Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

Vintage Jumper – Easy Hacks

The Vintage Romper is here and we couldn’t be more excited to share with you the blog team’s take on some easy hacks. Grab your patterns and let’s get started!

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Pants/skirt

Do you love shorts like we love shorts?! Then you’re in the right place. I’m going to spend a little time today showing you how to hack the new Vintage Romper into a shorts or skirt only piece. It couldn’t be easier and I have even filmed a little tutorial showing you how to adapt the waistband pattern piece and then put the waistband together too, which you can find here:

However, if you like it old skool here is the written blog post. 

 

First you will want to cut out your skirt or pants pieces as per the regular tutorial. Then take your waistband piece and double the height of it. I used the Youth pattern to make mine and this measured 2 inches in height so I doubled it to make it 4 inches tall and then cut the length out as usual. I wasn’t going to use the strap pieces so I extended the waistband height out over the strap piece here, just to save paper.  Cut your waistband lining piece out in the same way.

 

Waistband piece cut with the height doubled

 

shorts pieces, pockets, waistband outer and lining.

You will then have your pants/shorts/skirt pieces; pockets if using; extended waistband pieces; interfacing if using.  Construct the rest of your garment as usual until you get to the section where you have to attach the waistband. You will attach the waistband as per the tutorial, the only difference being you don’t have the bib and straps to sandwich between the outer and lining of the waistband pieces. So you will attach the waistband outer right sides together with the pants/skirt.

Waistband with overhang

You will have an overhang of the waistband over the edge of the pants piece .  This is correct, it enables you to attach a fastening for the top of the waistband at the end, like a button and buttonhole or poppers. Then sew the lining right sides together with the outer, up one short edge, along the top and down the other short edge.

 Clip your corners, turn it through.

 

Topstitching after pressing

Press and topstitch around the entire waistband. 

Then finish off your garment as per the regular tutorial instructions and you’re done!

We style them with tights, Doc Martins and a crop length Hepburn. I loved it so much on the shorts I had to do it for the skirt too!  

Anyone else find that their child turns into a karate expert as soon as you turn on a camera?!

Obviously you can also just sew this up with the regular height of the original waistband too. The choice is all yours! 

 

Happy sewing! 

 

Dana x

 

 

Front zipper

Up next we wanted to show you a different style jumper that can be achieved with the new Vintage pattern. Let’s add a zipper to the front instead of the side. This a s great opportunity to show off your favorite zippers and pulls. For my example I am using zipper by the yard with a fun rainbow finish zipper pull. I also went with a Doodles French Terry instead of stretch woven. Cut your pattern as instructed in the tutorial. You will make two changes. Remove the part of the waistband beyond the notch on both ends. Repeat for the waistband lining. The other modification would be for the bib. Cut two 2 mirror images instead of 1 set mirror pieces and the lining on fold.

After sewing the darts on the back pants pieces, sew the back crotch seam and the two side seams. The pants will not be sewn at the front crotch just yet.

Prepare the bib by sewing the left side main and lining piece right sides together along the top and slanted side raw edge. Repeat for the ride side bib. You will now have two bib piece that will have raw edges on the vertical center seam and bottom.

Attach the main print waistband to the pants right sides together by matching the center to the center back and the raw edged to the front raw front seam.

Pin the straps matching the strap placement notches. Place the bib on the top edge of the waistband, right sides together matching the raw edges. Repeat on the other side with the other half of the bib. Place the lining on top, right side down, sandwiching the bib in between the main and lining waistband. Stitch in place.

Mark the place of the zipper stop on the wrong sides of the fabric. Place the front of the jumper right sides together matching the front raw edge. Baste in place from the top to the marked point and sew in place down from that point along the front crotch seam. Attach the zipper using the same technique as in the Vintage Jumper tutorial.

Finish your jumper by attaching the straps to the front and hemming. All done! I can’t wait to see your take on this hack.

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Overall buckles

Love the Vintage Jumper, but you’re terrified of button holes? Never fear! Buckles are here!

Adding buckles as a button replacement is an easy and super cute hack… no extra sewing involved!

For the Vintage Jumper, you’ll need 1 ¼” buckles. I ordered mine from WAWAK and they came within 2 days, but you can also order from Amazon or pick them up in your local fabric store.

I’ve put together a video tutorial, but if you prefer written instructions, just scroll a bit further!

Mark your button placement on the bib with tailor’s chalk, 1” from the top and side edge of the bib.

Take your button post and push it through the backside of your bib, at your chalk mark, going through all layers of your fabric.

Protecting the front side of your button (as I’ve done here with a simple cloth bag), hammer the button post into the button.

Thread your straps through the buckles, starting with the top…

Running through the bottom…

Back through the middle…

And behind the front of the strap, back through the top loop.

Give yourself plenty of play in your straps to make fit adjustments

5.     Adjust the straps to your preference and you’re done!

I have always loved overalls! I am so glad to have this updated pair in my wardrobe. As with all Patterns for Pirates makes, you can’t stop with one. I already have the fabric ready to make another pair soon.

I hope you enjoy your new jumper!!

Rachel

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Skip the Zip

If you’d rather skip the zip you can choose a fabric with high stretch and recovery and slip it on/off. It’s a very simple modification, just make sure your fabric is stretchy enough to slip on and off with the snug waistband at natural waist. You will want a fabric that is more stable and can “hold” that waistband shape nicely. Or you can add some 1″ elastic into the waistband to help keep the shape.

Cut out all your pieces the same, except the waistband. You will need to trim off the extra 1″ on each end since we will not have them overlapping for a button. If you’re adding elastic I cut mine just slightly shorter then my new waistband piece so it would be snug to her waist.

Instead of sewing your zip into your side seam you’ll just stitch it up. Stitch your waistband pieces into a circle. If you are adding elastic sew it into a circle as well.

You will follow the same steps as the tutorial attaching the main waistband piece, sandwiching the straps and bib between the main and lining waistband, and top-stitching band. You will just be sewing in a complete circle rather then having the ends that overlap for a button.

All done, now you can just slip it on/off with no zip!

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Zipper Guard

If the feeling of the zipper on your skin bothers you- you can add a simple zipper guard quickly and easily. You will cut out 2 rectangles (you can curve the bottom edge if you’d like I did or leave it a rectangle) a little longer (1-2″) then your zipper and about 2″ wide.

Stitch your pieces right sides together along one long and short edge like a L (J if you curved your corner like me) shape. Trim seam allowance and flip right sides out. Press and stitch.

Place your zipper guard along the side seam with zipper with the raw edges aligned to the seam allowance of the front pant/skirt. Stitch guard to seam allowance (do not stitch through pant/skirt).

Pin in place from front. Stitch in the ditch along your zipper seam on the front pant/skirt through the zipper guard.

You can also continue to stitch in the ditch across the bottom and up just a little to help keep the guard in place when taking on/off. This is what it will look like after with the zipper guard keeping the zip from touching your skin:

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Add some Ears

Adding a little face and ears is always a way to make my daughter super happy with something I sew her. She requested a kitty for this one after seeing one similar at a store. It was such an easy little modification. I simple free-handed the ears… but we do have some ears in the Oversized Sweater-Youth pattern and I used the faces from our free Animal Faces for our Jolly Roger Raglan. I only freehanded the ears to make sure they fit perfectly and…. well… I didn’t want to print anything 😉

Stitch the ears up and sandwich them between the main and lining bib. Ta-da… that’s it! So cute and simple!

What an amazing line up! We look forward to seeing  your own “”hacked” Vintage Jumper  creations on Facebook and Insta.

P4P University – Elastic

P4P University – Elastic 101


Hi,  I’m Dana one of the P4P team and I’m here today to talk all about elastic with you! We’ll be covering lots of different types of elastic that you may want to use in your sewing and showing your some examples of what they look like sewn up into finished garments, the times you may want to use them and the stitches I like to use to get the best finish.

To go alongside this blog post, I have filmed a video which you can find on the P4P You Tube channel here:

P4P University Elastics 101 Video

So, first things first, before you sew with any elastic there is one thing you will always want to do with it before you begin – exercise it!  Give it a good tug several times to make sure if it is going to stretch out it does it now and not after you have finished your garment.  There is nothing worse than something which fits great at first and then soon starts to get baggy.

 

Let’s introduce and cover off some types of elastic you are likely to encounter when home sewing:

Regular Knit Elastic

This comes in many different widths, depending on your need.  Pictured are 1″, 1.5″ and 2″ elastics.  Usually white or black in colour, I generally choose white because you can’t see it under lighter coloured fabrics.  This plain version is usually used for something like an enclosed elastic waistband, where the elastic is fed through a casing to form the waistband.  These SOS Pants have an enclosed elastic waistband.  It makes for a soft and comfortable to wear garment.

SOS Pants with enclosed elastic waistband

However, you can also find patterned elastics, like this:

Patterned Knit Elastic

and these can be used as a waistband in their own right, just by top stitching in place of a casing.  Super quick and easy way to finish a skirt or pair of shorts!  Just wrap around your waist and cut to size, then butt the short ends and zig zag stitch together to form a loop. Quarter the elastic, quarter the top of the garment and sew right on.

Buttonhole Elastic

This is great if you have small people that keep shooting up overnight, like me! You can use it in a waistband secured with a button, and then unbutton it as they grow.  Great for things with lots of ease drafted in, like the Walk The Planks.  Just remember to cut it a little longer than needed when you first sew it in so you have room to lengthen it.

Clear Elastic

Clear Elastic is one of the things I had never heard of before I started sewing and now it’s the thing I use the most.  I use it for gathering skirts to fit bodices, like the Sweetheart Dress; for stabilizing shoulder seams on lightweight stretchy fabrics like rayon spandex, that have a tendency to grow otherwise; for adding ruching; and for adding extra strength to the seams of stretch fabrics under pressure, like in a sports bra, where it just serge it right on when sewing the seam itself.  Again this comes in different widths, pictures is 3/8″ and 1/4″.

Swim Elastic

As it’s name suggests Swim Elastic is used in swimwear.  Regular elastic can perish under the combined attack of both strong sunlight and chlorine, so it is best to use this type of elastic in swimwear to ensure it stands up to the test of time.  I often use clear elastic in swimwear too, both work fine, you just don’t want to use a regular knit elastic because when your pull your swimsuit out after a winter in storage you will probably find that the elastic has perished and lost all it stretch. If you’re going to take all that time to make a custom swim suit, you may aswell try and make sure it lasts.

Sunflower Swim Top

I used several different widths of swim elastic in this Sunflower Swim Top to get the best fit for me, including 3/8″, 1/2″ and 1″.

Picot Elastic

Picot Elastic is often thought of as a lingerie elastic, and it’s great for that but I think it’s also really pretty when used to finish the neckline and sleeves of a dress, where you just see the little picots popping out from the inside.

Me Hearties Dress

I used picot to finish the neckline and sleeves of this Trixie Lulamoon dress I made for my daughter’s birthday using the Me Hearties Dress pattern.  I just serged it on right sides together, flipped it down to the inside and then top stitched it with a triple zig zag stitch.  This is my favourite stitch for top stitching elastic because it is a really great stretchy stitch but it is also quite a wide stitch and that helps stop the elastic from flipping up.

Fold Over Elastic

You will often see Fold Over Elastic being abbreviated to FOE in sewing groups, but as you would imagine from its name you fold it over the raw edge of the fabric and top stitch in place. You can either use your coverstitch if you have one, or just sew with a triple zig zag stitch.

Fierce Bra and SOS Pants

It is used in the Fierce Bra to finish the top raw edge of the bra and also form the straps.  It takes a bit of practise to get used to handling it at first but it a very useful tool to have in your arsenal!

Soft Waistband Elastic

Lastly we’re going to talk about Soft Waistband Elastic.  You will probably recognise this as the type of elastic used on men’s boxers.  It is thick, soft, super stretchy and has great recovery and we use it both as the underbust band on the Fierce Bra and the waistband on the Fierce Undies.

Fierce Bra and Undies

You can either serge or sew the band on like a regular knit band, flip up and top stitch the seam down or you can just sew the band into a loop by butting the short ends together and then topstitch it right onto the top raw edge of the fabric, like in the picture above.  It makes sure your undies don’t shift all day whilst still being super comfortable to wear.  It comes in lots of different colours and some fun printed designs too and is designed to stay visible and not be sewn inside a casing.

Hopefully that has helped give you an idea of the types of elastic you might encounter whilst sewing and what yu may need them for.  Don’t forget to watch the video that accompanies this post for more examples to guide you and…

Happy Sewing!

Dana x

X Factor Sew Along – day 6

Last sewing day is here…and it’s probably the most rewarding one. Today we will get to see the project come to life. For the crop option you will be attaching the band to the bodice matching the side seams. Keep in mind that it is much easier to sew a couple of inches on each side of the center seam with your sewing machine (using a stretch stitch!) than it is to sew all around the waist with only the serger. If you are sewing the dress option, you would need to make sure that the waistband is sandwiched between the skirt and the bodice, right sides together. 

Last steps of this sew along are hemming the sleeves and skirt. If you did the crop tank, you are already done. The sleeves are hemmed 1/2″. Did you make your memory hem a few days ago? Well now it comes in handy. The skirt is hemmed 1″ while the sleeves are hemmed 1/2″. In the video below you can see how I finish the dress option including the 1″ hem.

 

Thank you so much for joining us this week. We loved watching your creations come to life! Don’t forget to post your final photo in the comments of day 6 check in picture of the sew along album. We will pick two winners and announce them here on the blog Monday evening or Tuesday. 

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

X Factor Sew Along – day 5

Welcome to day 5 of our X Factor sew along! Today we create the skirt by adding the optional pockets and sewing the side seams. If you are making the crop top style, today is a rest or catch up day. No need for any check in pictures.

You might have noticed in the first video of this sew along that I added the pockets to my pattern piece (removing the seam allowance) so I will not have to stitch them. One less step 😉 In the video below I show you how I use my serger to sew the side seams instead of a combination of sewing machine and serger. Both methods work great so chose the one you are more comfortable.

Reminder: the patten includes two links to complete sew ups of the X Factor so you can also follow Judy’s method of sewing the side seams when the skirt has pockets. And why would you even consider skipping the pockets? 😊

If you are doing the dress option, check in for day 5 in the comment of today’s photo of the sew along album. See you back here tomorrow for the final steps!  

 

 

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

X Factor Sew Along – day 4

Day 4 is here! Today we add the neckband and the back band.  If you are new to sewing with knits or simply would like a refresher, take a look over our P4P University Neckbands 101 blog post. This blog shows you how to create the crew neck.  The most important thing to keep in ming when creating and adding the crew neckband is to press, press, press! 

In the Day 4 video below I walk you through creating and adding the V neckband. This is a slightly different way of creating the neckband than I showed in the P4P University V neckband blog. This time we will overlap the ends creating the V point that way. I highly encourage you to add the V part of the neckline with the sewing machine, instead of a serger. It will make for a more precise stitch and a neater look.

Last step is to stitch the back band to the front one. Keep in mind that the front band is attached to the bodice. Overlap the parts that will become the waistband one time (doesn’t matter if you overlap left on top of right or vice versa).  With the right sides together sew the side seams of the band following the 1/2″ seam allowance. 

Don’t forget to add your check in photo to the comments of Day 4 in the X Factor sew along album. See you back here tomorrow! 

 

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

X Factor Sew Along – day 3

Ahoy, pirates! Today’s steps include adding the sleeves or armbands (for the tank option) and sewing the side seams. I have decided to make a long sleeve dress to wear on chillier Florida days. 

  • For the short, 3/4 and long sleeves start by pressing a memory a 1/2 hem. If you are doing the cuffed long sleeves style, you will not be needing the memory hem. 
  • If you opted for the tank style, start by pressing the bands lengthwise, wrong sides together. Open them up and sew the short ends to create a loop. 

Tip: when pinning the sleeved to the arm opening start with the shoulder seam, then pin the two outer corners. This will make easing the sleeves into the opening very easy. There shouldn’t be any stretch, but you will ease the concave curve into the convex one. 

When adding the arm bands to the tank option, you want to avoid stretching the band too much on the front and back. The most stretch should be at the armpit and shoulder. This will help ensure that the bands lay nicely when worn. 

Day 3 video is below. As always, don’t forget to add your progress photo to the comments of today’s check in photo in the sew along album. 

 

 

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

X Factor Sew Along – day 2

Welcome to day 2 of our X Factor Sew along. Today is a pretty easy and quick day. We sew the front seam of the bodice and the shoulder seams. Place the two mirror front bodice pieces right sides together, matching the center seam. Using your sewing machine, stitch a couple of inches at the bottom with a 1/2 seam allowance. You can sew the rest of the front seam with the serger if you prefer. 

Once this step is completed you will sew the shoulder seams right sides together, following a 1/2″ seam allowance. 

Tip: Add clear elastic to the shoulder seams to strengthen them and make sure the shoulders don’t stretch throughout the day. 

We have included two FULL pattern sew ups in the tutorial (see page 7). Judy has covered all options in the two videos so you can always refer to them throughout the week. 

Upon completion of today’s steps snap a picture of your progress and add it to the day 2 check in photo comments in the X factor SAL album located in the P4P & M4M sew along group.

 

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

X Factor Sew Along – day 1

 

Welcome to the X Factor Crop and Dress sew along! 

In the next 6 days we will be sewing together the newest P4P pattern. Join us for a chance to win some fabric and pattern money and have fun alongside our community! If you have not purchased your copy yet, you can buy the adult X Factor here, the youth one here, or you can get the bundle and save. If you are still undecided which style to make, our Round Up blog will give you a glance at all options included, from sleeve lengths to necklines. You can also use the Easy Hacks blog for added options.

Let’s start by taking the measurements needed for the best fit. P4P has an amazing blog that gives you tips for accurately taking your measurements. You can read all about it here. If your measurements put you in a different size for chest/waist/hips be sure to check out our P4P University blog and grade to achieve the perfect fit. The X Factor patterns include videos as well. On page 3 you will notice an active button that will take you to the video about adding or removing length. Please refer to it if you are taller or shorter than 5’5″. 

Unsure about which knit type will work best for your desired look? Take a look over our P4P University Knit Types blog. We also included a cheat sheet that you can print. If you are like me and sometime are just keen on using a specific print for a specific pattern, read our Different fabric, different fit blog post before you cut your fabric. 

The P4P team has started adding Projector Files to our new patterns. If you are looking to skip printing, buying rims of paper and ink, this new innovative way of cutting your patterns may be the option for you. I am using a mix of printed and projected pattern pieces for my dress. 

The X Factor is drafted for high and 4 way stretch knit fabric. My personal recommendations are rayon spandex, bamboo lycra, ITY, Cupro and double brushed poly. You can also use athletic knit and certain sweater knits. During this sew along I will be making the V neck dress style using a stunning Mily Mae Fabrics burgundy bamboo spandex. MMF is also this sew along’s sponsor so two lucky winners will receive gift certificates to their shopping website. 

You can see the first video below, including how I use my projector file for the bodice. Once you cut the fabric, post a picture of your pretty pile in the comments of DAY 1 photo of the X Factor album in the M4M & P4P Sew Along Group. 

 

 

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

Oversized Sweater :: Easy Hacks

It’s here! It’s here! The comfiest, snuggliest, coziest sweater you will ever have. The Oversized Sweater includes so many options for both youth and adult but we couldn’t help ourselves…we wanted more! The P4P blog team is showing you how to make an Off the shoulder sweater, a mini dress, a color blocked one, the cutest pom poms hack ever and a higher side slit one. Enjoy!

 

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Off the shoulder

Off-the-shoulder shirts are my jam. I still remember falling all the way in love with the first one I saw Alex do for the Relaxed Raglan. This Oversized Sweater is the PERFECT top to hack into your favorite Pinteresty slouchy off-the-shoulder sweater. And it’s pretty easy! Grab your fabric and pattern pieces–let’s get started!

Layer your front, back and sleeve pieces on top of each other.

Measure down 1/2 inch.

Draw a line. This is going to be your new cut line.

Cut out your pieces.

**Tip: Place a clip on the front of the sweater to differentiate your pieces.

Sew your sleeves on first. They aren’t going to be sewn all the way up so remember that. You’re going to sew them on similarly to how raglan sleeves are done. They’ll look like this:

Once the sleeves have been attached to both the front and back pieces, it’ll look like this.

Cut a neckband 3 inches in width by 85% of your measurement of your shoulders (with shoulders down, measure around your body). Add the neckband.

Finish assembly as instructed in the tutorial and then rock the hell out of it!

I’m wearing a hachi sweater knit in a straight P1 with a curved hem.

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Mini dress

Next up, we have a mini dress hack. I love anything that I can wear that’s comfy, but that’s also really sexy, and this mini dress hack fits the bill perfectly.

For this version, we’ll be using the high-low hem option of the sweater.  Because the bottom of both the front and back pieces of the bodice are straight, it’s very easy to simply add length to the bottom of these to lengthen your sweater into a dress. How much length you add to the bottom of your pattern pieces is completely up to you, but I found that 4 inches was perfect for the “mini” look I was going for.

When cutting out both the front and back pieces of your sweater, simply add 4 inches to the length at the bottom of each. Please note that the high-low bands were not changed at all for this hack; only the length of the main body pieces have been altered.

Cut and sew together the rest of the sweater as described in the tutorial, and voila! You now have a cute and very trendy mini dress, ready to go!

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Poms

If you’re anything like me you might have an addiction to Faux Fur Poms especially on the littles! They are just so cute! I’m going to show you a quick and easy way to substitute the ears for Poms! You’ll sew your hood together exactly the same as all of the instructions but before sewing the hood I recommend marking your ear placements slightly past the seam allowance in a washable pen that way you know where to place your poms. Then I highly recommend adding interfacing where your poms will be for added durability especially if using a pom with snaps.

 

Now if you have a sew on pom you’ll sew it right along the markings you made for the ears. I recommend going directly through the seam allowance, once again for added durability.

 

If you are using a pom with snaps (which I recommend for washing purposes as well as pom changing fun!), push your seam allowance toward the back of the hood and attach your snap through your interfacing and the seam allowance.

and wallah! You are done and now have super cute pom ears!

 

Happy Sewing,

Michelle

 

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Colorblocked

I am all in anytime that I have a chance to sport some spirit gear for our local team (Go Grizzlies!). Awhile ago, I was doing some aimless browsing and came across a colorblocked sweatshirt that was absolutely perfect. Of course they didn’t have our team colors, but the oversized sweater was the perfect starting point to recreating this sporty look.

To begin, you will want to divide the front and back bodice pieces, as well as the sleeve, into the sections. For mine, I began with the front bodice piece. I measured 5″ down from the neckline and placed a vertical line. I then measured 6″ below that to create my second color block. The remaining section will be for my third color block.  For the back bodice, I lined up the bottom hemline of both front and back piece, and transferred my lines to this piece as well.

To create the colorblocked sleeve, I began by aligning to top of the sleeve with the front bodice neckline and again, transferring these lines.

Once the lines are drawn, you will then need to cut your pieces on these lines (you can also fold your pattern on each of these lines if you’d rather not cut your original). To cut the fabric, you will need to add an additional 1/2″ to each line you drew, both to the top and bottom colorblocked sections of this line, to account for the seam allowance.

Now that you’ve cut out your pieces (phew, wasn’t that fun?! haha), you will begin to reassemble the bodices and sleeves. With right sides together, match up each colorblock section and sew using a 1/2″ SA.

Once your pieces have been sewn together, you will then follow the original tutorial to construct your sweatshirt.  And just like that, you’re now ready to show off your favorite colors, prints, or school spirit all in one fun, colorblocked sweater!

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Higher side split

Let’s end this easy hacks series with a Pinterest inspired hack. One of the testers shared a picture of a high side slit oversized sweater and I knew I just have to have one. This is super easy look to achieve!

I chose to make the slit 5″ but that is just a mild suggestion. You can certainly make it bigger (or smaller) if you’d like. Mark 5″ up from the bottom raw edge on all 4 side seams. You can use pins, clips or a tailor chalk.

Sew the pattern as instructed in the tutorial but stop the at the 5″ mark. You may find this step easier to be done if you sew (at least the last few inches) with a sewing machine. Repeat the steps on the other side.

Press a 1/2″ hem on both sides of the side seam. Stitch the hem down with a zig zag stitch, twin needles or a coverstitch.

Continue adding the front and back bands ad in the tutorial. See that was super easy!

I did the hack on my turtleneck version but it would be super cute on all neckline.

Tip: If you would like to make the high side seam on the curved hem option you would have to sew the side seams the same way you do the high low option. 

 

Hope you enjoyed these as much as we loved making them for you. As always, don’t forget to show off your creations in the P4P Facebook group or Instagram (use #patternsforpirates) so we can ohhh and ahhh over them!

Hepburn Top and Dress – Easy Hacks

The Hepburn Top & Dress has released and it will surely become a staple in your year round wardrobe. Our amazing (and growing) team of blog contributors has some easy hacks for the new pattern. Take a look and get sewing!

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Swim top/rashguard

The fit of the Turtle Neck Dress is so fantastic that modifying it to be a a rashguard is very simple!

The first thing you need to do is decide which pattern options you would like to use and gather your supplies. Swap out your sweater knit for some swim knit, and your clear elastic for swim elastic.

Cut out your pattern pieces and neckline elastic according to the tutorial. For all options, you will continue on following the tutorial until it is time to hem.

If you choose to make a cropped swim top, like I am, you may want additional swim elastic for the bottom hem. This will help keep the hem from rising up while swimming. For this option, you will want to trim half an inch from the bottom of the front and back bodice pieces.

 

I simply wrapped the elastic around my waist and cut at a comfortable length. The elastic will be attached in the same way you attach the neckline elastic for the crew neck.

All other hemming options can follow the tutorial. Now you can enjoy your new swim top!


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Zipper Workout Bra

For this hack, we will be working with the crew neck, crop, tank option. In addition to the materials listed in the pattern, you will also need: 

  • Fabric for the lining
  • Zipper that is slightly longer than the shortened crop bodice (detailed below)
  • Wash away wonder-tape (our new BFF!)
  • FOE/knit binding
  • 1” elastic
  • Soft bra cups
  • (Optional Hook & Eye Closure)

1. Assemble Bodice and Lining

2. Attach Zipper with Wonder Tape!

Find the center of the front neckline, cut straight down from top to bottom.

Place a strip of wonder tape from top to bottom along the edge of one half of the bodice. Do the same for the coordinating lining piece, peel off the paper strip.

With right sides together, place zipper along the edge of bodice.

Next, peel off paper strip on lining and place wrong side of zipper along right side of lining.

Check to be sure zipper is placed correctly, gently finger press in place. (Clip in place if needed).

Stitch 1/4’’ away from the zipper from top to bottom.

Repeat with other side. Your fully lined zipper is now attached with just two lines of stitching!! Zip up zipper, add reinforcement stitches across the bottom of the zipper, and trim the extra zipper fabric from off the top and bottom.

Finish neckline with your favorite finish. I used FOE, but you could also do a knit binding. Just be sure to fold the ends under so the edges are finished.

3. Add Bottom Band

Cut a band with the following formula (adjust length as needed): Length = 3.5” by Width = (75% of Underbust Measurement) + 1”

*Optional* Hand sew hook and eye closure at top of zipper.

And you are done!!!

   

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Picot trim

Anyone else buy tons of picot elastic thinking you are going to make all the bras and underwear? Well picot elastic can easily be used for other items and is a great finish for a necklines as well!  This is a quick easy hack and all you need that is different from the original requirements is picot elastic!

We are only going to make very minimal changes.  My picot elastic was 1/4 inch so I did not bother trimming the neckline down at all.  We are going to cut the picot the same length as what the pattern calls for for the clear elastic.

 

Now press that top stitch cause pressing is the key to a really great finished product and finish the rest of your top as instructed.  You can also use this method for the armholes if you choose but sometimes picot can be scratchy, mine was super soft but I choose to just use it for the neckline.

 

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Lettuce hem

Next up we have the lettuce hem hack. This is an easy and fast way to finish your edges with a little added style!

First off, we need to trim the hem allowances at the neckline, sleeve edges, and bottoms of both front and back pieces of the pattern to account for not using a traditional hem on these edges.

Trim 3/8″ off of the neckline.

Trim 1/2″ from the sleeve edges.

And trim 1″ from the bottoms of both the front and back bodice pieces.

Now that we’ve got our pattern pieces properly modified, cut and sew up your top as usual, using the new trimmed pattern pieces.

Next, set up your serger for a rolled hemline. Consult your serger’s manual for exactly how to do this on your machine, but in a nutshell, you will use only one needle, narrow the stitch width, decrease the length and increase the lower looper tension.

Begin with the neckline of the shirt. Sew the neckline as if you were finishing with a rolled hem, but stretch the fabric firmly before and after the presser foot. The tighter you pull, the more waves your lettuce hem will have!

Repeat on the raw edges of both sleeves and bottom hemline.

And that’s it! Now you have a beautifully finished tee with cute lettuce hems.

 

 

Caitlin

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Higher side vents

 

Let give this dress a nice higher vent to add extra sexy to it!

 Here’s how I made this little hack.

I started with cutting the mid-length version and marking the vent line for the knee length.

I continue sewing up the dress according to the instructions. 

Here is a picture to show the different vent lines. I followed the directions for the vent except I used the knee length instead of the mid length marking. 

Hope you all love this hack!!

Andrea

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Skirt

Next up we have a super easy, fun skirt hack. Nicole paired her skirt with the Sporty Piko crop but you can certainly wear it withe the cropped Hepburn top. Start by deciding where you would like the skirt to hit. Nicole is wearing a high waist style so she cut the pattern 1″ front and back pieces above the waist line. Now grab a 1″ knit elastic piece and stretch it around your waist (or high hip, depending on your skirt preference). Cut the elastic based on your waist and comfort. Sew the side seams and hem the bottom of the skirt following the tutorial instruction.

Using your serger or a zig zag stitch attach the elastic to the waist.

That’s it! All you have left to do now is enjoy your new skirt.

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Hepburn / Boundless mash

My turn!! You know there’s nothing I like more than a good dress! So once I have sewn the dress included in the pattern I just had to try mashing it with the Boundless skirt. Here is what I did:

Cut the preferred Hepburn style (tank, sleeves, etc) CROP top. Now grab the Boundless pattern (or even the Sunshine) and cut the waist skirt (not the empire one).

Sew the Hepburn crop top as instructed in the tutorial. Now grab some 1/4″ elastic and measure the opening of the bottom hem. Cut the elastic the same size as the measurement you just took and sew it in a loop.

All you have to do now is attach the skirt to the Hepburn top following the Boundless (or Sunshine) tutorial. Boom! One top…so many new possibilities!

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Hepburn / Sweetheart or Me Hearties mash

 

We could not end this hacks series without showing you how beautiful a Hepburn / Me Hearties (or Sweetheart) mash can be. Here is what how to get the look.

Judy has made he little star a 3/4″ sleeves, turtleneck crop top Hepburn and omitted hemming the bottom. Of course, you can choose any of the crop top styles included in the Hepburn pattern. Then she simply cut a Me Hearties circle skirt, sewed the side seams and hemmed the bottom.

All that left to do it attach the skirt to the top, following the Me Hearties instructions. Don’t forget the seam allowance is 1/2″.

Now tell me this cutie is not making you want to sew a Hepburn/Sweetheart mash for you too. I know that’s my next project!

Hope you enjoyed these easy hack as much as we enjoyed making them for you! Time to get sewing and remember to post your creations in the Patterns for Pirates Facebook group so we can all admire them.

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