pattern

February 16, 2022

What I’m Sewing: Silhouette Patterns #3400

ASG member, Carolyn Meyers, recently created a pair of yoga pants using a pattern from Silhouette Patterns and shared her experience working with the pattern:

Q. Item Created
A. Yoga Pants

Q. Independent Pattern Designer
A. Peggy Sagers

Q. Name and Number of Pattern
A. Silhouette #3400

Q. Fabric Used:
A. Ponte knit

Q. Special Embellishments/Notions Used
A. n/a

Q. Skill level required?
A. Beginner-Intermediate

Q. Are the instructions easy to follow?
A. Yes, but I recommend watching the YouTube video for the pattern before you start, just to get a feel for the project.

Q. Are you pleased with the finished result? Did it meet your expectations?
A. Absolutely, I have now made three pair and having made a few fitting tweaks am ready to commit my pattern to permanent pattern material.

Q. Did it look like the picture?
A. Absolutely.

Q. Did you make any modifications in the pattern?
A. Just fit to my size. I’m short so some “petit-ing” is always required.

Q. Are there any changes you would have made?
A. No

Q. Did the pattern teach you any unique or special techniques?
A. No, but it helped me bond with my serger.

Q. Would you make this again?
A. Again and again. I found three more pieces of Ponte knit in my stash that will be just perfect for these pants.

Q. Would you recommend this pattern to others?
A. Yes! I was sew excited to make my first pair, slip them on, and they fit and felt wonderful. The only tweak I had to make was to slim the leg a bit and shorten the length. Not bad.

Pattern Link: https://silhouettepatterns.com

~Carolyn Meyers

October 6, 2021

What I’m Sewing: Alba Jacket

Thank you to Kim Caywood from the Central Illinois chapter for sharing her information on working with the Alba Jacket pattern from Sinclair Patterns. We love this unique jacket. And it looks quite cozy, too!

Q. Item Created
A. Jacket

Q. Independent Pattern Designer
A. Sinclair Patterns

Q. Name and Number of Pattern
A. Alba Jacket

Q. Fabric Used:
A. French Terry and Quilted Knit

Q. Special Embellishments/Notions Used
A. Zipper

Q. Skill level required?
A. Confident Beginner

Q. Are the instructions easy to follow?
A. Instructions are easy to follow and have step by step pictures. They also have a Facebook group where you can ask questions if you have an issue with construction.

Q. Are you pleased with the finished result? Did it meet your expectations?
A. I love the way this turned out. I am always skeptical about installing zippers but this turned out great

Q. Did it look like the picture?
A. Yes it did

Q. Did you make any modifications in the pattern?
A. As this was a pattern test, modifications were not allowed

Q. Are there any changes you would have made?
A. I might have used a fabric with less drape for the collar

Q. Did the pattern teach you any unique or special techniques?
A. Inserting an asymmetrical zipper

Q. Would you make this again?
A. I would make this again

Q. Would you recommend this pattern to others?
A. I would highly recommend Sinclair Patterns to anyone. They come in Petite, Regular and Tall sizing and in sizes from XXS to 4XL

Pattern Link: https://sinclairpatterns.com/products/alba-zip-up-knit-asymmetrical-jacket-with-a-cowl-and-side-pockets-pdf?_pos=1&_sid=3c9c05b83&_ss=r

July 12, 2021

What I’m Sewing: Alyce Blouse

Linda Jensen from the ASG Lake County Chapter shares her experience making this great-fitting blouse from Silhouette Patterns.

Q. Item Created
A. Blouse

Q. Independent Pattern Designer
A. Silhouette Patterns

Q. Name and Number of Pattern
A. Alyce Blouse #621

Q. Fabric Used:
A. Stretchy knit, but a wide variety of fabrics can be used

Q. Special Embellishments/Notions Used
A. None

Q. Skill level required?
A. All levels

Q. Are the instructions easy to follow?
A. Yes, they are easy to follow. There is also a YouTube of making the top that is helpful. Be sure you mark all notations of the letters to put it together.

Q. Are you pleased with the finished result? Did it meet your expectations?
A. I got a blouse that was very different from the usual plain blouse, which is what I wanted.

Alyce Blouse Pattern from Silhouette Patterns. Sold exclusively at Fit2Stitch.com

Q. Did it look like the picture?
A. Yes

Q. Did you make any modifications in the pattern?
A. No

Q. Are there any changes you would have made?
A. No

Q. Did the pattern teach you any unique or special techniques?
A. I learned that I needed to use knit interfacing when using very stretchy fabric.

Q. Would you make this again?
A. Yes

Q. Would you recommend this pattern to others?
A. Yes

Pattern Link: https://www.silhouettepatterns.com/html/patterns/p_621.htm
* Pattern found exclusively at http://www.fit2stitch.com/p_621.html

~Linda Jensen, ASG Lake County Chapter

November 13, 2020

What I’m Sewing: Pink Sand Beach Designs Fiji Tote

Charlotte Trayer from the Seattle Chapter of ASG created this roomy, fat quarter friendly tote bag.

Q. Item Created
A. Tote bag

Q. Independent Pattern Designer
A. Pink Sand Beach Designs

Q. Name and Number of Pattern
A. #124 Fiji Tote

Q. Fabric Used:
A. Cotton/linen for exterior, Japanese cotton print for lining, other cotton fabric for trim

Q. Special Embellishments/Notions Used
A. A Czech glass bead on the inside, to fasten a strap for my water bottle tote

Q. Skill level required?
A. Medium

Q. Are the instructions easy to follow?
A. The instructions were very easy to follow. It did use some Pellon products with which I wasn’t familiar. In the second rendition (in the first tote, I used all cotton fabrics from my stash), I did make one substitution and changed a couple of things about it.

Q. Are you pleased with the finished result? Did it meet your expectations?
A. Very much so to both questions. I receive compliments whenever I carry either tote.

Q. Did it look like the picture?
A. The first one did as I made it exactly according to directions to test the pattern. The second one is similar, but with changes listed below.

Q. Did you make any modifications in the pattern?
A. I made modifications on my second tote. First, I used a solid fabric for the exterior instead of piecing it as the pattern directs. Then I made the handle a little longer so I could put it over my shoulder. I also added a strap with button/buttonhole to the interior–the strap goes thru the handle of my water bottle tote (which I also made), to hold it upright. Finally, I made a slight change to the spacing of the stitching on the pocket panels so that the center pockets would be a little wider.

Q. Are there any changes you would have made?
A. None, other than the handle length, etc. mentioned above. Although, next time I may add an exterior pocket to the center panel.

Q. Did the pattern teach you any unique or special techniques?
A. Just working with the Peltex, which is very stiff! Sewing the corners was a bit of a challenge for that reason.

Q. Would you make this again?
A. Probably.

Q. Would you recommend this pattern to others?
A. Yes!

Pattern Link: http://www.pinksandbeachdesigns.com

~ Rosemary Fajgier

October 9, 2020

What I’m Sewing: Itch-to-Stitch Bonn Shirt

Q. Item Created
A. Blouse

Q. Independent Pattern Designer
A. Itch-to-Stitch

Q. Name and Number of Pattern
A. Bonn Shirt/Dress

Q. Fabric Used:
A. Picasso Rayon Poplin in teal

Q. Special Embellishments/Notions Used
A. Superior MasterPiece cotton thread

Q. Skill level required?
A. Advanced beginner or Intermediate

Q. Are the instructions easy to follow?
A. Yes, and they are quite thorough. There are several sleeve variations of long, short, mid-length and flare; this is the long flare. I’ve made the mid-length also, in a blue rayon print. Have not made the dress.

Q. Are you pleased with the finished result? Did it meet your expectations?
A. Very pleased. I had a bit of difficulty with the hem this time. I chose to use a rolled hem foot to make it simpler than trying to press 1/8″ double ironed hem with slippery rayon. The result is that the hem has a fluttery look, which mimics the flared sleeve.

Q. Did it look like the picture?
A. Yes, it did.

Q. Did you make any modifications in the pattern?
A. No.

Q. Are there any changes you would have made?
A. I might try it with a straight hem, rather than a curved one, and perhaps add a side slit. If I did that, I would also do the mid-length sleeve and make that hemmed rather than gathered and banded.

Q. Did the pattern teach you any unique or special techniques?
A. This was the first flared sleeve I’ve sewn. I like the effect.

Q. Would you make this again?
A. Yes.

Q. Would you recommend this pattern to others?
A. Yes, I would.

Pattern Link: https://itch-to-stitch.com/pattern-release-bonn-shirt-dress/

I purchased the fabric from a store in Missoula, Montana that also has a web site, The Confident Stitch. The online store and their customer service customer are top notch.

~Joanne Jensen, Plano Chapter