Q&A - patternmaking

,

ISSUE 168 - REMOVING PANEL LINES FROM A PATTERN

,

THE Q & A SERIES

HOW TO REMOVE PANEL LINES FROM A PATTERN

On the Acton dress the centre front bodice is not cut on the fold, although the seam is straight and so it could be. I'm wondering if there is any structural purpose to having a seam down the centre front, or whether I could cut on the fold so I don't have to pattern match my tricky fabric.

A

Sydney, Australia

Hi there!

I’ll answer your question specifically, as well as give you some pointers about removing seams in general for anyone else reading along that may have this question in relation to another pattern.

In general, if a seam line is straight, it’s normally fine to remove it.

For example, in our Attwood pants we used a lot of panel lines to create a design feature. The design intention of the different panels allows makers to play with the pattern and use fabric in different ways (like colour blocking or directional prints) to create different looks. When made in a solid colour, the panel lines add a point of difference so that the pants are more than ‘just’ a plain pair of pants. But, the panel lines aren’t a necessary part of the Attwood pants’ ‘constructability’ and can be removed if you want a basic pair of pants with the same fit as the Attwoods.

If you look at the centre seam lines on the Atwood pants you can see they are straight.

HOW TO REMOVE PANEL LINES FROM THE ATTWOOD PANTS PATTERN

Removing the panel lines from the Attwood pants pattern is very straightforward.

Line up the corresponding panel pieces with STITCH LINE (grey line on our patterns) on STITCH LINE. Tape or glue in place. 

Done!

In the case of the Attwood pants, you could even do this to remove the side seams!

In most cases there will be shaping in the side seam, but due to the wide leg and elastic waist of the Attwoods pants pattern, the side seam is almost straight. 

Shown above is the CENTRE FRONT BODICE panel and the SIDE FRONT BODICE panel of the Acton dress pattern.

Shaping is created for the bust through a princess panel. (If you’d like to learn more about princess panels, read this blog post.)

As you can see, although the seam lines on the CENTRE FRONT BODICE (piece 1) are straight, the curve on the SIDE FRONT BODICE (piece 2) is what creates the shaping. We can’t remove this panel line as a result.

However, the CENTRE FRONT SEAM LINE on piece 1 is straight, so it can be removed.

When determining if a seam can be removed, the other things to check for are design details or markings. In this case you can see there is a drill hole on the CENTRE FRONT STITCH LINE.

What is a drill hole?

Drill holes are small holes marked on a pattern. They are used to indicate a dart point or other design feature, such as the location of patch pockets, belt loops or pivot point - any feature that is located in an area where you are unable to notch a seam. They are marked on fabric with chalk or a tailor's tack. You can read more about drill holes here.

In this case the drill hole indicates where you need to stop stitching when joining the CENTRE FRONT BODICE pieces together.

An opening is required to join the bodice to the skirt due to the V shape of this seam line.

The opening in the seam allows flexibility so that both sides of the bodice can be pinned accurately to the skirt. So you can see that this drill hole marking is important to the pattern and needs to be included in any design changes made.

HOW TO REMOVE PANEL LINES FROM THE ACTON DRESS PATTERN

Step 1

To remove the panel line from the CENTRE FRONT BODICE, remove the seam allowance from the centre front seam by cutting along the STITCH LINE. Remember that you still need the drill hole marking.

Alter the cutting instructions so this piece is cut on the fold rather than as a pair.

Step 2

When you cut the piece, mark the drill hole and cut along the fold from the bottom of the piece to the drill hole to create the required opening in the centre front.

And that’s it!

Happy Acton and Attwood sewing!

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • The Attwood pants pattern can be found here.

  • The Acton dress pattern can be found here.

  • How to create princess panels - blog post here.

  • Adding pattern markings to your patterns - blog post here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png

ISSUE 166 - THE BASICS OF GRADING PATTERNS: PART TWO

THE Q & A SERIES

THE BASICS OF GRADING PATTERNS: SHIFT METHOD

Hi there! 

I recently got some vintage pattern but unfortunately they’re not all my size:(. I think that means it’s time for me to learn how to resize patterns, if you could please help me, even if it’s just some tricks or things to look out for, I’d be so very appreciative!

Sadiya Coovadia

Toronto, Canada

Following on from part one of our answer (which you can read here), this week I’m going to show you how to grade patterns using the Shift method.

If you’re new to pattern grading, I’d suggest giving the Slash and Spread method a go first, as it will familiarise you with the concepts involved. This is an important part of learning how to make pattern alterations.

WHY USE THE SHIFT METHOD OF PATTERN GRADING?

The Shift method of pattern grading is a good option if you don’t want to cut up your pattern pieces, and is the method professional patternmakers use when grading manually.

how to grade patterns using the shift method

For this method, you will need the stitch line marked on the pattern. (Note: All In the Folds patterns come with the stitch line marked, however not all patterns do. Read more about this here.) 

You can either have the seam allowance on the pattern or not. If you do have seam allowance on the pattern you will need a tracing wheel to transfer the pattern lines onto the pattern paper.

Step 1

To get started, prepare your pattern in the same way you did in steps 1 to 3 of the Slash and Spread method. You need the lines marked on the pattern piece.

Vertical and horizontal lines marked on pattern paper for grading.

Step 2

On a piece of pattern paper mark a vertical line and label it CENTRE FRONT. Mark a horizontal line, perpendicular to the first, towards the top of the line. These lines will help you keep things accurate as you move the pattern piece.

Centre front of pattern lined up with vertical line on pattern paper.

Step 3

Line up the CENTRE FRONT of the pattern piece with the CENTRE FRONT line on the paper. Line up the upper grading line on the pattern with the horizontal line on the pattern paper. Hold in place with pattern weights.

Step 4 of grading patterns using the Shift method.

Step 4

Starting at the CENTRE FRONT neckline, trace the neckline up to the vertical grading line onto the paper using a tracing wheel. If your pattern doesn’t have seam allowance, just trace the edge of the pattern.

Using a ruler, extend the grading line onto the paper.

Step 5

Using a ruler, extend the grading line onto the paper at the top and bottom of the pattern piece.

Mark a second line, ¼ of the grade amount from the first.

Step 6

Mark a second line, ¼ of the grade amount from the first (See Part One for how to work this out).

Slide the pattern piece over so that the grading line on the pattern piece lines up with the second line.

Step 7

Carefully slide the pattern piece over so that the grading line on the pattern piece lines up with the second line. Use the horizontal line to ensure the piece stays level. Hold in place with a pattern weight.

Continue tracing the pattern stitch line until you reach the next grading line.

Step 8

Continue tracing the pattern stitch line until you reach the next grading line.

Extend the grading line onto the paper and draw a second line to the left of the first, ¼ of the grade amount.

Step 9

Again, extend the grading line onto the paper and draw a second line to the left of the first, ¼ of the grade amount.

Slide the pattern piece over and continue tracing the piece up to the next grading line.

Step 10

Slide the pattern piece over and continue tracing the piece up to the next grading line.

Repeat Step 10 but for the vertical lines.

Step 11

For the vertical lines, do the same thing. Mark a second line below the first and slide the pattern piece down to line up with the new line.

Markings on pattern paper when pattern removed.

Step 12

Continue the process until you get back to the CENTRE FRONT. Remove the pattern piece.

Smooth lines marked to create new pattern piece.

Step 13

Finalise the pattern piece by drawing nice smooth lines over the traced lines. Add seam allowance and pattern markings. Repeat for the remainder of the pattern.

Finally, check and true the pattern.

Happy sewing,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • The Basics of grading patterns: Part One - read the tutorial here.

  • Checking & truing patterns - read the tutorial here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png

ISSUE 165 - THE BASICS OF GRADING PATTERNS: PART ONE

Grading patterns: slash and spread method.

THE Q & A SERIES

THE BASICS OF GRADING PATTERNS

Hi there! 

I recently got some vintage pattern but unfortunately they’re not all my size:(. I think that means it’s time for me to learn how to resize patterns, if you could please help me, even if it’s just some tricks or things to look out for, I’d be so very appreciative!

Sadiya Coovadia

Toronto, Canada

Hi Sadiya,

What a great opportunity to begin building on your sewing skills! The thing about learning skills and techniques like these is that it opens up a whole new world of sewing, and we’re happy to help a fellow maker on their sewing journey.

So, congratulations, and here’s what you need to know!

To start with, you’re going to need to either increase or decrease the vintage patterns to make them fit your size. To do this you need to understand grading.

WHAT IS GRADING?

The term ‘grading’ is used in two ways in the sewing world. 

Firstly, grading can refer to when you alter the lines of the pattern to go between sizes. For example, you may have a size D bust, a size E waist and a size F hip. Obviously, you can’t make a straight size E because the bust will be too large and the hip will be too small. So you will grade between sizes to get a fit that suits your specific measurements. This is a very common pattern alteration when making your own clothes and a good one to learn how to do.

The other use of the word grading is how it’s used in the fashion industry.  Pattern grading is the process of increasing or decreasing the size of a clothing pattern to create various sizes, while maintaining the proportions and overall design of the original garment. 

Grading involves using a set of rules and measurements to scale the pattern up or down, typically based on standard size charts or specific customer measurements. This ensures that each size of the garment fits correctly and maintains the intended style and design details.

two methods of grading manually

There are two main ways to grade a pattern manually: the slash and spread method and the shift method. In this week’s tutorial I will show you how to grade a pattern using slash and spread, and next week I will show you the shift method.

Which grading method is better?

Both methods will give you the same result, but if you’re just getting started, the method I’ll show you in this tutorial - slash and spread - is easier. It’s also a great starting point for getting your head around the concept of grading, which will in turn be helpful if you decide you prefer to use the shift method. 

The disadvantage of the slash and spread method is that you need to cut through your pattern, so I suggest tracing a copy of the original pattern before you get started.

Tools for grading

You need a transparent grading ruler for this tutorial. You can make it work with a regular ruler, but a grading ruler will speed up the process and make it more accurate.

You also need some pattern paper, glue or tape and a pacer pencil.


HOW TO RESIZE PATTERNS USING THE SLASH AND SPREAD METHOD

The first thing you need to do when grading a pattern is work out how much width needs to be added or removed. 

Start by looking at the size chart for the pattern, and comparing it to your actual measurements. Remember, patterns for woven garments have a certain amount of ease built into them (the space between your body and the garment) so when grading a pattern you want to have the same amount of ease in the pattern as when it was designed. The finished garment measurements can help with that. 

Ease = finished garment measurements - body measurements

Parts of a bodice pattern.

For our example, we will say that you need to add 10cm (4in) to your pattern in the bust, waist and hip.

If you think about a bodice pattern, normally you have a front and back piece that are cut on the fold to create the full garment. So you have a left front, left right, left back and right back. This means that when grading a pattern, you need to distribute the alteration between the four parts of the pattern.

To increase the pattern by 10cm, we divide this by 4 (the four parts of the pattern), which means each part of the pattern will increase by 2.5cm.

You then need to know what ¼ of this amount is and what ½ of this amount is. I find it helpful to jot these numbers down at the beginning of the process so they’re right in front of me.

In this case, ¼= 6.25mm (I’ll round to 6.2mm)
½= 1.25cm (I’ll round to 1.3cm)

Distribute the grade through the pattern

It’s helpful to have a diagram of where the alteration will be made in front of you as specific parts of a pattern need to be altered, and this will be the same across most patterns. This diagram from Threads is a helpful reference.

Mark the lines on the pattern

In the Folds Cartwright top pattern marked with red horizontal lines at the sleeve and waist.

Step 1
Mark in the horizontal slash lines on the pattern. We’re working on a top pattern, so the horizontal lines go through the armhole and the waist. These lines need to be perpendicular to CENTRE FRONT.

Vertical slash lines at shoulder, armhole and neckline.

Step 2

Mark in the vertical slash lines. They go through the neckline (close to the centre front), through the shoulder, and through the armhole near the side seam. These lines should be parallel to the CENTRE FRONT.

Example of grade distribution when resizing patterns.

Step 3

Take note of how the grade will be distributed through the piece. 

For the vertical lines, ¼ goes through the line closest to CENTRE FRONT, another ¼ through the shoulder area, and ½ through the armhole area. If you add these fractions together you get 1, which means the whole grade will be distributed through the piece.

For the horizontal lines, we will distribute ¼ through each line.

Cut through slash lines.

Step 4

Cut through the slash lines. Being careful to not mix up the pieces.

Mark centre front on large piece of pattern paper.

Step 5

Take a piece of pattern paper that is larger than your pattern piece (if grading the pattern up) and mark in the CENTRE FRONT down one side.

Line up centre front edge with same edge on paper.

Step 6

Start with the CENTRE FRONT next section of the pattern. Line up the CENTRE FRONT edge with the CENTRE FRONT marked on the page and glue or tape in place.

In the illustrations I have changed the section of the pattern to orange when it is in position.

Draw lines onto paper.

Step 7

Draw a line down the side of the piece that is taped in place, parallel to the CENTRE FRONT. Draw a line across the bottom of the piece, perpendicular to CENTRE FRONT.

Add 1/4 of the grade.

Step 8

Referring to your diagram in Step 3, you will see that ¼ of the grade (i.e. 6.2mm) needs to be added to this section.

Draw a line 6.2mm from the vertical line, making sure it’s parallel to the first line.

Line up your next pattern piece.

Step 9

Slide the next piece of the pattern over and line up the corner of the piece with the corner created by the lines. Tape or glue in place.

Add 1/4 of the grade, slide pattern piece over.

Step 10

Repeat the process on the other side of the piece, again adding ¼ of the grade. Slide the pattern piece over and tape or glue in place.

Add 1/4 of the grade to the pattern vertically.

Step 11

At this stage you have the top section of the pattern in position, so you now need to move to the next row of pieces.

Before we get started, we need to add ¼ of the grade to the piece vertically. Use your ruler to mark this in below the pieces that are stuck in place.

Slide next three pattern pieces into position using guidelines.

Step 12

Place the next three pieces in position using the guidelines. Stop when you get to the armhole, as we need to add another guideline there.

Step 13

Draw a line down the side of the last piece that is taped in place, parallel to the CENTRE FRONT.

Mark in another guideline, parallel to the CENTRE FRONT, this time ½ of the grade (i.e. 1.3cm). Slide the next part of the pattern over and tape or glue in place.

Step 14

Rule a line across the bottom of the pieces and another ¼ of the grade down from that. Position the remaining pattern pieces and tape or glue in place.

FINALISE THE PATTERN

Redraw smooth stitch lines and add seam allowance.

Redraw smooth stitch lines over the alteration. Add seam allowance back onto the pattern.

Grading a sleeve.

Repeat the process for the back pattern (with the guidelines in the same positions as on front) and sleeve (if it has one).

Making the pattern smaller

Grading to a smaller size.

The same process can be used for making a pattern smaller. Rather than slashing and spreading to add width, you need to overlap the sections of the pattern to make it smaller.

Finally, check and true the pattern.

Happy sewing,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • Checking & truing patterns - read the tutorial here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png

ISSUE 160 - HOW TO TRUE A DART

THE Q & A SERIES

HOW TO TRUE A DART

Hi there,

Just wondering if you can help me with what I need to do to a pattern after I’ve added in a dart. I can’t quite wrap my head around how to make the points on the seam edge that you see on patterns…

Thanks,
Janice

With the release of our Marden shirt Hack Kit this month (part three of our Sewing Shirts Series - check out part one and part two), we thought this was a timely topic to address.

Sometimes when you’re learning a new skill there’ll be strange words and techniques to learn that won’t mean anything to you at first and this may be one of those times!

If you’ve got no idea what it means to true a dart, but you’re keen to learn, you’ve come to the right place!

But let’s start at the beginning…

When you first start learning the skill of pattern making, it’s helpful to remember that your aim is to turn a flat object into something with shape and curves.

To do this, we have to manipulate fabric by folding or gathering it, essentially tucking excess fabric into seams in one area (which are then stitched in place) in order to create shape or volume in another area.

what is a dart?

Darts are one approach garment designers use to make something two dimensional (like fabric) fit around something three dimensional (your body).

Although they are most commonly used to create shape around areas of the body that are curved, such as the bust, shoulders, elbows and waist, they can be used pretty much anywhere, whether purely for fit or as a design detail.

WHAT IS DART SHAPING AND WHY DO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT?

You may have put a dart in a garment before and noticed that it changed the shape of the seam that it lies on and it’s no longer the smooth line it once was. We don’t want to just leave it like this as the additional fabric in that area may affect the fit and finish of the garment.

So, we add something called dart shaping. Dart shaping is a technique used to manage the extra fabric that’s been added into a garment and ensure that once the dart is sewn, the seam it's on will remain a nice smooth line, which ultimately means we’ll get a nice clean garment finish (something we love at In the Folds!).

how to add dart shaping

Note that in the example above, we have added seam allowance to all seams except for the side seam. We cannot add seam allowance to the side seam until we have trued the dart and added dart shaping.

Be sure to leave excess paper on the seam with the dart, as we will need this for the dart shaping.

STEP 1

Take the pattern piece that requires dart shaping.

Fold the dart so you can predict what will happen to the shape of the seam when you sew the dart from the fabric.

Think about which direction the fullness of your dart will be pressed once it is sewn. This will decide which dart arm you need to fold. Generally, vertical darts are pressed towards the centre front (in the case of front darts) and the centre back (in the case of back darts). For horizontal darts (like the one pictured), the bulk of the dart is pressed down.

Tip - You will be using a tracing wheel in the following steps, so it’s a good idea to slide a cutting mat under the pattern so you don't damage your table.

STEP 2

Folding a dart on a flat surface is not possible, as we are making a two dimensional pattern three dimensional.

Place the tip of the dart on the corner of a table (or a large book also works) and fold the lower dart arm so that it meets the upper dart arm.

As you can see in the example, the side seam line doesn't match up on either side of the folded dart. We will correct this before marking the dart shaping. 

Hold the folded dart in place with a pin or pattern weight.

STEP 3

Take a ruler and draw a straight line from the top of the side seam, down to the hemline. This is the new side seam STITCH LINE. If the seam had previously been a curve, you would draw in a smooth curve.

STEP 4

Use a tracing wheel to transfer the new side seam STITCH LINE onto the folded section of the dart. This will give you the shaping you need for the dart.  If you don't have a tracing wheel, poke small holes along the stitch line using a stiletto, pin or similar.

STEP 5

Add seam allowance to the side seam. Use a tracing wheel to transfer the seam allowance line onto the folded section of the dart.

STEP 6

Unfold the dart. You will see the dots made by the tracing wheel. Take a ruler and join the dots to form a nice smooth line.

STEP 7

Add notches at the side seam by extending the dart arms through the seam allowance. Mark notches.

video - truing a dart 

If you’re someone who learns by watching, take a look at this video where I walk you through the process of creating dart shaping.

Happy patternmaking,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

Annabel wears a colour blocked Neale jumpsuit hack.

Neale jumpsuit hack made by @thatsewannabel

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png

ISSUE 158 - HOW TO LOWER THE COLLINS TOP ARMHOLE (VIEW A)

THE Q & A SERIES

HOW TO LOWER THE COLLINS TOP ARMHOLE

Hi Emily,

I would like to lower the armhole on the Collins top with sleeves. I found a tutorial on the sleeveless version but could not find one for the version with sleeves.

Could you help me please?

Thank you so much in advance!

M

Hi there!

We love it when our customers ask us how to customise their makes to fit their own unique bodies and measurements. We also know how uncomfortable it is when a garment cuts in under the arm, so we’re very happy to be able to answer this question!

HOW TO CHECK IF YOU NEED TO LOWER THE ARMHOLE

Before we get started, I think it’s worth checking that you are sure this is the alteration you need. I raise this, because this same fit issue could be caused by the need to add length between the shoulder and the bust line. This adjustment also lowers the position of the armhole and could correct the problem.

The best way to work out if you need this adjustment in a garment is to check where the dart is sitting. If it's sitting too high then that's a pretty good indication that length is required. If not, then you're right and just lowering the armhole should do the trick.

In the case of the Collins top (which doesn’t have a dart) I would say to consider your wardrobe in general. Do you often have problems with armholes cutting in? If so, then it’s likely that you need to add length between the shoulder and bust line, rather than lower the armhole specifically.

Some of our Curated by ITF members have realised, through the process of learning to fit clothes specifically to their unique body measurements, that this is a consistently needed adjustment, and it has become one of their standard adjustments when making clothes for themselves.

If the problem of armholes cutting in is not a common issue for you, then read on!

HOW TO LOWER THE ARMHOLE ON THE COLLINS TOP (VIEW A)

Because of the puzzle element of the Collins top (which happens to be one of most loved parts of this pattern!) we know it might feel a little daunting to attempt fit alterations, but as with anything, if you just take it step by step, you’ll have no trouble at all.

Here you go!

STEP 1

Pin or tape (with something that is easily removed) the SIDE FRONT PANEL to the CENTRE FRONT PANEL as if they have been joined.

On the side seam STITCH LINE, mark the amount you would like to lower the armhole by.

STEP 2

Redraw the armhole with a nice smooth curve, joining the point marked in the previous step. Keep the line as similar to the original as you can and meet the side seam at a right angle.

STEP 3

Line up the sleeve panels, STITCH LINE on STITCH LINE as if they have been joined and pin / tape in place. Mark in the bicep line (red line), which runs from the top of the underseam on the front through to the underseam on the back. Take half the measurement you used in STEP 1 and lower the bicep line by this amount (blue line).

OUR CUSTOMERS LOVE THE COLLINS TOP FOR ITS SATISFYING PUZZLE-LIKE CONSTRUCTION

STEP 4

Re-draw the armhole lines with a smooth curve.

STEP 5

Walk the front sleeve into the front armhole, STITCH LINE on STITCH LINE, starting at the neck side of the line.

It is likely that the STITCH LINE on the FRONT SLEEVE is not long enough to reach the end of the armhole curve due to the alteration.

Measure the distance between the sleeve STITCH LINE and the side seam on the SIDE FRONT PANEL. This is the amount that needs to be added to the FRONT SLEEVE.

STEP 6

Add this amount to the sleeve curve and then join to the hem STITCH LINE.

If it is a large alteration and the shape of the sleeve underseam is going to change drastically, we suggest also adding some width at the hem to keep the shape of the piece intact.

STEP 7

Now, repeat the same alteration for the back pieces, then check the front and back side seams line up nicely at the top and bottom of the seam.

Add seam allowance to the new lines (red) and cut away any excess.

Happy fitting!

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • The Collins top pattern can be found here.

  • Adjusting length above the bust - blog post here.

  • Checking patterns: Curved seams - blog post here.

  • How to add seam allowance to a sewing pattern - blog post here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
Q&A blog header-5.png
full-bicep-adjustment-dolman-sleeves.png
Q&A blog headeR.png

ISSUE 152 - HOW TO ALTER A RAGLAN NECKLINE

THE Q & A SERIES

How to alter a raglan neckline

Hi Emily,

How do I make a raglan neckline smaller? Is it as simple as lengthening each of the four seam lines or is there more to it to maintain the shape?

Katie
Long Beach, USA

Hi Katie,

Raglan sleeves have been on our mind this month as it’s one of the tutorials included in our Cartwright dress Hack Kit, so we thought this would be a great question to tackle! And the raglan sleeve design has to be one of our favourites. Two of our first patterns ever released included it - the Rushcutter dress and the Collins top!

And I’m pleased to tell you, you are correct! To raise the neckline on a raglan sleeve (which will make it smaller) you need to continue the seam lines to your chosen neckline height.

I wanted to show you this on the raglan sleeve we drafted from the Cartwright dress + top pattern but realised the neckline couldn’t get much higher, so I’ll show you how to lower it first and then add back on… as I realised that someone out there might like to learn how to do the opposite!

How to lower the neckline on a garment with a raglan sleeve

Step 1

First you need to know how much you would like to lower the neckline by. You can work this out by referring to your toile (if you have one).

On the pattern, measuring from the STITCH LINE, mark in your new neckline with a broken line - marking the distance you would like to lower the neckline by.

For my example, we are lowering the neckline by 2.5cm (1in). Mark the new neckline on the FRONT, BACK and SLEEVE.

If you would like to see how we mark a curved line with a broken line you can check out this video.

Step 2

Join the broken line with a ruler or French curve. Make sure your new neckline meets the CENTRE FRONT and CENTRE back at a right angle.

Step 3

Before adding seam allowance, it’s a good idea to line up the pieces, stitch line on stitch line, to check the flow through of the neckline.

Checking the flow through means that you check how a line will look when the garment is assembled. You want lines to transition smoothly across seams with no lumps or bumps.

For more information on checking the flow through, or checking and truing, read this post.

Step 4

When you’re happy with the new neckline, add seam allowance. We suggest using a seam allowance of 1cm (3/8in), although if you prefer sewing a neckline with a seam allowance of 6mm (1/4in) that works too. Cut along the line to remove excess paper.

How to raise the neckline on a garment with a raglan sleeve

To raise the neckline, do the opposite.

Tape or glue some paper onto the top section of each pattern piece, so that you can “grow on” the new neckline.

Extend each STITCH LINE by the desired amount, following the angle of the seam.

Mark the new neckline by marking it at regular increments, measuring up from the original line.

As we did when lowering, it’s a good idea to check the flow through of the lines before adding seam allowance.

How to draft an alternate RAGLAN neckline

While we’re talking about necklines and raglans, I thought it would be fun to show you how to change the design of a raglan neckline - so, rather than just raising or lowering, how to change the shape like in the V-neck raglan neckline above.

Step 1

Place the SLEEVE on the FRONT, stitch line on stitch line, as if it has been sewn. Draw in your new neckline going from the shoulder dart to the CENTRE FRONT.

Step 2

On the dart STITCH LINE, measure down to determine how much you have lowered the neckline at this point. Mark this same amount on the other side of the dart. This will ensure the two sides of the dart meet cleanly when you sew the dart.

Step 3

Place the SLEEVE on the BACK, stitch line on stitch line, as if it has been sewn. Draw in your new neckline going from the point marked in STEP 2 to the CENTRE BACK.

And you’re done! I hope this tutorial gives you the confidence to start altering necklines on raglan sleeve patterns so you can make them exactly how you want them to be!

If you’re interested in learning more about patternmaking and hacking, our sewing membership, Curated by ITF, is the perfect place. With a new project each month, a back catalogue of past issues to keep you busy, support from industry experienced teachers and an inspiring online community you’ll learn everything you need to know to turn patterns into whatever beautifully finished garments you want to wear, and that fit perfectly!

Happy sewing,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png

ISSUE 149 - RESOURCES FOR PLUS SIZE SEWING

THE Q & A SERIES

Resources for plus size sewists

Hi again,

Could you talk more about your process of expanding your size range? It's really exciting to see your sizing expand!

A common challenge for plus size sewing is a huge lack of resources around how to draft patterns for larger sizes. It seems this is a problem on an industry level in fashion, schools, etc, as well as for home sewists and indie pattern companies.

Clearly knowledge exists, as clothing and patterns have been made in larger sizes. And more and more RTW and home sewing companies are putting out more sizes.

As far as I am aware, there is no book or central resource explaining how to draft larger sizes. As far as I can tell, it seems like indie sewing companies either have people who have figured out their own plus size block / drafting system and/or have access to industry biometric data. But this assumes they either have specialised knowledge already or access to professional resources that are not available to the average home sewist. Ie. it seems like there's a bit of an information desert.

Did you run into this challenge finding useful information in your size expansion process? Did you come across any useful resources? I am so curious about the process.

Thanks kindly,

Claire

Note: This is the second part of my answer to Claire’s questions. You can read part one here.

Hi Claire, 

Unfortunately, you’re right - there isn’t a lot of information about drafting patterns for larger sizes that’s easily accessible for the home sewist. As I mentioned in the part one of my answer, there’s not even much that’s easily accessible for pattern designers! 

The indie pattern design industry has significantly contributed to expanding the available resources, so hopefully in time there will be more. In the meantime, here’s what I recommend.

CREATE A PATTERN CAPSULE

The concept of a pattern capsule is one that really excites us at In the Folds, and is part of the foundation of our monthly project subscription, Curated by ITF. 

Similar to a capsule wardrobe, a pattern capsule is where you have a small number of base patterns that you fit to your specific body shape and measurements and then adapt to your taste and style to create new designs.

If you select a pattern from a company that has drafted their patterns specifically for plus sizes, there will be less work for you to do in creating your pattern block. The main thing to remember when looking for a pattern to use as a base is that the pattern must fit you. It may not fit you perfectly straight out of the packet or off the printer (which is the case for most humans), but you don’t want to be grading up or amending issues with the pattern that are unrelated to fit. 

If you’re interested in finding base patterns to start with, this list will be helpful:

  • We recently extended our pattern sizes to a hip measurement of 184cm (72.5”) and are releasing all our new patterns in this extended size range. We are also working to update our whole portfolio to include the new size range, but you can view what’s available now here.

  • The Curvy Sewing Collective have collated a list of plus size pattern makers and also have a fantastic list of resources for pattern adjustments, fitting tips and pattern reviews. 

  • Jess, from Broad in the Seams has a list of plus size patterns. 

  • The Fat Friendly Pattern Club has a list of beginner friendly patterns. 

  • Muna and Broad patterns are specifically drafted for plus size sewists.

LEARN HOW TO FIT GARMENTS

Learning to fit our own clothes might be daunting at first, but the great thing is that we often need the same adjustments with each garment we sew. So, once you’ve identified the alterations you need to make it gets easier! 

For example, you may find for your body measurements and shape that you need to add length and do a full tummy adjustment, so each time you start on a new pattern you know to specifically check these areas first.

Learning how to fit the clothes you’re making doesn’t have to be an ordeal - there’s lots of resources that can help you do this.

To start with, our Fit Kits help identify the adjustments you need to make to a garment, and then show you how to do each one through illustrated tutorials. For example, our Barkly skirt pattern is available in our full size range and has the Barkly skirt Fit Kit that runs through the most common fitting alterations required for skirts.  (I should also mention that although it was created alongside the Barkly skirt pattern, the tutorials can be applied to most skirt patterns.) 

Ahead of the Curve from Cashmerette is a fantastic book that is described as ‘the first sewing book to empower curvy and plus size sewists to feel body confident by sewing a wardrobe that fits.’ It includes lots of photos that help plus-size sewists identify which adjustments they might need to make to a pattern.

Now that you’ve made the fit alterations on the pattern blocks and you don’t have to worry about doing them over and over again each time you sew a new garment I recommend transferring your base patterns onto card for safekeeping, and then you can move on to the fun part - pattern hacking!

LEARN HOW TO PATTERN HACK

Learning how to sew is simply a matter of skill-building. You learn and practise one skill, and then once you’ve figured it out, you move onto the next skill. Pattern hacking is no different. Once you’ve learned how to fit clothes, learning how to hack patterns into something new is just the next step! It’s just a matter of finding the resources to support you as you learn the skill (which I realise is the problem we’re addressing, but hear me out!).

The methods for hacking patterns into new designs are basically the same, regardless of the size of the intended wearer. Because of this, plus size sewists can make use of the many free online tutorials related to pattern hacking, including those on the In the Folds website.

Because we want our customers and members to become confident sewists we have also created Hack Kits specifically for some of our patterns. In our Curated by ITF membership, we’ve seen how these pattern hacking resources empower sewists to experiment with a range of styles that they may not have considered before, because they’re supported by a resource they can refer to when they have questions.

For example, our Barkly skit Hack Kit includes a range of different skirt styles with lots of techniques relevant to drafting skirts. The added benefit for our Curated by ITF members is that if/when they hit a snag during this process or need clarification about something, they can ask as many questions as they need in our online community and we (or our very clever and supportive community!) will provide the answers.

Thanks for your questions, Claire. I know you’re not the only person who has been frustrated by the lack of size inclusivity in the sewing industries, so I hope this post helps you find some plus size pattern drafting and fitting resources to support you in your sewing journey. Of course, this support can most definitely be found in our Curated by ITF community.

And if you have any further questions, please leave them in the comments section and we’ll help as much as we can.

Happy sewing,

Emily 

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • More information about our monthly sewing subscription, Curated by ITF, can be found here.

  • Read Part One of this question here - Q&A 148: Our experience in extending our pattern size range.

  • The Barkly skirt pattern, Fit Kit and Hack Kit can be purchased as a bundle here.

  • How to transfer patterns onto card - read the tutorial here.

  • The Curvy Sewing Collective resources can be found here.

  • Broad in the Seams list of plus size patterns can be found here.

  • The Fat Friendly Pattern Club list of beginner friendly sewing patterns can be found here.

  • Muna & Broad plus size patterns can be found here.

  • Ahead of the Curve by Cashmerette can be found here.

  • View all In the Folds patterns currently in available in our extended size range in our new Skills Library here and view our sizing chart here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
Q&A blog header-5.png
full-bicep-adjustment-dolman-sleeves.png
Q&A blog headeR.png

ISSUE 148 - OUR EXPERIENCE IN EXTENDING OUR PATTERN SIZE RANGE

THE Q & A SERIES

Our experience in extending our pattern size range

Hi again,

Could you talk more about your process of expanding your size range? It's really exciting to see your sizing expand!

A common challenge for plus size sewing is a huge lack of resources around how to draft patterns for larger sizes. It seems this is a problem on an industry level in fashion, schools, etc, as well as for home sewists and indie pattern companies.

Clearly knowledge exists, as clothing and patterns have been made in larger sizes. And more and more RTW and home sewing companies are putting out more sizes.

As far as I am aware, there is no book or central resource explaining how to draft larger sizes. As far as I can tell, it seems like indie sewing companies either have people who have figured out their own plus size block / drafting system and/or have access to industry biometric data. But this assumes they either have specialised knowledge already or access to professional resources that are not available to the average home sewist. Ie. it seems like there's a bit of an information desert.

Did you run into this challenge finding useful information in your size expansion process? Did you come across any useful resources? I am so curious about the process.

Thanks kindly,

Claire

Hi Claire,

This is a fantastic question. You’re right - there is definitely an information desert when it comes to resources about drafting patterns in larger sizes. 

When we decided to extend the In the Folds size chart, this was by far the biggest hurdle.

I remember spending hours and hours googling everything I could think of to try and find the resources I needed to extend our size range. Or to find someone who could help us to do it.

the limitations of my fashion design degree with regards to grading for larger sizes

Although I have a Bachelor of Fashion Design and spent 4 years learning patternmaking, we unfortunately learned very little about extending the sizing of patterns. We learned to draft patterns using size 10 pattern blocks and size 10 mannequins.

We briefly learned to manually grade patterns, but never had to use the skill outside of that one lesson. The grading we were taught was an even grade - which means the pattern gets bigger or smaller by the same amount for each size. Although this works to an extent, there is a limit to how many sizes you can grade in this way. For example, if our base is a size 10, we can’t continue to grade the pattern with an even grade up to a size 36. 

the hurdles of extending a size range

To extend our size chart, what we needed to do was create a new base pattern or block, in a larger size. Then the pattern would be graded from there - which would ensure accuracy because the pattern was actually designed for a larger body, rather than just a smaller size pattern getting larger. 

After much googling, I found a company that could help me with extending our sizing. I had a few very interesting and inspiring conversations with the Director there and felt like her and her team really knew what they were doing.

Their team had a set of Alvanon mannequins and used professional 3D pattern drafting software to draft patterns and check them on 3D avatars. But they mainly worked with ready-to-wear brands, so their final products were patterns that would be sent off for commercial use, rather than home sewing.

Commercial patterns are very different to home sewing patterns

After some back and forth with the business we got our first pattern back, and at face value it looked pretty good. We conducted a fitting and there were a few minor issues that I wanted to discuss with the graders. When I started that conversation with the company, I realised that because they didn’t work within the home sewing space, it was difficult to communicate what I needed. For example, the term ‘Full Bust Adjustment’ is standard in the home sewing world, but this is not a commercial term. In industry, patterns are made in set sizes so there is no need for terms like this. Our plan was always to include a larger cup size in our extended range, so being able to articulate this in a way that would translate to our customers, was very important. 

Following some discussion, I realised that we needed to go back to the drawing board and work with a patternmaker that had experience in the home sewing space. Of course, I was disappointed that the first attempt to extend our sizing had been unsuccessful and quite costly, but it gave us a chance to get clear about what we wanted to do and what was most important to us.

I am a perfectionist and do my best to create patterns that are as close to perfect as possible, so it was important that when we eventually did release patterns in our new size range, the quality and accuracy that our customers have come to expect ran through the extended size range too. 

Plus size patternmaking is a specialist skill

My assistant, Alys, had previously worked with a patternmaker who specialised in plus size drafting and grading and I decided to try working with her. I sent off the same pattern as I had done with the other company and explained what we were trying to achieve. I could instantly tell that she understood our vision, but also had the background and technical skills to carry it out. She then sent back an altered pattern to fit our new size chart and it was time to do a fitting! 

Our patternmaker has now become our most helpful resource when it comes to extending the size range of our patterns. The skills required for this particular part of patternmaking are very niche and it is hard to find a specialist in this area who also has an understanding of the home sewing industry. Her knowledge and experience of plus size patternmaking is what has allowed us to continue to extend the sizing of the patterns in the In the Folds catalogue. 

Checking the fit: model or human?

The next step was to find a fit model to check the patterns on, which also proved difficult. I started researching whether we should be investing in an Alvanon mannequin, but at the end of the day knew this would never replace the need for a fit model.

We have a size 10 mannequin that we use for draping patterns and checking things as we go, but this never replaces the need for checking the fit of a pattern on an actual person. We tried to find a fit model with our size 24 measurements through modelling agencies in Sydney, but didn’t have any luck.

Then, we decided to look to our own network and advertised through our Instagram profile and mailing list, but of course received very few applications as most people who sit at the higher end or outside our current size range had no interest in hearing from us.

We had hoped to find someone we could work with in Sydney, but soon realised we were going to need to cast our net wider and put the call out internationally.

Thankfully, we found someone with our exact sample size measurements who was willing to try fit modelling remotely. We all knew it would be a work in progress and we would need to fine tune the process as we went. And I’m happy to say, this part of the process turned out to be a great success and we now have a fantastic relationship with our fit model. She sews the garment and photographs it on her body and answers questions about the fit.  The main thing we have learned is that it’s important to communicate exactly what we are looking for and the questions we have about the fit of the pattern. Being able to work with the same person each time means things remain consistent and we can compare feedback between patterns.

the advantages of a plus size fit model

The main advantage of using a fit model, instead of just a mannequin, is that a fit model can provide context. They can tell you how a garment feels to wear, but can also compare it to other garments (both in ready-to-wear and garments they have made themselves). This was particularly important when extending our size range. For example, our fit model could say “I often find bicep width to be a problem in ready-to-wear, but I don’t have that problem in this sample.” This kind of feedback helps us know exactly what to look for and where plus size grading sometimes goes wrong, in both ready-to-wear and sewing patterns.

an overview of our plus size pattern grading process

The process of grading for our extended size range looks like this:

  1. We send our largest size from our size A-J range (size 24) to our patternmaker. She alters the pattern to fit our size 24 block (with D cup bust).

  2. We receive the altered pattern back and send it to our fit model to sew and fit. Sometimes we go back and forth a couple of times to make sure we’ve answered all our questions about how the garment fits.

  3. We consolidate the feedback and either proceed of send feedback and alterations back to our patternmaker.

  4. If required, our patternmaker alters the pattern. If the alterations are large scale, we send the updated version back to our fit model. If the changes are minor, the pattern is altered and then goes straight for grading into the full range.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

For designers looking to extend their size range, Alex from @adifferentstitch has a great resource which covers pretty much everything you need to consider. 

You can also see all the patterns currently available in our extended size range here in our new Skills Library!

As I wrote this, I realised your question had two parts to it - what our process was for extending our size range, as well as where to find resources about drafting patterns for larger sizes. This week I’ve covered our process and in the next Q&A instalment I’ll give you some tips on drafting patterns for larger sizes.

Happy sewing,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • Opportunity Knocks: Tips for Inclusive Patterns by Alex of Fat Sewing Club - read the post here, and follow Alex on Instagram here.

  • View all In the Folds patterns currently in available in our extended size range in our new Skills Library here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
Q&A blog header-5.png
full-bicep-adjustment-dolman-sleeves.png
Q&A blog headeR.png

ISSUE 146 - EMILY’S MATERNITY WEAR SUGGESTIONS

THE Q & A SERIES

emily’s maternity wear suggestions

Hi Emily,

I’d like to know if you have any suggestions about how to adjust patterns for maternity wear?

Thanks,

Ivy

Walsall, UK

Hi Ivy,

This is great timing to receive this question as I have recently had a baby!

Maternity clothing has been a new part of my life since pregnancy last year and the arrival of bub in December. And, I’d love to say I sewed up a beautiful maternity wardrobe to get me through pregnancy and the postpartum months, but the reality was that I was very unwell throughout the first trimester and had very little energy to do anything.

When I was lucky enough to get a boost of energy in my second trimester, the reality (and panic) of running a small business and needing to take time off to have a baby set in and I spent the rest of the pregnancy preparing the business for taking time off.

I wear a lot of loose-style garments and had just hoped I could get through without buying or making anything. I didn’t like the idea of having clothing that was only useful for a specific purpose and then would no longer be needed. But, it turned out that I was a bit naive, and definitely needed some maternity-specific clothing as my bump got bigger, so this is something I can definitely shed some light on now.

MY FAVOURITE MATERNITY WEAR GARMENTS

Maternity jeans

I love wearing jeans and found that I was uncomfortable around the waist early on in pregnancy, particularly because I normally wear high waisted jeans. I bought a pair of maternity jeans and I loved them. They really got me through and I wore them for the majority of my pregnancy and continued to wear them for a few weeks postpartum while everything was still very tender.

If you are up for making some jeans or maternity pants, I think you could definitely give it a go with a pants or jeans patterns you already have. The key is to add the seam for the stretch band very low. I was surprised when my maternity jeans arrived how low the seam is where the jeans join to the jersey waistband. But this was exactly what I needed with my growing bump.

The pair I bought had the front pockets lowered so that they were under the bump band, but if I were to make some I would just leave off the front pockets. To me they were a bit awkwardly placed as they were so low down, so I didn’t really use them and they didn't look great. I did use the back pockets though.

I bought my jeans early on and the bump band was too big, so I took in the sides of the stretch sections with a zig-zag stitch and then let them out as I needed to throughout the pregnancy. If I were to make my own, I’d do the same thing. Make the waist section with plenty of space and then just adjust it as you go, as you don’t know how big your bump will get.

This is a bonus of being able to adjust your clothes! I recommend using a jersey fabric that has good retention so they sit nice and firm and don’t slip down. I think you could definitely make some maternity pants from an elastic waist pant pattern too - and they would potentially be a bit cooler for the summer months. I also think you could use the same concept for a skirt - basically just an elastic waist skirt but with a big belly band at the top. 

I know some people like wearing clothes under their bumps, but I found it much more comfortable wearing things over, as the things that go under just slipped down constantly. This tutorial from Hey June Handmade gives you an idea of how to go about sewing a maternity band on pants or skirts.

Emily wearing a pair of denim overalls, standing in her studio.

Overalls

The other thing I wore a heap was overalls. I bought a style that was quite large in the waist and they got me through most of my pregnancy. This is something you could make - just be sure to choose a loose fitting style. I made sure mine were big enough to wear while pregnant, but also something I could happily wear post pregnancy.

The In the Folds Collins top

As for tops, I have a lot of baggy / billowy tops that worked well with jeans and hid my bump until I was well into the second trimester. I've got a number of Collins tops that were in heavy rotation until they became a little short in the front. But even then, they still worked with something high-waisted and adjustable underneath (like the Wrap skirt that I wore a lot).

This style of loose-fitting top is still working well postpartum as they can easily be lifted for breastfeeding. I normally wear something high waisted underneath, so it doesn’t feel like I’m revealing too much skin and the loose fabric provides some cover. If you’re not comfortable showing this much skin, the other option is to wear a nursing singlet or camisole underneath that allows you to wear any top you like and when you lift it up you have the singlet underneath for coverage.

Loose-fitting dresses

I'd say the other thing to think about might be some loose fitting dresses. I had a few in my wardrobe that got me through the whole pregnancy. By the end it was the jersey ones (like the one above!) I was reaching for most as they comfortably fit over my bump and didn’t restrict movement. Unfortunately though, none of these dresses have centre front openings so they’re out of rotation now that I’m breastfeeding.

If I were to sew some dresses for this period, I’d definitely add a centre front placket so that it could be worn postpartum if you choose to breastfeed. Adding a centre front button closure to the Everyday dress pattern would work well.

I didn’t go out a whole lot during pregnancy, but when I did, it was good to have a couple of things that I knew fit and made me feel somewhat put together! One of these was an Acton dress with sleeves, that you can see me wearing here when I was about 36 weeks pregnant.

Loungewear

Another one of our patterns that would work really well throughout pregnancy and beyond is the Gibson loungewear set. I actually designed this pattern early on in my pregnancy as it was what I imagined I’d be wanting to swan around in when the baby arrived in December (Summer in Australia). But let’s be real, there was no swanning in December. Don’t get me wrong - life was completely magical as my partner and I adjusted to life with a baby, but also completely chaotic!

Now that things have calmed down somewhat, this is exactly the kind of thing I’ve been reaching for, even four months in. I’m still in no rush to put on pants with a fitted waistband, so anything with elastic has been my go-to. The dress and pants views in this pattern make it a versatile maternity wear option!

Robes

Another thing that was in heavy rotation in the early months with bub was my Whitlow robe. As I got the hang of breastfeeding, it was easier not to put a top on and I basically lived in robes (this was possible because it was so warm!). It was also handy to wear in hospital and to throw on when getting up throughout the night for feeds. 

I hope this has been helpful.

It is such a strange time to plan clothes for as everything is changing so fast, but my biggest tip would be to have a few go-to items you can grab and feel good in, and don’t worry too much about wearing the same thing over and over again!

Choose fabrics that launder well and if they don’t need to be ironed, that’s a plus too. Life with a newborn doesn’t leave much time or space for ironing clothes!

Happy sewing,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • The Collins top pattern can be found here.

  • The Acton dress pattern and sleeve expansion bundle can be found here.

  • The Whitlow robe pattern can be found here.

  • The Gibson Loungewear set pattern is available as an additional purchase through our Curated by ITF subscription. More information can be found here.

  • The Everyday dress pattern is a free pattern and can be found here.

  • The Jersey dress pattern is a free pattern and can be found here.

  • The Wrap skirt pattern is a free pattern and can be found here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
Q&A blog header-5.png
ormond-questions-answered.png
how-to-cut-fabric-in-a-straight-line.png
,

ISSUE 141 - HOW TO TRANSFER PATTERNS ONTO CARD

,

THE Q & A SERIES

HOW TO TRANSFER PATTERNS ONTO CARD

Hi Emily

Thank you so very much for doing this question and answer series.

I would like to know how to make our own patterns that will be used over and over again, and what kind of paper or other substance.

- Cerisse

Hi Cerisse,

Great question!

This month we’re diving into organising our spaces in our Curated by ITF sewing subscription. We’ve covered a range of topics, including storage options for supplies, fabrics and patterns and how we can best set up our spaces to make them easy to use and inviting.

If you’ve sewn with the more common commercial patterns you’ll know how flimsy and easy-to-break sewing pattern paper can be. It doesn’t take much to tear, and if they’re a much-loved pattern, the constant use will quickly lead to damage.

While In the Folds paper patterns are printed on a heavier paper than commercial patterns (and you have the option to choose your preferred paper weight when printing our digital patterns), how you store your patterns is still key to making them last as long as possible.

Transferring sewing patterns onto card is a great way to achieve this.

TRANSFERRING PATTERNS ONTO CARD

When working with patterns you use time and time again, like pattern blocks, it’s a great idea to transfer the pattern onto card. This way the pattern can act as a "master" pattern that you can refer to over and over.

There are two ways you can do this:

  1. Use weights and a tracing wheel to transfer the pattern lines onto the card, and then use a pencil and ruler to join the dots.

  2. Glue the paper pattern onto the cardboard and cut it out.

BENEFITS OF TRACING YOUR PATTERN ONTO CARD

As mentioned above, tracing onto card will increase the longevity of your patterns because card is stronger than paper, but there’s other benefits that you should also consider.

When a pattern has been traced onto card it is very quick and easy to trace a new copy. Simply trace around the outside!

Also, if you do it after you’ve made all your alterations and fitting changes, it becomes very clear which pattern is the final version.

A PATTERN TRACING TIP

Depending on what you plan to use your pattern for, you may choose to remove the seam allowance before transferring the block onto card.

Traditionally, pattern blocks do not include seam allowances. This means you can quickly and easily trace a copy and make changes to the design without worrying about seam allowances getting in the way.

Think about what you plan to use your pattern or block for and then decide if having the seam allowance on your card will be helpful for your workflow.

If you’d prefer to use paper, you can find our article about which paper to use, and how to trace patterns here.

Happy sewing!

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • What is a pattern block? Tutorial can be found here.

  • How to trace patterns - Tutorial can be found here.

  • The Organise Your Space resource is currently available with a Curated by ITF subscription for the month of January 2023. More information can be found here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png
,

ISSUE 139 - Checking and truing a self-drafted pattern

,

THE Q & A SERIES

How to check a self-drafted pattern

Hi Emily,

I’ve been loving the recent pants fitting and designing content and it’s got me feeling confident to give drafting my own pair of pants a go! I have a design in mind and am about to get started on the pattern. I’m still quite nervous though about everything going a bit awry once I alter the pattern. 

Any tips or words of wisdom to give me some confidence would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Susan

Hi Susan,

I’m so pleased you have been enjoying our Pants series! This is a great question.

Firstly, with the release of our three month pants sewing project, (check them out here: Pants Sewing Skills, Pants Fitting Pattern and Fit Kit, and Pants Designing) our aim has been to ensure makers feel as confident as possible to make the pants they want to wear! This means really breaking down the process into manageable chunks so you can face one thing at a time.

We started out by concentrating on sewing skills that particularly relate to pants. Think fly fronts, welt pockets and slash pockets, among others! In the second month we focused on pants fitting with the release of our Pants Fitting pattern and Fit Kit. This month we’re bringing it all together with our Pants Designing Kit.

I understand that it can be daunting making your first pattern and to feel confident to cut into your precious fabric to sew it up. That’s why we thought sharing some tips of things to keep in mind when going from drafting your own pattern to sewing it up would be a good way to round-out the series.

3 STEPS TO FOLLOW AFTER YOU’VE DRAFTED OR ADJUSTED A PATTERN

Step 1 - Check and true the pattern.

I teach first year pattern making at a local university here in Sydney and one of the first things we teach is how to check and true a pattern.

What this means is that you need to “walk” your seams together as if they have been sewn to check they come together correctly. At first this seems like a bit of a chore, but once you realise how much time (and fabric) it can save you in the long run, it will become one of the most important skills in your tool belt!


We have two tutorials that show you how to check patterns - this tutorial focuses on straight seams, and this one is for curved seams.

Step 2 - Make a toile.

If you’ve only made small adjustments (such as altered the length or added a pocket) and have already made a toile then you may be able to skip this step.

For any larger alterations - such as raising or lowering the waist on a pair of pants or changing the shape of the pants considerably, we’d suggest making a toile to check you are happy with the changes you have made.

If you have only made changes to the upper section of the pants, you may consider making a shorts version as a toile to save on fabric.

If you’ve added panel lines, or made an alteration that doesn’t change the fit of the pant, but you’d like to see what the new design is going to look like, you might be fine just to make one pant leg, rather than a full toile.

When it comes to designing your own patterns, you no longer have the instruction booklet to guide you through every step. In this situation, making a toile gives you a chance to experiment with the best order of construction. We suggest taking notes and photos as you go so you have a record to refer to when you sew up your final pair.

Step 3 - Sew samplers.

For Issue 13 of Curated by ITF we practiced pants sewing techniques by sewing samplers.

What is a sampler?

A sampler is a piece of fabric, or small portion of a design, used to practice sewing techniques. They’re a great way to create a personal reference of techniques that can be referred to again in the future.

Due to their size, they are easy to store and refer to. Consider stapling them to the printed instructions for each technique and putting them in a binder. Alternatively, you can staple folded cardboard to the top of each sampler, punch a hole in one corner and hang on a ring in your sewing space. Consider transferring the pattern pieces to card so they are durable and able to be used again and again.

Sewing a sampler is a great way to learn a new technique or build confidence before sewing a garment. Trying out skills on samplers is far less intimidating than sewing on an actual garment and allows you to slow down, relax and enjoy the process of learning something new. Like any new skill or hobby, getting good at it will take time. By sewing just a small part of a design, you can gain confidence and have something to refer to when you make your pants.

I hope this gives you the confidence to go from drafting a pattern to sewing a garment!

A QUICK REMINDER…

This will be our last Q&A email for 2022 as our little team takes a pause for some much needed rest and relaxation and I start maternity leave. New Q&As will be back in your inbox in the new year, but if you’re worried you’re going to miss learning with us too much, remember that our whole Q&A archive is on our website. So why not take a deep dive into learning something new these holidays?

Happy sewing,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • The Pants Sewing Skills Kit, Pants Fitting pattern & Fit Kit and the Pants Design Kit are the first, second and third parts of our Pants Sewing project series, which is available through our Curated by ITF subscription. Past issues are also now available for purchase by subscribers. More information can be found here.

  • How to check and true patterns - tutorials for straight seams and curved seams.

  • How to and why make a toile - tutorial can be found here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png
,

ISSUE 138 - HOW TO LOWER THE WAIST ON A PANTS PATTERN

,

THE Q & A SERIES

How to lower the waist on a pants pattern

Hi, 

I love the wide leg Pants pattern but prefer to wear all trousers much lower down, like on my hips, a low rise is it?! 

How can I modify the pattern to sit on my hips? - just below my belly button! ;) 

Really hoping you can help me as I really want to make these!! 

Thanks you so much, 

Janie :)

Hi Janie,

For the last three months of Curated by ITF we have been working on all things pants - sewing, fitting and designing. This includes adapting patterns so they suit your preferences, like lowering the waist.

ALWAYS START WITH A TOILE

If you want to lower where a pair of pants sit on the body, you can use a toile to work out how much to lower the waist by.

We strongly suggest making a toile to check the fit of the original pattern before going ahead and making large-scale pattern alterations. Once you're happy with the fit, you can draw on the toile where you'd like the new waistline and waistband to sit. You may like to refer to a pair of pants in your wardrobe to get an idea of the exact fit.

For your toile, if you’re using the Peppermint Wide Leg pants pattern (or a similar pattern that has pockets), we’d suggest converting the pattern into a block before you get started. This way you don’t have to worry about the pockets. Once you are happy with the fit and have lowered the waist, then you can add the pockets back in. We’ve got a tutorial showing you how to add pockets to a pants pattern in this month’s issue of Curated, but if you’re not a subscriber you can see this tutorial we created about adding pockets to a skirt pattern.

A STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL TO LOWER THE WAIST ON PANTS

Step 1

Using your toile as a reference, draw the desired waistline onto the pattern at the point where the pants meet the waistband (not at the top of the waistband). Let's call this line A.

Step 2

Repeat for the back pattern. Let's call this line B. For the example we chose to lower the waist to a point below the dart, eliminating the need for a dart.

Step 3
Line up the side seam STITCH LINES of the FRONT [1] and BACK [2] as if they have been sewn together (one on top of the other).

Check that the new waistline flows smoothly between the front and back. Adjust if necessary.

Step 4
You will need to create a new waistband for the altered pattern. Draw lines parallel to lines A and B, at the desired height of the new waistband. We recommend a 3-4cm (1¼-1½in) waistband.

STEP 5

a Trace the front waistband shape. Add a grainline to the pattern parallel to the CENTRE FRONT.

b Trace another copy on the reverse side (with the waistband flipped). The reason we trace both sides is because the left and right waistband are not identical (we will add a fly front extension to the left waistband only).

c For the left waistband, add an extension for the FLY SHIELD. The extension needs to be the width of the FLY SHIELD (in this case 4.5cm (1¾in)) and the edge needs to be parallel to the CENTRE FRONT.

Step 6

Add 1cm (⅜in) seam allowance to the top and bottom edges of the waistband pieces. Add 1.2cm (½in) seam allowance to the CENTRE FRONT and side seam.

You can change the amount of seam allowance to your preferred width, but remember that the lower edge of the waistband should have the same amount as the top of the pants.

Make sure your patterns are labelled "CUT 1 PAIR + BLOCK FUSE" for both the right and left front Waistband.

Step 7
Trace the back waistband piece in the same way.

Trace the dart and we will show you how to remove it in the following steps.

Add a grainline to the pattern parallel to the CENTRE BACK.

Step 8

a Cut down one of the dart legs.

b Close the dart by moving the cut dart arm so that it meets the uncut dart arm. Tape / glue pattern in place.

Step 9
Fold a piece of pattern paper and line up the CENTRE BACK of the new BACK WAISTBAND with the fold.

Trace a copy of the piece, smoothing out the top and bottom edge where the dart was removed. Label the piece "CUT 1 PAIR + BLOCK FUSE".

Add seam allowance in the same way that you did on the front waistband pieces. Mark a notch at the CENTRE BACK on the top and bottom edge.

Step 10

Take the pants pattern and add 1cm (3/8in) seam allowance to lines A and B. You can choose whether to trace a copy to keep as a draft or cut off the excess.

Alter the fly pieces by lining up the piece on the pattern and shortening to reflect the new rise height. You will also need a shorter zip to fit the new lowered waist.

Happy drafting,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • The Pants Sewing Skills Kit, Pants Fitting pattern & Fit Kit and the Pants Design Kit are the first, second and third parts of our Pants Sewing project series, which is available through our Curated by ITF subscription. Past issues are also now available for purchase by subscribers. More information can be found here.

  • The Wide Leg Pants pattern is a free pattern and can be found here.

  • How to convert a pants pattern into a block - read the tutorial here.

  • How to draft side pockets - read the tutorial here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png
, ,

ISSUE 137 - ADDING PLEATS TO PANTS

, ,

THE Q & A SERIES

How to add pleats to pants

Hello,

I recently tried adding pleats to your Peppermint Wide Leg pants pattern and although I am happy with my results I think that I should have also added a little more width to the back panels. Is there a particular method that you would recommend for this type of pant pattern alteration?

Thank you.

Sincerely, 

Jess

Hi Jess,

Learning how to hack patterns we already have is a wonderful skill to be able to add to your sewing toolbelt, and it’s something we focus on in our sewing subscription, Curated by ITF. This month we’ve been showing our members how to design pants using the pants block we made previously.

Apart from making sewing more economical, knowing how to hack patterns means that we can make clothes that we want to wear, regardless of what fashion trends are in at the moment. It also means our clothes will be unique and we’re not going to walk around a corner and see someone wearing the exact same outfit!

What are pleats?

Pleats are made when fabric is folded over on itself. They are a fantastic way to add volume and shaping to a garment - in this case a pair of pants - without the need for darts.

Pleats in pants

There are a range of different pleats you can use when wanting to add fullness to pants. Forward pleats, reverse pleats, double pleats…

A single pleat on each side of the front waist is the most common approach in pants.

If you want to increase the volume at the back of pants, you can add a pleat there as well, but it is important to consider how much volume you want in the pants overall.

My suggestion is to add pleats in the front, and then use the cut and spread technique to add the extra volume you’d like in the back.

WHAT TO keep in mind when adding pleats to pants

Depending on the pattern you’re hacking, adding more fabric into a design may impact areas of the pattern differently. Here’s two things you should keep in mind when adding pleats to pants:

  • If it is too close to the CENTRE FRONT this could add excess volume in the crotch area.

  • If it is too close to the side seam, there may not be room for the volume of the pleat when it is folded in place and could add too much bulk if you choose to include a pocket.

DETERMINING PLEAT WIDTH & DIRECTION

You will need to have a think about the size of the pleat you want to add to your pattern. This is totally up to you, and depends on the look you are wanting to achieve.

If you are struggling to work out the width you would like your pleat to be, have a play around with some fabric (or even a piece of paper). Fold different sized pleats into the fabric to get an idea of how it will look and how much fabric it will use.

Keep in mind where you intend the pleat to be placed in the garment and how much room there is. This will help you determine the best size for the pleat.

It’s up to you which direction you'd like to fold your pleat - it's just a design decision. If you're unsure, have a look at your pleat sample! We like to fold ours towards the side seam as this avoids excess volume flaring into the crotch area.

How to add volume to pants using pleats

In this example, we only want to add volume in the upper section of the pattern, so we will separate the pattern at the knee.

This allows us to add volume for the pleat, yet keep the hem width the same. You can skip this and add volume through the whole piece, if you prefer.

In the case of our Pants block, the knee line should be around the same area as the LENGTHEN/SHORTEN LINES. Hold the pattern up to your body to check.

Take care to draw the slash line perpendicular to the grainline.

Step 1

Consider where you would like to add a pleat/s. We recommend it be in the middle of waistline so you don’t add too much volume to the crotch or bulk to the pocket area. For this example we will create one pleat, but you can add multiple if you like.

Draw a slash line through the pattern where you plan to place your pleat (or pleats).

Step 2

Slide a large piece of pattern paper under your pattern.

Cut along the line from the waist, stopping 1-2mm from the knee line. This should create a hinge in the paper.

Make sure you check that there is room for a pleat this width in relation to the CENTRE FRONT / BACK and side seams (depending on where you have placed your pleat/s).

Step 3

Using the hinge, open the pattern by the amount you'd like to add for the pleat, measuring at the waist STITCH LINE. Remember that the amount needs to be double the width of your finished pleat.

Tape / glue pattern in place.

Step 4

Fold the pleat in the direction you'd like it to be sewn. Press down at the waist area to form creases.

Step 5

When you fold a pleat on a curved edge, you need to adjust the edge of the pleat so that it sits flush with the waistline.

Using a tracing wheel, transfer the waist shaping onto the pleat edge at the waist STITCH LINE. Add seam allowance to the pleat.

Step 6

Add FOLD LINES either side of the pleat. Add notches where the FOLD LINES meet the CUT LINE at the waist.

Mark an arrow to indicate which direction the pleat needs to be folded.

Step 7

Take the lower section of the pattern which you cut off before you started. Place it back on the top pattern by lining up the side seams at the STITCH LINE.

You will have an excess triangle on your pattern where the two meet - don't worry about this! The inseam and side seam are still the same length and the excess will blend into the pleat once folded.

If you've opened up your pattern a large amount, you can smooth the inseam and side seam at the knee area if necessary.

Step 8

Redraw the grainline in the centre of the pleat.

Step 9

Measuring down from the waistline on the FOLD LINES of the pleat, mark drill holes the distance down you would like to stitch your pleat.

In industry, these markings would normally be offset from the fold line by 5mm (¼in) so that the holes would be hidden inside the pleat. In the home sewing world we don't mark drill holes with actual holes in the fabric (we use chalk or a tailor's tack) so we are fine to have these markings on the FOLD LINE.

Happy sewing,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • The Pants Sewing Skills Kit, Pants Fitting pattern & Fit Kit and the Pants Design Kit are the first, second and third parts of our Pants Sewing project series, which is available through our Curated by ITF subscription. Past issues are also now available for purchase by subscribers. More information can be found here.

  • The Wide Leg Pants pattern is a free pattern and can be found here.

  • Adding volume to a pattern - tutorial for the cut and spread technique can be found here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png

ISSUE 136 - HOW TO CONVERT A PANTS PATTERN INTO A BLOCK

THE Q & A SERIES

How to convert a pants pattern into a block

Hi Emily,

I’ve made the Peppermint Wide Leg pants pattern before and decided to use that pattern to work on fit for last month’s issue of Curated. I’m excited to be working on pants designing this month with you and the community, but I’m wondering if there is anything I need to do to the pattern before I get started?

Thanks,

Rachel

Hi Rachel,

This is a great question!

With our Pants Fitting Issue of Curated by ITF, many of our ‘Foldies’ (what we like to call our Curated by ITF community members) decided to use the Wide Leg Pants pattern as they already had it in their stash.

But if you’re going to use the Wide Leg Pants pattern to design other pants, you should convert it into a pattern block before you start. If you’re not sure what a pattern block is, read this post.

The Wide Leg Pants pattern is a sewing pattern for a finished pair of pants, and the design includes elements that a pants block may not, such as pockets. To convert it into a pattern block we need to remove these elements.

Fitting a pattern without pockets is much easier because you remove the need to alter several pieces when making fitting adjustments.

A pocket opening can also change the way pants fit. For example, it might make you feel like you have more room than you do, so we recommend getting the pants to fit right first and then add the pocket in later.

HOW TO REMOVE POCKETS FROM A PANTS PATTERN TO CREATE A PATTERN BLOCK

Step 1

Place the POCKET FACING [3] piece onto the FRONT LEG [1], lining up the waist seam, pocket opening and side seam. You can tape or pin in place. I like to use masking tape or magic tape as it's easy to peel off and won't damage the pattern.

Step 2

Place the POCKET BAG [4] onto the POCKET FACING [3], lining up the side seam, crotch seam, waist seam and bottom edge of the pocket. Tape or pin in place.

Step 3

Trace a copy of the pattern onto a piece of pattern paper. To trace a pattern you can either use transparent paper and place it on top of the pieces you are tracing, or use opaque paper under your pattern and use a tracing wheel to trace the lines.

When tracing a pattern, be sure to transfer the STITCH LINE and the CUT LINE, as well as the grainline, notches and any other pattern markings (in this case that means the drill hole on the front crotch).

If you like, you can transfer the pattern onto card for safe-keeping.

Update the pattern markings to reflect the new piece. In the example I have updated the pattern piece name to Wide Leg Pants block.

In the case of the Peppermint Wide Leg Pants pattern, there's nothing else we need to do. The back piece has limited details - just darts - so you can use the back piece as it is with the updated front piece.

Happy drafting,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • The Pants Sewing Skills Kit, Pants Fitting pattern & Fit Kit and the Pants Design Kit are the first, second and third parts of our Pants Sewing project series, which is available through our Curated by ITF subscription. Past issues are also now available for purchase by subscribers. More information can be found here.

  • The Wide Leg Pants pattern is a free pattern and can be found here.

  • What is a pattern block? - post can be found here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png

ISSUE 131 - MAKING PANTS USING A PATTERN BLOCK

THE Q & A SERIES

Learning patternmaking using pattern blocks

I would love to make my own patterns but I get so confused. Do you have a basic pants block that is easy to follow?

Lucille
Chatsworth, South Africa

Hi Lucille,

Making your own patterns can be a little bit confusing when you’re getting started, but you’ve got the right idea - using a block helps a lot!

WHAT IS A PATTERN BLOCK

A pattern block is a foundation pattern that patternmakers use as a base or foundation when drafting patterns.

In the US, a block is referred to as a ‘sloper’ so you may see these terms used interchangeably in books and blocks, depending on where the author is from. We have a whole article about pattern blocks and how you use them that you can read here.

THE IN THE FOLDS PANTS BLOCK

Over the years we have had A LOT of requests for a pants block, so we are excited to say that we’ve just released one as part of our Pants Making Project Series.

This project has been in the works for a very long time. We really wanted to create a pattern that would assist makers to make a pair of pants that fit well, but also one that gave them a base to springboard off when drafting new designs. 

The problem with pattern blocks is that they are often drafted to be quite fitted, with minimal ease. Although this can be great as an exercise in fitting, makers often find it difficult to then know what to do with the block and how to use it to make the style of clothes they want to wear.

For this reason we designed our Pants Fitting pattern with a comfortable amount of ease in the waist, hip and through the leg. Once you’ve mastered the fit (with the Fit Kit that we released along with the pattern) you will have a solid starting point to design from, without having to think about adding ease… unless of course you want a pant with more volume, and we will show you how to do that too!

Although the shape of our pants pattern isn’t a conventional pant block shape (for the reasons mentioned above), we made sure we stuck with all the other things that make a block handy to use.

The pant has minimal design details - just a back dart for shaping and a shaped waistband. We left out the pockets so that you can quickly and easily do a fitting and then draft the style of pockets you like. We included the fly pieces in case you want them in the future, but when making toiles we suggest you skip the fly so that you can quickly and easily make adjustments.

WHAT DO YOU USE A PATTERN BLOCK FOR?

Once you have altered the pattern to fit your body, you will then be able to use it as a block. It’s a good idea to transfer your pattern onto cardboard for safe-keeping. This will keep it nice and strong and mean you can use it over and over. It also makes it quick and easy to trace a copy onto paper when you’re ready to use it.

 There are two main things you would use a block for as a home sewist:

  1. To check what adjustments you need to make on new patterns. For example, you might be really happy with the crotch shape on your block. When you use another pants pattern you can lay the block onto the crotch to see if you need to make alterations to the other pattern.

  2. To design your own patterns. This is the thing we are really excited about! Once you have a base pattern, there are countless things you can do. Add volume, remove volume, change the leg shape, lower the waist, raise the waist, add panel lines, change the closure type, add any pocket shape you can think of… just to name a few! The options really are endless.

    For this month’s issue of Curated by ITF we’re working on pants fitting with the new pants pattern so that next month we can get you patternmaking, because it’s always a good idea to ensure the base pattern fits you well before making design adjustments.

Happy sewing!

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • The Pants Sewing project series is available as part of our Curated by ITF subscription. More information can be found here.

  • What is a pattern block? - read the tutorial here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png

ISSUE 129 - THREE WAYS TO ADD A CLOSURE TO THE FLYNN JACKET

THE Q & A SERIES

Three ways to add a closure to the Flynn jacket

Hi Emily,

I got a Flynn jacket pattern and am wondering if there are any ways to add buttons or a zip. Is that possible?

I love the jacket as is but at the same time I would love to close the front when it is cold.

Thank you :)

Manami

Hi Manami,

Great to hear you’d like to give the Flynn jacket a go.

We’re celebrating 12 months of Curated by ITF this month and are celebrating all things skill-building. Being able to alter and adapt patterns (check out all our sewing tutorials to help you do this here!) to better suit your needs is a fantastic skill to have and is something we love supporting our community to do in our Curated community.


You’ve got a few options for adding a closure to the Flynn jacket. You could add an open-ended zip (similar to the Hove jacket), buttons or a hook and eye.

The first thing that’s helpful is to understand the construction of the Flynn jacket. The front panel wraps around to connect at the centre back neck and creates the collar and the front panel opening. I’ve highlighted it in the photo above so you can see the shape. The front opening meets, but doesn’t overlap.

Before hacking a pattern (read our top tips here!) we suggest making the pattern in its original form. You may make it as a completed garment or just a toile - a test version of a garment. This blog post talks about why you should make toiles.

Having the garment in its original form is a great way to make design decisions, as you will have the garment to refer to and can try it on and use pins to mark points of interest. For example, in this case you could try on the jacket and decide how high up you would like the zip to go. This is more difficult to estimate on the flat pattern than a garment. 

HOW TO ADD A ZIP CLOSURE TO THE FLYNN JACKET

You can use an open-ended zip to create a closure. 

A First, mark the centre front opening on the pattern. You will want to place the zip in the straight section of the opening - which is roughly about the position of the centre notch on the pattern. From this point you can see that the seam starts changing shape, so you won't want a zip going too high up as it would distort the way the centre front hangs.

Measure from the stitch line at the hem up to the point where you’d like the zip to stop. Then look to see if you can get a zip this length. You may need to tweak the measurement (and notch position) a little to get it to line up with a standard zip measurement (unless you’d like to shorten a zip). Here in Australia, 35cm and 40cm open-ended zips are easy enough to come by and both could work well.

B The pattern has a 1.2cm (1/2in) seam allowance along the centre front edge. This is adequate for sewing a zip although it doesn't give you much room to play with. If you would prefer a little bit more room for installing the zip, we suggest extending the seam allowance in the area you will be adding the zip to 2cm (3/4in).

HOW TO ADD A BUTTON CLOSURE TO THE FLYNN JACKET

As mentioned at the beginning of this tutorial, the Flynn jacket front pieces meet at the centre front, but do not overlap. We have demonstrated this above (the overlap is just the seam allowance that won’t be there when the garment is sewn).

To create a button closure you will first need to create an overlap, as buttons and buttonholes need to be placed on the centre front of the garment.

Step 1

A Take a piece of pattern paper and tape it behind the centre front opening so you have some room to add the button extension.

Mark in your centre front line (the stitch line on the pattern piece) and extend it up.

Have a think about the size and position of the buttons you would like to use. This is when having the garment in its original form would be helpful as you can lay the buttons on the garment to get an idea of the scale. Alternatively, lay the buttons on the pattern piece. You’ll want to determine where your first button will go and the width of the buttons you plan to use.

B Mark a second line - measuring from the centre front, half the width of your buttons plus 1cm (3/8in). This will allow room for the button, and a little bit of space between the edge of the button and the edge of the opening.

Step 2

A Add seam allowance to the edge. We suggest 1cm (3/8in). We have a tutorial on adding seam allowance here.

B Join the bottom and top of the line back to the original pattern. You want the transition between the new section and the original pattern to be nice and smooth.

Step 3

A Consider what shape you would like the top of the opening to be. You may have it come to an angle as demonstrated in Step 2, or you may prefer a curve which is more in line with the original design.

B Once you have determined the shape, cut off any excess paper and mark button position on your pattern.

When sewing the garment we suggest adding a strip of fusing down the centre front opening to support the buttons and buttonholes.

HOW TO ADD A HOOK & EYE CLOSURE TO THE FLYNN JACKET

The other option is to sew a hook and eye on each side of the opening. This is what I've done on one of my Flynn jackets and it works really well because the jacket can be worn open without the hook and eye being seen, and when it’s closed it doesn’t change the design much. The only thing is that a bit more wind can get in compared to using a zip or buttons! So this is something to keep in mind.

Happy pattern hacking,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • The Flynn jacket pattern can be found here.

  • The Hove jacket pattern can be found here.

  • More information about our Curated by ITF sewing subscription can be found here.

  • Our sewing tutorials archive can be found here.

  • We talk about why you should make toiles in this blog post.

  • How to add seam allowance to a pattern - tutorial can be found here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png

ISSUE 128 - ALTERING A SLEEVE FOR A FORWARD SHOULDER ADJUSTMENT

ALTERING A SLEEVE FOR A FORWARD SHOULDER ADJUSTMENT

THE Q & A SERIES

ALTERING A SLEEVE FOR A FORWARD SHOULDER ADJUSTMENT

Hi there!

I just made a forward shoulder adjustment to the Rennie dress, but I’m not sure what to do with the sleeve. I know the front and back sleeve is symmetrical, but with the alteration I now need the sleeve head to move forward to line up with the shoulder seam. How do I adjust the sleeve to match with the altered pattern?

Hi Amy,

I’m so glad to hear you’re learning new sewing skills using our Rennie dress pattern!

Sometimes it can be difficult to know what the next step is when making pattern adjustments - which is exactly why we came up with our Curated by ITF subscription - what’s better than having professional garment designers you can go to to ask all your sewing questions, after all!?

But knowing that when you make one change to a pattern it usually means there will be other changes to make is definitely half the battle, and the fact that you knew to ask the question is a big indicator that you have a good understanding of the pattern making process. Well done!

And I’m very happy to be able to help you with a solution to your question.

If you aren’t sure what a Forward Shoulder Adjustment is and whether you need one, check out this tutorial first!

HOW TO ALTER A SLEEVE WHEN DOING A FSA

Technical drawing of Rennie sleeve pattern piece.

Step 1

Extend the grainline so it runs through the whole pattern piece.

Technical drawing of Rennie sleeve pattern piece.

Step 2

Draw slash lines from about 1/3 of the way down the front and back sleeve cap (measuring from the grainline), down to a point on the grainline about halfway down.

Technical drawing of Rennie sleeve pattern piece.

Step 3

Cut through the slash lines, creating a hinge where the lines intersect at the grainline.

Refer back to your pattern to see how far forward you moved the shoulder. Mark this point on the front of the sleeve cap - measuring from the slash line towards the underseam (the seam that joins the two sides of the sleeve). As the Rennie dress (in the size A - J size range) is the same sleeve cap for front and back, you will need to mark one of them as the front.

Technical drawing of Rennie sleeve pattern piece.

Step 4

Use the hinge to move the sleeve cap forward until the stitching line meets the line marked in the previous. Tape in place.

Technical drawing of Rennie sleeve pattern piece.

Step 5

Use a scrap of paper to fill the opening at the back sleeve cap.

Technical drawing of Rennie sleeve pattern piece.

Step 6

True the sleeve cap by drawing a smooth curve over the alterations on both the stitch line and the edge of the pattern. You can now see that the centre of the sleeve cap (along with the shoulder notch) is tilted towards the front to match the altered pattern.

Technical drawing of Rennie sleeve pattern piece.

Step 7

Cut off excess paper and re-draw the grainline by extending the original grainline from the lower section of the sleeve up towards the sleeve cap.

Happy sewing,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • Rennie dress pattern - this pattern was released in Issue 12 of our Curated by ITF subscription. It will be available as a standalone pattern in 2023.

  • How to do a forward shoulder adjustment - tutorial here.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png

ISSUE 126 - Removing dress volume to make a slimmer fit

THE Q & A SERIES

Removing dress volume for a slimmer fit

Hi Emily,

I just finished sewing the everyday dress as a toile (old doona) hacked into a tunic with a French seam. I’ve made other patterns of yours (Darlow pants, Collins top and Rushcutter dress), which I’ve really enjoyed.

I have some beautiful hand printed linen with a large scale print and am searching for a pattern. I like the look of the Rennie dress but I need a slimmer fit (no belt), can you comment on fit? 

Margaret

Hi Margaret,

I’m so happy to hear you have been enjoying using our patterns.

You can definitely slim down the shape of the Rennie dress so that you don’t need to wear a belt. The fit of the dress is slightly A-line, so it sounds like a straighter fit is more what you’re looking for. 

What you can do is use the slash and spread technique to reduce volume in the pattern. This technique is often used to add volume to a pattern, but you can also use the same approach to reduce volume from a pattern!

How to use the slash & spread technique on the rennie dress

Pattern illustration of step 1.

Step 1

First, you need to think about where you would like to reduce the volume. Looking at the FRONT pattern piece you can see that the pattern becomes A line in shape from around the waist down. We don’t want to change the fit of the bust, so will draw our slash line from the hem up to the waist on the side seam.

Illustration of step 2.

Step 2

Cut along the slash line from the hem up to the stitch line at the waist. Cut into the seam allowance on the side towards the point you stopped cutting, stopping 1-2mm from the slash line. This will create a small hinge of paper.

Illustration of step 3.

Step 3

Gently slide the cut section across the pattern, removing the desired amount of volume. This is up to you. Remember, this alteration will reduce the finished garment measurement at the hip, so it’s a good idea to work out how much volume you can afford to lose.

Remember, you don’t want the pattern being tight at the hips. You also need ease so you can get the dress on and off, move around and sit. Once you are happy with the amount removed, tape or glue in place.

Illustration of step 4.

Step 4

Re-draw the hem with a smooth line over the alteration. Cut off any excess paper. Repeat process on the back, removing the same amount of volume.

I hope this gives you the confidence to try out the Rennie dress!

Happy sewing,

Emily

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

  • The Rennie dress pattern is currently only available as part of our Curated by ITF sewing subscription. It will be released as a standalone pattern in 2023. More information about Curated by ITF can be found here.

  • How to add volume to a pattern tutorial.

For more issues of the Q & A series, you can check out the archive here.

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING

MORE POSTS IN THE SERIES

Q & A series
emily-acton-dress-sleeves.png
Q&A blog header-2.png
Q&A blog header-3 (1).png