#big 4 patterns

[thesingersews]

A response to a question I just received from @wiltheliotropium

Thanks so much for reading and liking my post about my sewing journey!

I tried answering the question from my inbox but had a little trouble and Tumblr ended up deleting my post :(

I recommend starting from YouTube. If you want to learn to read patterns there are a metric TON of tutorials there. I get a lot of inspiration from YouTube lately as I’m getting into more historical costume and what we now affectionately call historybounding. My favorite Costubers for inspiration are Morgan Donner and Bernadette Banner, who have really inspired me to dive into drafting/draping patterns for myself.

The thing it took me years to understand about mass-manufactured patterns is this: The pattern is designed for “average” body proportions, not for your specific body. You should compare your measurements not only to the measurement table on the pattern sleeve, but also to the finished garment measurements (sometimes these are listed on the pattern pieces themselves, but sometimes you have to measure them for yourself). Sometimes “Big 4″ patterns have an excessive amount of wearing or design ease that result in you wearing a big tent.

ALSO. Make mockups. Use thrift store bedsheets for this if you need a woven fabric. They’re waaaay cheaper than any other fabric source. If you’re making a knit item, either use those jersey bedsheets (if you can find them) or buy the cheapest knit that kind of matches the stretch and drape of the fabric you want to use. If you correct the fit on cheap fabric before you cut into your nice fashion fabric, you will save yourself a lot of grief.

Two of the alterations I make to almost every single mass-manufactured pattern I use are a full bust adjustment (I am a 34GG (UK) or 34J (US) bra size, so if I go by my widest measurement, the rest of the garment is humongous on me) and an armscye alteration (I raise the armholes on Big 4 patterns because they often sit too low for anyone. You get much better range of motion if your armholes are fitted closer to your armpit). Sometimes I also have to alter the bicep. You know your body best. If there’s some area you always have trouble fitting, you can find tutorials (on YouTube and elsewhere) to help with your specific fit issue.

Good luck! Happy Sewing! Post what you make so I can cheer you on!

Naomi

[thesingersews]

Fighting with Pockets

The details make all the difference.

This flannel is some of the worst behaving fabric I’ve worked with in a long while. It irons flat just fine, but try to make a narrow hem and it stretches to oblivion and will not cooperate under the machine. It also insists on skewing off grain. So how did I get these pockets to look so nice?

TL;DR Hand basting. But there are pictures!

Take a journey with me.

You’ll have to forgive the terrible, terrible lighting in these pictures. Next time I’ll edit the photos so the white balance is better.

I cannot say enough about how much I love Gütermann threads. This is an all-purpose polyester thread, and the color is so vibrant and the twist is so smooth. It doesn’t fluff up and shed all over my machine. Basically, it’s gorgeous thread.

First, I had to sew the false pleat in the fabric. I am grateful for the built in sewing guidelines on this plaid. It really makes pattern matching easy. I should have used more pins, however, because the layer underneath shifted ever so slightly off grain.

You can see in this photograph how the grain has shifted. I stitched the pocket facing and all around the pocket edge so I’d have a guide for folding the hem, then turned the pocket out after trimming the seam.

Then, using the machine stitch as a folding guide, I hand-basted the seam allowance down for a nice, square result.

I still was having a bit of trouble keeping the pockets on the straight of grain, so I pinned the heck out of the pockets and whip-stitched them down.

Finally, I top-stitched them to the front panels following the pattern instructions.

As you can see, I’m still a bit off-grain at the bottom of the pocket (and I’m just now noticing the crooked pocket facing stitch line...), but I was fairly pleased with the result and had no desire to do all that work again, so I’ve left it!

Next came the pocket flaps. Can’t be a traditional flannel without all these little details.

I had already affixed the iron-on interfacing, so I stitched the pocket flaps to the flap facings and turned them out

I use this mini screw driver to pop out the corners so they’re nice and crisp.

And I love this workhorse of a Rowenta steam iron. Such a wonderful and often-used wedding gift.

I then top-stitched to match the pockets and applied buttonholes. I use a precision knife to cut the buttonholes open. I’ll get a picture when I do the rest of the buttonholes.

I affixed the flaps to the front panels above the pockets and top-stitched them down.

[atiya3aha]

I truly don't understand how this happened? The way that all the craft avenues towards independence seem to be getting blocked at a disturbingly fast and systematic pace.

No matter how or why it happened, we are losing yet another staple in the sewing community. A big one too, with lasting and far reaching consequences.

Parent Company of the Big 4 Sewing Pattern Brands Sold to a Liquidator - Craft Industry Alliance

Parent Company of the Big 4 Sewing Pattern Brands Sold to a Liquidator - Craft Industry Alliance

The legacy sewing pattern brands Simplicity, Butterick, McCalls, and Vogue, commonly referred to as the Big 4, have been sold to a liquidato

[threedresses]

Vogue Summer 2014 Highlights

Vogue Summer 2014 Highlights

I know I don’t showcase big 4 patterns when they come out but there were a handful of the new Vogue’s that caught my eye.

This first dress is, like most of the dresses I’m drawn to, great for fancy outings. Or is it just me that sees that? Maybe I should be wearing off the shoulder dresses every day! The thing to note for fitting is that the armholes on the model look pretty low- something I know…

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