I started sewing when I was around 19 which means that I have been sewing for more than half my life (explains the size of my stash right?)....

Feeling a little bit like a 70s flower child in my new mandala Genra Shirt...which feels pretty fitting atm.🌼☮️🌈✌️✨️ I made this version with the full sleeves, lengthened by 2" which was perfect for me. I had a bit of a struggle pattern matching the front button placket, but I did it! The full saga and details are on The Sewing Things Blog.

AKA: Keely's Dragon Shrug. *Please see THIS POST concerning testing for this pattern. Thank you. Today, I've been doing some editing on what I have written so far for this pattern when I came up with the name. I kind of thought this was fitting as my own daughter helped me design this version from…

Inspiration for Crochet Blanket This crochet blanket is actually the first crochet pattern that I wrote. It's fitting that the Chloe ribbed crochet blanket is the first pattern that I wrote because it was for my dear friend who has continuously told me to share my crochet creations with the world. She was the first

Not even my broken serger stopped me from completing the Colette 2.0 challenge. Here is my wintery Peony! I really want to thank Ali for gifting me this beautiful pattern. Fitting the bodice took some time. You can read all the details on the post I wrote on Sarah's blog Neanche la taglia e cuci…

My friend Dorothy came up the pattern for this cute fish. She asked me to make one to check her directions before she puts it for sale. Fitting the curved pieces together was a little challenging (I should really know better than to sew after 8pm), but I'm happy with...

Fitting pattern for Lutterloh - Free download as PDF File (.pdf) or view presentation slides online. Free guide for fitting Lutterloh patternd

Beautiful fingerless gloves that will keep your hands and wrists nice and warm this Winter – and they are great for gifts too! This pattern works in the round is based on a stitch count of 10. For these fingerless gloves, casting on 50 stitches gave me a nicely fitting glove, however you might want to …

I’ve got a free download pattern to share with you today! This one is a favourite pattern from my book, 2-IN-1 SHORTS. I’m the queen of “to-do” lists…in fact, I’ve got lists for all of the different areas of my life and my Make It Perfect to-do list is very long and full of great ideas that I will hopefully get to one of these days! Releasing this pattern for my 2-in-1 Shorts has been on the to-do list for a long time. It’s such a basic, beginner-friendly and achievable sew that I wanted to make it available for everyone to use. We are in the middle of Winter, and it has recently started snowing on the mountains, so it does seem a very inappropriate time to release a shorts pattern (let alone send the kids outside in shorts and a tshirt to take photos!) so let me explain…if you haven’t already heard, the Shorts on the Line sewalong is in full swing at the moment and I was happy to be invited to participate as a guest blogger, it only seemed fitting for me to tick this project off my to-do list and release the pattern now! So, all […]

I have picked up a handful of fitting hints I should not keep secret! Sewing should be FUN. That is why we buy and use Lutterloh. Why no...

NOTE: The direct links to all the individual photos can be found in this post. The other day someone asked me if I knew of a cute pattern for a knit mouse. Well, as you can well imagine, once I started looking I couldn't stop! And, if hardly seems fitting to have a cat without …

It was the recent ‘Great British Sewing Bee’ that inspired me to use my sewing machine to make myself clothes again, rather than just doing home furnishing or clothes for my daughter. So it seems fitting to blog about my recent creation ‘The Mathilde Blouse’ – the pattern was designed by fellow blogger and star…

The pattern contains two tight-fitting jackets in new look silhouette for women in sizes 36 - 46.

Pascha Al-Qassab on Instagram: "Ever wished a sewing pattern had inseam pockets, not patch ones? 🧵 I loved the silhouette of these @mccallpatterncompany trousers, but the patch pockets included in the pattern just didn’t give me the versatility I was looking for style wise - so I drafted my own! ✏️ It didn’t take me long to work one out, and I was super pleased with the results, so I thought I’d share a tutorial so you can save it for later and make them too 🎥 I also attached the pocket bags to the waistband here, which is great to do when the trouser is tight fitting and you don’t want the pocket to scrunch up, or so you can carry more weight in it 🏋️‍♀️ You can use this method for pretty much any trouser/skirt with a side seam, and even try some funky colourful pocket bags 🌈

Bonjour, my lovely otters! Earlier this week, we talked through altering a princess seamed bodice, when you've been blessed with, as my younger brother would say, bazoongas. We went from perfectly lovely pattern pieces to darling little monsters that can actually fit over our busts. Hooray! Now, the bad news: there's still work left to be done. The thing about princess seams is that they are much more fitted to your bust than a traditionally darted bodice. That's what makes them flattering, but that's also what makes them hard to fit. In light of that, today I'm going to share some guidelines for fitting and sewing a princess seamed bodice. Like my last post, they're specifically tailored for large busted sewists, because, well, that's what I am. Tip #1: Muslin, That Sucker!  For a really long time, I was not a muslin maker. Sewing is something I do in my spare time, so consequently, I like it to be as fun as possible. Making a muslin is about as fun as eating a diet brownie: it feels like making a dress, but there's no "I can wear this!" joy. Nowadays, a great fit is as important to me as pretty fabric, so muslins are necessary evil. With princess seams, they're an imperative one.  We now have two pattern pieces that will actually fit over our bosoms. This is a good start! What we now need is for those pattern pieces to actually fit our bosoms. Let's be honest, boobs are a magical mystery. People with the exact same bra size can have radically different bust shapes. As a result, your princess seams won't fit just like mine, nor should they. We've already come so far in fitting that we may as well get a perfectly individual bodice while we're at it.  So: make a muslin. That way, you can take all the pattern adjustments you need, before cutting out that pretty floral silk.  Tip #2: Pin From The Bottom You know how your side bodice curves all crazy like, but your center bodice is straight as a pin? We're going to put those two together. Such fun! In order to do this, you're going to "ease" the pieces together. All that means is gently pin your straight piece around the curves of your side piece, so that it also curves. So easy! My preferred method to do this is to pin the very top and very bottom together first, then pin from the bottom up. That way, your fabric is guaranteed to line up along the straight bits.  Tip #3: Use a 1/2'' Seam! I cannot stress this enough, friends. When you sew up your fabric - whether it's your muslin or your fashion fabric - do not use a 5/8'' seam. Part of the whole problem with sewing princess seams is that they can fold and warp, as you sew around the curve. Sewing with a smaller seam allowance gives much more control over the fabric and prevents this from happening. I can't tell you how many seams I picked apart, before learning this trick! To do this, just trim a 1/8'' off of each seam allowance and sew as usual. If you'd like even more fitting wiggle room in the muslin-making stage, you can also just leave the original seam allowance in, but take this smaller seam size. This what I usually do, as inevitably the curve needs to come out a little bit on my upper bust anyway. It's entirely up to you! Just don't sew with a 5/8'' seam, I beg you.  Tip #4: Don't Clip the Seam Allowances, Until After Fitting Invariably, every single princess seam tutorial has a part about clipping the seam allowances, in order to make the seams lay flat. This is fantastic advice, after you've properly fit the bodice. When you adjust the fit, you may need some of that room back, so clipping it away is a bad idea. Instead, press the seams toward the center. They'll be bubbly, but you'll fix that after fitting!  So, this is my muslin of the Elisalex bodice we made on Monday! See how gaping and crazy my my lower bust and underbust are? This is why I don't clip seam allowances beforehand. There is some work to be done yet. The bubbly wrinkles on the seams, however, aren't actually a fit issue. That's just what princess seams do, until you clip them and open them. Those'll press out eventually, don't panic!  Tip #5: Pin, pin, pin!  When you're fitting princess seams, pins are your best friend. For each alteration you're planning on making, pin both sides of your bust line. Personally, I'm taking a 1/2 inch out of my lower bust on both sides, then a whole inch on each side of my under bust and waist. So, I pin where I plan to blend away from the seam allowance (top pin), where I want a full 1/2 inch out (middle pin), then where I want to transition into to taking an inch out (lower pin).  Tip #6: Fit a Small Rib Cage!  As you can tell from the pictures so far, I'm plagued by a relatively small rib cage. My breasts are generous, as are my hips, but the area between them is relatively small. (My waist is over 12 inches smaller than both of those measurements!) This is a great example of a fitting problem that only "plus sized" or "cross-sized" (fitting both size spectrums - sizes 12-16) women usually encounter. All too often, larger sizes on patterns assume we're large all over. I'm, as is obvious from the muslin, not. So, I've had to learn how to deal with it, when doing pattern adjustments.  For traditional bust adjustments, I just make the darts wider over my waist and ribcage. Easy peasy! For princess seams, however, the fix is nontraditional. The side piece of the Elisalex bodice actually fits me really well. It's the center front that's too big - pooling into those unsightly wrinkles you see under my bustline. So...take more out of the center front! When I went back to this muslin, I unpicked all the way up to my lower pin. Then, I trimmed an inch off of each side of the center front bodice. Then, I matched it back up with the side bodice and resewed a 1/2 inch seam. This is my result, when I've done that and taken that extra bit out of the lower bust: So much better, right? As you can see, I've fixed the pooling under my bust and the too large curve around my lower bust. It's still a bit big over my rib cage, which I'll fix on the pattern itself, but not on this muslin. I'm just using this as a lining, in the end, so it doesn't have to be quite so fitted.  Tip #7: Battling Bust Wrinkles! First off, we clip! Instead of going through that process, just hop over to the lovely and brilliant Gertie's blog. She gives a fabulous explanation of the best way do this. It's exactly my method, I just do it after I've sewn. Once you've clipped, grab your tailor's ham and a little cup of water. We're going to steam the heck out of these seams.  Instead of just using the steam burst on my iron, I like to fully wet the seam. That way, I can really steam these pesky bubbles to death. I open the seams, put it over my tailor's ham, splash some water on them, then press press press! Once you've finished, try it on again! If you still have wrinkles, press again and again and again. If they're not fitting issues caused from a too-tight seam, they'll come out. Take a look at my final product: There are wrinkles caused by me crumpling my center fabric, but check out those bust seams! So much smoother. I still need to iron out some wrinkles on my top left, but they're infinitely better. Woohoo!  Bonus Tip: Finding a new Bust Apex! What happens if you've put your new bodice pieces on and they can't be fixed by little tweaks? Your curves may not actually go over your bust center, for example. If that's the case, mark your actual bust apex on the center bust piece of your muslin and return to our original pattern. Is that apex lower or higher than our black side bust dot, when measuring up from the waist? Wherever it is, mark it on the original pattern pieces, then redo your FBA based on that spot, instead of the original apex. You probably won't have to do this, but it's a good trick to know, if you come across a pattern that's wildly out of sync with your body.  There we go! Princess seams fully broken down. Would anybody like me to do a tutorial for a darted bodice FBA, as well? It's been fairly well-covered in the blogosphere, but if you want to see what those pattern pieces look like for a large bust, I'd be happy to document my process again.

Leni V neck loose fitting dress is a simple and practical design. This beginner friendly dress features front V neck with plackets, extended shoulder, and curved front and back hem. It can be worn to work or to play, and the relaxed fit makes it great for summer! Let’s have a look at the details: As usual, my pattern is made in 10 sizes from XXS to 5XL so you may find a suitable size for yourself. If you are not sure which size suits you, take a look at the measurement table before doing anything here: SIZE GUIDE. The pattern is made using layered PDF, please check for your desired size before printing so you won’t waste your paper. I have included a first page with many details about sizing and printing, so please first read the first page and make sure you know what size you need! If you still do not know how to print a layered PDF, please check for the printing instruction in this post: PRINTING GUIDE. My patterns are now made in both A4/Letter paper and A0 paper format so you can print at home or at any print shop! I also included a projector file for those who are more tech savvy and have a projector at home! For home printers, you can print this using your home printer and either A4 or Letter paper. I calculated the printing area so that you will be able to use either type of paper to print the pattern out perfectly. Always print the first page first and check with the test square if you are printing at the right scale before you print out the whole pattern – avoid waste of ink and waste of paper, save the earth! Some PC may print smaller than actual size even when you choose 100% scale – I don’t know why this problem exist, but my HP laptop cannot print true to size. I have to scale up to 103% to get the right size. You may need to check with your PC to see if it prints true to size, if not, scale up a bit. I was informed by a reader that you can also print the pdf as image to get the right scale, however I never tested it on my computer. SEWING INSTRUCTION You will need: Fabric of your choice. This pattern is intended for WOVEN fabric. Some lightweight fusible interfacing Scissors, pencil or fabric marker, ruler, pins Sewing machine/Serger or needle and thread Printed pattern How much fabric do you need for this piece of garment? To be precise, you may need to check how much fabric you need before buying. It will depend on the selected pattern size, the width, and design of the fabric you plan to use. Just to be sure, print all the paper patterns and lay them out at the width of fabric you plan to use (usually from 90 to 150 centimeters or 35 to 60 inches). Measure how much fabric you will need. Don’t forget to account for pieces that need to be cut multiple times and pieces that are cut on the fold. CUTTING INSTRUCTION The pattern pieces are as follows: All my patterns already include 1cm (3/8in) seam allowance. Just cut the pattern pieces as is and use a 1cm seam allowance when you sew. The fabric will be cut into following pieces: Front: cut 1 piece on the fold Back: cut 1 piece on the fold Front Placket: cut 2 pieces Back Neck Facing: cut 1 piece main fabric + 1 piece fusible interfacing Armhole Binding: cut 2 pieces on bias Waist Tie: cut 1 piece (the length depends on your preference, usually 1.5 to 2 times your waist measurement Place the pattern pieces on the fabric, pin the pattern pieces to the fabric to secure them in place. Using sharp scissors, carefully cut out the fabric pieces along the outer lines of the pattern. Take your time to ensure precise and clean cuts, as this will affect the fit and overall appearance of your garment. Make sure to mark all notches and other design features such as darts, pleats, draw marks etc. from the pattern pieces onto your fabric. When sewing the garment, pay attention to notches, they must match up. SEWING INSTRUCTION 1. Sew the placket on the Front Video tutorial: https://tianascloset.com/index.php/2023/04/28/how-to-sew-placket/ (second video) 2. Sew the facing to the Back - Apply fusible interfacing to Back Neck Facing - Place Back Neck Facing and Back Dress right sides together, matching the neckline. - Stitch the back neck seam. Trim off half of seam allowance and clip the curves. Understitch the seam allowance to the facing piece. 3. Sew main garment - Place Front and Back dress right sides together, matching the side seams and shoulder seam. - Flip the Back Neck Facing so that a part of the shoulder of the Front piece (from the neckline to the side) is sandwiched between the Back and Back Neck Facing. Make sure the neckline edges of the Front and Back align. - Stitch the shoulder seams and side seams to get the main garment. You can also add inseam pockets if you like. Video tutorial: https://tianascloset.com/index.php/2018/02/22/adding-side-seam-pockets-to-the-dress/ 4. Finish armholes with bias tape Video tutorial: https://tianascloset.com/index.php/2024/02/16/how-to-sew-bias-facing/ 5. Finish garment hem Video tutorial: https://tianascloset.com/index.php/2023/12/14/how-to-sew-a-curved-hem/ 6. Sew the tie straps - Fold the tie strap in half lengthwise, right sides facing in, and stitch one short edge and the long edge. - Turn fabric right side out, fold the tip of the open end to the inside of the tube and topstitch. This is the download link: LENI LOOSE FIT DRESS (A0 PAPER) LENI LOOSE FIT DRESS (A4/LETTER PAPER) LENI LOOSE FIT DRESS (PROJECTOR FILE) To download just click on the link above and choose “Save link as”. The PDF file will be downloaded to your device. An advertisement may pop up, just close it and continue with your download. In case some ads attempt to make you enter your personal info, just ignore and close it. I do NOT require any kind of information to download my pattern files. Happy sewing! And don’t forget to share your project on my Facebook page: Tiana’s Closet Sewing Patterns or tag me on Instagram #tianasclosetsewingpatterns, I will be thrilled to see the garment in real life!

Hi everyone!  We're back to fitting the shoulder and armhole area of Vogue 8664.  Hopefully you'll stay a bit and follow along.  Last time, we talked ab...

With all these options, it seems like it should be easy enough to make up some sort of collar, right? Well hopefully for you it's easier tha...

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Measuring and fitting doll clothes pattern