Update: Many thanks to Kathy, who found another copy of the book! I’ve updated the links below per her info. Are you interested in designing your own patterns? I found a free download of Mode…
Dart Manipulation and Pivot Points. Two of the most fundamental and versatile techniques are dart manipulation via pivot points and slash and spread/close.
Learn how to draft pattern blocks with Pattern Making Basics! A text course with one lesson per day you can start making your own pattern blocks or slopers!
One of the best ways to get a great fit in your sewn clothes is to start with a muslin test garment. But once you've pinned the muslin to fit,…
Buy the Viva Dress sewing pattern from Fibre Mood. A minimalist princess dress with darling sleeves and a square neckline. The front and sleeves drape effortlessly from gathers at the yoke. Make Viva with a generous flounce at the bottom. Or if you prefer a more understated look, simply leave it off. And there’s no time wasted fiddling with fastenings – just pull Viva on and go. Viva...Viva! This sewing pattern is available to buy in the following formats: – PDF (available to download immediately after purchase). What is a PDF? – PDF pattern + Printed A0 copy shop (We print out the A0 pattern sheets, but you’ll need to download the digital instructions, as we don’t print these. The PDF files will be emailed immediately after purchase, and the A0 pattern sheets will be dispatched next working day). What is Copy Shop? Suggested fabrics: Oh, the possibilities! Poplin, chambray, lyocell, muslin, crepe (viscose, polyester, etc.), satin, broderie anglaise, lace...the list just goes on! For statement sleeves be sure to choose a more structured fabric. Fabric requirements: Long dress: 110 cm wide fabric: 355 - 455 cm // 140 cm wide fabric: 275 - 440 cm. Short dress: 110 cm wide fabric: 295 - 395 cm // 140 cm wide fabric: 235 - 380 cm. Note: To make the short dress, you will need to shorten pattern pieces 1 and 3. Sizing: XS – XXXL (approx. UK 6 – 28/30, based on our standardised size chart). Please also check the designer’s size chart and pattern measurements. Notions: Thread; iron-on interfacing, max. 60 cm. PDF pattern includes: Step-by-step illustrated instructions; A4/US letter print-at-home pattern (40 pages); A0 copy shop pattern (2 sheets); projector pattern. Note: Seam allowances are included in this pattern. The copy shop file we print for you shows the cutting lines only (not cutting lines and stitching lines) to make it easier to know what size to cut out. If you’re looking for more maker inspiration, check out the latest sewing pattern reviews from the sewing community. We also have a sewing blog to keep you up to date with all the news from the world of sewing.
Bosco the Yarn Sloth is an original pattern for crochet made by Kati Brown. She fell in love with the Hoffmann's Two-Toed Sloth while visiting the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Hoffmann's Two-Toed Sloth is larger than the Three-Toed sloth and does not have the familiar "mask" around the eyes.
Craft a cuddly Mini Rubber Duck with yarn using the simple pattern. An ideal, warm gift or charming decor piece with a friendly face.
Good Morning All! I received a question about how to adjust the fit of the Magic Bias Dress from Fashion In Harmony, and I was asked if there are side seams for adjusting. I decided to do a special post to answer the question as I thought an explanation might be helpful to many of you who are making the dress. Just as a review, there are 3 main pieces to the dress. 2 sleeve patterns are included, but of course the sleeves is optional, the 3 main pattern pieces of the dress are not. There are no side seams in the dress. Look closely at the picture below. The largest pattern piece is the main body of the dress. You see the armholes and the back neck which are angled to the side. The smaller pattern piece in the top right hand corner is the front inset and includes the front neckline. Then there is a long triangular pattern piece. The long triangular piece is your key piece for adjusting the fit of the pattern. A few notes on bias garments; Remember that the bias grainline has the most stretch of the 3 grainlines in a piece of fabric. Typically, when a garment hangs on the bias, due to the stretchy nature of the bias grainline, it is not necessary to adjust the fit. With that said, bias garments look best if there are 4" to 7" of ease at the hips, at the VERY minimum, 3" of ease. Remember, we want the garment to skim the body and not cling or appear tight. If your shoulders are quite narrow compared to your bust and hip measurements, then it would be best to adjust the pattern. If your shoulders are quite narrow, choose your pattern size based on your upper bust measurement and then make adjustments to the pattern. The key to adjusting the Magic Bias Dress is the triangular pattern piece. Simply draw a line down the center of the pattern piece. Cut down the center of the pattern piece. If you need to adjust for a larger bust measurement, spread the top portion of the pattern piece the amount needed to obtain the desired ease for the bust. Also spread for the hips. If you need to adjust for an even larger hip measurement, the spread may angle out at the hip area. If the bust is fine, but you need more in the hips, cut down the center of the pattern and then keep the top portion of the triangle pattern piece together but spread for the hips. So now you see more of the "magic" of this pattern. A bias garment that's cut on the straight of grain is revolutionary. The fact that you can adjust the pattern by simply spreading what seems like a rather non-important pattern piece is ingenious! If you have any other questions about the pattern, please ask and I will do my best to answer.
How to make a sewing pattern bigger or smaller - sewing pattern grading - make a sewing pattern a different size
Draft a sleeve sloper - make and fit a sleeve pattern block to use for all kinds of sleeve styles and variations
I've had quite a few emails asking for fitting help so I'm going to delve into some common fitting adjustments here on the blog. If you have a question that isn't covered, throw it into the comments so other people can benefit from the hive mind! It's clearly your lucky day as I turned pictures of me in my bathing suit into drawings for illustrative purposes. This shows my underbust line, high waist line, low waist line, and an entirely accurate belly button. Although I am slimmer towards my underbust, the intended seam line of the pattern (The Zone) falls around the high waist (if it was at the underbust it would become empire line which might indeed be cute but is not how I designed it). Like a lot of people that may or may not have had children, things become 'less streamlined' below my high waist so the seam falling above and the drape of the skirt should skim over that and be more flattering. How do you find your Zone? When drafting for grown-ups, there's no way to make a golden pattern that will fit everyone without adjustments. Not only are people different heights and sizes, but the distribution of their body parts varies wildly. The good news is that the Skater Dress only has one really important horizontal seam- the bodice / skirt seam. I am very short-waisted (that's actual me to the left), but I manipulated the pictures to show different torso builds for a proportional waist and a long waist. This is nothing to do with your overall height, but proportions. Although the busts are identical and the underbust lines even, the high waists and low waists shift incrementally. The standard pattern pieces for the Lady Skater are for the proportional waist in the middle, which means that even I have to make changes to my own pattern to fit me better! If you have experience of making adult clothes for yourself, you probably have a good idea of your body type but if you're new to this a really useful exercise is to do just as I have: take a photo of yourself in your bathing suit or tight fitting clothes and trace around it. Find your underbust, high waist, low waist, and hip lines and look at how they are distributed. If you're still having having trouble conceptionalising, here are some (fast and loose) indications that you might have to tinker with your bodice length: Your overall height. The pattern is graded for a 5'5" woman. If you are shorter than 5'5" or taller than 5'5" you will probably need to utilise the lengthen / shorten line on the bodice. Your torso proportions. Again, this takes some body awareness and experience, but if you are short or long waisted you will need to adjust the bodice piece to remove or add height. Bust size. This is the least important factor of the three but if you are of the small to average bust you might need to shorten your bodice as less of the fabric is being used to go up and over the breasts. Equally, very large busts might need to add length to the front bodice piece / remove length from the back bodice to have an evenly hanging hemline. Bodice length adjustments might be something that you're able to do to the pattern before sewing, but you might find that locating your Zone is only achievable after muslining the bodice. If you've made the bodice and tried it on, is it hitting you at your high (natural) waist? Is it too close to your underbust? Is it clinging or pooling somewhere closer to your low waist because it's too long? Lengthening your bodice This is probably the most straight-forward change to make! All you need to do is split the pattern all the way across the lengthen line, add height with a piece of paper underneath, and smooth your side seams. The grey section is what you've added. Make sure you do the same change to your front and back bodice. Shortening your bodice Split your bodice along the shorten line, pull the bottom section up so that it overlaps with the top section (keeping the fold line aligned), and then smooth out your side seam. The grey section shows the overlap. Make sure you do the same change to your front and back bodice. I'm happy with my front bodice length but my back bodice is hanging lower / I'm having pooling centre back: As per my tutorial instructions, I highly recommend that you muslin the bodice before cutting precious hoarded fabric. When you make the bodice to ascertain if the waistline is hitting 'The Zone', you might notice when turning sideways that the back bodice is hanging lower than the front. Or- you might not notice until your final dress is finished and you want to know how to fix it. Uneven hems can be very common, particularly if you're busty. Now, I did a sway back adjustment to every size of the master pattern to try to counteract this but your own proportions might mean that you need to make further adjustments. Like the lengthen and shorten instructions above, what you need to do is slash your pattern along the lengthen / shorten line but do not cut through your size line on the side seam, only cut very close to it. Swing the lower section upwards so that you are overlapping the upper section at the centre back. This probably won't need to be a huge overlap (3/4" to 1"), and tape in place. The centre edge of the lower section will swing over the vertical fold line. Return this line to vertical and (if required) add the same amount of width that you removed at the centre vertical to the side seam. The sway back adjustment is essentially taking a wedge out of centre back to reduce pooling, nothing else is changing in a major way. Depending on how much you removed, you might need to smooth your bottom seam line so it's convex rather than a harsh angle. If you only found this pooling after your entire dress was complete, try it on inside out and with the help of a friend pull the back bodice / skirt seam up until the hem is even and pin in place. Seam-rip along the centre back (the side seams should be unaffected), remove the excess to the back bodice piece and re-sew. If you find pooling both at the front and the back your bodice is too long. My high bust and waist aren't the same sizes: When you are measuring your high bust and high waist, you might find that your high bust corresponds to a different size than your waist. The above picture shows smoothing the side seam between smaller bust / larger waist and larger bust / smaller waist. When blending sizes, the majority of the extra room happens in the bust where its needed. Depending on your fabric choice and your cup size, you might find that you need more room in the bust only. Using a fabric with less stretch capacity like interlock or jersey without lycra might result in a drag line across the full bust. Fixing this is almost the same as blending a larger bust to smaller waist except you're doing it to the front bodice only. Adding extra width to the armhole and upper bodice means that you'll have to also add the same amount to the front sleeve so it fits. If the front bodice side seam becomes slightly longer than the back bodice side seam, ease the extra length into the top half of the seam where the bust is. **EDITED TO ADD ANOTHER ONE BASED ON COMMENTS** Shortening the shoulder height / Upper bust height: If you find that after making a bodice muslin that there is pooling above your bust towards the sleeve hole, or that the sleeve cap is sitting funky off your shoulder cap, you might need to shorten your shoulder height or shoulder width. With your bodice muslin on inside out, pinch the shoulder seam to bring it up and pin out the excess. On your paper pattern, match the amount you pinned out to the corresponding smaller size (for example, if you pinned 1/4" below the shoulder seam you would go down one size to both the front and back bodices, 1/2" goes down two sizes, etc). Use that armscye / sleeve hole but when you get to the side seam increase the width to your original size. In the picture above (as per Lyn's adjustments in the comments!), I'm showing how to use the upper bust and shoulder of a size 3 with the width of the size 6 in the lower bodice. Use the sleeve of the smaller size but add the extra width at the front and back corners to reflect the size of your lower bodice. I hope all of this helps! If you have a question about fitting that I haven't covered, chuck it in the comments. Pin It Tweet
I have to be honest, woven t-shirts are usually not my friend. I have a hard time fitting them and bias tape makes me cringe (but so do facings)….it’s so hard. But, before my trip to Utah I really wanted to sew up some new rayon tops and was so happy I did – there’s […]
Hello! I am Sveta. Welcome to my fabulous crochet world! If you have always wanted to crochet a toy, but didn’t know where to begin? The desire is there but the lack of experience is holding you back and you really need someone to show you how? Then I have an answer! Join me and you will learn how to make adorable crochet toys. I sell crochet patterns on my Etsy so you can make them yourself!
When taken back to it’s most basic level, sewing is the means by which we have clothed ourselves for thousands of years. According to wikipedia the act of sewing dates back to the stone age,
The Banbury Oversized Drape Crochet Cardigan is a free and easy crochet pattern that is made to measure, size inclusive and beginner friendly.
Get your hooks ready for a splash of style with our "Crochet Coral Coast Cascade Sweater" pattern, now available for instant download. Designed with beginners in mind, this pattern ensures a fun and engaging crafting experience. With your purchase, you gain immediate access to a detailed layout sketch that outlines the sweater's construction, ensuring you can visualize each step before you even make your first stitch. To help you achieve the perfect texture and drape, we've included yarn recommendations that complement the V-waffle stitch, making sure your creation is as comfortable as it is stylish. The pattern comes complete with step-by-step instructions, clear images, and links to video tutorials that cater to visual learners and provide extra support. Personalize your Coral Coast Cascade Sweater by following our tips for adjusting the size to fit any body shape flawlessly. The pattern also encourages color experimentation—mix and match to create a piece that’s entirely your own. Whether you're looking to enhance your wardrobe or craft a thoughtful gift, this sweater is a versatile choice, pairing beautifully with jeans for a timeless casual look. Dive into the art of crochet and enjoy the satisfaction of a quick, yet impressive project. Your journey to a handmade wardrobe addition is just a click away with our instant download. Start your Coral Coast Cascade Sweater today and wear your creativity with pride! Difficulty: Beginner Language: English (US and UK), German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish To fit size: XS/S/M/XL/2XL Measurements (size S): Length - 42 cm Wide - 54 cm Sleeve length - 47 cm Sleeve wide - 21 cm *This is not a finished product. It is a crochet PATTERN for the cardigan, NOT the finished cardigan. Refunds are not available. Not for commercial use.
Learn how to Grading Altering Sewing Pattern Sizes. Modify your patterns to use the sizes that fit your body with this easy tutorial.
Patterns aren't cheap. Seriously, I was browsing through through the look books at Hobby Lobby the other day and some of them were as much as $20. Tack that on to the price of fabric and other supplies and suddenly sewing your own clothing becomes very expensive. Thankfully, you can make your own patterns using your own clothing that you know to fit well. I'll show you how to make a simple blouse pattern using a top of my own. I used Scotch Postal Wrapping Paper as my pattern paper. I found it at Target for about $5. It gives you 30 feet of paper, so it will last a long time. I used paper because I like to lay my pattern piece down and trace the shape directly onto my fabric. If you think you'd prefer to pin the pattern to your fabric and then cut it out, paper may not be the way to go for you. Muslin fabric is another great material that would allow you to pin the pattern piece to your fabric. It's also nice because it can be folded up and stored away when not in use. Lay your garment down on the paper and determine the middle of the top. Mark right above the collar and right below the hem. Draw a rough outline of one half of the top. When you get to the sleeve, do your best to fold it back so that you just see the armhole. Sketch the curve as shown below. This first pattern piece I'm working on will serve as the back of the pattern. Sketch the outline of the slightly higher, back collar. Stop once you get to the half marks that you previously made. Now you'll need to sketch an outline outside the dotted line to allow for seam allowances. To determine how far apart the rough sketch line should be from the final outline of the pattern you'll need to take what materials you're working with into consideration. For example: The lace top I am using has a stretch quality to it. If I want to use this pattern to make a top with a non-stretch fabric, I will need to make the final pattern outline a good amount wider than my rough sketch. However, if I was using a non-stretch garment to make my pattern I wouldn't have to allow for as much extra fabric. It's always better to have a too big pattern and therefore a too big top than it is to go too small. Don't be afraid to be generous. Extend the outline by about 1.5 inches along the sides and about 1 inch at the armholes and collar. Extend the bottom of the top by several inches to allow for hemming. Cut on the line and fold the pattern over making sure that the crease is on the middle marks you made previously. Trace so that you have a perfectly symmetrical pattern. Repeat the same process for the front piece of the pattern being sure to trace the front part of the collar this time. Now for the sleeves. Fold a piece of paper and position it underneath the garment and the pattern. The fold should be parallel to the top of the sleeve. Trace the curve of the front pattern piece. Leave plenty of extra room for the sleeve to be hemmed. Remember it's better to go oversized than undersized. You can always take the shirt in if it is a little too big. Cut out all of your pieces and press to get rid of creases and you're done! *Update* I recently used this pattern to make this cute little top. Click on the picture for the full tutorial!
Today is the second post in a 2 part series on doing full bust adjustments on patterns without any darts. For the first post, we covered a quick and dirty ‘pivot ... Read More
Understanding the Sleeve Part 2: The Sleeve Cap Curve There are four parts to this article on Understanding the Sleeve and they follow on from each other. The main fitting problem with sleeves, or at least the difficult part to understand, is the armhole. Fitting as regards to the length of the sleeve is fairly
This knit dress sewing pattern features a loose t-shirt bodice that gathers into an easy-to-wear wrap skirt for a flattering silhouette.
Meet the Box Top! Named after it’s short, boxy shape, this top is an instant favorite. It’s perfect to pair with your favorite high waisted jeans, or with a skirt or dress! Let’s be real, I’m not going many places these days so for now I’m loving wearing my Box Top for endless video calls...
How to make a sewing pattern bigger or smaller - sewing pattern grading - make a sewing pattern a different size
Now that we've drafted the basic bodice, we can now start adding the darts. The darts will give the bodice the shape and fit that we are looking for. I really enjoy this part of the drafting process! Begin by tracing off the basic front bodice pattern. Transfer K-L line and remark as A-B. Transfer the W-V line along with X at bust point and remark as E at waistline. C-D is 1/4 of waist measurement plus 2" for dart. Example; if your waist measurement is 32", 1/4 of 32 is 8. Add 2 to 8. Line C-D would then be 10". Mark F and G 1" on either side of E and connect B to D with a straight line. . Measure down from bust point 1 1/2" and mark as H. Connect F to H and G to H. The side seam dart can be placed anywhere along the side seam, but I like to place the center of the dart 3" below the underarm. Mark this point as I. To determine the width of the side seam dart, measure the side seam of the front basic bodice and the side seam of the back basic bodice. The difference between the two will be the width of the side seam dart. As an example; if the side seam of the front basic bodice is 10" and the side seam of the back basic bodice is 11 1/2", the side seam dart width will be 1 1/2". Draw a guide line from I to bust point. Measure 1 1/2" from bust point and mark as L. Divide the difference of the front and back side seam difference in half and place a mark on either side of I. Mark as J and K. Connect J and K to L. Once you have added the darts to the front bodice, set this aside. Our next step will be to add the darts to the basic back bodice. Once we have added the darts to the back bodice, I will show you how to true the darts, my favorite step!! After the darts are trued, I will then cut my bodice out of muslin and we will begin the fitting process. As I said when we started, my fitting issues may not be yours, but hopefully you will learn something from the changes that I will make to my bodice.
I created some drawings to further explain the armhole problem on my t-shirt pattern. Nearly all drafting instructions that I've seen for t-shirts are pretty much the same. But those instructions do not work for a fitted t-shirt.
Have you fallen in love with a pattern, only to find that it doesn’t come in your size? A few ladies told me that Itch to Stitch’s patterns don’t come in their sizes – some are smaller and some are larger than the measurements. Perhaps you have a tween who is not quite big enough to […]
There are many ways to keep yourself busy during the quarantine. One of the best ones is to start making crafts. Not only can making things by hand ease your anxiety and lower stress levels, but you can also create some cool stuff to make your surroundings look much cozier and prettier.
How to Make a Bodice Pattern - Draft a sloper pattern based on your own measurements to help you fit patterns to yourself.
I get asked frequently “how do you make your PDF Patterns?” Either from those who want to start their own pattern line, or those who just want to share, or save their own patterns in a digital form.
