Drafting a pattern from your favorite t-shirt.

I dusted off the blog to give you a look at how you can draft a knit fabric pattern from something you already know fits and looks good on you. I am a plus size (about a 20) so most things I try on, I don’t like on me. I have however, found a T-shirt style that I love. I got it from a popular clothing company but getting something in a certain color is not easy so I figured out how to draft several of my favorite knit pieces that I KNOW look good on me. This takes out the stress of making something that you spent time and money on but don’t like on you well enough to actually wear. 

First throw your fabric into the washer and dryer so it will be ready to use. I am using this fabulous It's A Plus by Rashida Coleman Hale from Cotton and Steel. 

I prefer to use freezer paper to draft on for a couple reasons. It is sturdier than tissue paper and because the wax side can be ironed and will stay in place. This is especially helpful on knit so it doesn’t shift around. The wax side does not leave any residue on your fabric and it is easy to find at the grocery store or even at Walmart. You will also want a pencil, a sharpie, a long ruler, a small ruler and a flexible measuring tape. I also recommend Eloflex stretch thread for your regular machine in your top and Bobbin. 

I will show you how to do your favorite t-shirt but the drafting can easily be done on a pencil skirt or maxi skirt as well.  

With the wrong side out, (yes I know my picture shows it right side out, but I did add a little extra seam allowance to account for my mistake) fold the t-shirt in half, matching the shoulder and side seams. The first section will be the BACK so fold it so that you “see” the back of the t-shirt.

  

Place the center fold along the long edge of the paper. If your t-shirt is larger than your paper, add paper where needed. 

Smooth the sides of the t-shirt flat and make dash marks along the shape of the side and along the hem. Move the sleeve out of the way enough to mark the shoulder as well as where the sleeve will be set in.  

Move the t-shirt and connect the marks. (Finessing the marks into curves where necessary) Make sure to add seam allowances adequate for serging the seams. I use a small ruler for this because it is easier to handle. Mark your seam allowance you prefer to sew with. I use 3/8”. Connect your marks with a sharpie so you can see your final lines. Indicate where the fold  and mark the pattern piece as the BACK is along the straight edge. 

Repeat with the t-shirt folded the other way (so you “see” the front side of the t-shirt). Put the fold along the straight edge and smooth the side seams and mark as you did the back piece. Move the sleeve out of the way to mark the shoulder and where the sleeve will be sewn in. Mark where the neckline starts in the center and the top of the shoulder is. Fold back the layers, so that you can mark the curve. Connect the marks (finessing the marks into a curve where necessary) and add seam allowances. Note the fold along the straight edge and that it is the FRONT 

For the sleeve.... smooth the sleeve (long or short) so that the fold extends from the top of the shoulder. The fold will go along the straight edge of the paper. Mark the curve of the sleeve and connect the marks. (You will have to finesse the marks into a curve) Note the fold on the pattern piece. 

If you want a longer sleeve, find another top that you like the fit of, trace the width of the bottom of the sleeve. Add the seam allowance and then use the long ruler to connect the line. I have marked 3/4 length as well as long sleeve option. 

Measure the neckline with a flexible tape measure. Subtract 2-3” from that number. That is how long you need to make your neck band. 1” x _____

Cut out your pattern pieces and iron them to the fabric with the straight edge marked along the fold. If the fabric is not directional then you may use less fabric if you add a seam along the fold of the back piece instead of putting it on the fold.( this is what i have done in this photo) just add a seam allowance. The empty section will be used for cutting the sleeve. because the freezer paper sticks to the fabric, it can easily be cut with a rotary cutter. 

 Time to sew. I use a cheap serger that I got for about $200.00 and it works great for for what I need but knits don’t have to be served so don’t feel like you HAVE to have one to sew knits. If you are using your regular machine I recommend using the Eloflex thread in the top and in the bobbin so your seams won’t break. 

If you added a back seam, sew that seam first. 

Next sew the shoulder seams. If they are not exactly the same size, do not stretch it. you can trim it. 

Then fit your shoulder in (RST)  If you are using a serger remember not to use pins. I use binding clips to hold things in place instead. Find the center of the sleeve and match it to the shoulder seam. Sew from the shoulder seam to one edge of the sleeve then sew from the shoulder seam to the other side of the sleeve. Repeat for other sleeve.

Match the seam where the side and the sleeve meet. Sew the long sleeve from the bottom edge of the sleeve to the bottom edge of the t-shirt in one long seam. Repeat for the other side.

The neckline is all that is left. Sew the ends of the neck  band together and match one edge to the center back, RST. Use a clip and find the center of the neck band and match it to the center of the front. You will need to slightly stretch the neck band to make it fit. (This will actually make the neckline lay flat in the end.) 

Serge the edge of  the neck band, sleeves, and the bottom of the t-shirt if you have a serger. 

Top stitch the neck by folding the neck band to the inside. The hems are sewn on your regular machine with Ecoflex in the top and bobbin. I use the regular sewing foot for my machine (not my quilting foot) and I move the needle all the way to the left because this is the size i prefer for my top stitching. With the Eloflex in the top and bobbin I can hem from the "wrong" side and keep my hem the same size (width of my foot). 

 You are done with the exception of branding your work....add your sewing label wherever you desire. My personal favorite spot is along the hem for all to see! shown is a long and a short sleeve version of the same top.

Here are a few other tops I have finished this week 

I leave you with a photo of one of my BFF's in her new top.....clearly she is not happy with it at all! 

Thanks Elizabeth Soukup for letting me use your photo! 

What Shade Are You?????

 

What shade are you????? 

I was so excited when RJR asked me to participate in this project back in August and knew I wanted to make this quilt to show off the awesome colors that RJR offers. My first instinct was to go rainbow.... because, DUH!😜 But then realized so many other wonderful people had already done rainbow and I wanted to show off the color progression you can achieve with their wide range of colors offered. 

I saw this photo on Pinterest from https://www.etsy.com/shop/HeatherMontgomeryArt?ref=l2-shopheader-name . This also left me the wonderful opportunity to use something other than white, gray or black for my background. I think I am totally guilty of getting stuck in my favorite color combos and forget that sometimes we need to get kicked out of our comfort zone. I have always loved color progression even more than rainbow (if you have ever had my name in a swap you know I always list the right COLOR is more important to me than a favorite designer). Blue to green has always been my favorite! 

Kwik Spanish Tiles shows you just how rich and wonderful this section of the color wheel is in RJR's collection.  

used color 234 Sea Glass for my background and 353 Twilight for my checkerboard. The center is made using 106 and 289 Proud as a Peacock. The flower tiles were done using the following 

328

274

292

354

312

205

315

349

249

346

127

329

290

389

391

392

352

366

376

 

To make this quilt come alive, though I knew I wanted my friend Carrie of  http://www.gotchacoveredquilting.com/machine-quilting/ to do the job. She put in more than 17 hours worth of custom work into this 65"x65" quilt using a million different Aurifil threads to make the designs pop truly making it look worthy of it's name. 

 

Alison Glass Calendar Cover

  This Christmas I fell in love with the new paper goods by Alison Glass.... especially her new calendar. Alison Glass' new Calendar . As part of her 12 days of Christmas qualifying orders came with mini charms of her new Sunprints 2017. I was dying to use them of course and the calendar was screaming for a cover... match made in Heaven, right????? So here is a quick tutorial for the cover I made.... enjoy!

Alison Glass Calendar Cover

Pieced section 6.5 x 11 ( I made 1/2 squares with mini charms for one sample and butterflies by https://lillyella.com/tutorials/butterflycharmblocks/ and reduced them to 75%) 

Cork or fabric area 10.5 X 11

Lining fabric 16 x 11

Pocket fabric 13.5 X11

Decor Bond 809 (heavy weight fusible interfacing)

2 - 16 x 11 (outside and lining)

1 - 13.5 x 11 (pocket)

Steam-A-Seam

16.5 x 11

Pieced section

Piece as desired to measure 6.5 X 11.

I used 24 - 2.5" mini charms to make 24 -2" half square triangles.

Piece to cork or regular fabric with 1/4" seam allowance to finish as 16x 11

Decor' Bond

Press Decor' Bond to the wrong side of the outside, lining, pocket and pen holder (center the interfacing 1/4" from one end)

Fold pocket in half, RIGHT sides together. Press. Topstitch 1/8" from fold.

Iron Steam-A-Seam to the wrong side of the lining piece but leave the paper on one side so that your matching will not get sticky.

Layer it all as listed below.

Lining fabric, right side up.

Pocket right side up, with raw edges lined up along the bottom half of the lining fabric.

Outside piece, wrong side up with the pieced section along the top edge.

Sew around all 4 sides but leave a small opening along one of the long sides on the pieced end so that you can turn it right side out. Clip the corners and take off only the Steam-A-Seam that is 1/4" all the way around then turn.

Poke the corners out with something pointy like a chop stick. Press smooth and flat tucking in the raw edges where it was turned. Once it is completely cooled remove the ready of the paper from the Steam-A-Seam and topstitch all the way around.

Add your calendar and you are ready to go!