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”. 🙂
Pattern Markings 101
Many moons ago, I can remember calling my mom in a panic. I had printed out my first pattern for a garment, assembled it, and then just stared at all of the markings! Even though I’d sewn quilts for years before, this was my first attempt at making clothes and the pattern looked like a map in which I had no clue how to follow. After my “what did I get myself into” talk with her, she slowly walked me through each question I had and now after all these years we’ve come full circle and I’m making clothes for her!
Like many people, you will probably experience (or already have!) the “What have I done?” moment in sewing and question why you started a project to begin with. Have no fear! We’re here to help. We decided it was time to break that map down for you and help you learn how to navigate through the amazing world of garment sewing. In this post, you’ll find a description of all the key terms and symbols you might expect to see when starting your sewing adventures! So let’s get those patterns printed, assembled and let the fun begin! (If you’re staring at all of those pages you’ve just printed- don’t worry there either! Click here for our First Time User Tips, which includes how to assemble patterns).
Grainline
The grainline tells you which direction the grain of your fabric should run. The grainline will run parallel between the selvages, or finished edges of your fabric. There are usually printer markings, contrasting trims, solid colors, etc found on the selvage. Typically, your grainline will have the less amount of stretch in knit fabric. A few weeks ago, Roberta shared some details and information about grainlines, why they’re important, and much more. You can check that out here.
Stretch
The stretch of your fabric will run perpendicular to the grainline/selvage and will be the direction with the most stretch. As you can see in the picture below, the stretch is running the opposite way as the grainline. It is extremely important to have the right direction of stretch when it comes to the fit of your garment. The stretch will go around your body for most pattern pieces and is accounted for when the ease of a pattern is drafted (read more about ease here). For example, if a pattern is drafted with negative ease (finished measurements are smaller than your body) and you have the stretch going in the wrong direction, chances are, it won’t fit.
Fold
If a pattern piece is symmetrical on both sides, you will notice the center with a “FOLD” marking. This is commonly found on pieces such as the bodice, back, or sleeve in which both the left and right sides have the same appearance. You will want to fold your fabric wide enough for your pattern piece and align this marking to the fold of the fabric. To help conserve fabric, I like to fold it just wide enough for the pattern piece (shown above). A common error can be to fold the fabric exactly down the middle, leaving wasted material.
Notches
You might have noticed small triangles on some pattern pieces. These notches serve several different purposes. One of the purposes is to help distinguish the back from the front. For example, something like a raglan style top can easily get mixed up when assembling. These notches will help keep the front with the front and back with the back. The second purpose is to help with alignment. By matching these notches up, your pieces will be in the correct position.
TIP: I always cut my notches out rather than in as to avoid accidentally cutting too far into the seam allowance.
Hem Gauge
You will typically find a hem gauge on both the sleeves and bottom edges. This is usually a triangular shape that notches out. It will mark the correct allowance for your hem. This is particularly useful when creating a memory hem. All you will need to do is fold your fabric up to this notch, press and unfold. Once you’ve sewn the seams, you will still have your pressed fold in place with the correct seam allowance.
Cut Chart
Most Patterns for Pirates patterns will include a cut chart. The cut chart is typically found within the first few pages of the tutorial and will give measurements for any rectangular pieces. For example, items like neckbands, cuffs, waistbands and elastic would all be found here. Some designers will included these as actual pattern pieces, however by providing a cut chart, you are able to save on both paper and ink. When cutting these pieces, I find it easiest to do so using a quilters ruler and rotary cutter.
Hopefully these tips help! Remember that we are always here to help, especially in our Facebook group. If you’re not a already a member, be sure to join so that you can ask questions and share all of your amazing Patterns for Pirates creations!
~ Erinn
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!
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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 :).
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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!
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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!
When It Goes Against the Grain
Woven Fabrics
We make woven fabrics on a loom. The weaver strings the lengthwise threads first, and we call them the “warp”. Then threads are woven through them creating the fabric. We call these horizontal threads the “weft” or the “woof”. We’ve named the edges of the fabric the “selvages” or “selvedges”, and we weave them more tightly to prevent fraying.
The warp creates the “straight grain” of the fabric, and the weft creates the “cross grain”.
Pattern pieces have grainlines printed on them. They are either arrows or fold lines.
When we cut a pattern out, the best way is to fold the fabric carefully on the straight grain of the fabric, lining up the selvages . If you need to straighten the ends of your fabric, take a snip through the selvage near one end. Then pull a horizontal thread. The missing thread will create a straight line for you to cut along.
Then place the pattern pieces down carefully with the grain lines on the pattern piece lined up with the straight grain of the fabric.
An easy way to check if your pattern piece is “on-grain” is to measure from the line on the pattern piece to the selvages in a couple of places. The distance should be the same.
It’s important for long pattern pieces, especially something like a pant leg, to be grain perfect. If it’s not, the garment will twist, and once you cut it, there’s nothing you can do to fix it. You’ll also never be able to match stripes or plaids if you cut off-grain.
Smaller pieces like pockets, collars, cuffs, and yokes can be cut on the straight grain, the cross grain, or the bias no matter what the lines on the pattern say. The “bias” is the direction that’s 45 degrees from the straight grain. It has more drape than either the straight grain or the cross, and edges cut on the bias don’t fray.
When you cut major pieces on the bias, it’s important to cut them in opposite directions or your whole garment will twist. But it’s not important for small pieces like pockets.
You can mark the bias on your pattern piece with a protractor or a quilting ruler.
Over time fabrics cut on the cross grain will droop more than then fabric cut on the straight. It’s not a problem for something like a skirt or pants made from a border print. The droop won’t be noticeable in the normal lifetime of the garment. You might see it in heavy curtains, though.
Knit Fabrics
Technically, knit fabrics don’t have a grain, but the direction you cut your pieces out matters just as much. Big machines make knit fabric, but they work the same way we knit with yarn and needles. Some machines knit back and forth and some knit in the round. One results in a fabric with selvage-like edges and other in a tube of fabric.
No matter what yarn is used to create the knit fabric, the single knit process will result in a horizontal stretch in the fabric we call the “mechanical stretch”. Fabrics that only have horizontal stretch are usually called “two-way stretch”. The addition of elastane (Spandex, Lycra, etc.) to the yarns can create a fabric with both horizontal and vertical stretch, and it is usually described as “four-way stretch”. Whether the fabric is two-way or four-way, the horizontal stretch should be the circumference of your garment.
While the amount of elastane in the yarns might make the fabric stretchy enough for the garment to fit you cut with the vertical stretch used as the circumference, you shouldn’t cut it that way. If the mechanical stretch in the fabric hangs vertically, you’ll get elephant knees, saggy elbows, and baggy crotches. You can use the same method for making sure your pattern is lined up so the grainlines on your pattern are parallel to the edges of your fabric that we use for wovens. Knit patterns often have the horizontal stretch line marked, too.
There’s a saying in sewing- The fabric always wins. There is probably nowhere in sewing where fighting the fabric is more futile than not paying attention to the grain.
Roberta
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.
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!
P4P University- Ease
Ease is a term using to describe how much extra fabric there is around your body after the garment is sewn up. In sewing and pattern groups you often see the question, “Does this run big/small/true to size?” And most the time the same pattern and size will have an array of answers! Confusing right? The truth is the pattern is designed with a certain amount of ease the designer has picked based on the size chart.
So, when the designer like me drafts a pattern they decide how much ease they want for the intended fit. They use not only the listed body measurements, but an entire book of standard/average measurements for each part of the body to give the pattern a certain amount of ease everywhere along the body. I try to give the most important measurements in the measurement chart and finished measurements to help you pick the perfect size for your preference of fit. I usually have more measurements in the tutorial than on the listing pictures so that when you’re ready to pick a size for that certain garment you can see if you need to modify, grade between sizes on that particular pattern. Here is the size chart within the tutorial for the Peg Legs:
Some ease is needed for certain garments. Woven/non-stretch fabrics require much more ease since they don’t stretch. A body requires ease to move, bend, breathe, etc comfortably. Designers use the recommended amount in general for guidelines and can add more if they want a looser fit. Knit garments can, and often do have negative ease. Negative ease means the garment finishes smaller than your body and much stretch to fit on to your body as well as when you move.
There is a very wide span of “what fits” within a single garment. For a knit shirt using a stretchy fabric- lets pick cotton spandex with about 75% stretch) you can have up to about 50% negative ease and still move and breath, this would be what most would call “skin tight”. You can also have a few inches of ease for a looser fit, what most would call relaxed or baggy. And within that range, everything technically “fits” because you have enough ease for movement. The rest is up to the designer to create the design ease they have in mind. When the question is asked, “Is it true to size?” it really can’t be answered. It is true to the designer’s intended fit with the amount of ease they drafted into the garment. Whether it is how much ease you prefer personally for that garment depends on if your personal preference is the same as the intended fit. I’m always surprised to see someone post in our FB group “this is huge” or “it’s too tight”, I try very hard to show intended fit through listing pictures, use the best describing words in the listing and give a good description in the tutorial along with the measurements. But, what one person with the exact same measurements and fabric choice finds “too snug” another might describe as “huge”. It’s all personal preference!
Lets think about what a big range that is… I’m going to go down to 30% negative ease since this is a pretty tight standard athletic/swim amount of ease, most clothes wont be tighter unless we’re going to add in compression fit/slimming undergarments. I will do hips at 40 (top end of the medium). So you could easily have a well drafted pant pattern with a finished full hip measurement of anywhere from 28″ all the way to 45″ depending on the intended fit and suggested fabrics. Most knit pants can easily range from 28″-42″ depending on the kind of knit they’re drafted for.
Woven pants don’t have quite the range, since you take away the option of having negative ease and using stretch for the movement ease needed. But, A woven pant for a 40″ full hip can still range from about 42″ up to 46″ depending on the intended look of the design. We very often get the question if you can sew a knit pattern with a woven non stretch fabric. The answer is mostly no. Most knit patterns depend on the stretch of the fabric to give some, if not all, of that movement ease you HAVE to have for your body to comfortably move, bend, breathe, get the garment on and off, etc. If you would like to know how much wearing ease you need to get the slimmest possible woven garment there are ways to measure that. For your full hip you can place the measuring tape around your full hip-mine is about 40″. Keep the tape carefully in place, but loosen your grip at the front. Very slowly sit down, or bend/squat. You will notice that the tape will pull and need more room. This is called your “sitting spread”. Lovely name right 😉 , but it is how much you “spread” when you sit/squat. You need this much ease or extra fabric around your hip in any woven garment to be able to move comfortably. There are tighter dresses out there with less ease there, but you aren’t sitting cross legged on the floor in that tight woven pencil skirt. You probably aren’t even sitting comfortably in it. The hip is the easiest measurement to check your ease need. But, the same concept can be a check for bust, arms, thighs, etc. putting the tape measurer around and moving and breathing, letting the tape slide to the biggest range you use while moving. If you check this sitting/moving measurement against the finished measurements of the pattern you will know if you can use a non-stretch fabric and still move comfortably.
I did a quick video about measuring your needed “wearing ease” here:
A designer’s job is to choose how much ease they want for a certain intended fit and look. Lets take one of my patterns The Pumpkin Spice Dolman. It is a looser cut with a quite a lot of ease through the bust and about 0 ease at the full hip. I intended it to be a loose, slouchy fit and works best with fabric that has a soft drape. Some might find the design ease I added too much if they don’t like the loose, slouchy look. It doesn’t mean the pattern “runs big” since that is exactly the amount of ease intended for the look I was after. It just means you prefer a tighter fit that intended.
A slimmer cut shirt like the Slim Fit Raglan or Layer Me Up has negative ease at the best and less ease through the body. Again, this doesn’t mean the pattern “runs small” it is meant to be smaller and tighter as designed.
Lets take another pattern, this time a fitted one, the Peg Legs. The Pegs are a traditional tight fit legging with negative ease. The standard ease used in athletic wear is usually 20-30%. The Pegs are right in the middle through legs and up at the higher end at 30% at full hip and high hip. Since they do not have elastic I preferred the tighter end of normal to help them from inching down. We’ve seen them compared to others with less negative ease and neither are wrong, just a different preference on how fitted the designer had in mind.
Now lets talk about how you can use this knowledge to your advantage in sewing for yourself! Once you understand ease and fabric choices you can essentially make the perfect garment fit you every time before even cutting! WHAT? I know, amazing right? Now, this doesn’t happen overnight. It’s something you will come to learn about your preferences over time and experimenting. But, the more you pay attention to both your fabric choices and the design ease the faster you will get there!
Take all the clothes you love and look at them, study them! For that matter take the ones that you think are a little tight or loose too. How much ease does it have to your body? On the bust, waist, hip? What fabric is it made out of (this doesn’t have to be exact, but “thin and drapey or thick and stable categories work well). Now you can apply this to your sewing choices. You will learn if you like a looser fit with those thinner drapey knits- or a tighter fit with those. Maybe you tend to always love thicker stable knits with you do have a more fitted garment. Whatever you find in your “research” try to apply that to your pattern, fabric, size choices. If you know you tend to like at least 2″ of ease at your waist you can know if you want to grade in or out at a waist on any t-shirt pattern. Maybe you only like knit pants with some negative ease on the booty… When you open up a new knit pant pattern you can pick your size off that finished measurement chart and know for certain you’ll like the fit on the booty. If you are just beginning it’s something you will want to make an effort to pay attention to. Eventually it will become second nature 🙂 You’ll be able to open up a new pattern and know just how to use it to create YOUR OWN intended fit if you happen to not love the designer’s intended fit.
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