Month: May 2015

May 26, 2015

Pattern Alterations for 6101 Skirt Pt.2

Here’s part two to last weeks post on pattern alterations to the 6101 skirt. It’s dedicated to adding length after a question I got through Instagram. The skirt is designed to fall above the knee, but sometimes you just want a little more coverage (getting caught over a windy subway grate is a good reason for me!). There’s a few different ways you can approach lengthening the skirt, depending on how you want it to look and also how much effort you want to put into it 😉

Adding Length

The first decision is where you want to add length: Do you want to keep the hip and front panels the same size and just increase the length of the rest of the skirt? or do you want to extend the whole silhouette?
For the first option, mark halfway down the centre front seam and the side seam. Then fold the pattern piece in half vertically so the side seam meets the centre front seam, mark the middle point on that creased line. Now join the three marks together in one horizontal line (it won’t be straight) and cut.
Spread the pieces down by however much length you want to add and secure in place. To balance the length with the volume of the flare; take the top part of the pattern piece, draw a line that extends down from the side seam. On the lower panel piece, slash along the middle crease line and spread that piece out so it fits against the continuing side seam line. Repeat the same process for the back pattern pieces. Now you’re ready to cut and sew.
If you want to lengthen the whole skirt proportionately, start by marking the halfway point on the side front pattern piece – the easiest way to do this is by folding it in half vertically so the top and bottom edges meet. Then mark it’s corresponding depth onto the centre front panel. Slash along this line and spread to extend the length. I would personally only increase this section by 1/3 of the total desired increase as the side panel are designed to fit against the body stopping just above hips/widest point of the body. Then repeat the process I described above for increasing the length of the lower skirt, but only extending it by the remaining 2/3 of your total increase.
You could get really fancy and add an additional slash line that cuts across the top portion of the lower panel and the lower portion of the centre front panel. This would extend the length of the front panel proportionately along with the length of the lower pieces. This change entails more work as you need to ensure you re-draft nice smooth curves and ensure the corresponding seam lengths match at that point too.
If you want to shorten it then you would follow the same slash and spread methods i’ve described above, but instead of extending everything down, you would overlap the pieces by the necessary amount.
Don’t forget to lengthen your lining pieces as well! The simplest way is by folding the pattern piece into thirds horizontally and slash and spread at the two points.
Make sure you keep the height of the side seam slits the same so that you don’t restrict room for movement, and if you’re lengthening the skirt substantially you may want to make french tacks to loosely hold the lining to the skirt on the inside so you don’t have too much separation.
So that’s some of the techniques you can try out.

May 22, 2015

Pattern Alterations for 6101 Skirt Pt.1

Let’s take a look at some basic changes you can do to the 6101 skirt pattern. This originally turned out to be a monstrously long post, so i’m splitting it out into two. Here’s part one, so grab a cuppa/cocktail/beer and read on!

Grading Between Sizes

This skirt is designed to fit smoothly against the body from the wait down to the hips then flare out at this point, with the lower edge of the side front panel should hit just at your widest point. You would grade between sizes on this pattern the same manner as any other pattern. I only really want to highlight an option that I played around with a different way of grading for my own version of this skirt. I kept the front panel the size of my waist measurement and then I graded out more at the side seams to accommodate the additional fabric needed that would have come from the front panel. That way it maintained the shape & size of the front panel but still gave my butt all the room it needs to move!
The pink line is what I cut. The blue line in the middle would be a normal grade between sizes.

Adding More Flare

This is the simplest of pattern alterations. The skirt is designed with subtle folds and flare at the sides of the skirt, but if you want a little more oomph, then follow these steps:
You will need the Back and Lower Front skirt pattern pieces and some additional spare paper. We’re going to use a ‘slash and spread’ method for this alteration. Start by drawing in the stitching line on the top curve of the pattern piece.
It’s best to divide the additional flare evenly on the curve, so draw three vertical lines in the curved area of the pattern piece. Then cut from the hem up to (but not through) the stitching line on the top curved edge, snip from the top curved edge down to the stitching line, leaving a hairs breadth of paper joining all the pieces. By keeping that top seam edge in tact ensures it will still fit to it’s corresponding seam on the side panels when you sew them together.
Place the spare paper underneath the pattern piece and secure them together near the centre edge. Now you can decide how much additional flare you want to add – for this example we’ll add 2.5cm/1″ between each section. measure and mark 2.5cm/1″ from the edge, them spread the first cut section open until the lower inside corner meets that mark, secure it in place. Then continue with all the sections, but marking, spreading and securing them down in their new position.
Once they’re in their new position, you’ll need to draw in the new hem curve and top seam curve, smoothing out any corners and bumps. Don’t forget the hem curves up at the side seams so it has a varied curve.

Stretch Fabrics

It’s a little more comfortable to wear as it provides a little more give with body movement, and natural expansion during the day (four O’clock tea and biscuits anyone?). If you want to use a stretch fabric for this skirt then you can make a few extra changes to the construction and pattern.
I recently made a neoprene version of this skirt. The neoprene I used was a hefty 4mm thick so topstitching the seam allowances was a must to keep them open. Because it doesn’t fray I left the hem edge raw. The neoprene has generous stretch so I omitted the centre back closure in favour of an elastic waistline. All you need to do is remove the centre back seam allowance from the pattern piece and cut it as one with the centre back ‘on the fold’ or if you’re cutting the fabric flat, you flip the piece over at the centre back line..
For the waistline to remove any unnecessary bulk and in order to keep it flat as possible, cut a 1″ wide elastic the length of the skirt waistline (add some seam allowance) and sew it into a loop. Then zig-zag stitch it to the stitching line on the right side of the waistline raw edge. Flip it to the inside and then tack it down with a few stitches, by using the stitch in the ditch method at each of the seam joins around the waistline.
Let me know if you have any questions about any other changes, the next post will cover lengthening the skirt.

May 19, 2015

Pattern Alterations for 1301 Summer Top

I thought I would write a little about potential fitting changes you might need to make to the 1301 summer top.

Shorten or Lengthen the Bodice

If you’re petite or long in torso length then take your bodice pattern and fold it into thirds horizontally (from the shoulder notch). Cut along the crease lines that you just created, then either spread or overlap by as much as you need to, and smooth out the curves and seam lines where you overlapped or spread the pattern pieces.
If you’re just short-waisted or long waisted, you can fold the pattern in half from the hem up to the bust dart apex, and slash and spread/overlap where you made the horizontal crease.

Full or Small Bust Adjustment

Maison Fleur patterns are designed for a C-cup, if you’re smaller or bigger then you’re likely to need to make an adjustment on the front bodice to either remove or add room for you bust. There’s a million tutorials out here on the internet so I won’t be reinventing any wheels here:
If you’re doing an FBA and it feels like there’s way too much fabric in that dart, you can draw seam allowance around the dart legs and trim away the middle excess fabric.

Sleeve Adjustments to version 3 Puff Kimono Sleeve:

Adding More Puff to the Kimono Sleeve

If you want more puff or room around the shoulder for the sleeve variation you can approach it one of two ways; either with a slash and spread method or by blending from your overall size to a larger one that will accommodate the additional space you want to create. Below is an illustration of slashing and spreading/overlapping for a balanced change in the volume of fabric at the sleeve.
This will increase/decrease the amount of fabric that is gathered and sewn to the sleeve facing. For wearing comfort I would suggest that you have the majority of the fabric gathering on the outer areas of the arm, and avoid adding too much bulk to the underarm area.

Wide Bicep Adjustment

The kimono sleeve sits at the bicep on the arm. I would recommend measuring your bicep and comparing it to the measurement of the sleeve facing. Ideally you’ll want some ease for movement and comfort. If your bicep measurement is smaller or larger than the pattern size you would start by completing the above step to adding more room to the sleeve by slashing and spread/overlap the pattern piece by however much you need to, then you’ll want to adjust the sleeve facing so it will fit better around the bicep.
Cut along the long ends of the sleeve facing, parallel to the short edge. Then spread or overlap by the amount you need and secure into place.
I think that covers some of the most common changes for bodices I can think of for now, let me know in the comments if there’s anything else you’d like me to cover.

May 12, 2015

Introducing Pattern 6104 the Box Pleat Skirt

Both charming and sweet, the 6104 is a skirt that will never go out of style. With its classic A-line cut and adorable pleating, this can be worn with anything and for any occasion. If you need further proof that this is the perfect item for any woman’s closet, the skirt even features pockets because–as all of us know–the best clothes are always fashionable and practical.

The 6104 is a fitted, lined skirt that falls above the knee. The front features a flattering curved yoke with a single wide box pleat down the centre front. The welt pockets, with their ergonomically designed pocket-bag shape, are fully functional—large enough for your full hand and entirely useful for storing small items like a driver’s license or credit card. The pocket-bag shape is my absolute favourite (seriously, I cannot go on enough about how much I love this pocket) for any and all designs—whether it be for sewing patterns or garments made for industry clients.

The back of the skirt is kept clean and simple with darts for shaping and a zipper closure. The lining includes a centre front seam slit for ease of movement under the skirt.

Variation 1 has straight waistband that joins via two vertical sets of hook and eye at the centre back.

Variation 2 has the lining attached to a yoked facing in place of a waistband, for those who prefer to have a seamless finish at the waistline. This version works well if your body proportions include a short-waist and/or a large bust/cup size, as it won’t feel like the waistband is taking up all your midriff.

The skirt being modeled is made from a lavender bouclé with a coordinating rayon lining. The hem has interfacing fused all around the circumference of the skirt, which really helps support the shape and makes the A-line silhouette really pop out. For a softer silhouette you can leave out interfacing the hem.
The skills you’ll be using for sewing this classic skirt up are sewing straight and curved seams, including a shallow convex/concave curve for the front yoke. There are two single welt pockets, and the pattern comes with step by step illustrated instructions so anyone new to welt pockets can still make this skirt up, or you could leave the pockets out altogether if you want a cleaner finish to the skirt front.

Some fabric suggestions that would work with this patter are crepe, light-weight wool, corduroy, bouclé, twill, medium weight woven fabrics that hold a crease (for a crisp pleat definition). If you choose a fabric with a softer hand you’ll get more of a soft shape and a less pronounced pleat at the centre. Any lightweight fabrics are not likely to be able to support the welt pockets.
I think this pattern has just enough pieces that you can get playful with contrasting topstitching, piping at the yoke seam, or go with contrast yoke and welt flaps. I think I’ll make up my own with some Embroidery on welt flap or embellished with some sew-on stones for a bit of understated evening glam.
Check out the 6104 skirt in the shop.

May 5, 2015

Introducing the 6101 Fit and Flare Skirt

6101 is a versatile skirt that’s appropriate for both work and play! Whether you pair it with a demure blouse for the office or a leather jacket for a night on the town, this skirt–with its flattering cut and unique seaming–is sure to get praise wherever you wear it.

This fit and flare skirt pattern sits at the natural waist that falls above the knee. The hem has subtle shaping around the skirt rising slightly at the sides and dipping down at both the front and back. The flare at the sides gives it more movement and swish as you walk. The smooth flat centre front and back, coupled with the close fit around the hips lends the skirt a playful sophistication. The lining is attached to a waistband facing and has shallow side slits for ease of movement. The skirt should hit at the natural waist and fall above the knee.

The instructions booklet comes with an overview and more detailed illustrated steps for sewing the skirt and lining. The skills you’ll use to make this skirt are sewing straight and curved seams, inserting an invisible zipper, sewing in a faced lining and hemming (unless you use a non-fraying fabric like I did with the mustard boiled wool, then you can skip that altogether!). Some of the trickier techniques that may be more challenging for a beginner are sewing concave and convex curves together for the front panel and corners on the back of the skirt, however the detailed steps provide you with how to put it all together.

While I use the 6101 as a work wardrobe staple, fabric choice and what you pair it with will make the world/this skirt your adorably outfitted oyster. A heavier fabric will accentuate the silhouette (I’ve just started making it with neoprene for something fun), while a fabric with a softer hand (like a ponté) will adapt the flare into delicate and subtle folds that swish as you move. Perfect for the Summer heat!
The skirt’s unique seam lines will allow you to play around with contrast panels and textures. I’m already dreaming of an Autumn/Winter version with leather on the hips and a bouclé for the flare. The version of the 6101 that you see featured in the accompanying photographs was made with mustard yellow boiled wool and a coordinated rayon lining.
You can find the 6101 skirt (as well as my other Maison Fleur patterns) in the shop.