Sewing Patterns from your Wardrobe!

Video HERE

Drawing up clothing patterns from scratch can be excessively difficult unless you have an understanding of how fabric moves and fits together - to that end I always suggest that you start with items you own first, ones that you know fit well. To begin with I'd start with a simple T-shirt - 3 pieces, no difficult shapes, 1.5-2m of jersey fabric. (Although sewing jersey can be a challenge, this also gives you understanding of how to maintain tension whilst machine sewing, so it's a win-win)

You Will Need:
A T-Shirt (or other simple garment that fits you well - or requiring small changes which you can attempt to challenge yourself)
Tracing paper (I use baking parchment because it comes on a long roll, although craft papers come in wider rolls I find them to be too thick.)
Pencil and/or marker pen
Ruler
Scissors

Method 1 (Old garment that fits, but doesn't have much life left):

1. CAREFULLY dissect the garment into its separate pieces along the sewn lines.
2. Lay each piece onto paper (folding where symmetrical) and trace around with pencil.
3. Draw a 1.5cm sewing allowance and mark where seams and other features go.

Method 2 (Garment you like and would like more of without damaging the original):

1. This goes the same way for each piece. Fold the piece neatly in half - if it's symmetrical - being careful to make sure all the seams are flat.
2. Lay the paper over the top* and slide your fingers over the paper so that you can feel the seams through it. Mark the position of curves every 2-3cm, then join the dots. Use a ruler to mark all straight edges.
3. IF your paper isn't big enough mark where the fabric overflows and by how much, you can add this later. IF your piece fits easily within the paper then move on to stage 5.
4. Cut out your pattern piece - exactly to the shape you have, then stick together a couple of sheets and lay the template over the top. Draw around the template, adding any overflow, then you can discard it.
5. With a pencil/pen and a ruler mark out your seam allowance - usually 1.5cm, then clearly label the piece.**
6. Repeat until all the pattern pieces are made and you're ready to sew.

*You could lay the garment on top of the paper and trace around, but this makes it difficult to get an accurate line for arm holes etc.
**Labels should include;

• Which part it is - back, front, side etc. Be concise now so that when you start making multi-panel shirts you're prepared for centre left, front right, back left etc.
• Which number it is - a T-shirt has only 3 parts (back, front and sleeve), but as above, you need to get into the habit so that when you have an 8-piece pattern you know if you're missing part 3/8.
• Mark the grain of the fabric - essentially which way the knit or weave is running, with velvet or fur you'll need to know which direction the pile is moving in.
• Complex patterns will require notches to mark where sections fit together, or where darts sit.
• ALWAYS mark where the fold goes!

It's actually rather simple - at least this bit is - the real fun comes when you try to use your patterns! See you for that next week!