WEEK 1: One Pattern, Many Looks

newspaper clipping attached to pattern is a reminder

My title for this post was also the title I gave to the very first class I taught for the American Sewing Guild many years ago. I had 45 minutes to show students how one pattern can become so much more than what you see on the envelope. I know there are many more instructors greater than I that have taken on the same challenge too. So where does a new idea come from? Can creativity really be taught, or are we all really just following the examples of others?

How often have your projects started with an idea from something you've seen in the store or a magazine or on a blog and then you look for a pattern to match that idea? This is only one example of following.  There is certainly nothing wrong with that tradition, but it does have limitations, especially if you are living within the confines of current trend which may or may not be on your side in terms of taste or body type. 

Where real creativity begins is when you start with what feels like a limited scope (one pattern/one view) and then must reach outside of that perimeter to turn it into something different than it was before. This type of creativity does take practice. Research for more ideas, and then pick ONE theme. Think of ways to develop your idea from there. 

How to Do it:

 For this sewalong, we are going to use the Sew Chic LN9005, Fantasia dress as our base to build from. The cover suggests this dress style belongs only as a formal.

Get your pattern here: http://www.sewchicpatterns.com/fantasia.html

But take a good look at the line drawing on the back of the cover. Consider the silhouette and the style lines. In what ways can we invent something new from this style?

OPTION 1: Do nothing. The easiest thing to do is nothing. We can create a whole new illusion, feeling, or purpose with patterns and colors using fabric. Have you twice made a garment with completely different fabrics and no one knew they were the same style? What about color blocking? This doesn't look too bad.... it's easy stuff.

 

OPTION 2: Interior Changes. Things like lengthen and shorten, you do all the time for fit. Why not for style? With this pattern, it can totally give you a whole different silhouette. The rule for this alteration is anywhere below the hip, or at the hem. Be sure to choose a location that will not interfere with  any design details. In the back, we have a "V" seam detail that we want to keep, so lets avoid that and place our "lengthen or shorten here" lines above or below that location. But what if you didn't want to keep that "V"? Then cut your skirt off above that detail and lengthen as needed by adding to the now cut off hem. Now you'd have a straight skirt with no high/low hem. Of course you must measure your pattern to be sure that you will alter in the same location both front and back. The easiest way is to walk your pattern at the side seam and use a lined mat and grid ruler to keep it perpendicular to the grain.  For this example, I'm going to shorten in two locations, both above and below. Let's see what shortening in two places is going to look like:

Let's assume that if you know how to lengthen or shorten, you also know how to true your work to correct that jog. How you true is another opportunity to change the silhouette of your style. If I true up to the hip, the style becomes an A-line rather than a tulip, trumpet, or fit and flare skirt.
Before we go on though, I first have one more interior alteration to make:

Because I'm going to stay with my color blocking idea, I want to add an interior seam. This seam is going to cut across my bodice side front at the same location that my cross over seam hits so that my color can extend to the sides as well. Simply walk your pattern to the bodice front along the seam line you've drawn in, and make a mark where that seam will cross. Draw a cut line across your side front pattern, and then a GRAIN line that extends to match the original. Cut apart and add seam allowances to both pieces and label. Now let's see what that will look like:

OPTION 3: Exterior Changes. Those are alterations to the edges of your pattern. Lengthening or shortening at the hem is one of those choices. In my case, I've added length to the sleeve to make it 3/4 length. It's a easy change to make that doesn't require to much effort. Lowering or changing the neckline would be another one of these changes. What do you think so far? Is it heading in the right direction?

OPTION 4: Last but not least is adding on details or creating external pattern pieces that match to the edge, such as collars, cuffs, ruffles, etc. I've added a button theme to my color blocking. These buttons don't have be functional, and neither do your external details, they can be just decorative. Hand stitch anything to your dress, it could be tubing, or flowers, or beading, or embroidery, rick-rack, etc. Experiment!

Make this dress I've just designed for you in a soft crepe for a 1940's vibe. Wear with your victory rolls, and black side set hat with seamed stockings and pretty black pumps and you are set! Are you headed for a hoedown instead? Imagine this dress in denim with flat felled seams, patch pockets and lots of buttonhole thread top stitching. Match that up with cowboy boots and you can take this dress to the rodeo! Inspiration can come from everywhere, so look for themes that appeal to you and then use these steps to come up with ideas that work with your theme.

Get your pattern here: http://www.sewchicpatterns.com/fantasia.html

Enjoy!

The Ultimate Sewing Quest: The Fit and Design Sew Along

There are two general problems that all stitchers have. The first is the hassle of fitting a pattern that wasn't made to fit your body and the second is finding pattern styles that give you just the right silhouette and design details that will make you fall in love and excited to make and wear it.

With that in mind, I've scheduled a Fantasia Fit & Design Sew Along for the month of June. Yes, I know that summers are so busy, but when aren't we all busy?? I chose the Fantasia because it's a fantastic base for so many other creative ideas. Be aware that I am not going through the full assembly of this dress, just the fitting alterations and how to make design changes to that base. Once you get a pattern that fits, any change you make to that pattern should fit you just as well.

I've dedicated a facebook group and pinterest page to compliment and get the most from the FFandD sew along. I'm asking that everyone do some homework and post photos as we go along so you can be assured of success. The Sew Along begin June 6. The schedule is posted to the group page.


Buy your pattern here:
http://www.sewchicpatterns.com/fantasia.html

I hope to see you there!

Pattern Tutorial: Fantasia Dress Variation

Fantasia Variation - how to go from the Opera to the Office

I love the Fantasia dress pattern with a fitted bodice and flared high-low skirt- words like formal, feminine, cultured, clean, classic and bridal come to mind. All my designs are fairly girly- but recently I had to rethink that concept when I approached a wholesale fabric vendor from the International Textiles Expo who was interested in collaboration. She was to send me fabrics for a blouse and skirt from my pattern collection and we would represent each other at the fashion show and market. I love teaming up!

Then the fabrics came -- a pinstriped navy and blue/gray suiting. The tweed, as our vendor called it (it's not an obvious tweed weave) was soft and thick with the right amount of body and the shirting was crisp and tightly woven. They washed up beautifully and high quality fabrics are always a dream to work with, but....it was a little on the "manly" side. Hmmm. Would this work for a girly twirly skirt? I looked at my patterns and nothing seemed quite right until finally the thought came to me: combine these two fabrics with the Fantasia dress, then complete the look with the Victory Jacket and voila! I've got the suit style that this fabric needs. This outfit has a definite 1940s vibe, and made for fall, this combination will definitely be one of my season favorites.

I chose the low-calf length, view B, but for a formal event, the longer length (view A) would look fabulous too. For this blouse and skirt look-a-like, I used the tweed for the skirt and jacket and the contrasting navy fabric for the dress bodice. It looks like a skirt and blouse, and because it won't come un-tucked, it wears even better!

 

The fabric completely changed the look of Fantasia and is an easy way to move into the look of a suit without all the typical tailoring. When cutting out the pattern, I simply used the navy pinstripe for the bodice and sleeve pieces and tweed for everything else.

I decided to switch out the cap sleeve for a longer length. I used the sleeve from Beatrice and shortened it to just above the elbow, which is about 6-6 1/2" from the underarm, finished. Rather than using the sleeve facing, I turned up the bottom 1" and did a blind hem on the sleeve (the alteration means the facing wouldn't fit anymore anyway!). Other than that, the dress has no other variation.

The gray tweed was used for the skirt section, and to transition the two fabrics, I added in a 2" wide covered belt.

To make the belt, follow the tutorial I did for the Sew Mama Sew blog called "Made to Match." Find that tutorial here:
http://www.sewmamasew.com/2013/10/made-to-match-belt-tutorial-from-laura-nash-of-the-sew-chic-pattern-company/

To further separate the identities of the top and bottom, I finished the skirt seams  by pressing open, turning under 1/4", and top stitching through all layers about 3/8" to the right and left of every vertical seam. The bodice seams were serged. See the next photos for a view of the skirt seam.

These pictures shows the "V" detail in the skirt "train" where it attaches at center back.

This photo shows the inside finish of the skirt seams turned under and stitched. To emphasize the lovely flares and help  it keep structure under the weight of this suiting fabric, I tucked a 1/2" wide horsehair braid down into that hem allowance and topstitched everything into place in one step.
 

The Victory Jacket was made as is outlined in the instruction booklet with only one variation...

I turned back the front from the side of the neck, parallel to center front and tacked it with a flat 5/8" covered button.

This dress is soft and comfortable to wear and oh so pretty. What do you think of the new Fantasia suit look?
Buy the Fantasia pattern here: http://www.sewchicpatterns.com/fantasia.html
Buy the Victory Jacket pattern here: http://www.sewchicpatterns.com/victory.html

Have a great sewing day!
Laura