#hacking a pattern

[professorpski]

Changing Up the Sweet Tee: Pink Worsted Malabrigo

I was explaining to some knitting friends that I made the Sweet Tee by Mary Jane Mucklestone, but that I had changed it by skipping the stranded work, re-sizing it, making it in worsted weight yarn, and adding a large seed-stitch cowl. Which raises a philosophical question: did I really make the Sweet Tee?

What I did was take her directions for a bottom-up yoked sweater and do a recalculation to shift from negative ease (i.e. skin tight) to positive ease as semi-fitted, and from DK weight yarn to worsted yarn. All of which worked out perfectly so far as the fit. I suspect that, as a long-timer dressmaker, I am so used to altering sewing patterns that I am not as intimidated as some newer knitters might be.

The only difficulty came in adding the collar which was based on the Capelet Tank by Cathy Carron which I have made before as a summer top. I had not reckoned with the much greater weight of the collar in a heavier yarn. I will explain how I coped with that later. There were comic moments.

The whole process was so satisfying, despite the stumbles, that I am now eyeing any knitting pattern anew. As the willingness to refit and alter patterns seems to have been far more encouraged in vintage knitting books, this is merely an old tradition revived.

You can find both Sweet Tee and the Capelet Tank on Ravelry which takes only a simple registration to access and is a font of knowledge via the postings by the more thoughtful makers: https://www.ravelry.com/

This yarn was the hand-dyed Malabrigo Rios called Almond Blossom which is a lovely slightly variegated pale pink which you will find here: https://malabrigoyarn.com/yarns/rios

[forever70s]

1970s Simplicity crochet fashions

[fenkizard]

The turtles are so lame for being a bunch of grown ass wrinkly old men going around a fighting crime exactly like they used to. Just showing up in the streets with silly phrases. /aff. It’s not teen shenanigans anymore. Donnie probably pays taxes.

Save rottmnt season 3 but make it these dudes juggling carpel tunnel, arthritis, taxes, and fighting old married men hypno and warren

(More in the tags)

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Garland Cowl by Galzanne Knits.

Made this delightful cowl for a friend's birthday using hand-painted pure mulberry silk by Araucanía Yarns (which appears to be a thing they no longer make?? We won't talk about how long I've had this stashed). The big worsted-weight lace was a lot of fun and worked up quickly once I got my gauge issues sorted out. I'd never worked with silk before! I'm a fan. Learned a new cast on for this, and I turned my bamboo knitting needles and fingers VERY blue, but I sort of like when my crafts stain my hands--it's bright evidence that I'm Out Here Making Things, y'know?

[anielskaaniela]

How to Create and Customize a Raglan Top or Dress Pattern [Beginner-Friendly]

In this post , you will learn how to self draft and hack sewing pattern for raglan dress or top. A raglan top or dress is a garment that has sleeves that extend to the neckline, creating a diagonal seam from the underarm to the collarbone. They are flattering and comfortable styles that suit any body type. In this post, you will learn how to create a raglan top or dress pattern from scratch.…

[dinosaurcharcuterie]

Do I need more clothes? No, probably not.

But I've got all these squares now. And I did math and adjusted my skirt pattern. And the bodice pieces are already cut out.

And, and... I would have to turn these into an actual quilt if I don't, and I'm pretty much out of materials to do that.

[drunkeddiediaz]

You can block me or whatever I’m gonna keep the same energy I had for both Edy and him until proven otherwise.

[shadowbannedthehedgehog]

what they dont tell you is you can pretty much try any crochet applique pattern with embroidery thread either full 6 strands or whatever you desire and a size 2mm or smaller hook and if it comes out swag you can attach it to an earring n voila! funky earring hehehe

[thenerdysewist]

Making a Masking Tape Pattern

It's an old cosplay hack. You wrap a part of your body in plastic wrap (cling film), and then apply duct tape or masking tape over the plastic wrap until it fits to your body. You can then draw on the shape of the garment and seams, and it should fit perfectly to your measurements.

Over the weekend I was attempting to use a bodice pattern I already had to make a leather chest plate for a D&D Ranger Cosplay. After several failed mock ups, in which the curve for the princess seam just wouldn't sew flat, I gave up and looked for a different pattern. My usual online sources for free patterns failed me, and I decided to try my hand at this age old cosplay hack.

Step 1: Wrapping Yourself in Plastic Wrap and Tape.

I was able to wrap the plastic wrap around my entire torso, but not so much by upper back. For that I required the help of my mom. I was able to apply the tape to my front half, but for the back I once again needed the help of a second person.

Step 2: Marking the Seams

Once I was wrapped in tape, I took a sharpie and drew on where I wanted the seams. I marked a center front line, a center back line, a shoulder seam line, and a side seam line. I also marked a front and back neckline, and drew on the curve of the princess seam so that it curved over my bust to my waist to account for the natural curve of my bust.

Then my mom cut me out of the tape up the center back line. Note, be sure you are thoroughly wrapped in plastic wrap before you start applying tape. I didn't do as good a job as I thought I did, and disaster struck.

Thankfully the tank top I was wearing was one I'd had since high school, so losing it wasn't the end of the world, but maybe wear an old shirt you don't care about if you do this, just in case.

Step 3: Making the Pattern

Once free of my masking tape cocoon, I cut apart the shell along the seam lines I drew. That left me with three wobbly tape pieces. The seam over the bust held its 3D shape once cut apart, so I added a notch in the curve to make it lie flat.

Then I traced the shapes onto some parchment paper (but any big enough piece of paper will do) and added half an inch all the way around to allow for the seams and hems.

Step 4: Mock Up

Before I cut into the very expensive fake leather I bought, I wanted to make sure the pattern fit. So I cut apart a mock up from another project to make a mock up for this one.

Half of it fit great, half of it came out super wonky, but at that point I'd been working on this for 6 hours straight, so I decided to wait and fix it the next day. I got up the next morning and cut another mock up and stitched it together.

This time it fit perfectly, and I cut into the leather.

Step 5: Final Fabric

I cut out the pattern one last time, this time in the fake leather I purchased.

Then I stitched it together, and tried it on using clothes pins to hold it shut.

As you can see, it fits perfectly. I have some buckles coming, and then I'll be able to finish it!

Normally I would have saved this for when I completed the project, but I was really excited and proud that I learned a new technique! I wanted to share that excitement with you.

[gayskogul]

Writing tag game

Thanks for the tag @renaultphile - I only have a couple to choose from (right now!) but I'll drop some lines here for fun.

On the first day of Spring, somebody new appeared in Pelican town.

The letter came on a gray morning.

On a hot summer's day, deep within the dense brush of an ancient forest, a young man lounged upon the banks of a stream.

---

What I'm learning from this is that I like seasons. I need to start one off in winter or autumn to complete the cycle. Tagging... @jeork hiii...

[professorpski]

Calvin or Claire? Vogue 1793 from 1996

The question comes from my recent spotting of a very similar draped neckline in an image of Claire McCardell from the 1950s; she was an American designer who died far too young. I like this neckline because it has the crossing of the fronts above the bust which means it neither catches the bust nor droops down too low at the neckline as many surplice or wrapped bodices can do.

True, from what I can tell McCardell’s neckline seems to have been a raised neck in the back which is easier to sew, while Klein’s acts like a shawl collar, that is, the front bodice has an slender piece which extends around the neck to meet in the back. Which is an improvement to my eye because I find it fits the neck better.

And McCardell’s dress had set-in sleeves while Klein’s are dolman. Which is not an improvement to me, as it takes up LOTS of fabric, especially when you use a fabric with nap which I did with this velour. This pattern would take up much less fabric done in a fabric without nap as you could place the pieces far more closely together. McCardell did use dolman sleeves often, especially when she was placing a cotton plaid on the bias which she liked to do. You can see how dolman sleeves would make life much easier as the matching of the plaid was then limited.

And another difference was Klein used giant shoulder pads as this dress does. Women’s wear sported giant shoulder pads starting in the late 1980s and it continued into the 1990s. It was an era when women were moving into corporate leadership and apparently we all thought we would look more formidable if we dressed like linebackers. ;-)

In any case, it makes for a very nice dress and I have made it multiple times without the shoulder pads, and without the center back zipper by always using knits which makes it easy to pull on. I added a godet to long slit at the back hem.

And then I decided to make it as a top as you can see. This palomino velour had been stuck in a box for far too long which explains the creases which should come out with the first garment washing. If you have never worked with cotton-blend velour, it is medium weight fabric, has a nap, and is soft. The nap makes you want to stroke it and also means it catches the light in subtle ways.

[jellygoblin]

fire cannot kill a dragon. destiny cannot be ignored. and I am back.

[50c14lly4nx10u5]

someone gimme a side order run to do pwease

pallet and chips and/or if i'm allowed to have hacks

[serendipitouscrafts]

I needed a reason to buy this pink and purple plaid fabric, and I thought the moment that pink is having because of the Barbie movie was reason enough. That said, I have had this bright pink on the brain since the 2022 Valentino all pink runway show at Paris fashion week.

I decided to make a matching set with this fabric. The top is TBD, but knew I wanted simple elastic waist shorts, buy I wanted them a little flared and flowy, almost veering into culottes. I decided to hack my favorite pajama shorts pattern.

They are very boxy and just have you fold over the top to make the elastic casing, which works because they are so straight up and down.

To make them more a-line, I used a slash and spread method to add volume at the bottom.

I also wanted to raise the waist, so I decided rather than try to add to this pattern piece and then fight with turning over the top to form the elastic casing now that the top is much more curved, I would just add a waistband.

[anielskaaniela]

How to Draft an A-Line Skirt from Your Measurements [BEGINNER FRIENDLY With Examples]

In this post, you will learn how to draft A-line skirt pattern from your measurements and how to hack it to receive different styles and features. Have you ever wanted to make your own A-line skirt, but felt intimidated by the complicated patterns and measurements? Do you wish you could create different variations of A-line skirts with just one simple pattern? If you answered yes to any of these…