Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

SOS sal day 4 (front pocket, inseam)

Good morning mermaids and pirates! Today, on day 4, we will be sewing the front pockets and the front seam. Let’s start with the pockets! The SOS knit pants feature slat pockets with an French seam. As I mentioned in the previous video, I strongly encourage you to use a thinner knit fabric for the pocket lining. This will reduce the bulk considerably.

If you have opted for the MOTO HACK  (free hack and pattern on the blog) today is the day when you will be sewing the pin tucks and putting together the front legs. 

Once you added your pocket, all you have left to do today is sew the front crotch seam and make sure to post a picture of your progress in the comments of DAY 4 photo of the SOS sal album.

SOS sew along | Day 1 – Print and cut pattern

SOS sew along | Day 2 – Cut fabric

SOS sew along | Day 3 – Back: pocket, yoke, inseam

SOS sew along | Day 4 – Front: pocket, inseam

SOS sew along | Day 5 – Leg inseam, side seam, hem

SOS sew along | Day 6 – Waistband

SOS sew along | Day 7 – Winners announcement

SOS sal day 3 ( back pockets, yoke, inseam)

Today we start sewing! Day 3 is reserved to attaching the back pocket, the back yokes and sewing the back seam.

Let’s start with the back pocket (s). You can add two or just one, it’s all a matter of preference. The main thing I want to mention regarding the back pocket is the importance of BASTING it in place before you stitch it down. As Judy mentions in the tutorial, the back pocket can make or break the look of the pants. So do use the suggested pocket placement but just baste them in place and only after trying the pants on sew them down.

Once you add the pocket(s), it’s time to add the back yoke. This is where you will see how important having cut the notches yesterday really is 🙂 Be sure to match the notches and attach the yoke with a 1/2″ seam allowance and top stitch.

Below is a link to the Day 3 sew along video which includes the back pocket, yoke and inseam construction. Once you complete today’s steps, be sure to post a picture of your progress in the comments of day 3 photo of the SOS knit pants sew along album.

SOS sew along | Day 1 – Print and cut pattern

SOS sew along | Day 2 – Cut fabric

SOS sew along | Day 3 – Back: pocket, yoke, inseam

SOS sew along | Day 4 – Front: pocket, inseam

SOS sew along | Day 5 – Leg inseam, side seam, hem

SOS sew along | Day 6 – Waistband

SOS sew along | Day 7 – Winners announcement

SOS sal day 2 (cut fabric)

 

Welcome to day 2 of our SOS knit pants sew along. Today we will be choosing the fabric, cutting it and gathering all necessary notions. You should have your pattern pieces ready from yesterday. If you haven’t removed the top part of the pocket on the front pieces, now is the time to do it.

But first let’s talk a little about the right fabric for the SOS pants. As you can see in the video below I am using a gorgeous athletic knit from Kammie Lou Lou for my SOS skinny pants. This poly base knit is custom printed and the perfect medium weight. For the straight leg I absolutely love French Terry or Baby French Terry for a casual/sporty feel and ponte for a more elegant look. I highly encourage you to avoid thinner knits like double brushed poly, low weight cotton spandex or bamboo spandex.

Kammie Lou Lou is this sew along’s sponsor too, so one of you will be getting a $75 Gift Card to the retail shop so you can treat your to some gorgeous custom printed fabric.

You will also need 1″ or 1.25″ elastic for the waistband. Not all elastic is the same, so keep that in mind when you choose knit elastic vs no roll elastic.

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

 

SOS sew along | Day 1 – Print and cut pattern

SOS sew along | Day 2 – Cut fabric

SOS sew along | Day 3 – Back: pocket, yoke, inseam

SOS sew along | Day 4 – Front: pocket, inseam

SOS sew along | Day 5 – Leg inseam, side seam, hem

SOS sew along | Day 6 – Waistband

SOS sew along | Day 7 – Winners announcement

SOS sal day 1 (print and cut pattern)

Welcome to the SOS knit pants

Sew Along!

Day 1 is for purchasing the patterns, printing and cutting the size(s) you need. If you plan on sewing for yourself you can get the SOS Knit Pants here, if you’re sewing for your little one, the Youth SOS pants can be purchased here and if you’re sewing for both of you (just think of the mommy and me matching outfits!) you can get the bundle.

This Sew Along will take place in our M4M & P4P Sew Along group so be sure to join the group not only for the exclusive discount code available for the patterns but also to post your progress this week. As always all daily posts will be here on the blog but you’ll be checking in with your completed steps in the group.

The SOS Sew Along is sponsored by Kammie Lou Lou fabrics and Stacy has graciously offered our pirates and mermaids 10% off retail with code “Sal10″.

Now that you have your pattern printed, time to cut the correct size (s). Patterns for Pirates drafts for 5’5″ height for the Women pattern so do not forget to adjust for height too. Make sure to check your inseam against the finish inseam of the style pants you chose. I am 5’5″ BUT my crotch to ankle inseam  is 28″ so I have to remove 2″ from the skinny pants since the finished inseam is 30”.

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

We always recommend making a muslin with the same type of fabric you plan to use for your “real” pair to make sure you get the perfect fit. Judy put together a great P4P University Blog that talks about pants and their wrinkles. You can read in there about some easy fixes for common problems.

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

SOS sew along | Day 1 – Print and cut pattern

SOS sew along | Day 2 – Cut fabric

SOS sew along | Day 3 – Back: pocket, yoke, inseam

SOS sew along | Day 4 – Front: pocket, inseam

SOS sew along | Day 5 – Leg inseam, side seam, hem

SOS sew along | Day 6 – Waistband

SOS sew along | Day 7 – Winners announcement

P4P University – Buttons and Buttonholes

Ohh the dreaded buttons and button holes!!! Well…fear them no more. Today on the blog I wanted to talk to you about buttons and how easy it can be to add buttonholes to your projects.

 

Buttons

I am sure you noticed a few styles of buttons while walking around the notions sections of you favorite fabric store. The most commonly used buttons are 2-hole ones, 4-hole buttons and shank buttons.

  • 2 hole buttons are usually used for decorative purposes or for items that will not require a heavy use of the buttons. That being said, I personally prefer the look of the 2 hole button for day to day wear so I just reinforce the stitching to make it more durable.
  • 4 hole buttons will yield a sturdier construction. You can sew them on using an ” X “ style stitch or a ” = ” style. Either one of the methods can be done using a sewing machine or hand sewing.
  • Shank buttons are buttons that once sewn will not lay flushed with the fabric. They have a shank that will allow for some space between the button and the garment. These style buttons can be used for decorative purposes but they are mainly used when adding buttons to coats or heavy jackets.

You can sew buttons by hand or using your sewing machine. All 3 types of buttons listed above can be sewn by hand while only the 2 hole and 4 hole buttons can be sewn with the machine.

Note: when using a 4 hole button it is generally preferred to add a thread shank so there is some space between the button and the fabric. That can only be achieved by hand sewing.

In the video below I am showing you how to attach two-hole buttons with your sewing machine and different button feet available.

 

Buttonholes

Now that we have added buttons, we need to add button holes. Here are some must-does when adding buttonholes.

Always interface!

The key to successful buttonholes is interfacing the fabric. Whether you are using knit, light weight of medium weight woven always interface the areas you plan on adding buttonholes. Light to medium weight interfacing would work best.

Chose the right buttonhole style for your fabric! 

You might have noticed that your machine has quite a few options for button holes.

The one I use most is the squared one (as you can see in the video below) because I sew mainly medium weight fabrics. This buttonhole is also used for home decor sewing. If you use light weight fabrics, silks or chiffons, use the “oval” buttonhole, the one that has a round top and bottom.

If you are sewing coats or heavy weight jackets you will want to use a keyhole buttonhole because it will make pulling a thicker button through it much easier. When sewing knit outfits, if you need to preserve the stretch of the fabric around the buttonhole then the “knit buttonhole” is the one to use. It features a wider zig zag or a criss-cross stitch.

All you have to do now is make a slit in the fabric to allow for the button to pull through the hole. I like to use my seam ripper for that (make sure it’s not dull!!) and mark the top and bottom ends of the hole with pins as shown below.

This will help prevent any unwanted snips of the thread.

In the next video you can see the buttonhole foot in action.

Now that we have all that covered and hopefully you feel more confident sewing buttons and buttonholes, go sew some Henley and Lumberjack shirts and Brunch Blouses and be sure to show them off in the P4P group.

V-neckbands 101

We’ve been asked so many times how to achieve that perfect V neckline so today on the blog we will be covering a few tips that will help you get that look you’re striving for every time.

Let’s start with a reminder of the Neckbands 101 blog! All the tips I gave you there apply to the V neckbands too so take a look over it and come right back.

Now that you we have those tips covered let’s take a look at some V neck specific tricks that will ensure you will have the perfect neckline.

Don’t skip the stay stitch!

A stay stitch is a straight stitch that will help your fabric stay in place, it will keep it from stretching and distorting. You will be sewing a stay stitch on both the neckband and neckline, a couple of inches on both sides of the V point.

Here is a video of the Favorite Tee V neckband. The same tips can be applied to the Boyfriend V neck shirt or the kids’ Deep Sea V neck and Fave Tee.

 

Always press the V neckband!

Press the neckband before you attach it! It will make a world of difference! Pressing it will make it easier to maneuver when pining it to the neck opening and when attaching them.

Snip the V point as close to the stay stitch as possible!

As you can see in the video below, a snip in the right place can make a huge difference. Using sharp scissors, carefully make a vertical snip about 3/8″ long, getting as close as possible to the stay stitch without snipping the stitches.

Sew the V points with the sewing machine!

Taking the extra time to attach the V part of the neckband with the sewing machine will help you achieve that much desired crisp V point. Plus, if you’re not 100% happy with how it looks you can definitely seam rip it and reattach it a lot faster than if you were to have used your serger.

Here is how I attach the V neckband to the neck opening.

 

Are V necks less scary now? 🙂 I sure hope these tips will help you get that perfect look you’re aiming for. Don’t forget to brag about your awesome V neck shirts in the P4P group too!

P4P University – plackets

 

Ohhh….plackets! Why are you so scary? Today on the blog I’m hoping to change that perceptions of them and help you face this fear.

What are plackets?

Plackets are basically just a slit or an opening in the fabric that allows for garments to be easily put on or taken off. Sometimes plackets are purely decorative. You can find them on sleeves, on pants, back of skirts and neckline. You can have a placket on the back of the neckline or on the front. The most common neckline front plackets are for Henley or Polo style shirts. On this blog I will be using the new Brunch Blouse placket but you can certainly utilize the same principles for a Yo Ho Henley or a Women or Men Henley shirt too.

 

Interfacing? Yay or nay?

My first tip/recommendation is to always use light weight interfacing for the placket piece. Simply fuse a piece of interfacing to the wrong side of the pattern piece. You can get away with not using any if you’re making a woven pattern but even so, the result will be so much better if you do add it. Interfacing will help stabilize your piece which in turn will make it a lot easier to sew. ALWAYS use interfacing for knit plackets!

Mark and press!

As you can see in the video above, I use a tailor chalk to mark the pressing and sewing lines on the back of the placket piece. You can use a soluble fabric pen or a fabric marker too.

If you have a tailor clapper now would be a good time to use it. It will defiantly come in handy and help keep those pressing marks firm. Spray starch will help too!

Sew slowly!

Make sure you pin a lot and catch any notches that need to be enclosed! This may be the most tedious part of adding a front neckline placket so it is well worth paying extra attention and sewing slowly.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor! 🙂

Now that you took the time to create the perfect placket, show it off! Be proud of your achievement and don’t let sewing techniques intimidate you! Speaking of showing off…don’t forget to brag about your Henleys and Brunch Blouses in the P4P group.

 

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