Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

2018 Holiday Freebies :: Critter Clutch

Welcome back to the second day of our P4P Holiday Freebies 2018!  I’m not sure I can even handle the excitement I have over today’s free pattern.  I am so happy to have this idea out of my head and finally in pattern form, to share with all of you.  AND FOR FREE!

These Critter Clutches are simply adorable!  They take minimal amounts of fabric, with not too much time involved in it.  The hardest part is deciding which version to do first: Unicorn, Reindeer or Fox??!!

You will need:
— Critter Clutch pattern pieces + Eye Digital Designs for HTV (found HERE)
— 1/2 yard main fabric, 1/2 yard lining fabric
— Fusible Fleece: I like Pellon 987F (aff link)
— Buttons / Snaps / Velcro for eyes and closures

Recommended fabrics: quilting cotton, kona cotton, flannel, etc.

Cut out all pieces needed for your corresponding bag.

Prepping the Strap:

Cut 3″ long x 34″ wide strip of fabric.
**Note: Depending if you or the recipient will be wearing it cross body or straight down from one shoulder, you may want to adjust the width of this piece to your liking.

1. Fold in half, with long edges touching, wrong sides together. Press.
2. + 3. Open up, and fold each long edge into the crease you just created.
4. Fold, completely enclosing the raw edges.

Edge stitch along both long edges. Set aside.  Finished width: 3/4″.

Horn / Ear / Antler / Nose Pieces: 

*Tip: I added fusible fleece to these pieces to help them stand up better.  Some of our testers opted to fill them with a small amount of fiberfil.  Either way works!

Right sides together, sew along the outer edges using 1/4″ seam allowance. Leave the bottom open for turning.

Clip corners and allowance before turning to get a crisper edge.  Topstitch if desired.

I like to get a little funky with the unicorn horn and add some decorative stitches to it.  This also helps the horn’s stiffness.

Apply Interfacing:

Carefully trim away 1/4″ from each interfacing piece, to allow for easier turning.

Following the instructions from the manufacturer, apply interfacing to these pieces:

  • Front Main Piece
  • Main Gussett

Eyes + Closures:

I personally like to add the eyes and velcro / snaps to the front main piece before we assemble the bag.  It allows for all of the stitching or snaps to be enclosed inside of the bags, and it’s a lot easier to apply HTV to a flat surface.  You can wait until the end if you’d like!

The Fox and Reindeer’s eyes need to be a little more wide set.  And the Unicorn’s eyes work best if you apply them closer to the bottom of the bag front.

Velcro / button placement on front main piece:

  • Unicorn / Plain Bag: 2″ from the top, centered (4.5″ from either side)
  • Fox / Reindeer: 2″ from the bottom, centered

Velcro / button placement on Back Lining piece:

  • Unicorn / Plain Bag: 2″ from the top, centered (4.5″ from either side)
  • Fox / Reindeer: 1.5″ from the bottom, centered

REINDEER ONLY:

1″ from the top edge, pin and baste ears in place using 1/8″ seam allowance.

Back Main Assembly:

UNICORN ONLY: Take back main piece and mark the center along the top, straight edge.  Mark center of horn piece.

Right sides together, align and pin/clip horn in place.

Place ears on either side of horn.  **Be sure not to go outside of your seam allowance on the outer edges, or you’ll have trouble turning your bag because the ears will be stuck in the outer edges.

FOX and REINDEER ONLY:

Right sides together, place ears and antlers (not pictured) 1″ from the outer edge.

ALL ANIMAL BAGS:

Place top piece, right sides together. Stitch with 1/4″ seam allowance.

Press open, with horn, antlers and/or ears pressed toward top and seam allowance pressed down.

Follow the manufacturer directions and iron your fusible interfacing onto the back side of the back main piece.

Attaching the Gusset:

Mark middle bottom of back piece and middle of both long edges of outer gusset piece.

Right sides together, ease gusset around bottom edge of back piece.  Sew using 1/4″ seam allowance.

Repeat for front main piece, attaching right sides together to other edge of gusset.

Repeat for lining pieces. Only this time, leave 4-5″ gap in one of the lining curves, to allow for turning.

Using 1/4″ allowance, baste straps, centered, on side gusset pieces. 

Final Assembly:

With the lining piece right sides out and the main, outer bag piece right sides out, slide the lining inside and align entire top edge.

Sew with 1/4″ seam allowance. Clip all edges and curves for cleaner turning.

Locate the opening you’d left in the lining.

Turn bag right-side-out through opening.

Pin and sew the opening in the lining closed, using your favorite blind or ladder stitch.

Press bag.  Topstitch around top edge if desired.

Reindeer Nose:

Align the nose at the very bottom of the front flap piece.  Top stitch the entire circle, catching the flap in your stitches and affixing the nose to the flap piece.

YOU’RE FINISHED!  DO A HAPPY DANCE!

In case you needed it, here is some inspiration for the different designs sewn up by our amazing testers!

UNICORN:

REINDEER

FOX

PLAIN

I hope you love these little cuties as much as I do.  Don’t forget to share your finished projects in the Patterns for Pirates Facebook Group!  Happy Holidays, friends!

FREE Convertible Cover Pattern + 100k Sale-A-Bration Day 2!

EEP!  Are you guys ready for the second day of our 100K Sale-A-Bration?!?!

If you missed what the party is all about, go read all about the giveaway, sale, and the pure appreciation/joy/excitement surrounding this big milestone HERE.

As we all know, the owner, designer and fearless leader behind Patterns for Pirates is Judy Hale.  P4P is such a big part of her life, and you can tell that she brings a lot of personal experiences and interests into her designs.  When we celebrated our 75K Milestone (which feels just like yesterday), our freebies were themed around the wee baby that was still growing inside of her belly.  Judy’s nesting for her third child ended with her designing and sharing the Wee Lap Tee, Petite Pegs, Teeny Beanie and Burp Cloth.

This time around, the baby boy is here and our freebies are a little more focused on the daily needs of the Momma!  It’s time to introduce you to the Convertible Cover Pattern!

The Convertible Cover is multifunctional, 4-in-1 cover that is so easy to make, and even easier to fit into your daily routine!  You can use it as a cover for infant car seats, nursing, high chairs, and shopping carts.

You must use a breathable, lightweight fabric with a high stretch.  The fabric content is vital.  Natural fabrics that breathe are needed to keep baby safe and at a safe temperature while in use (ie: rayon spandex, modal, bamboo spandex and lightweight cotton spandex.)

**We care about the safety of your child!  Always remove cover from your child’s infant car seat before placing it into a vehicle and never leave your child covered while unattended. It is important to monitor your baby to ensure they do not overheat in warm climates or during the hot summer months. Keep the cover away from any heat source.   Please use recommended breathable fabrics, and always remove cover before placing baby into vehicle. If gifting the cover please give safety guidelines to the recipient.

Let’s take a peek at all of the ways it can be used, shall we?

INFANT CAR SEAT COVER

NURSING COVER

HIGH CHAIR COVER

SHOPPING CART COVER

What are you waiting for?

Go grab your copy of the Convertible Cover now!

Also be sure to head over the Patterns for Pirates Facebook Group and enter yourself into today’s daily drawing for the 100K Sale-A-Bration

Happy Sewing, Pirates!

Set Sail Hat :: New FREEBIE Pattern Release + Extras!

I am super-duper excited to be sharing the newest addition to the P4P pattern lineup: the Set Sail Hat.

Get ready for the quickest, cutest sew ever, my friends!  Because this hat takes minimal amounts of fabric and gives you maximum results.  And it’s reversible!  So you are practically getting two hats for the sewing efforts of one.  Perfect, am I right?

Did I forget to mention the best part??!!  It’s FREE!

The Set Sail Hat is drafted for head circumferences ranging from 18″ to 25″.  It has a three-piece cap that curves beautifully to your head, and comes ready with three brim sizes: 2″, 4″, and the ever-fabulous 7″.  To keep those brims extra sturdy, we do recommend stabilizing them with a medium-to-firm weight interfacing (we love Pellon 809!) so make sure to pick some up next time you go shopping at your local fabric store.

Here’s a quick peek at the AH-MAZING hats that our testers created!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

But wait!  There’s more!  We’ve been seeing “wordy” sun hats all over the place the last couple of seasons and we wanted to help you make your own.

Packaged as SVG and PNG files, you can download these phrases (which are already curved specifically for the brim of both the 4″ and 7″ hats):

  • Vacay Vibes
  • Sup, Beaches?
  • Seas the Day
  • Resting Beach Face
  • Pirate Maiden
  • Hello Sunshine
  • Do Not Disturb
  • Champagne Please
  • Boss Babe
  • Beer Me
  • Beach Please

You can find those freebies as a quick download here: Set Sail Hat Phrases

 

 

Easy Hack: Adding Piping

It’s not part of the original pattern instructions, but we wanted to help you with a quick tutorial on the blog.  We’ve got an easy little detail addition that makes a big impact.  We are talking about PIPING…good old fashion store bought piping. Don’t get us wrong, if you feel adventurous and want to make your own, go for it! However, our personal preference is the ease of ready made piping 🙂

We’ll be adding piping to the brim of the hat. The 4″ brim takes a little less than a package of piping. If you chose to add this detail to the 7″ brim you will need two packs of piping. You will not have to make any changes to the pattern, simply cut your pieces as you normally would.

Pin or use clips to attach the piping to the outer circumference of one of the brims, lining or main. Chose what would be the back of the hat and overlap the piping there.

The key to successfully sewing piping is using your zipper foot. So, switch your regular foot to the zipper foot and sew the piping to the brim.

All you have left to to now is sew the hat as per the tutorial and enjoy your awesome new make!

Remember to use the zipper foot when topstitching the outer edge of the brim.

What are you waiting for?  Go grab your copy of the Set Sail Hat!  It’s always free and always fabulous!

Need some style inspiration?  Check out our Facebook Album full of amazing images from our testers.

Happy Sewing, Pirates!

Go To Jacket :: New Pattern Releases!

Stop the presses!  P4P is releasing THREE new patterns today and we couldn’t be more excited!  The Go To Jacket is available in enough sizes that you can make one for every member of your family.  Because we made it for Men, Women and Kids!

Just like the rest of our patterns, we’ve packed the Go To Jackets full of as many options as we could!  It is drafted for women (sizes XXS – Plus 3X), men (sizes XXS – XXXL) and youth (3M – 14) and can be made into a bomber style, or finished with a 3-piece hood.  There are two pocket options, two length options and three different sleeve hem types.

The Go To Jacket patterns were drafted for knit fabrics, which can range for lightweight fabrics to something on the heavier side, like fleece.

Don’t be scared of those zippers!! We have a couple very helpful links to walk you through them in the tutorial- you’ll be zipping ALL THE THINGS soon 😉

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

Let’s see some options in action, shall we?

Bomber Style

Hooded

Tunic + Shirt Lengths

Cuffed / Hemmed / Thumbhole Sleeves

Kangaroo + Inseam Pockets

The jacket also boats a zipper/chin guard so your little one can zip up themselves and not worry about getting their little chins rubbed by the zipper all day! We also include instructions how to finish the neckline and zipper with a clean nice finish on the inside for extra gorgeous-ness!

 

 

Ready to grab your patterns?  You won’t regret it!

Go To Men’s | Go To Women’s | Go To Youth | Go To Bundle

Need more convincing?  Just take a look at this pattern on all of the amazing shapes and sizes of our testers, and get a look at more examples of all the options in our albums in the P4P Facebook group! Men’s Album / Women’s Album / Youth Album

The sale price will last through March 8 (11:59 PM US Central time zone) so grab it while you can at the introductory price!

And if that wasn’t enough options, make sure to check out the hacks post to help take your patterns even further.  Also head over to the P4P University post to learn all about shortening zippers for your Go To Jackets!

Happy Sewing, friends!

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

Walk the Plank PJ Bottoms :: New Pattern Release!

Oh man.  Not only is today a release day, but it’s also a day that I get to make a fun announcement.  Or rather, TWO fun announcements!  Are you ready for this?

First, let’s talk about our newest pattern, and the final pattern in the P4P Summer of Wovens.  The Walk the Plank PJ bottoms are super easy to make, even easier to wear, pajama bottoms that are a unisex pattern and available in sizes 3M – adult Plus 3X.  Both the adult and youth patterns include three lengths (short shorts, knee length, and pant length).  The adult sizes have a differing mens and womens rise, as well as varying inseams (30″ / 32″ / 34″ / 36″ ).

The Walk the Plank pant truly is a quick sew!  All sizes were drafted to fit on a 44″ wide fabric, so you can easily use your favorite flannel or quilting cotton.  The patterns feature no side seam, and no waistband piece, as well as a quick elastic installation.  **Plus 3X were drafted with an extra side seam, so those sizes can use 44″ fabric as well.

Here’s a quick peek at the lengths:

SHORT SHORTS

KNEE LENGTH

PANT LENGTH

We have been running a contest over the last week.  You can read up on P4P’s Next Top Tester HERE if you’re interested in the process.  We had 650 (give or take) applicants that we invited into our Top Tester group.  These ladies went through some work for us!  They didn’t know what they were signing up for, but we had them all test the Walk the Plank PJ Bottoms for us!  Everyone did amazing, even amidst all of the chaos that testing in a group that size can bring.  And guess what?  We have a winner!

Well, we have four winners.  These testers did an incredible job, on all levels of testing.  It’s not just about taking pretty pictures.  It’s about providing feedback, supporting fellow testers, being around to ask/answer questions, and help with marketing.  We are so happy to have them on board with us!

Congratulations to our first ever Patterns for Pirates’ Next Top Tester: Amber Jones Zelenay 🎉🎉🎉
Our Second Place winner is: Karen Grimshaw
AND congratulations to the Runners Up: Bethany Tolman and Michelle Tobey

Want to know the best part about this pattern?  It’s FREE!!  We wanted to have a little end-of-summer celebration and thought this would be a fun way to party with you all.  Plus, it’s perfect timing with the holidays right around the corner.  Family Jammies Photo Op?  I think so!

Grab your copy of the Walk the Plank PJ Bottoms in UNISEX ADULT or UNISEX YOUTH today!

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

If you’re still needing more inspiration, be sure to head over to the Patterns for Pirates Facebook Group Albums for the Walk the Plank PJ Bottoms to see what our amazing testers have sewn for themselves.  Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram (@patternsforpirates | #patternsforpirates) and to share your finished items over in our Facebook group!  We love to see what you make!

Happy sewing, friends!

Harvey Relief

As most of you know, I’m a Texan.  The tragedy of Hurricane Harvey came so quick and devastated so many, it’s completely overwhelming.  We know so many friends and family who evacuated, are without their home, had to leave in the shortest notice with nothing but their children in tow, and so on.  There are so many heart-wrenching stories and those that were lucky are doing everything they can to help their neighbors, it’s inspiring.  I was at a loss of what I could do with P4P to help, but I’m hoping together we can raise some funds to send down to my fellow Texans in need.

 

I will be donating 100% profit of all sales made TODAY (August 31, 2017) on the P4P site.  And to try to boost that number I will be doing a site wide sale code (we usually only do site wide sales 2-3 times per year!) Use code: TEXASSTRONG for 20% off your total purchase today only- August 31st, 2017.  To help give the most we can, I’m asking kindly to share without affiliate links today- this will help get every penny to those who are is desperate need.

Turns out I’m not the only PDF Sewing pattern designer thinking of those on the Texas coast either.  My sister, who has huge ties to the southern coast, immediately set down and designed some wonderful Texas Pride cut files and is giving 100% profit of all sold to the Harvey Relief.  You can get them bundled all together here or buy few individually as well.

I loved them so much- I purchased them and made one for each member of my family.  Even my husband asked for one, although I haven’t grabbed his pictures just yet.  My son isn’t quite old enough to understand the situation, but he knew the shirts meant people in Texas needed help and we were going to try to help so he was ready to pose for me unlike he usually does.

I think Megan might have made this saying just for my Baby Girl 😉 She’s always Rarin’ to GO! So many parents with younger kids are now without diapers, formula, bottles, let alone their pacifiers, blankies, lovies…any comfort we can provide those little babies will make my heart lift up.  So many found themselves carrying their small children above the flood waters.

We’re not the only ones that have joined in trying to send funds for the Harvey Relief. A ton of PDF Sewing pattern designers are looking to help and many have set up their own sale codes in their groups! I’m so grateful to be in an industry that is so kind and willing to work together to help others.  I urge you to go take a look at each designer here and make any purchases today while they are giving some proceeds to a Harvey Relief charity.

The Harvey Relief sale codes are only valid TODAY- August 31st, 2017 so please let everyone know that might be interested in PDF Sewing patterns! We will be posting in the P4P Facebook Group where you can tag any friends/members.  Again, if you are an affiliate with P4P or these other designers please remember not to use affiliate links when sharing today so we can give everything we can to the charities.

Thank you, together we can help!

-Judy

Take the Plunge Swimsuit :: New Pattern Release!

Just about this time last year, we released our first ever swim patterns.  The Siren Swim Top and Hello Sailor Bottoms have received a lot of love, but we still had a lot of requests for a one-piece suit.  Your wishes are being fulfilled today, with the brand spankin’ new release of the Take the Plunge Swimsuit!

Take the Plunge will make you want to swim all summer long.  We’ve done all we can to pack it full of options and to make it flattering for ALL body types, sizes XXS – Plus 3X.

This is an intermediate knit pattern, and fits in a traditional, body hugging, one-piece swimwear style.  The suit is fully lined and includes directions to add bust support (swim cups / power mesh / under bust elastic).  All of your seams are enclosed for that professional finish, and the edges are all finished with elastic so you will be completely secure in your suit while taking a dip in the pool.

The pattern features a cross-over front bodice that plunges a little lower for a sexy look, while still keeping you contained, covered, and secure.  The waistband hits at and slightly above the natural waistline, to create an extra slimming silhouette, and is also great for color blocking.  And the leg openings come up a little higher in the front for a longer, leaner look.  There are three band-back options (high back with straight straps / low back with cross straps / halter back), two bottom types (plain / ruched) and an additional option for a skirted bottom in two lengths (peplum / full).

The retro vibe of the Take the Plunge Swimsuit will be a classic for years to come and can be paired with so many different fabric prints for unlimited looks!

**Want to learn more about how to measure yourself for this pattern?  We’ve got you covered with an in-depth blog HERE.

And now let’s see some suits!

FRONT CROSS-OVER BODICE

HIGH BACK, with straight straps

LOW BACK, with cross straps

HALTER BACK

PLAIN BOTTOMS

RUCHED BOTTOMS

OPTIONAL SKIRTED BOTTOMS

Feeling inspired to go buy all the swim knits now and sew a million suits for yourself?  Before you do, don’t forget to snag the Take the Plunge Swimsuit pattern HERE.

And don’t think we’d leave you with only the original pattern.  We’ve explored the extra potential of Take the Plunge and have an entire set of pattern SWIM HACKS and even a DRESS + PEPLUM HACK.

Needing more inspiration?  Head over to our Facebook Group Album, where are gorgeous testers of every shape and size have shared their versions!  Happy Sewing, friends!

50K Fan Celebration :: Exposed Elastic PegLegs Hack

Want to make your Peg Legs even easier? How about skipping the band? Today we have an easy hack for you- adding an exposed elastic band.

There are so many types of elastic available in a variety of colors and designs, as well as a multiple widths. For this hack, you will want to first determine how high you would like your band to come. When I was looking for mine, I searched online for “boxer elastic”  knowing that I wanted a large band and this gave me the biggest variety. I finally decided on one that was 5″ tall.

I chose to cut my Pegs as a low rise since the elastic I chose will add quite a bit of height. You can determine which rise is best for you, keeping in mind how tall your elastic is. You will then want to assembly your Peg Legs as per the tutorial until you reach the step of attaching the band.

For the width of my band, I used the cut chart as a guide. I added 2″ to this, as my elastic did not have the same amount of stretch as a fabric band would have had (you can always take more off if you need to, should your band be too large when attaching). Fold band in half width-wise, with wrong sides together, and stitch to create an elastic circle.

Mark both your elastic band and Pegs into even quarters, then slip band around waist of Peg (with right sides together), aligning quarter points. You will want to make sure that you will have to slightly stretch the band, not the waist of the Pegs. If you do not have to stretch, unpin and remove a small amount from the waistband. It is important to have the band stretch slightly to help hold the Pegs up!

Once you have the elastic waistband and Pegs clipped/pinned together, serge or sew around the waist as you would when attaching a fabric band using a 0.5″ seam allowance. Once attached, if you serged the elastic together in the first step, you will need to finish your seam. I prefer to weave my thread back through using a large needle, however you can also use one of the methods Alex described here. The last step is to hem your Pegs according to the tutorial directions and you’re all finished! Enjoy! ~Erinn

We are celebrating reaching 50K fans in our Facebook group!  To make it a party, our beloved PegLegs pattern just got an update AND some new add-ons.  Before you go running to your machine to sew up your own leggings, make sure to read our PegLegs 101 blog post.  This way, you’ll have all the the information you’ll need to make the perfect pair before you even cut into your gorgeous fabric.

But wait, there’s more!  After any good party is an after-party.  We are taking it one step further and sharing some easy hacks that’ll bring even more flavor to your favorite leggings pattern!  We hope you check them out, make your new favorite pair of leggings, and know that we appreciate every single one of you amazing sewing guys and gals!

Here are our hacks / tutorials / latest tricks:

Lace Waistband Alternative | Drawstring Waistband Tutorial
Exposed Elastic Waistband | Stirrup Pant Hack
Ruched Ankles Adjustment | Decorative Topstitching Tutorial
Ruched Side Panel Hack

50K Fan Celebration :: Ruched Ankles PegLegs Hack

Ahoy Pirates!

Today I’m going to show you how to add some ruching to the ankles of your PegLegs.  This is a super easy way to amp up their cuteness factor and take them to the next level.

For this hack, I’ll be ruching using elastic.  Depending on your preferences, you’ll need about 12″ of braided (non-roll) elastic.  I used 1/2″, though you can also use 1/8″, if you’d prefer.  You will also need matching thread.

1. The first thing you need to do is decide how long you want your line of ruching to be.  For mine, I chose 5″.

2. You’ll need to add length to the pattern to accommodate the fabric the ruching will take up; you’ll add the same number you originally chose.  So for me, the length to add was also 5″.  And now the total ruched amount will be 10″.

3.  Add the extra length at the capri cut line.  To do this, cut your pattern on the capri line, add however many inches you chose earlier.  I added 5″.  Then cut out your leg pieces with this added length, and your choice of waistband.  Your leggings will look crazy long – this is good!

4. I highly suggest hemming the bottom edge now, before ruching.  It will be so much easier this way; I chose to do a faux blind hem with my serger.  Or, let’s be real…if you’re not planning on hemming, then this doesn’t apply to you! 😉

5. Cut your elastic pieces.  To determine the length, add 1″ to your original measurement.  So I cut mine 6″.

6. Now, before you sew up the side seams, find the middle of the piece on the end, and mark it.  Pin/clip your elastic in place in this place, right above your hem.

 

7.  From the marked spot, measure up your total ruched amount, determined in step 2.  My ruched amount was 10″, so I measured 10″ above my marked spot.  Add a pin to this spot as well.

 

8. Now bring the other end of the elastic to the pin and pin it to the fabric.  This is the spot which will be ruched.

 

9. You’ll be sewing the elastic to the fabric now, stretching as you sew.  This can be a little tricky, so I advise you test this out on a scrap before sewing your actual ruched piece.

10. Using a slightly shorter zigzag stitch (my length was 1.8, you may also need to reduce the width as well, I used 2.5), start sewing at the end of your elastic.  Don’t worry about pulling the elastic until you can grab the end of it from behind the presser foot.  This should be about 1/2″ of stitching until you can grab it.

 

11. The trick now is to hold the elastic from the back while you also pull it from the front, as you are sewing (I couldn’t show this while also holding the camera to take this picture). 😉  This way, you can control it pretty well.  I find it helpful to stretch the elastic before sewing, and then pin the middle part to the fabric.  Now you can pull from the pin to the presser foot instead of from the very end.  Once you get to the pin, then pull from end to end until you are finished sewing.  Be sure to backstitch carefully.  Don’t worry about making it absolutely perfect, because the ruching will bunch up quite a bit.

 

12. Now, assemble your PegLegs as usual…sewing the side seams, the waistband, etc.  Good news is you’ve already hemmed!  Or chosen not to…

That’s it – you’re done!  Feel free to play around with different lengths of ruching as well, you may prefer more or less than me.  Also, you can also ruche using elastic thread hand-wound in your bobbin.  With this method, you’d also lengthen your pattern, and then sew a straight line however many inches you added.  I don’t mind using elastic though, since I always have it on hand (not the case with elastic thread!).

Be sure to post your ruching hacks in our Facebook group so we can have all the “heart eyes” for your creations! 😍

~Elisabeth

We are celebrating reaching 50K fans in our Facebook group!  To make it a party, our beloved PegLegs pattern just got an update AND some new add-ons.  Before you go running to your machine to sew up your own leggings, make sure to read our PegLegs 101 blog post.  This way, you’ll have all the the information you’ll need to make the perfect pair before you even cut into your gorgeous fabric.

But wait, there’s more!  After any good party is an after-party.  We are taking it one step further and sharing some easy hacks that’ll bring even more flavor to your favorite leggings pattern!  We hope you check them out, make your new favorite pair of leggings, and know that we appreciate every single one of you amazing sewing guys and gals!

Here are our hacks / tutorials / latest tricks:

Lace Waistband Alternative | Drawstring Waistband Tutorial
Exposed Elastic Waistband | Stirrup Pant Hack
Ruched Ankles Adjustment | Decorative Topstitching Tutorial
Ruched Side Panel Hack

Newest Patterns