LL – easy hacks

July 20, 2017

In true Pirate fashion we could not have let this double release go by without showing you some easy but fun hacks for the Little Loungers and Linen Loungers. Erinn will start you off with an adorable bias binding hack for the curved hem shorts.

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Bias Binding curved hem

Adding bias bindings to the hemline of the curved shorts is a quick and easy way to create an entirely different look. One of the things that I love most about this look is that it’s a great way to add a pop of contrasting or coordinating fabrics.

To create this look, cut out your pattern pieces as you would per the pattern. The only additional thing you will need are your bindings. For mine, I cut them 2″ wide by a length that was longer than the hemline. As you can see below, I used the curved pattern pieces and marked the top edge. I will connect my bias binding pieces up to this marking.

If you are attaching pockets, you can complete everything through these steps. Before sewing up the inseam and sides, you will want to complete your bindings along the curves. Place your shorts facing down and bias binding pieces face down and then gently ease them along the curves. You will want to pin/clip this in place. As you can see, my pieces are longer than the edges, but these will be trimmed later. Attach with a 1/2″ seam allowance, then clip into seam allowance along curve.

Once you’ve attached your binding, press binding piece and seam up. Press bias binding piece to align with top edge, then press again as you fold binding over (these are the same steps as were completed on pockets). Edge stitch along folded edge and repeat on the other three hemlines.

Once you’ve attached all bias bindings, you will assembly your pattern as directed. When reaching the curved seam and inseam, you will want to make sure to use a straight stitch for the last few inches to create a cleaner finish (With wovens, it is advised to use a straight stitch first and then go back over with a serger if desired. If doing so, end your serged section a few inches before your straight stitch to help create that cleaner look). Trim any bias binding pieces that might be longer than your seam allowance.

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Cuffed capri pants

Next I will show you how easy it is to add cuffs to the capri pants. The patterns include a cuff option for the short so we will use the same tutorial techniques. Start by printing the pattern in your desired size. I made a size 6 Little Loungers with patch pocket and elastic waistband.

There are two changes you will need to do to the original pattern. You must cut the capri length 1 inch shorter than the cut line for both the front and back pieces. We do that because we won’t be hemming anymore, we will be adding the cuffs. That brings me to the second change you’ll need to make. The cuffs in the pattern are drafted to fit 1:1 ratio to the shorts leg opening. The capri leg opening is smaller so we will need to shorten the width of the cuff. How much you shorten the width will vary for each size. The length of the cuff will remain the same.

Don’t forget to cut and attach the button tabs too! They add such a cute touch to the capris!

Sew the pants as per the tutorial. Easy peasy! Don’t be afraid to add some detail stitching to the button tabs or the pockets! I used my coverstitch to add a touch of blue but you can certainly use a twin needle or your preferred decorative stitches.

If you love the look of the cuff but prefer the bermuda length you can certainly apply the same principals and created a cuffed bermuda linen lounger or little lounger…the sky’s the limit! 🙂

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Hemmed and lined shorts

We always like to mix up our finishing options to give you a wide variety that you can apply to any pattern so we went with a cuffed or curved hem facing for the shorts this time. If you’ve been following P4P for awhile, you’ll notice Judy loves some short shorts 😉 but that may not be your preference. I’m going to show you how to lengthen your inseam and do a simple hemmed edge. I also wanted to use this gorgeous embroidered lace so will give some insight on how to line them.

First, decide what you would like your finished inseam length to be. The current inseam finishes at 2.5″. For my finished length I went with 3.5″. Decide the length of your preferred hem (I did 1/2″) and add this to your desired inseam length. Measure and transfer to your pattern. Don’t forget all seam allowances are 1/2″ so your total inseam on the pattern should be 1/2″ longer. Example for my 3.5″ finished inseam: 1/2″ seam allowance at the crotch curve + 3.5″ inseam length + .5″ hem allowance = 4.5″ total inseam.

Now that you have adjusted your inseam length we will make our hem gauge for the hem. You’ll notice these outward notches on other cutlines (bermuda) as well as on sleeves hems. It may look a little funny, but it actually serves a purpose. Cutting the outward notch will allow the hem to lay flat once folded. The angle of the gauge should be a mirror image of the seam just above it so that when its turned under it will lay flush. Again, my hem allowance is 1/2″, if you choose to do a wider hem, you will want to extend your hem gauge to match the same length of your hem allowance.

Proceed to cut your pattern and construct as instructed in the tutorial. To make a lined pair, cut every piece from both your main and lining fabric. Lay your main fabric on top of your lining piece (right sides up) and construct as usual, treating them as one piece.

To hem, I serged both the main and lining fabric together to finish the edge . Then turned and top-stitched. Easy right?

You can also line the shorts by treating your lining and main fabric as separate items. So construct a main short and lining short then slip them inside one another and attach your waistband to both the lining and the main. I chose to it the other way since I would be hemming them together anyway.

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Fully Enclosed Seams on Cuffed Shorts

When it comes to seams on my pants, I tend to gravitate toward wanting to enclose all of them. It gives a nicer, neater look to your pant, and just feels more “handmade” than “homemade” to me. The Loungers tutorial already tells you how to enclose the waistband on your pants, but what if you wanted to enclose the cuff hems too?

Here’s a quick rundown of how to make that happen:

Prepare your cuff as the pattern states. Right sides together, fold piece in half and stitch along unfolded edge.
Working from the wrong side of the fabric, fold and press 1/2″ on one of the long edges of entire cuff piece.
With right sides together, fold and press your cuff piece, leaving 1/2″ seam allowance at the top edge.
Press, press, press.

5. With your pant leg piece right side up, place your cuff piece on top (pinning carefully and aligning all of your seams. Stitch at a 1/2″ seam allowance.

6. Flip your fabric over so you’re looking at the wrong side of your pant leg. Open up your cuff piece and press the raw edges away from the pant leg, toward your cuff.
7. Using those beautifully pressed lines that you created for yourself back in steps 2-4, fold your cuff piece so it encloses all of your raw edges.
8. Press and edge stitch.

You now have a beautifully enclosed hem on your pant leg! Do a small happy dance, pat yourself on the back, and then repeat the steps for your other cuff.

(I didn’t have a chance to grab photos in my new shorts made from the tutorial yet, but I used that same method on the short pictured below and I LOVE them! You will too!)

Use one of these hacks? Be sure to hop on over to the Facebook Group and share your Linen and Little Loungers love. 🙂

Everyday Elegance :: Pattern Release/Update!

July 13, 2017

We are officially kicking off the P4P Summer of Wovens today with the re-release of the Everyday Elegance!

Before we get started: If you already own a copy of the original Everyday Elegance, you will NOT need to re-purchase to get the updates. If you bought here (PatternsforPirates.com) or on the Craftsy store, you will simply need to sign into your account and re-download the file. If your purchase was via Etsy, email help@patternsforpirates.com (WITH PROOF OF PURCHASE) and you will get an updated file. It’s as easy as that, we promise!

As far as woven tops go, this is a great one to use if you’re new to the woven apparel scene. The Everyday Elegance is a loose top with a v-neckline, rounded collar, back yoke and back pleats. We decided to update this oldie-but-goodie because we wanted this pattern to match with the rest of the items found at Patterns for Pirates. So we’ve extended the sizing out to our full range (XXS – Plus 3X) and have added a ton of new options!

The Everyday Elegance now features two hemlines (tunic and dress length), three sleeve lengths (short, 3/4 and long), two neckline finishes (collar and bias binding), a back yoke with pleats, and an optional belt.

Along with the pattern changes, we updated our formatting. The pdfs now include our layers feature and can be found in letter, A4 and A0 sizes!

**Want to learn more about how to measure yourself for this pattern? We’ve got you covered with an in-depth blog HERE. And in case you’re new to Patterns for Pirates and PDF patterns in general, we have a great blog full of new user tips HERE to help you get started!

Let’s take a look at the options, shall we?

Tunic Length Hem

Dress Length Hem

Sleeve Length Options

Neckline Finishes

Back Yoke with pleated gather

Belted vs Unbelted

Ready to purchase the Everyday Elegance and get to sewing yourself? Go grab your copy HERE!! The pattern is on a re-release sale through Sunday, July 16, 2017.

Please don’t think we’d leave you with just the pattern and no extras!! Head over to our “Easy Hacks” post to see how you can step your sewing up a notch.

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

Happy sewing, friends!

P4P Presents the Summer of Wovens!

June 21, 2017

As many of you already know, I am a lover of knit fabrics. I love how quickly they can be sewn up, and how comfortable the different types of knits are to wear. BUT, we’ve seen in our Facebook Group that there is a desire for patterns that use woven and non-stretch fabrics. We hear you and are about to make your woven pattern dreams come true!

To help kick off the first official day of summer, our P4P Team is announcing our “Summer of Wovens”!

What does a “Summer of Wovens” entail, exactly?

— Our pattern releases throughout the summer will ONLY be for woven fabrics. Was there something you were hoping to see from us? Of course we’d love to hear!

— Before we can get to the new goodies, we are making sure to update our older woven patterns to feature our layers format, including the A0 copy shop printing formats. We will also be extending the sizing into the full range that we use now. Our very first woven pattern for women was The Everyday Elegance and we have been working behind the scenes on updates for this, as well as perhaps including a few new options for the pattern itself. Here is our gorgeous Nicole modeling her newest EE:

— Of course we have new patterns already in the works! Along with her EE, Nicole is sporting a sneak peek of the first *new* pattern, which is already in pre-testing! Perfect for a lightweight fabric for a comfortable and casual summer days/nights, these bottoms are a pull-on woven pant filled with options. Since we are in pre-testing now, we still haven’t found the perfect name for these pants. And, I always reserve my right to change my mind on the options we will offer on the final pattern! (I fully admit that I’m a girl who likes to exercise her right to change her mind! Lol.) So things might change but this is the basic idea of what we are working on at the moment.

— Lastly, we will dedicate the blog to tips, tricks, and posts all about sewing with woven apparel fabrics. A lot of seamstresses think of quilting cotton when they see the term woven, but we will be focusing on woven fabrics that are specifically made for apparel. After all, they will be used for apparel patterns! There is a large variety of available woven fabrics and it will be our mission to help you understand what works best for the project you’re about to tackle. Let us know the questions you have about sewing apparel in woven/non-stretch fabrics and we will try to answer as many as we can. We would really love to help you better understand this new type of fabric!

We hope everyone is excited to see what else we have coming this summer and can use up some of that woven fabric you’ve got hiding in your stash!

P4P Cardi Week :: Carefree Flannel + Vest Hack

January 28, 2017

The Carefree Cardigan is such a great drape cardigan and as it has a nice loose fit you can easily use it to make a vest and because of the shape of the cardigan it will work in woven. Yep I said it you can make this vest in woven!

This is a super quick hack, start by cutting your 2 front pieces and back out of your flannel and you are going to want to choose the longer length of the two length, you aren’t going to need any of the band pieces for this. Depending on your height you may want to remove or add length. I’m a shorty so I remove a couple of inchs from the bottom and also from the front side as the drape is quite long on me.

Sew your shoulder, skip the sleeves and sew the side seams as per the directions. Now instead of adding bands we are going to hem the armholes and all the way around your neck, down the front and across the bottom. I serged all the way around first to finish the edges. The serged edge gives me a perfect 1/4 inch to flip and iron and then I flipped it one more time so my serged edge was hidden and hemmed all the way around as close to the fold as you can. Another tip is to trim your corners, it just makes them a bit less bulky to hem. Do the exact same process to your armcycles and voila you have perfect draped flannel vest! If you don’t have a serger just use a zig zag stitch to finish the edges. Another cute option would be to fringe the front of your cardigan, you would still need to hem around the neck and down the sides but you can easily just pull the threads along the front and or the bottom till you have the amount of fringe that you would like.

I live in Canada so I really like the extra layer that sleeves add so for this second version I cut the back and sleeves out of a knit and then cut the front pieces in a flannel. I used the exact same construction as above with no bands and just hemmed all the way around and I have another cute cardigan but got to use my warm flannel!

Now go sew up all that gorgeous plaid flannel that you have been hoarding! – Angela Newman

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

Saturday, January 21: #P4PCardiWeek Announcement

Sunday, January 22: Cocoon Lace Hems & Butterfly Ruffle

Monday, January 23: Ribbon Tie Closure Hack

Tuesday, January 24: Carefree Cardigan Fringe Hack

Wednesday, January 25: Duster-Length Adjustment

Thursday, January 26: Kimono Ruffle Sleeves + Hem

Friday, January 27: Varsity Sweater Style Hack

Saturday, January 28: Carefree Cardigan Flannel + Vest Hack

Monday, January 30: #P4PCardiWeek Winner Announcement

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

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

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

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

Now get out there and sew some cardigans, matey!

Timeless Hacks

September 13, 2016

We are so excited to share the Timeless Tunic with you guys that we couldn’t help but share just a few easy mods you can do to have even more fun with this new woven pattern!

First up is the Crop Length: This is a super easy mod that is great for pairing with high-waisted bottoms.

Cut bodice pieces and skip the 2 skirt pieces. Sew up the bodice following the tutorial like normal. When you’re at the point of attaching the skirt you will instead create a casing with just the bottom edge of the bodice (just like the 3/4 and long sleeve options).

Fold up the bottom raw edge 1/2″ to wrong side, and again another 1/2″ hiding raw edge.

Edge stitch along top fold, leaving about 1.5″ un-stitched. Feed your waist elastic in, around and out of the casing using a safety pin or other tool.

Stitch elastic ends together using a wide zigzag (Make sure not to flip or twist your elastic as you’re guiding it through and stitching into a circle).

Pull elastic all the way into the casing. Stitch remaining 1.5″ closed.

Wah-Lah!

Now you have an adorable crop length that you can pair with your favorite high-waisted bottoms and not have to worry about tucking i in and getting any lumps and bumps from the bottom. I paired mine with the Pirate Pencil Skirt in the high waist and midi length option.

Split Sleeve and Curved Dress Hemline by Angela.

A big fashion trend that I’ve been seeing recently is a pretty split sleeve and the new Timeless Tunic and dress is the perfect pattern to easily add a split sleeve. I’m also a big fan of a curved hem, so I’m also going to show you how to add the curved hem to the dress length. Let’s get started!

First thing we are going to do is draw a line from the shoulder seam directly down the middle all the way down to the bottom of our sleeve piece. This is going to be our extra cut line to create 4 pieces. Now, if you’re lazy like me, you can just cut your sleeve out as normal and then cut down the center line that you created right thru your pattern and fabric. Make sure you don’t forget your notches!! It’s really easy to make a mistake without those notches as you will now have 4 sleeve pieces. Next you’re are going to need to create your binding strips. To do this, I just measured that line we created on the pattern to determine how long the binding needs to be and I added a inch extra just to be safe. As we are binding a straight piece you don’t have to worry about cutting your binding on the bias. I just cut mine the length of my piece by 1.5 inches wide.

Next you’re going to press your binding just like you would any other binding or bias tape. Fold in half lengthwise and press and then press the edges into the center.

You’re going to pin the right side of the binding to the wrong side of your sleeve and sew in the first pressed line which is a 3/8″ seam.

Once you have sewn the seam, press the seam allowance up towards the binding and then fold your binding down and repin so that the fold on your binding meets the seam line. I like to pull mine just slightly over the seam so that when you edge stitch you don’t see the seam underneath. You will then edge stitch your binding down. You are going to do this on all 4 of your sleeve pieces.

Time to sew the sleeves on! Easy peesy- you just match the top of your binding to the top center of your sleeve and make sure that your sleeve binding are right against each other. Make double sure that your notches match here too, ask me how I know! Now you will continue constructing as shown. When you get to your sleeve casings you can sew your casing flat and insert your elastic. I then sewed the elastic together to form your circle and then pull your casing over the elastic so you can’t see it.

On to the curved hem! This is super simple too. I started by tracing off the tunic curve on the front skirt and then lined up the curve to the side seam so that the bottom of the curve was at the bottom of of the dress length and traced it on. You will need to extend your line just a tad at the center as the dress is aline so it doesn’t match on both edges. (This is going to make your dress length a bit shorter on the sides so if you are worried about that add a little length) I then cut my new curved hem. For the back you want to also trace off your tunic curved hem but as it is a different curve then the front you want to make sure that your side seams are going to match. The back hem will dip a bit lower then the dress length so you will need to tape some paper onto the bottom of your back piece so that you can trace your curve easily. I found the easiest way to get your hems to match was to take your front piece and place it on your back piece, matching the side seams and mark where your front curve starts on the back piece and then place you back curve on that mark and trace. Cut your new hem line and continue constructing as normal.

Hope you enjoyed these easy hacks and please share your creations in the Patterns for Pirates Facebook group, we love seeing what you make!

V Neck Modification by Alex.

The much anticipated woven tunic and dress is finally here! The Timeless Tunic includes 3 sleeve lengths, a sleeveless option and two hem lengths. So why not add a V-neckline to the mix? 😉 I am a very big fan of V-necklines, I find them flattering on all sizes and shapes so today I will show you how I hacked the Timeless Tunic to get a V-neck look.

First of all print your pattern in the size needed, grab a ruler, a marker and some paper because we’ll do some light drafting. Ready?

Tape your pattern as per the instructions and set aside the front facing. We will draft another front facing shortly. Grab the front bodice piece and mark 3 inches. You can do less or more depending on how deep you’d like the cleavage. For my example I lowered the neckline about 3 inches. Once you mark that point on the center fold line, draw a straight line from where the neckline begins to curve to your marked point. Cut along the line and discard the little pieces.

TIP: If you prefer to save the original front bodice piece, then just fold along the marked line and tuck the little piece under the pattern. This way you can re-use this pattern for the regular curved neckline again simply by unfolding it.

Now that you have your front bodice piece ready, all we have to do is draft the front bodice facing. My V-neck Timeless dress is the sleeve option so you’ll see the sleeve facing throughout this tutorial. You can use the same suggestions and draft the sleeveless front facing option, too. Grab the original front facing, lay it over the front bodice and mark the shoulder width on it.

Now lay a piece of paper (preferably tracing paper but good ole printer paper will do, too, as you can see) over the V-neck front bodice. Trace the shoulder and the V-neckline on the paper. Mark about 2.75 inches down where the fold line will be. Using a French Curve (or drawing very slowly), draw a curve from the outer shoulder point to the bottom point of the center fold. That’s it! You’ve now drafted a new V-neck front facing.

Cut the fabric (and interfacing) using the V-neck bodice and the new V-neck front facing you just created. The rest of the pattern pieces and elastic will remain the same as the original pattern.

Sew your dress or tunic following the pattern’s directions. When sewing the bodice to the facing around the neckline, I prefer to start from the V point, sew around the neckline and end at the V point where I started. If you start at the shoulder seam, make sure to pivot when you get to the V point of the neckline.

TIP: When you snip the seam allowance around the neckline, don’t forget to cut a little V piece at the pointed spot. It will make your neckline lay nice and flat once you press it.

Finish sewing the tunic or dress as per the pattern tutorial. Now you have your very own Timeless Tunic with a V-neckline. As always, I can’t wait to see your creations in the group . Sew like a pirate!

Sheer Overlay by Nicole

There are some gorgeous woven fabrics available but some may be a little too sheer to wear sans under-layer or finish the neck and armholes with the facings method found in the pattern. With a couple of easy changes, you can use fabrics like chiffon or lace. I chose to use a chiffon and left my sleeves sheer but needed the extra coverage in the bodice and skirt.

Once you decide on your fabrics (that’s the hard part, right? 😉 ) you will cut the following:

(1) Main fabric bodice – front and back, (1) Main fabric skirt – front and back, (1) lining – front and back, (1) lining skirt – front and back ( I shortened the hem by 1″ as I used a rolled hem on the edges and did not want it to peek out the bottom edge) (1) front and back facing (2) main fabric sleeve mirror image. Note: Lightweight woven fabrics like chiffon are delicate. When ironing the fusible interfacing, proceed with caution and use a pressing cloth.

For assembly of the bodice, you will treat your front and back as one piece. Place main fabric and lining right sides up (wrong side of main fabric touching right side of lining) and baste along the edges or using a washable basting spray to keep the two layers together. Construct main bodice as shown in pattern.

For the skirt, I did not want them attached at the side seam so I stitched the side seams of both the main fabric and lining separately, creating two skirts. Slip your lining skirt inside your main fabric with right sides out (wrong side of main fabric touching right side of lining). I serged my two skirt together at the top edge to make attaching them to the bodice a little easier. Continue construction as shown in the pattern.

Easy enough….right?! The constructions doesn’t change any and should not be any more difficult to put together. Working with slinky fabrics is the hard part but with a little patience you’ll get through it in no time.

Make it in knit!

We all love the quick and ease of sewing up a knit, right?! You can sew this pattern in a knit with no modifying! Here is Alex’s in a rayon spandex with no modifications other than about 1.5″ added to skirt length for a personal preference on skirt length. She kept the dart and facings as is in the pattern exactly and sewed her size on the measurement chart. With knits you can have less wearing ease and be comfortable, so you could size down if you wanted a more fitted look compared to the woven option. She looks fabulous and she didn’t have to iron it 😉 lol!

Timeless Tunic and Tiny Timeless-Pattern Release!!

September 13, 2016

I’m asked for more patterns drafted for non-stretch woven fabrics all the time! And although my heart will always sing for those quick knits 😉 I do love a nice woven top or dress too!

So without further ado, let me introduce the Timeless Tunic and the youth version the Tiny Timeless (because Baby Girl needs to match Mama sometimes)! We also have them bundled together for a discount in the Timeless Bundle! All will be on sale through Sunday 9/18/2016 US Central Time Zone.

I love a softer drape for my own tops. I feel like the drape gives a more flattering silhouette. Personal favorites are rayon challis, crepe, peachskin, poly chiffon and voile. But, I drafted it so that you can get away with using a stiffer woven like a chambray or flannel without loosing too much of the glamour! Now you will have a great, timeless pattern that allows you to use up that gorgeous woven fabric you’ve been hoarding for that “perfect pattern”! (ah ah ahhhhhhhhhh…)

Both include the same options:

Tank– Perfect for warmer weather or for a nice layering piece. I loved to wear a nice silky tank under a cardigan!

Short Sleeve– A bit more coverage, but still great for warmer weather and layering!

3/4 Sleeve– A great transition length that you can wear year round.

Long Sleeve- Take this length into the colder months no problem! A lot of our testers loved the longer sleeve paired with a cozy flannel!

Top/Shirt Length- Cute, comfy, and easy to wear!

Curved Tunic Length- My personal favorite 🙂 It’s flattering and has some coverage but still looks trendy and put together. Younger girls love that curved tunic for pairing with skinnies or leggings!

Dress Length- Meant to hit about 2″ above knee (a super flattering length on all shapes) you can make it casual everyday or sew it up in a nicer fabric and pair with heels to dress it up!

So, just how versatile is this pattern? It can really be styled up or down so many ways you could wear this anywhere!

This is such a classic look you can make it a casual, everyday/play look:

Maybe a casual date, girls meet up, or shopping day:

Use something a bit nicer and you have a great office or work wear attire staple. Send your littles in it for school ceremonies or picture day:

It’s the perfect style for a shower or party! Perfect for those adorable border prints as well!

You can even do a great silky fabric and make a more formal version:

Warning though, doing this dress in a fabulous silky leopard print can really make you feel glamourous!! This little one had some great modeling poses in her fancy dress!! Don’t we all love to feel beautiful! <3 <3 <3

I hope you enjoy this new pattern as much as we all do!

The Timeless Tunic and Tiny Timeless will be a great weapon to pull out when you or your little one find that perfect woven fabric!

Different Fabric, Different Fit!

May 22, 2016

Fabric choice can really make or break a garment. Not just the color or pattern, but the kind of fabric you use.

I remember begging my mom to sew a pattern intended for knits with a woven, or a flowy top with ponte roma… of course she would try to explain that it wouldn’t work, but the begging continued!

It’s not until you use the WRONG fabric that you really understand using a fabric other than what is suggested in a pattern that you’re going to alter the final outcome. It will fit and look different than intended. I almost feel like it’s a right of passage to make a few mistakes with fabric choice to really understand how important it can be! But, I will try to help you out before you make those mistakes 😉

There are TONS of fabric types out there… I mean A LOT… too many for most seamstresses to remember. But if you can familiarize yourself with what the fabric will look like made up (how it will drape and fit) then you can really help yourself when picking fabrics for a project. Feeling fabric for the amount of stretch, thickness and drape will help you pair it with the right pattern. Once you get to know the fabrics you like, you can more easily order them online for a bigger variety.

I have sewn up the exact same pattern in the same size, modeled on the same body to help show how different weights and fabric types can affect the fit and look of a garment.

I sewed up a ton of the new P4P release, the Sweet Tee, because it is such an easy, quick sew and has a semi-fitted silhouette so it can take a wide range of stretch and be wearable. So, here we go!

I will start with the fabrics with the most drape. Drape is a term meaning how the fabric falls to the body when worn. Fabrics with soft drape will be fluid and drape towards your body. Think looser fits. They will fall beautifully, and still show off your curves without needing to be tight at all. This is my FAVORITE kind of fabric for myself. I love a little looser fit with a drapey fabric. It means I can feel comfortable (not sucking in all day ;)) with a looser fit, but still not look sloppy or like I’m wearing baggy clothes- I still want to show my curves a little to be flattering. But, this is a very personal preference of course! My sister prefers more stable knits for her tees usually. Think about what shirts/garments you like and how that fabric feels and drapes and it will help you understand what you prefer!

Slub Jersey. One of my favorites to work with, it doesn’t have a ton of stretch (which makes cutting and assembling a bit easier), but has drape because it is thin and lightweight. It is light and airy to wear, but doesn’t cling and show off every lump and bump. Another fabric that fits in here would be a lightweight poly/cotton jersey blend :).

Very thin sweater knit on beige and a lightweight rayon spandex on back. You can see on both these that they drape under my bust towards my body/waist showing off curves. The loose-ness around the hips doesn’t look flared, but just relaxed. Both are a little harder to work with during cutting and assembling. The very thin sweater knit usually needs some extra support in the seams baring any weight (like shoulder seams). You can use a clear elastic to reinforce them so they don’t stretch out with wear. The rayon spandex blends are one of my all time favorites as well- I used to want my mom to make me every thing in it 😉 . It has a slinkier feel because it has such a soft drape and can be difficult to fold on grain and cut without some movement. Rayon blends are also notorious for being “clingy”, because they drape so much they also tend to show lumps and bumps you might now want to show. So, I tend to pick rayon blends for a looser fit I know has plenty of room to not cling. Or a tight fit I know will be showing off everything anyways.

Tissue Jersey on front and rayon spandex blend on back. The tissue jersey is a bit of mix, it is not at stretchy and fluid as the others, but so lightweight that is still has some good drape. But the very thin fabric also showed my bra line a bit in front there as well, so you take the good with the bad sometimes with the thin stuff ;). I like the light airy feel of tissue jersey living in a hot climate.

ITY Knit– Ity knit is a poly blend that is knitted to have a smooth face, soft drape and lots of stretch. It’s commonly used in RTW for maxi dress and skirts b/c its flows so nicely. It tends to not be as “clingy” as a rayon blend and usually a little thicker weights (although all fabrics can be found in different weights). I like an Ity knit, especially for a nicer look. When I taught kinder and wore more professional attire Ity was a great, comfortable fabric that looks a bit dressed up even with a simple tee silhouette.

On to the sweater knits! I love a sweater knit for fall, winter and even early spring! Most sweater knits have good drape, especially light to medium weight sweater knits. They tend to be thicker than a rayon spandex and might do better if you’re worried about the thin fabric showing/clinging to any lumps/bumps/bra lines.

This is a very light weight sweater knit with almost an open weave. Again, a tad see through, I will wear this one with a cami under after seeing the pictures ;). But the looser weave also feels a little looser in fit, so putting on a cami under doesn’t make it feel too tight for me.

Light weight hacci sweater knit. Again, you can see it drapes under the bust towards the waist for a flattering silheoutte. This sweater knit is plenty thick for me to not worry about having to wear a layer under as well and a bit more comfortable that it doeesn’t show quite as much detail on lumps and bumps too.

Medium weight sweater knit. This is a super soft ribbed sweater knit- It has tons of stretch and drape. As you can see it looks a bit looser because it has so much stretch and drape. I love this for a cozy sweater-I can’t wait to wear it in the fall (here in the hot south we’re already way past sweater weather!) Even though it is a thicker weight it does show my bra lines b/c it’s so drapey.

Medium weight sweater knit. This feels like an acrylic blend (it was bought from a LA detash page- so I’m guessing on content) so it has a little more body to it and doesn’t drape quite as well as the other sweater knits. It also feels a little tighter, because it doesn’t have quite as much stretch as the others. You can see it still drapes on my deeper curves (like my sway back) but goes more straight down from my bust rather then draping under.

Onto more stable knits 🙂

Cotton Spandex/Cotton Lycra. Lycra is a name brand of spandex, so they are essentially the same fabric (much like tissue is to kleenex). This has good stretch and recovery with the spandex in it, but has much more body. Meaning it will not drape towards your body, but stick out more stiff and hold it’s own shape. I prefer to use cotton spandex on tighter fits, since there is no need for drape. I find it not very flattering on a looser fit because it doesn’t drape under bust as well and will feel a bit tighter due to the thicker, more stable feel. A lot of seamstress love this fabric because it is easy to find in great prints and a wide variety of colors, as well as a bit easier to work with because it is thicker. And I love it for youth, but not for myself. If we can all gang up on the knit companies to print their amazing customs on fabric with more drape I’ll sign the petitions 😉 I just can’t feel great in most cotton spandex shirts. I didn’t even hem this one because I knew it would quickly be cut up into something for baby girl! With that said, my sister likes a cotton spandex tee because she doesn’t like her fabric to drape to her waistline/under her bust. She prefers the more stable knit. Again, all personal prefence and learning to pair it with the right pattern for yourself!

Stretch French Terry. This is a medium weight french terry with good horizontal stretch. French terry is a very popular fabric right now, and I share the love of it! But when using french terry you need to be aware that it doesn’t have great drape. As you can see, it doesn’t fall under the bust to the body, but straight down. And my sway back pooling is much more obvious. It feels tighter on as well even though it has some stretch because it is thicker. Now there are some with rayon in the blend which helps give it drape. But most french terrys are much more stable on the knit spectrum and do better as something that needs a thicker, more stable fabric like pants, shorts, jackets, sweatshirts, etc… I added a cowl on this one for a fall/winter look since french terry is a thicker, warmer fabric.

Liverpool. This is also a very popular fabric right now. It is a poly spandex blend with high horizontal stretch and a texture on the right side. It has a feeling close to scuba/techno/neoprene. It is a more stable knit without much drape. This is better suited for something that needs stretch and stability, like a tighter dress, pencil skirt, ect. It does not have good drape, as you can see it goes straight down from my bust instead of falling toward my body under towards my waist. It also makes the tiny “wings” on the dolman very bulky/poofy. I was sad to cut into this gorgeous liverpool for this example, because I knew it wasn’t a great match for this pattern-but for the good blog post I did it!!! I hopefully still have enough for something that does work well with it! It is also all polyester, so it doesn’t breathe well. So, for me in TX I can only handle a thick poly knit during winter months.

Ponte Roma would also belong in this high stretch, but more stable category. It is a poly, rayon, spandex blend and is great for the same things: tighter dresses, pencil skirts, pants, etc.

Pictures coming soon!

Cotton Jersey. This is a thinner cotton jersey. It doesn’t have a lot of stretch or recovery since there is no spandex in it. It doesn’t have great drape. This is thinner cotton jersey so it has a touch of drape just because it is thin, but anything medium weight is considered more a “t-shirt jersey” without much drape or stretch at all (think traditional t-shirts). I like this best for boys and men. I don’t love drape on a man usually, they’re shirts are cut straight and they are meant to hang pretty straight as well (Unless they have some amzing abs to show off 😉 ). For myself though I don’t love cotton jersey, but I do use it for a traditional t-shirt style from time to time. Notice is looks and feels tighter because it has very little stretch. it also sticks out from bust and booty instead of draping towards body. I have a sway back, which I didn’t alter for here (you can see the pooling of fabric on my lower back) and it is much more obvious in a stable knit then a soft, drapey knit. So if you’re still learning to perfectly alter for your body shape more stable knits are less forgiving to those alterations you may need, including full bust adjustments. I do have some tees in a jersey I love though, I like to pair it with something only semi-fitted throughout the whole body so it doesn’t feel too tight on my chest and doesn’t miss the drape on a looser area.

From top- the more stretch and drape the looser and more flowy it will look – to the bottom–the more stable and less stretch will be more stiff and tighter feeling garment. Keeping this general rule in your mind when pairing fabric to patterns will help you decide what will give you the best look and fit!

This isn’t even close to all the fabric choices that are out there, but I tried to include the most popular knits I see in the shops and being asked about in the P4P group on a daily basis! I hope it helps you when picking fabric to pair with a pattern for the perfect look and outcome!

And remember that practice makes perfect- so if you make a few garments with the wrong fabric choice, use it as a great learning experience and know you’re a better/more knowledgeable seamstress after that mistake 😉

Tips on sewing with silky fabrics

July 24, 2015

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

French seams:

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

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

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

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

Hemming:

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

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

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

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