Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

Cozy Pants and Wrap – Easy Hacks

Ready to wrap yourself in cozy goodness and cuddle up with those holiday movies and a hot cocoa? I know I am! The Cozy Wrap and Pants are just the perfect addition to your wardrobe. In this Easy Hacks post the P4P blog team is showing you how to achieve more looks using the newly released patterns. Michelle will walk you through adding a yoga waistband to the pants; Dana and Judy are taking the side split “up a notch”…or two. Rachel is bringing her Cozy Wrap up on the fancy chart by making it a dress and Alex is transforming the belt into two sewn-in ties. Let’s get started! 

 

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High pants split 

First up, a super easy hack that doesn’t even need any adjustments to the pattern pieces. Have you seen those cool high side split pants all over Pinterest? You can achieve the look with the Cozy Pants. The pattern includes two side notches, one for shorts and one for pants length. All you have to do is use the shorts side split marking for the pants option. Sew the pants just as in the tutorial. 

These style looks beautiful in lighter weight fabric and tied at the ankles. See how easy it was? 😊

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Duster wrap with high split

I have had a duster cardigan with a high side split like this pinned on my Pinspiration board for a while, now.  I knew I could make it happen with this really easy hack of the new Cozy Cardi and I love how it turned out!

I have a written blog post below, or if you prefer a video I did one of those, too.  You can find it here:

Cut your pieces out and mark your notches.  In this instance you can see the two pins at the top which mark the notches for the waist tie, and then the pin underneath them is the notch for the shirt length side slit, which we’ll be using here with the midi/duster length cardi to get the look we want. 

Then assemble your pattern as per the tutorial.  The only difference being the side seam will have a much longer hem up to the side split notch than the tutorial photos show.

Don’t forget to give those side seams a good press to open them up.  It really helps you get a good finish and helps the hem lay nicely ready for sewing.  You can see the opening for the waist tie here, just above the tip of my iron.

 

Sew up that side seam hem (don’t forget the waist tie opening) and the hack is done.

 

It really is that easy! Now it’s done I have to make a little pair of shorts to wear with it for the spring/summer.  These winter months will fly by, right? Here’s hoping.

Happy sewing!

 

Dana x

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Sewn in ties

Up next I wanted to show you how to make sure you don’t lose your Wrap belt 😉 I decided for my short sleeve option to actually sew the ties in the side seams instead of creating the belt. Start by cutting the 4 pieces for the belt. instead of making one long belt we will create two ties. Sew 2 of the 4 pieces right sides together along the long edges and one of the short ones. Turn the tie right side out through the raw edge. PRESS! Repeat the steps for the other tie. 

Use the belt hole marking on the pattern to place the ties on each side of the back of the Wrap Top as shown below. Align the raw edges. Sandwich the ties in between the right sides of the back and front pieces. Sew in place with your favorite stretch stitch. 

That’s it! Continue sewing the top as instructed in the pattern. Be cautious of the long ties when stitching, you want to make sure you don’t catch them when you sew the other steps. 

Here you go! The look of the Cozy Wrap without the risk or misplacing the belt. You can tie these in the front or the back of your shirt. 

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Wrap Dress

With a few simple pattern modifications. you can use the Cozy Wrap Top to make an adorable dress!

You will be modifying a few pattern pieces that require custom sizing, so please read through the tutorial before cutting your fabric. The modifications will be dependent upon the size that you are making so I can’t provide exact dimensions for this tutorial.

For this dress, I used the knee length pattern pieces as my starting point.

Lengthen your Front pattern pieces to be the same length as the Back. I lined up the armscyes for the Front and Back pieces to determine how much longer I should extend the Front.

From this point, you will follow assembly instructions for the Cozy Top, including belt openings, but omitting the side split. You will sew the side seams together through the bottom hem.

Once you have the front and back of your dress assembled, you will measure the full length of your bottom hem to determine how wide your Bottom Hem Band should be. You will cut a band that is 8” tall by the length of your measurement.

For reference, mine was 53 ½” by 8” tall. You will fold the band in half, with wrong sides together, and sew to the bottom of your dress without stretching, matching raw edges.

Because you’re lengthening the front of your dress, your neckband will be lengthened by the same amount, adding an additional 1” to accommodate the ½” hem on each end.

Add closures of your choice, like snaps, to the neckband and dress front where you feel most comfortable. I wanted my dress to wrap tightly so I placed my closures near the side seams, on both sides. You’ll need to try on your dress to determine where you want your closures to be.

Now you’re ready to go, with no fear of your dress slipping open!

And the best part? You can still wear your dress as a cardigan. I’m crazy about versatile clothing!

Happy making!!

Rachel

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Yoga Waistband

Anyone else can’t resist a good yoga waistband?? I’m not sure what it is about them but I just love them!  The extra support when folded up or comfort and security when folded over.  Either way, it’s a win in my book!  It’s also a super easy hack to add to your cozy pants and I’m going to show you how.  Essentially we are just doubling the height of your waistband.  If you want to wear your band up and are making the high-rise option, I recommend doing a few inches less than half. If you plan to wear it folded down- doubling is perfect for either the high or low rise waist. 

  

First, you’ll want to print and cut out your chosen waistband piece in your size.  

Now grab a few extra pieces of paper and tape them together.

Next, you’ll want to trace your waistband piece onto your new papers (make sure to leave a little extra room at the bottom).

Then you will line up the edge of the waistband with your traced waistband and tape.   Cut that out and it’ll be your new pattern piece.

Cut your fabric with this new pattern piece and attach as directed in the pattern.  You won’t add any drawstrings to this at all.  Then you are done!

Easy peasy and a fun different look.   Perfect for cozy pants or if you want them to lean towards an “athletic” style you can do that too!

Happy Sewing!

-Michelle

Wow! So many sew options to try! Which one will be your first? Be sure to post your Cozy Wrap and Pants in the Facebook group and on Instagram. We can’t wait to see them! 

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!

So Classic Sundress Hacks

The So Classic Sundress has released so grab your favorite wovens and sew yourself or your little ones a pretty dress. In true P4P fashion we have gathered some easy hacks that you can make to the So Classic Sundress that will give you even more options than the many included in the pattern.

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Gathered Thick Straps

The first hack we have for you is a gathered strap. If you would like a little more shoulder coverage or just want a fun new option, this hack is for you. Cut your dress as per the pattern instruction and simply cut the straps wider. For youth 3M to 4 you will be cutting the straps 7″ wide by the length given in the pattern. For 5 to 14, your straps will be 8″ by the length. If you are making this hack for the women’s dress then your new width will be 8″ (XXS-S), 9″ (M-XXL) and 10″ (1x-3x). The length will be the one listed in the tutorial.

Fold the straps lengthwise, right sides together and stitch with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Trim the SA to 1/4″, press open and turn the straps inside out. Press and optionally top stitch.

Sew two gathering stitches at the top and bottom of the straps. One should be about 1/4″ away from the raw edge and the other 5/8″ away.

Pull the gathering stitches so the  straps are 3/4″ wide for sizes 3m to 4. Your finished gathered straps will be 1″ ( for 5-12 and xxs – xs), 1.25″ (m – xxl) and 1.5″ (1x-3x).

Repeat this step for all raw edges of the straps.

Continue sewing the dress as shown in the tutorial. Tadah! you have a brand new option added to the So Classic Sundress repertoire.

 

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Skirt

For this hack, we’re going to do something that we love to do to our dresses- create separates. In this case, we’re creating a classic style woven skirt using the bottom portion of your So Classic Sweetheart dress. This is a great hack for everyday wear or more professional look as well.

To begin, you will want to decide which version of the skirt you would like, plain front or button up, along with length. Once you’ve decided, you will want to cut out your skirt pieces as given in the tutorial chart. The only change you will need to make is to your waistband. You will want to double the length when cutting it out.

To assemble the waistband, begin by stitching your waistband pieces together using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

If you are making the button placket, you will now have a long waistband piece, that is constructed in the following order: front waistband, back waistband, front waistband. If you are making the plain front, you should have a tube. Trim seams and press open.

Fold waistband in half lengthwise, with wrong sides together. If desired, you can top stitch 1/8″ from top of waistband. Baste only your back waistband piece together.

Cut your piece of elastic to the appropriate length given in the tutorial chart. Using a safety pin or other tool, pull your elastic through the back waistband casing.

You will now stitch in the ditch at the waistband seams to hold elastic in place.

Your waistband is now ready to be attached to the skirt! Follow the directions as given in the tutorial and begin to enjoy that gorgeous skirt you just created!

~ Nicole and Erinn

(Nicole is wearing the button placket skirt and Erinn is wearing the plain front version)

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Ties Straps

I’m here to show you a super simple tie strap hack! This hack is great for tiny babies who are more difficult to get dressed, a grow with me length of strap that is super quick and easy, a way to get the perfect strap length every time, and of course, just another adorable detail to change the look up a bit.

Start by cutting 4 halter straps rather than just 2.

Follow the tutorial to finish the straps just as the halter straps are finished.

For placement use the suggested placement for the regular/traditional straps.

Finish constructing bodice and dress just as the tutorial instructs.

Enjoy the adorable bows on the shoulders!

Judy

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Simple Belt

 

While browsing Pinterest I saw a dress very similar to the So Classic Sundress that featured a real belt instead of a waistband so I knew I had to make a simple one and show you how to make your own belts.

Start by gathering your supplies. You will need fabric, any woven fabric will work, belt hardware (that I actually upcycled from an old one) and grommets.

Cut a strip of fabric 4 inches wide by 50-60″ long depending on the size you’re making.

Fold the fabric lengthwise with the right sides together and sew around the raw edge leaving a 2-3″ opening. Turn the belt with the right side out, topstitch around the edges so you close the opening and give it sturdiness.

Using a fabric marker or chalk, draw a 3/4″ line about 1.5″ away from the edge. This will be your buttonhole marking.

Sew a buttonhole using your buttonhole attachment. If you need a refresher on buttons and button holes check out the P4P University blog here.

Add the belt hardware as shown in the pictures below and sew in place. Optionally you can slide one additional metal belt loop on the belt.

Take the other side of the belt and mark your grommets positions. Make sure that you add your grommets to the right side of the belt so it matches the other end. I like mine spaced 2″ apart. Try the belt on to see if you need to add any additional grommets.

There you have it! You made your very own belt. Now think about all the fabric possibilities! 🙂

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Bow front

 

Adding a bow can be another way to add a pop of color or a cute detail to your dress. We’ve shown it here for the girls, but you could easily add this to the women’s as well using the same methods.

You will want to begin by cutting your rectangular bow pieces. You will need two rectangles. To determine the width, follow the graphic below (this is just a guide, you can make your bow wider or narrower, based on preference). For the length, you will want to make sure that it is wide enough to tie and fit across the bodice piece. It’s ok if it is too long, as you can always trim it down later.

Taking one of your rectangles, fold it in half with right sides together. Stitch, using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Repeat with other bow. Next, cut a “v” notch from the top of each piece, as shown below. Press seam allowance open.

Holding the bow slightly open, it should create a tube. You will want to align the stitched edge with the opposite side now, to create the curved edges of your bows (the seam should now be in the middle rather than the edge). Stitch around the curve, using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Repeat on other bow.

Trim along the curve’s seam allowance using either pinking sheers or scissors.
* If using scissors, make small cuts into the seam allowance, making sure to not cut through stitches. This will help your curve to lay smoother.

Using your favorite turning tool, turn bows inside out, smoothing out the edges and press. Top stitch if desired.

Taking your center bodice piece, position each bow and baste into place (make sure to leave enough length to tie the bow, as shown in the next step!). Trim any excess length. Attach side pieces as directed in tutorial.

You now have two options- You can either tie the bow in a simple knot, like this. 

Or, another option is to create a center tie to hold the bows together. If using this method, you will not need as much length when you baste your bows.

You will want to begin by creating a small tube. Cut a rectangular piece 2″ width and approximately 6″ long. Fold in half, right sides together, and stitch using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Press seam allowance open and turn tube right sides out. Press, making sure that the seam is in the middle back of the tie.

Overlap your bows and wrap the center piece around them.

Stitch across the center piece to create a loop (as shown where pin is placed above). Trim any extra length that you might have and rotate the seam to behind the bow. Finish dress as per tutorial.

~ Erinn

Piping

If you know me you know I’m a huge piping fan, store bought piping that is. If I can add it to a dress I will, so it is only normal that I added it to the So Classic Sundress.

After cutting your pattern pieces as instructed you will add the piping to the desired seams. I love it at the princess seams and the sweetheart neckline. You could add piping to the straps, the waistband and even the bottom hem if you’d like. I would not recommend adding piping to the back as piping doesn’t look nice gathered.

Sew the piping to the center princess seams using a zipper foot. Store bought piping are smaller than the 1/2″ SA included in the pattern so place it a little bit away from the edge.

Sew the princess seams with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Take the front of the bodice and pin in place the piping at the raw edge. Start 1/2″ away from the side seam and stop 1/2″ away for the other side seam as shown below.

Sew in place and continue the dress construction as per the tutorial.

Such a fun detail and so easy to add!

 

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No Waistband

 

You might have noticed above that I skipped the waistband piece on the bodice. This is such an easy hack. All you have to do is use the lining pieces as the main piece. So you will be cutting two front linings (one in the main fabric and one in the lining), four front side linings (2 sets of mirrored pieces with the lining fabric and two with the main fabric) and two back lining pieces (one in the lining and one in the main fabric).

You can make this hack for all straps options and for both women and girls. 🙂

 

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Shirred back

The So Classic Sundress feature elastic casing at the back bodice but if you or your little one prefer the feel of shirring or would just like an extra option you can do that so easily. Construct the bodice as shown in the pattern and skip cutting the elastic pieces. and creating the casings and replace with shirring.

All you have left to do now is shirr the back using elastic thread. Follow the tips in the Shirring 101 blog we have for you as part of our P4P University. Easy peasy!

 

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Adjustable Straps

The pattern includes standard or suggested strap lengths, but some may prefer to have adjustable straps.  I adjusted the width of my straps to do spaghetti style and used “lingerie” sliders from Joann Fabrics.  There are wider width sliders and rings available from various shops (such as Bra-Makers Supply) if you prefer to keep a wider strap to cover your bra straps.

Cut 2 longer straps (these will be the adjustable section ) and then 2 short straps (this will be attached to the back portion of the bodice).

My straps were 1.75″ x 28″ (the length of the halter straps in the pattern).  In retrospect I think adding about 8″ to the shoulder strap lengths in the pattern would be sufficient enough.  My sliders ended up on top of my shoulders and I really didn’t need all that extra length.  The short strap is 1.75″ x 3″.

Fold each strap in half lengthwise right sides together and stitch.  Trim and press seam allowances open.

Now you have a completed set of adjustable straps. Treat them as a single strap and attach to the bodice as shown in the tutorial.  The shorter strap side should be attached to the back bodice. I also chose to do a criss-cross, so instead of placing them parallel, cross them over to create an X when attaching them to the front and back bodice.

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Front Bodice Cut-Out

The So Classic Sundress is a classic, vintage style but with this slight modification, you can make it edgy and on trend. You can adjust the size of the cut-out to your preference but I used the empire and princess seam as a guide as to where to place mine.

Construction is slightly different and since we will be enclosing our front bodice in the waistband you will not use the lining pieces in the pattern.  Instead, cut out 2 (mirror image) of all the main front bodice, main back bodice and front and back waistband pieces.

Now we will move on to construct and attach the waistband and skirt.

Now that you have all these extra options, go sew some So Classic Dresses and don’t forget to show them off in the P4P group !

Alex, Nicole, Judy and Erinn

Palazzos Open Leg Hack

 

I’m so excited to bring you this fun summer hack!  These open leg pants are perfect for summertime, yoga, belly dancing, beachwear coverup, and really whatever you want them to be!   I’ll be taking you through two styles-   the overlap with a tie and the split seam with banding.  They can be mixed and match as well :).

Let’s talk about fabric,  drapey fabrics are a must for this so things like Bamboo Lycra, Rayon spandex, and Double Brushed Poly work great (although DBP is better for colder weather due to breathability).  I used Bamboo Lycra for both of my options.   I definitely recommend using a cheap muslin fabric first to make sure you get the fit you want before cutting into your nice fabric.

Now for the fun part!  Open up your Palazzo pattern and for sizing I chose to size up for a looser fit through the hips. Print your pattern and assemble as normal.

First,  you’ll need to take off some length – I took off about 3 inches.   It still left me with a lot of drape at the ankle.  It was perfect for the tie version but if you want less ankle drape you’ll need to take off more especially for the cuff version.

Next, you need to taper in your legs.  The amount you take in will also determine the look you want. If you want a thinner leg take them in even more. For the tie option, I marked in 1.5 inches on each side of the pattern piece for a size medium.   (If you are doing the cuff I’d recommend taking it in .5-1 inch more.)

Once you have your 1.5 inches marked on both pieces you’ll take a straight edge up to the shorts cut line to create a gradual grade ending there.  Now cut those off.

 

If you are doing the Cuff bottom stop here and move on to sewing.  If you are wanting the tie- you’ll need to create a tie extension on the outer leg seam.   Honestly I just kind of winged it.   The size shown here is smaller than the one in the photograph as those were a tad too long.   Here are the measurements and tie shape.  Make sure you do matching ties on both outer edge seam pieces.

 

Now cut out your fabric pieces!  For your waistband- I used the fold over yoga band and you’ll cut it at your normal size, not the upsized.

Sewing the Tie Overlap option-

The first thing you are going to do is hem the entire outside edge of the pants through the tie and along the bottom using a .25-.5 inch hem.   It’s a lot of hemming but worth it!   Do this on all four pieces.     Outside edge only- not the inner leg seam.

Next lay your front and back pattern pieces right sides together and sew up the inner leg seam as instructed in the original pattern.  Then sew the two pieces together along the crotch seam.

Now you are a going to put your pants on- I know it’s a little tricky as they are totally open but pull them up one side at a time.  You are going to take your front and back pieces at the top and overlap them to where you feel comfortable.  Mine overlapped about 4 inches.   Use some clips to clip it together and then baste the pieces together.  The red circled part is where you are overlapping.

Now cut the waistband from your regular size- (not your upsize) and sew it to your pants and you are done!   If you’d like a more modest leg you can tack your opening closed however low you’d like it.  Tie your bottoms up and you are ready for some summer fun!

 

Sewing the Cuff option-

First I’m going to have you clip your front and back inner leg seams RST together on one leg.

Now slip your pant leg on inside out- I know it’s a little weird as the side is totally open but at this point, you are going to figure out how big you want your slit to be.   Using clips- clip the top as far down as you’d like it and the bottom as far up as you’d like it.   Repeat on the other side.   It’s helpful if you have someone that can help you hold up the side.   You can also just guess if you want and clip on the floor.  Mine are about 8 inches from the top and 4 inches from the bottom. The photo below shows what you are clipping.

Then, using your sewing machine (you might want to baste first), sew your seam allowances together up to where you clipped on the bottom and top.    Feel free to try on again after basting to make sure this is the size you want your opening. Don’t forget to back and front stitch a few times to seal your seam.  Once you have your set opening you’ll press open your seam allowance and topstitch from the bottom all the way to the top as shown by the red lines below.    The second picture is what your finished outer leg will look like at the bottom and top.

Now go ahead and sew up your inner leg seams, crotch seams, and waistband.

Finally, for the cuff, you’ll take your bottom width of your pant and multiply it by .7.  Cut out two cuffs that are that length (going with the stretch of the fabric) by 4 inches tall.  If you’d like a different height feel free to use whatever.

Then you will serge on your cuff stretching as you go and leave a small 1.5-2inch opening.   Now using any elastic you’d like that will fit in the cuff, find a comfortable length around your ankle and cut two pieces.   Feed the elastic into your cuff opening using a safety pin and making sure to keep one end out.   Once you have both ends out and the elastic fed through,  overlap your elastic ends and stitch using a stretch stitch.  Push the elastic back into the cuff and finish your cuff seam.

Yay!! Now you have your finished pants!!

Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy these pants as much as I do! Don’t forget to show them off in the P4P Facebook group too!

May your sails and bobbin always be full,

Michelle

 

Boundless – Easy Hacks

As you’ve seen, the Boundless dress got an update and we released the highly requested, youth version. We couldn’t let this double event go by without showing you some easy hacks.

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Neckband

 

If you like the unlined option but prefer to not hem the neckline you can easily add a neckband like we have in most of our patterns.

Simply sew the dress as instructed and then grab a measuring tape to establish the neck opening. The opening will vary depending on the size and options you made (low front/back, high front/back or low front/high back)

The neckband will be 85% of the neck opening plus seam allowance. For example, if the neck opening is 34″ then the neckband needs to be 34″x0.85 + 1″ which is 30″. You will cut one neckband 2″ by 30″.

NL X 0.85 +1 = NB

*NL – neckline opening

*NB – neckband length

 

Sew the neckband right sides together at the short ends to create a loop. Press the neckband in half lengthwise and mark its quarters. Mark the quarters of the neck opening. Matching the neckband and opening quarter marks, pin and sew the neckband in place with 1/2″ seam allowance.

Note: adding a neckband will yield a neckline 1/2″ higher than the intended pattern look.

Before you get started take a look over our Neckbands 101 blog which also includes helpful videos.

TIP: If you would like your Boundless dress to still be reversible (front and back) place the neckband seam on the side shoulder. 

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Boundless/Sweetheart mash

Looking for a quick and easy way to avoid the gathers on the Boundless? Or are you looking to create the perfect twirly dress? The Boundless mashes perfectly with skirt from the Sweetheart and can help to create either of this looks! If you have little ones, you can also use these same steps to pair the Boundless Youth with the Me Hearties.

Cutting Pieces:

You will need to cut out your Boundless bodice pieces as directed and based off of the options you choose. For mine, I used the lined version with the low neckline and 3/4 sleeves. For the skirt, you will need to have the skirt from the Sweetheart printed and then choose your length. I used the mini length.

Assembly:

Assemble your Boundless bodice as directed. You will then need to mark the quarter points on both the bodice and the skirt.

With RST, match the quarter points and attach your skirt with your serger or stretch stitch. (Note: You may wish to place elastic in the waist to help give your skirt additional support.)

Hem the skirt and sleeves and you’re all finished!

~Erinn,

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Back ties

 

The next hack we have for you is super easy back ties. I love this hack for the lined low back option but you can certainly apply it to the high neckline cut.

Print the pattern as instructed. Cut two trips of fabric, 3″ by 18″. You will be changing this measurements if you’re sewing a youth Boundless or if you prefer your ties narrower/wider or shorter/longer.

Fold the ties right sides together length wise and sew the edge with a 1/2 seam allowance leaving one of the ends open. Turn the ties inside out and press them. Optionally, you can top stitch.

Take the back piece of the bodice and pin the open edge of one strap 2″ down from the shoulder as shown below. Repeat with the other side. Sew them in place.

That’s it! All you have to do now is sew the bodice as per the tutorial making sure you do not catch the ties.

Get creative! Using the Cross My Heart Cami straps as inspiration you can add some really fun accents to the back or the front of the Boundless dress.

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Ruffles maxi

Add a little boho spirit to the maxi with this simple hack!

You will need a little extra yardage than the required maxi.  You will cut your skirt to the “below knee length” for youth (for adult I’d suggest either knee or tea depending on how deep you’d like your bottom ruffle).

To cut your ruffle you’ll take the “maxi length” and minus the “below knee length”- add 1/2″ for seam allowance- this is your length measurement.  Width will be double the width of the skirt measurement normally for that size.

Sew up your dress exactly per the tutorial until you get to the bottom hem.  Instead of hemming, we will add the ruffle.  Gather the top of the ruffle using your favorite gathering method.  I used a rayon spandex, which tends to stretch out vertically easily- so I used the double rows of basting method to avoid adding any extra weight to the skirt bottom.

Following the popular boho look- I just overlapped the top of my ruffle to the bottom skirt hem leaving the exposed raw edge. I stitched the ruffle on top the skirt between my two basted rows with a stretch stitch.  Removed the basted stitches and gave it a press. I didn’t hem bottom edge just to match the raw edge on the ruffle (but that is just personal preference). I also added some fun trim along the gathered stitch line for some extra pizzazz 😉

My daughter just LOVES this dress! I think it might top her favorite dress I’ve ever made her so far in fact! I guess she’s a little boho baby girl, she also wants to wear this hat for every photoshoot now 😉

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Crop Top

Crop tops seems to never really go out of style and we’ve seen some requests for it lately.  The Boundless bodice already has a natural waist cutline so is a great base to create a simple crop top.  Sew up the bodice as you would in the tutorial but instead of adding the skirt, just hem the bottom edge 1/2″.  If you chose to line the bodice, you can hem the main and lining towards one another, like the lined sleeve option in the tutorial.  I chose a scalloped edge lace as my outer layer, so only hemmed my lining.

For my skirt, I used the waistband measurements from our Sweetheart SAL HERE and used the natural waist skirt option of the Boundless.  I did have to shorten the skirt a couple of inches to account for the added waistband but gathered and constructed per the pattern.  Instead of attaching to the bodice, just attach the skirt to the waistband.  Super simple right?!

We hope you all enjoy the updated Boundless Knit Dress and newly released youth Boundless as much as we do.  Be sure to share your makes in the P4P Facebook Group!

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