Patterns for Pirates

P4P stylish, modern, wearable patterns

How to shorten zippers

 

Ahoy pirates! Today on the blog I wanted to show you how to shorten different style zippers. With the new Go-To Jacket patterns releasing, you will be playing around with various size zippers so I find that it’s easier to just stock up on longer zippers (30-36″) and then shorten them based on your needs.

*Plastic separating zippers

Let’s talk about plastic separating zippers first. They are my favorite zipper style for kids and women casual wear. And shortening them is a peace of cake. There’s no need for any fancy tool or muscles 😉

Simply grab a pair of scissors that you do NOT use to cut fabric, a measuring tape and a lighter. Measure the length of the zipper you need for your jacket, mark it on both sides of the separating zipper. Move the zipper pull down and cut the desired length. Follow the instructions I give you in the video below to create a “zipper stop”.

Note: since you’re working with an open flame (if you don’t have a hot knife) please be extra cautious and avoid having your little ones “help out” 🙂

TIP: Always measure 3 times before cutting the zipper, just to be sure. 

*Metal Separating Zippers

The other separating zipper you may use for hoodies or jackets is a metal zipper. Walmart always carries them so, on a pinch, it’s a good alternative for plastic zippers.

Shortening a metal zipper is more time consuming and it requires a little bit of elbow grease and more tools but it’s totally doable. Just grab those non fabric scissors, a measuring tape and some long nose pliers and watch the video below.

TIP: Mark on both sides of the zipper where the waistband meets the bodice, the pockets and the hood. This will make it a lot easier to make sure that everything matches when you zip up the jacket.

*All purpose zippers

If you are making a Wiggle dress  and you need to shorten the all purpose zipper you are using you will only need your scissors, a measuring tape and some thread. Simply mark on the BOTTOM of the zipper (not the top as you did for separating zippers) where you would like for the zipper pull to stop.

Sew by hand a zipper stop at the mark you just made. Simply sew back on forth over the zipper teeth a few times. You can certainly use your sewing machine for this step but I find it easier to just hand sew the thread zipper stop. Cut the zipper 1″ below  the thread zipper stop you just created and seal your zipper ribbon with a lighter. Optionally, remove the plastic teeth below the thread zipper stop. Tadah! You have shortened your AP zipper in minutes.

 

Now that you have shortening zippers all figured out, go and sew all the Go To Jackets and make sure to post them in the Patterns for Pirates group!

All P4P today winners

Welcome to the 2018 #allP4Ptoday winner circle! I will be adding each monthly winner here so be sure to check out the blog often. You can get the contest details here.

DECEMBER

And just like that, yesterday we said good bye to 2018. Let me take a second to thank all of you who showed off your #allP4Ptoday outfits last year, you are an inspiration!

The December winner : @athomewithkaara !

We spotted Kaara on Instagram looking just gorgeous in her P4P birthday outfit. Who doesn’t need a faux leather Pencil Skirt? I know I do!

We see you on Instagram and in the P4P Facebook group, so remember to #allp4ptoday for a chance to win a P4P pattern of choice!

NOVEMBER

Time for another #allP4Ptoday winner! We’ve seen quite a few fall P4P outfits this month and loved them all.

November’s free pattern winner is:  Shauna Anderson! Looks like Shauna really loves her SOS pants and Ragdoll shirt. Such a comfortable combination.

We cannot wait to see what P4P patterns you’ll be sewing for the holiday season! Don’t forget to # the posts so we can find them easily and maybe get you a free pattern.

OCTOBER

And just like that the spookiest month of the year is gone. So much awesomeness was displayed in the P4P group during October. Thank you for incorporating Patterns for Pirates in your Halloween costumes too!

Our October #allP4Ptoday winner is ….Tamsyn Grant! How could we not? Just look at these 3 cuties. All 3 are sporting their mama made outfits and look adorable in them!

With two months left in the year, there’s still chances to win a P4P pattern of choice for 2018. Be sure to hashtag your post #allP4Ptoday so we can find it easily.

SEPTEMBER

Can you believe it’s the end of September already? The kiddos are back in school, some of you have cooler weather and the P4P group celebrated an amazing milestone…100k!  We’ve seen so many cute #allp4ptoday outfits this month too!

So without further ado…our September winner is…

Jennifer Patterson! 

Jennifer is rocking a beautiful Boundless layered with a Cocoon Cardigan that I have a feeling we all need in our lives! Simply gorgeous!

We’ve also spotted her rocking the Favorite Tee with SOS pants!

Keep the hashtags coming in October! I can’t wait to see how you incorporate P4P in your Halloween costumes!

 AUGUST

Ready for back to school? We’ve seen some really cute BTS #allp4ptoday outfits in the group this month. Can’t wait to see more!

Our August winner posted so many beautiful all P4P outfits we couldn’t even get them all in the blog. A big congratulations to….Aislinn Koenig

Isn’t she amazing? Keep those #allp4ptoday posts coming, a new winner will be picked next month too.

JULY

Ahoy, Pirates! These hot summer days have me thinking of fall, am I the only one? Whether you’re sewing yourself a new swim suit, a dress or getting ready for the new school year…don’t forget to show it off in the P4P group and hash tag it #allp4ptoday so we can see you and who knows, maybe even give you a FREE pattern.

Without further ado… our July winner is:

Kristin Richardson Morrison

She looks so beautiful and comfortable in her P4P outfit. Thank you for sharing, Kristin!

 

JUNE

Ohh wow! That is how I started my search for the June #allP4Ptoday winner. I am absolutely mesmerized by all the beautiful pictures that I’ve seen this summer month.

One of you stood out all month long so …. congratulations Sarah Anne!

You are our #allP4Ptoday winner for the month of June.

Sarah Anne has worn P4P almost daily! Doesn’t she look stunning in her me-made outfits? You have made us proud!

Keep on posting those #allP4P outfits!

MAY

Wow! You were all amazing during the big Me Made May month. I am so glad you did not forget to hashtag your all P4P creations. Our May winner is:

Jessica Rabbitt

Jessica is a veteran all P4P today poster, we see her every month and, between you and me, we get a tad jealous of her amazing shoe collection 😉 We love seeing all the bright patterns and colors that make her shine!

I can’t wait to see what you will be sewing in the month of June.

APRIL

April showers bring May flowers they say..well in the P4P group April brought a lot of cute, fun all P4P outfits.

So without further ado, join me in congratulating Jessica Lauren Byrne not only for winning the April #allP4Ptoday contest but for that new bundle of joy she just welcomed!

 

What a stunning P4P family! Great job!

I can’t wait to see your May Me Made creations!

 

 MARCH

Spring is in the air! Time for dresses and cardis, am I right? And speaking of dresses and cardigans…look how gorgeous is our March #allP4Ptoday winner!

Congratulations Rebekah Homer! That Sunshine Dress and Cocoon Cardigan look amazing on you!

We can’t wait to see what #allP4Ptoday outfits you will be showing off in April!

 FEBRUARY

 

And just like that, the shortest month of the year is behind us. We couldn’t end the month of love without announcing our #allP4Pwinner.

Congratulations Toochie Pharmd!!

Doesn’t she look absolutely stunning in her Boundless dresses? We just loved seeing Toochie rocking all P4P this month.

 

We can’t wait see your spring #allP4Ptoday in March!

 

JANUARY

You all rocked January in P4P outfits. As always, we loved seeing all your creations!

Without further ado…the first winner of 2018 is:

Valerie Savage

Does’s Valerie look ohh so adorable in her Peg Legs and Favorite Tee?

Thank you all for showing off the creations in the group. Keep those #allP4Ptoday pictures coming…next month’s winner may be YOU!

Petite Pegs – easy cuffs hack

How adorable are the new Petite Pegs? So much cuteness in such a small package. If you haven’t downloaded your FREE copy, do that here. Today on the blog I wanted to show you how to add cuffs to the Petite pegs.

We will start by shortening the length of the Petite Pegs by 1″. To do that simply grab a ruler and draw a line 1 inch above the ankle cut line. This will be your new pegs ankle length. Cut the two mirrored legs using this new cut line.

You will now be cutting the cuffs. I did the math for you so just follow the cutting chart below. Remember to cut two cuffs, one for each leg.

 

*If you babywear a lot you might find it helpful to double the cuff length.  This way the long cuff can be folded down over the heel. It’s a popular way to wear pants when you’re babywearing because otherwise the pant legs hike up and then the baby ankles stick out.

Sew the Petite Pegs as per the tutorial. Grab your little cuffs and fold them to create a memory hem. Press and steam.

Sew the cuffs to create a loop and fold them. Take a moment to look over the tips I gave you in the Knit Cuffs 101 blog. They will definitely come in handy when attaching these itty bitty cuffs to the little pegs.

Attach the cuffs to the leg opening with your serger or the sewing machine following a 1/2″ seam allowance. Make sure you match the cuffs’ side seams to the leggings inseam. Stretch the cuff to fit the leg opening.

When attaching the cuffs you can place your serger foot on the outside of the leg (as pictured above) or inside the leg (as pictured below). You will be working with a pretty small loop so go slow!

Tadah! There you have it, Petite Pegs with cuffs! I can’t wait to see your little creations!

Note: You may find it easier to attach the flat cuff to the leg instead of sewing the inseams and the cuff in a loop. You can certainly do that, you will be sewing the inseam after you attach the cuffs. You can read about some ways to finish your serger seam here.

P4P University – knit cuffs

Ahoy Pirates! In our first P4P University blog of the year I wanted to give you a few tips and tricks to make adding knit cuffs to your projects easy peasy. Whether you’re sewing for yourself, your significant other or your little ones, adding cuffs to your sleeves or leg openings can be a tedious job. We can change that!

*Choose the right fabric for the cuff!

As I mentioned in the Neckbands 101 blog post, choosing the correct fabric for your cuffs will make a huge difference. The best one is rib knit or ribbing. If you do not have any ribbing handy or the colors you have do not work for your project the next best thing would be cotton spandex. I mainly use cotton spandex in for my kids’ shirts and joggers cuffs as I like to coordinate it with the main fabric. Whatever fabric you pick, make sure it has at least 50% stretch and excellent recovery.

*Always cut the cuff with the greatest stretch horizontally.

Always cut your cuffs cross grain! Even if the fabric you use stretches over 50% in both directions, you should never cut against the grain. Read all about the importance of “the grain” in Roberta’s blog post, When It Goes Against the Grain. 

*Press your cuffs!

I know I talk about pressing a lot in my blogs, but you have to believe me, it makes your sewing life so much easier. I recommend grabbing those cuffs and giving them a good steam press as soon as you cut your fabric. This will create a memory hem that will make it so much easier to fold them once you sew the “loop” closed.

Press your cuffs after you sew them on too! 🙂

*Snip the seam allowance to create less bulk

This is one of tricks for creating less bulk at he seam. Once you sew the cuff to create a loop, grab your sharpest scissors and make a cut as close to the stitch as possible without, of course, snipping the stitch.

That little snip will make it so easy to please the seam allowances on opposite sides when you sew fold the cuff. In doing so, you will have so much less bulk at the seam, your serger will thank you! 🙂

*Place your sleeve inside the cuffs

Mark the quarter points on the sleeve (or leg) opening as well as the cuffs. I find that for the smallest of sizes, marking just the half point is sufficient.

To make sure you will not have your seam allowance on the outside of your sleeve (or ankle) 😉 place the right side of your sleeve inside the cuff and match the quarter (or half way) points.

*Sew or serge with the presser foot inside the sleeve

Most of the time the sleeve opening is pretty small so I find that it is easier the place the presser foot of my serger (or sewing machine) inside the sleeve as opposed to stitching on the outside. This is especially important when you make Baby Bear Joggers or and kids shirts with cuffs, like the Jolly Roger Raglan or the Yo Ho Henley.

*Do not topstitch.

As opposed to necklines, I find that cuffs and waistbands look a lot better if you do not topstitch them down. I do encourage you to press your garments when you finish sewing it, including the cuffs.

There you have it! 7 easy tips to follow when adding cuffs to your favorite P4P knit patterns. My boys are both rocking the JRR with add on cowl neck from the pack and faux layered sleeves from the blog.

Which one will you be making first? Make sure you post your creations in the P4P group and let me know if adding cuffs is now an easier “task”. 🙂

 

RagDoll easy hacks

 

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Cold Shoulder

 

 

 

With the off the shoulder look being all the rave right now, I just had to show you how easy it is to get the look with our newest Ragdoll pattern. I will show you two different looks, one more modest and one sexier if you will. The technique will be the same for both you will just make the sleeve cut out different sizes. Feel free to play with it to get your desired cold shoulder size.

Start by printing the pattern in your size. You will be cutting out a portion of the sleeves as in the graphic below.

Hem the cutout using a 1/2″ hem allowance. The easiest way to do that is to steam press and pin it in place with a lot of pins (or clips). Stitch with your coverstitch, a twin needle or a zig zag stitch. Don’t forget to give it a good press after you hem it.

Sew the shirt or dress as shown in the pattern tutorial. All we have left to do now is attach the neckband. Press 1/2″ memory hem as shown below.

Fold the neckband lengthwise and press it really well. Sew the short sides together to create a loop. Mark the center back (where the seam is) and the center front.

Match the center back of the neckband with the center back of the shirt. Slightly stretch the unfolded neckband and pin it to the back. Repeat for the front of the shirt. Using a stretch stitch, sew the neckband to the shirt right sides together.

Using the memory hem you created earlier enclose the front and back of the shirt and stitch the neckband with either your coverstitch machine, twin needles or a zig zag stitch.

All you have to do now is give the neckband a good steam press and show off your new cold shoulder shirt.

Play around with the cut-out size and get more looks!

. . . . .

Tie Back

 

 

During Raglan Week last year, we showed how to create a keyhole back for the Slim Fit Raglan (here), so I knew a tie back option for the RagDoll Raglan had to be done.  Instead of binding the neckline, I decided to do a spaghetti strap style tie.  You can really use anything for your ties; lace, ribbon, etc. but will show you how to make the spaghetti straps.

Cut your patterns pieces as usual:

  • front, back with low scoop option, 2 sleeves (mirror image).
  • For the ties, I did 1.5″ x 22″.  You can adjust to your preference but found this to be a good length for me.
  • Neckband: as per pattern but less 3″ from the width measurement on the cut chart.  Example: Size large is 2.75″ x 26.75″ so my adjusted neckband is 2.75′ x 23.75″.

Construct your pattern as provided in the tutorial but skip hemming the low back curve.  We will do that after the back has been attached to the sleeves.

Now to create the ties.

Now, we can finish the neckband.

The tie back gives a much more open back but is perfect to show off all those strappy bralettes :).

 

. . . . .

Twist Back

We couldn’t have ended this hack series without a twist back. For this option, you will need to print and cut the low back option. You will not be adding the neckband to this hack so the shirt neckline will be 1.5″ lower than the intended look of the pattern. You may need to wear a cami underneath (like the Cross My Heart Cami) or you can raise the neckline prior to cutting the fabric. Check out this “how to” blog!

Place the back top piece 1/2″ away from the fold line.

Using a 1/2″ hem allowance, hem the top and bottom. You can use a coverstitch, a zig zag stitch or twin needles.

Twist the top piece twice so the right side of both the left and right sides are up. Baste the top and bottom pieces together as in the tutorial.

Attach the sleeves matching the notches. There will be 1/2″ excess fabric at the top which will be hemmed next.

Hem the neckline with a 1/2″ hem allowance. All you have left to do is give the shirt a good press and show it off!

 

. . . . .

Off the Shoulder

Last but not least, we couldn’t leave you without a full off the shoulder option.  Using the same idea that we did for the Relaxed Raglan (here), we’re going to remove some height to all the pattern pieces (front, back, and sleeve).  Also, be sure to move your notches to help you keep the pieces in order and you know which side lines up with one another.

For the band, I used the same measurement as the waistband in the pattern.  In hindsight, I could have made it a smidge tighter around the shoulders but as is doesn’t move around too much. Now, I didn’t measure each size, but just to be safe…..measure your neckline once you’ve completed the main pieces.  Make your band between 80-85% (plus seam allowance) of the opening.  (Unsure how to measure the neckline? Check out this blog post for more details.) Mark in quarter and stitch just like you would a waistband. As with any neckband though, be sure your band has good recovery! This will help keep it up on your shoulders. 🙂

Make a RagDoll Raglan?  Be sure so share you makes in the Facebook Group or tag us on Instragram!

Timeless Tunic – Boho hack

 

In one of my daily Pinterest browsing sessions (admit it, we all do it!) I came across some great boho tops that just screamed fall to me. Needless to say I had to have one so in today’s blog I will show you how to create this simple boho shirt using just the Timeless Tunic pattern and a few easy modifications.

Start by printing your pattern in your size. You will only need the bodice pieces and the sleeves (if you are not making the tank option). Skip the skirt! Measure the front and back bottom width. We need that measurement to create the gathered skirt. Since the look we’re going for is a relaxed boho style we will not be adding the elastic casing or the elastic.

Cut the skirt part of the top 9″ by 1.5x bottom width. If you prefer your top longer you can certainly make the pieces 11-12″ instead of 9″. You will cut two pieces, one for the front and one for the back.

Using your favorite gathering method (serger gather, zig zag over dental floss, longest stitch/highest tension, etc) gather the top of the skirt pieces to match the bottom of the top.

Sew the top as per the pattern instructions.

Using a 1/2″ seam allowance, sew the side seams of the skirt to create a loop. Attach the gathered skirt to the top matching the side seams.

Optionally, top stitch the skirt to the top.

All you have to do now is hem the skirt (using a 1/2″ hem ) and enjoy your new boho top. I absolutely love this top paired with the Cocoon Cardigan and some SOS knit pants or Peg Legs.

I can’t wait to see your take on this top so be sure to post your creations in the P4P group.

 

Sew what do I wear…Professional Edition

It’s that time of the year again…time for the Sew What do I wear blog tour hosted by Made for Mermaids and P4P. This season a group of very talented women are bringing you inspiration for business wear outfits so make sure to check them all out.

As busy professionals on the go one of the most important thing to keep in mind when sewing your office outfits is time! How much spare time to you have? How many outfits can you treat yourself to in the allotted sewing time? Easy and fast patterns will help you get many looks in a short amount of time.

Keeping that in mind, for today’s blog I chose two of the fastest to sew P4P patterns, the Brunch Blouse and the Pirate Pencil skirt. Both patterns have a minimal number of pattern pieces and are super fast to put together.

For a more edgy look I use some vegan stretch leather when I made the Pirate Pencil Skirt . I loved the look of the skirt un-hemmed so I just skipped this step all together…boom! Even a faster sew now!

As I was sewing the top length Brunch Blouse I realized I wanted to add some extra details to it but without much work 😉 Store bought single fold bias tape to the rescue! Instead of finishing the neckline with the bias tape on the inside (as per the pattern tutorial), I did a switcharoo and put the bias tape on the outside of the neckline. I finished the bottom of the shirt using the same technique. The bias tape hem add a little extra to the shirt, doesn’t it?

There you have it! Two easy to sew patterns and a pair of of stilettos and you made yourself a edgy office attire. If you live in a colder weather are, throw a Cocoon Cardigan over and you’re ready for a stylish day at work.

Make sure you check out all the amazing blogs that joined us for this tour!

Wiggle Dress – easy hacks

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Separates

The full-length mermaid-esque dress is gorgeous, but maybe you want to pair it with a different top or choose different fabrics?  With this simple hack, you can create a gorgeous set and wear them as separates.  For the skirt, cut along the crop cutline.  Stitch the center back seam and each side seam.  Using the cropped band measurement and instructions, attach to the top edge of the skirt.  Easy peasy!

How cute is Katy in this Ariel inspired Haloween outfit!

And seriously, how amazing is this sequin skirt!!

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Color-Block Bodice

Keeping with the concept of separates, but perhaps you still wanted a dress. Doing a color-block bodice gives you a chance to mix up your fabrics. Since there is already a crop cutline on the pattern pieces that hits at the natural waist, we will be using that as a guideline. Re-trace the crop cutline 1/2″ above and below it to create your seam allowance on both the front and back pattern pieces.  Cut your new top bodice and bottom skirt from both front and back.  For the back, you will have 2 back top bodices (mirror image) and 2 back bottom skirt (mirror image) pieces.  For assembly, with right sides together, stitch with a 1/2″ seam allowance the front bodice to the front skirt. Repeat for both back bodice and skirt pieces.  Continue construction as provided int he pattern. 🙂

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Decorative Button Back

Adding embellishments to your dress can give it some extra special details that will set it apart from the next.  Since the pattern is drafted for stable knits, you do not need a zipper or functional buttons to put it on, so these buttons are purely for decorative reasons.  I love the finishing touch it gives the back. Using the center back seam as a guideline, I hand stitched pearl buttons every 1/2″.  I used the zipper lengths as mentioned in the tutorial as a guide where to end my button placement.  For this version, I used a total of 13 buttons. ”

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Straps for off the shoulder

Love the off the shoulder but hate wearing strapless bras? No problem! Let’s add some cute straps to the Wiggle off the shoulder dress that will cover your bra straps. Print the off the shoulder option of the pattern and sew it up as per the pattern tutorial. Stop at the neckline finishing steps. Cut two pieces of fabric 4″x 9.5″. These will be your straps. The length of your straps may vary slightly based on the size you make.

Fold the straps lengthwise and sew them side with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Turn the straps inside out and press them with the seam in the center.

For perfect straps placement, try the dress on with your favorite bra. Mark with a pin or a clip where the bra straps will be.

Sew the straps to the dress with the right sides together. Finish the neckline as per the pattern tutorial.

That’s all! You now have yet a new style of the new Wiggle dress!

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Sleeveless

The Wiggle Dress is already packed with soo many options and great for every season but I don’t know about anyone else but summer here is HOT!! I can not handle any type of sleeves at all so a sleeveless version of the Wiggle dress would be what I would want for summer and lucky for me it is a really quick and easy hack.  Let’s get started.

First, you are going to cut all your pieces except for your sleeves.  You do not need to modify the armscye at all for this hack so just cut your front and back as usual.  Sew the shoulder seams and side seams as directed in the pattern, but skip the section for adding a sleeve.   Next, you will iron and pin your armscye to the wrong side 1/2″ inch as shown below. Topstitch using your favorite stretch stitch.

 

Now just finish up the dress or top as instructed in the pattern and you’re done. Quick, right!?

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Full Zipper Back

As soon as I saw the Wiggle dress I knew I had to make a full zipper back! So I took it up a notch and bought a dual zipper. This style zipper opens at the top and bottom. You can add this zipper to the high back, low back or even the off the shoulder option as well as the above, bellow or midi length. Just make sure the zipper you use is long enough! As a point of reference, I used a 48″ zipper for the high back, midi length style.

Start by marking the hem on the center back seam.

Add a strip of 1/4″ Wonder Tape to the center back seam, 1.4″ away from the edge. Start at the point you marked above and stop 1/2″ away from the top.

Repeat with the other back piece.

Remove the paper backing of the Wonder tape and adhere the zipper right sides together. Sew in place with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Zip up the zipper and place the other side of the back piece, right sides together, making sure that the bottom and top match.

Sew in place and top stitch.

Now that you have your back piece ready, sew the dress as per the tutorial. You will be enclosing the zipper in the bottom hem as shown below.

All done! Now all you have to decide is where the next date night will be! 🙂

 

I loved the idea of a full-length zipper like Alex showed us above, but when it came to finding one locally, I wasn’t able to get one the length I needed.  I did find a chunky zipper that would be perfect to use as an exposed zipper and just so happened to work out that it’s finished length was about knee length.  I opted to go with the midi length and do a split hem at the center back.  You will install your zipper the same as you would in the tutorial, except place it on the RIGHT side of the fabric with the wrong side of the zipper centered along the back seam.

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Lace Applique

I’ll be honest, Judy created this dress while we were pre-testing and I had to replicate it.  Adding a lace applique is super easy but adds a super sexy and classic flair.  For this particular version, the lace extends along the entire side seam, so I constructed my bodice first, added the lace to the top, then sewed my sleeves on so that the lace was enclosed in the armscye.  You can, of course, add lace wherever you’d prefer, such as the neckline or bottom hem but I love the silhouette the wide stripe gave from the front and back.   I used a fairly narrow zig-zag stitch down the center seam and along each edge of the stretch lace trim.  Be sure to keep your lace taut as you sew along the waist and hip curves.

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Front Leg Slit

What sexy dress doesn’t include a slit!  Show off those legs and add a front slit to your wiggle.

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Sweetheart/Wiggle Mash

We couldn’t end this epic hacks series without a Wiggle dress/Sweetheart mash up. I just had to make myself a black velvet and lace long dress. We all need one in our closets, right?

This mash is super easy. Simply take the front patterns of the wiggle dress and mark the sweetheart color-block lines using the Sweetheart dress top pattern piece. Don’t forget to add the seam allowance!

Sew the two front pieces (lace and velvet) as suggested in the Sweetheart pattern.

Once you do that simply follow the directions in the Wiggle Dress pattern to finish your dress. I used lace for my sleeves too. Since I didn’t have any black elastic and I certainly couldn’t use white elastic for the neckline, I used clear elastic instead. It worked like a charm!

Tadah! Just by adding a sexy sweetheart color block front, you took your Wiggle dress up a notch!

Holy Moly…. I think we covered just about every hack we could come up with to take The Wiggle Dress to the next level (if it wasn’t already on its own)!  Make a Wiggle? Hop on over to the Facebook Group, and share your makes, we’d love to see it!

V-neckbands 101

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

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

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

Don’t skip the stay stitch!

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

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

 

Always press the V neckband!

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

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

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

Sew the V points with the sewing machine!

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

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

 

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

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