Amazon.

The Day 2 video is posted below. Check it out and once you are done cutting your fabric post a picture of your prepped fabric in the comments of the Day 2 photo of the Fierce Bra SAL album in the M4M & P4P Sew Along group.

Fierce Bra SAL | Print and cut pattern [day 1]

Fierce Bra SAL | Choose and cut fabric [day 2]

Fierce Bra SAL | Prepare lining and sew side seams [day 3]

Fierce Bra SAL | Sew front neckline [day 4]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add shoulder FOE [day 5]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add under bust elastic [day 6]

Fierce Bra SAL | Winners announcement [day 7]

Fierce Bra SAL day 1

 

Welcome to the Fierce Bra

Sew Along!

Day 1 is for purchasing the patterns, printing and cutting the size(s) you need. If you plan on sewing for yourself you can get the Fierce Bra here, if you’re sewing for your little one, the Youth Fierce Bra can be purchased here and if you’re sewing for both of you can get the bundle.

This Sew Along will take place in our M4M & P4P Sew Along group so be sure to join the group to be able to post your progress this week. As always all daily posts will be here on the blog but you’ll be checking in with your completed steps in the group, in the comments of each daily picture.

This sew along is sponsored by The Styled Magnolia who specializes in non inspired custom fabric. They offer a variety of athletic knits that make the most perfect Fierce Bras. Our two lucky winners will each get a gift card to shop TSM fabric.

Now that you have your pattern printed, time to cut the correct size(s). The Fierce Bra (adult) pattern includes pieces for Full Bust and Small but so if your full bust is 1 size bigger or smaller than the over bust and under bust measurement you can use the FBA or SBA pattern piece. You will still need to grade if your full bust varies by more than one size from the under/over bust size.

P4P has an amazing blog that gives you tip for accurately taking your measurements. You can read all about it here. If your measurements put you in a different size for bust/waist/hips be sure to check out our P4P University blog and grade to achieve the perfect fit.

Check out the day 1 video below and then comment “done” on the Day 1 picture of the Fierce Bra SAL album in the sew along group. We don’t allow pictures of the pattern pieces so this will count as your day 1 check in. Let’s get started!

Fierce Bra SAL | Print and cut pattern [day 1]

Fierce Bra SAL | Choose and cut fabric [day 2]

Fierce Bra SAL | Prepare lining and sew side seams [day 3]

Fierce Bra SAL | Sew front neckline [day 4]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add shoulder FOE [day 5]

Fierce Bra SAL | Add under bust elastic [day 6]

Fierce Bra SAL | Winners announcement [day 7]

Grandpa Cardi/Cpt Mack’s Cardigan SAL – day 3 (sew pocket and elbow patches)

Good morning, pirates! Today’s sew along is all about details. We are addin pockets and elbow patches. This is the time to get creative! Use some cute accent fabric, like sequins or faux leather or go classic and match the pockets with the main fabric.

The patterns include two options for the pocket, a hemmed and banded one. The banded one is a great alternative if you’re not the biggest hemming knits fan, plus it gives you the option to incorporated some more accent fabrics too. As I mentioned yesterday, the elbow patches will add a fun detail to your cardigans. Whether you’re making one for yourself and or one for your little, add a pop of color or texture to your patches! You’ll love it!

Tip: When adding the elbow patches mark the left arm and the right arm to make sure that you will not have the pockets on the inside of your arm vs the elbow. 

If you have chosen to make your cardigan with sweater knits, go over our Sweater knits blog post where I am giving you some wasy tricks to work with this fabric base.

Watch the videos below and  post a picture of your pockets and added elbow patches in the day 3 photo comments of the Cardigan SAL album.

Grandpa Cardi | Cpt Mack’s Cardigan Sew along  – Day 1 (Print & cut pattern)

Grandpa Cardi | Cpt Mack’s Cardigan Sew along  – Day 2 (choose and cut fabric)

Grandpa Cardi | Cpt Mack’s Cardigan Sew along  – Day 3 (pockets and elbow patches)

Grandpa Cardi | Cpt Mack’s Cardigan Sew along  – Day 4 (shoulder seams and add sleeves)

Grandpa Cardi | Cpt Mack’s Cardigan Sew along  – Day 5 (finish sleeves and bottom edge)

Grandpa Cardi | Cpt Mack’s Cardigan Sew along  – Day 6 (collar/shawl and buttons)

Grandpa Cardi | Cpt Mack’s Cardigan Sew along  – Day 7 (winners announcements)

 

Pattern Markings 101

Many moons ago, I can remember calling my mom in a panic. I had printed out my first pattern for a garment, assembled it, and then just stared at all of the markings! Even though I’d sewn quilts for years before, this was my first attempt at making clothes and the pattern looked like a map in which I had no clue how to follow. After my “what did I get myself into” talk with her, she slowly walked me through each question I had and now after all these years we’ve come full circle and I’m making clothes for her!

Like many people, you will probably experience (or already have!) the “What have I done?” moment in sewing and question why you started a project to begin with. Have no fear! We’re here to help. We decided it was time to break that map down for you and help you learn how to navigate through the amazing world of garment sewing. In this post, you’ll find a description of all the key terms and symbols you might expect to see when starting your sewing adventures! So let’s get those patterns printed, assembled and let the fun begin! (If you’re staring at all of those pages you’ve just printed- don’t worry there either! Click here for our First Time User Tips, which includes how to assemble patterns).

Grainline

The grainline tells you which direction the grain of your fabric should run. The grainline will run parallel between the selvages, or finished edges of your fabric. There are usually printer markings, contrasting trims, solid colors, etc found on the selvage. Typically, your grainline will have the less amount of stretch in knit fabric. A few weeks ago, Roberta shared some details and information about grainlines, why they’re important, and much more. You can check that out here. 

Stretch

The stretch of your fabric will run perpendicular to the grainline/selvage and will be the direction with the most stretch. As you can see in the picture below, the stretch is running the opposite way as the grainline. It is extremely important to have the right direction of stretch when it comes to the fit of your garment. The stretch will go around your body for most pattern pieces and is accounted for when the ease of a pattern is drafted (read more about ease here). For example, if a pattern is drafted with negative ease (finished measurements are smaller than your body) and you have the stretch going in the wrong direction, chances are, it won’t fit.

Fold

If a pattern piece is symmetrical on both sides, you will notice the center with a “FOLD” marking. This is commonly found on pieces such as the bodice, back, or sleeve in which both the left and right sides have the same appearance. You will want to fold your fabric wide enough for your pattern piece and align this marking to the fold of the fabric. To help conserve fabric, I like to fold it just wide enough for the pattern piece (shown above). A common error can be to fold the fabric exactly down the middle, leaving wasted material.

Notches

You might have noticed small triangles on some pattern pieces. These notches serve several different purposes. One of the purposes is to help distinguish the back from the front. For example, something like a raglan style top can easily get mixed up when assembling. These notches will help keep the front  with the front and back with the back. The second purpose is to help with alignment. By matching these notches up, your pieces will be in the correct position.

TIP: I always cut my notches out rather than in as to avoid accidentally cutting too far into the seam allowance.

Hem Gauge

You will typically find a hem gauge on both the sleeves and bottom edges. This is usually a triangular shape that notches out. It will mark the correct allowance for your hem. This is particularly useful when creating a memory hem. All you will need to do is fold your fabric up to this notch, press and unfold. Once you’ve sewn the seams, you will still have your pressed fold in place with the correct seam allowance.

 

Cut Chart

Most Patterns for Pirates patterns will include a cut chart. The cut chart is typically found within the first few pages of the tutorial and will give measurements for any rectangular pieces. For example, items like neckbands, cuffs, waistbands and elastic would all be found here. Some designers will included these as actual pattern pieces, however by providing a cut chart, you are able to save on both paper and ink. When cutting these pieces, I find it easiest to do so using a quilters ruler and rotary cutter.

Hopefully these tips help! Remember that we are always here to help, especially in our Facebook group. If you’re not a already a member, be sure to join so that you can ask questions and share all of your amazing Patterns for Pirates creations!

~ Erinn

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