Summer Cover up Archives - Patterns for Pirates

Cardi Week is well underway and I love seeing all of the inspiration in the Facebook group and here on the blog! Today I have a fun hack to bring up the delicate, vintage vibe of the Summer Kimono to the next level. Side note: if it’s not summer for you (yet), you can totally wear this kimono all year round like with flannel, here. Or look cute and freeze like me here, either way. 😉

First, you’ll want to think about fabric choices. For this one, I used a very flowy lightweight woven chiffon. Due to the ruffles here I would suggest using a decently lightweight fabric like this, since you don’t want the ruffles to be too bulky. If they are, then they won’t lay exactly right and be a little puffy.

Step 1. Once you’ve decided on your fabric, start by assembling the pattern. Cut out your bodice pieces. Assemble the front and back pieces as directed.

Step 2. The first thing you’ll need to do differently is cutting out the bands. Instead of cutting out two 5″x28″ bands, cut out two 10″x38″ bands. This is where you’ll do the ruffles.

Step 3. Now, fold the two bands in half, wrong sides together matching the long edges. Iron the fold and pin/clip along the raw edges.

Step 4. If your fabric frays easily like mine, then you’ll want to do a zigzag (or other finishing stitch) right along the raw edges to stop it from fraying when you’re working with the fabric. Sew together both layers of fabric.

Step 5. Now, you’re going to need to gather the fabric. You can do this however you prefer, but for this project I recommend using basting stitches (straight stitch, loose tension, long stitch length). Sew down the raw edges twice, with the first line of stitching 3/8″ from the edge, the second line 5/8″ from the edge.

Step 6. Grab the bottom (bobbin) threads, and pull gently to gather. You’ll want to do this as evenly as you can, but you can adjust the ruffles as you go along or when you’re done too. Do this until the piece gathers shrinks down to the size of the edge of the sleeve, which will be around 28″.

Step 7. Make sure your ruffles are pretty evenly distributed, as much as possible. Don’t stress too much about this, since they will be hanging on the sleeve when done instead of laying flat on a table. 🙂

Step 8. Lay the ruffle pieces along the raw edges of each sleeve. Make sure the right side of the sleeve fabric is facing up towards you. Pin/clip generously. Trust me, you can’t really overdo it. (I used a different color of fabric for the ruffle in the picture, don’t get confused!)

Step 9. Now sew to attach the ruffles to the each sleeve. Take a 1/2″ seam allowance here; you should stitch right in between your basting stitches. Go slowly to make sure you don’t disrupt the ruffles too much, after you carefully arranged them. Once you’re done and you make sure that you like the way things look, remove the basting stitches.

Step 10. Finish the edges of the ruffles and sleeves. With a sewing machine, sew another zigzag or similar stitch through all three layers of fabric. Or with a serger, just serge through all three layers cutting off 1/4″.

Step 11. Press the seam allowance up towards the sleeve and away from the ruffles. If you didn’t serge the edge, turn the seam allowance down 1/4″, tuck under, pin and iron so that the raw edge is enclosed.

Step 12. Topstitch so that the seam allowance stays flat and pressed up towards the sleeve. Since this is a woven, I just used a regular straight stitch, but you could also use a twin needle for a fancier stitch.

Optional: Lightly press/steam the ruffles down along the sleeve seam and folded edge. Don’t press enough to make creases, but this does help the ruffles lay pretty flat.

Step 13. Complete the rest of the kimono as the pattern instructions dictate. I finished my edges and hem with lace, but you can easily use this same technique to add a ruffle to the hem as well.

All done! I’m totally in love with this look – can you tell I’m ready for spring with this floral print and soft colors?! I also easily styled this ruffle kimono with a gray Layer Me Up tank and my fave stretch denim SOS Pants. Comfy and cute! It can be done, ladies.

Now go out and make your own! Be sure to use the hashtag #P4PCardiWeek when you post in the Facebook group or Instagram!

Pirate-ly Yours,

– Elisabeth

Take a look at our jam-packed schedule of cardigan love!

Saturday, January 21: #P4PCardiWeek Announcement

Sunday, January 22: Cocoon Lace Hems and Butterfly Ruffle

Monday, January 23: Ribbon Tie Closure Hack

Tuesday, January 24: Carefree Cardigan Fringe Hack

Wednesday, January 25: Duster-Length Adjustment

Thursday, January 26: Kimono Ruffle Sleeves

Friday, January 27: Varsity Sweater Style Hack

Saturday, January 28: Carefree Cardigan Flannel + Vest Hack

Monday, January 30: #P4PCardiWeek Winner Announcement

You can follow along on the blog here, or in our Facebook group. Search #P4PCardiWeek to be able to find our posts all over social media. And please feel free to sew-along with us on one or all of the days. The more the merrier!

But wait, there’s more! We wanted to create a friendly pirate-y competition with our P4P Cardi Week!

Between tomorrow and Saturday, January 28, sew up a Patterns for Pirates cardigan using one of our hacks, or by keeping the pattern as-is. Share your photo with us on Instagram or in our Facebook group and use the tag#P4PCardiWeek We will pick our favorite and the winner will win a free P4P pattern of choice AND be featured on this blog. Fun right?

To make it even better we have put all the cardigan patterns in the shop on sale all week (no code needed)!

Now get out there and sew some cardigans, matey!

I have two patterns that I suggest using a lightweight woven with a very soft drape (Everyday Elegance Top and the Summer Cover Up). I often get asked for “tips and tricks” to working with this kinds of fabrics! So, here is a compiled list of a few tips I have for working with slippery wovens like chiffon, peach skin, rayon, satin, challis, ect.

I think the most difficult part of sewing something up in this fabric is the cutting. I almost always use pattern weights like these:

But with any kind of slippery fabric they’re a MUST! If you don’t have any, use any kind of paper weight, heavy object that isn’t too tall. The silver paper weights are from this Etsy Shop if you’re looking to buy. She has several options in her shop, I prefer the shorter version to be able to get my scissors closer to them! The pink were hand-me-downs from my mama <3.

Some specialty wovens are harder then others– if you’re cutting anything that needs to be precise (collar piece) then I recommend only cutting ONE layer at a time. With something as loose and forgiving as the kimono though, I don’t personally bother with it. 🙂

So, lets get started sewing! I recommend using a nice, new, sharp needle for these.

I also like to tighten my stitch length down one notch to keep away from puckers.

When sewing my BIGGEST TIP is to not OVERWORK the fabric. Although it is a non-stretch woven they will get “wonky” and pull out of shape if you do. Don’t pull or “man-handle” the fabric to make anything match! If your pieces aren’t lining up perfectly it is almost always a cutting mistake (remember I said that was the most difficult part!).

The good thing is most clothing made from these drapey fabrics are loose fitting and forgiving :). Trim and let it go 😉

After I sew, I PRESS. It takes a little more time, but it makes your end product much more professional.

French seams:

I had a lot of questions about using french seams. I don’t tend to care what the inside of my clothes look like a TON. But for nicer items in specialty wovens french seams would be nice. Here is my quick how to:

You will place your pieces WRONG side together and make the first stitch. For my patterns with 1/2″ seam allowances I do the first stitch at 1/4″. Then trim it to 1/8″. I press the seam on both the wrong and right sides of the garment flat, then fold at the seam and press again.

Now with RIGHT sides together and first seam pressed inside stitch again at 1/4″ from fold/seamline. This should enclose your raw edge from the first seam allowance and put you at your 1/2″ seam allowance total for the seam.

Again press from wrong and right sides of garment. I tend to always press to the back. You can top-stitch here if you prefer. I do lengthen my stitch length back out to 3 for top-stitching. Press again 🙂 Do you see an important trend in this? lol!

Hemming:

My prefered way to hem is to serge the edge—- I loosen my tension a tad to fight the puckering.

Then I press the serged edge over twice for a nice even narrow hem. Okay, most the time I don’t press…but you SHOULD press, I can hear my mom telling me to take my time and press every time I don’t 😉

Now I DO press after EVERY TIME! I see a lot of seamstresses complain their hems are “wonky” on specialty wovens, two things cause this- over working your fabric/pulling it as you sew and not pressing! A good press after can really change the way your hem looks!

I got asked to show how to hem without a serger; so here is how I hemmed without a serger. I pressed WITH LOTS OF STARTCH (don’t be scared to use some or lots 😉 ) a 1/2″ to wrong side.

Then I opened the 1/2″ hem and folded the raw edge to the fold line. This creates a 1/4″ narrow hem fold. Press again.

Tada! You can sew with specialty wovens! The biggest tips are: cut carefully, don’t pull your fabric as you sew and press, press and press again 🙂

P4P Cardi Week :: Kimono Ruffle Sleeves Hack

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