One of the styles available in my range of swim suit blocks.
I must admit that I much prefer to make my own swimwear, rather than buy it. It does take a little patience, but can easily be created on a regular sewing machine with a simple zig zag stitch. You will need some swim suit elastic, but that is now available online.
I have just updated my high back and high leg swim suit block, with UK, USA and EU size equivalents, plus added in some extra information of the pattern sheet.
Here are some photos of the toile, I really love the fit!
Cur high at the leg and high at the center back.A high cut leg shape.A snug fit over the bottom!
Why not give it a try, the block can be found here!
I am looking forward to updating the other swim suits I have in my range, and will be sure to let you know.
I have just spent 3 days painting and organising my new studio, so finally I have a much larger space to make my video tutorials and a more inspiring space to run my upcoming pattern cutting course in May!
Not finished yet!
My downstairs studio was getting a little cramped, as I have a bit of an obsession with mannequins! Now all my mannequins and myself have more space to move around and be creative!
It’s important to have a range of sizes!Plus my male mannequins have a space of their own!They have more space! Plus a better view!
Another upside is that I have a better view of the lake, garden, swim spa and hot tub!
If you would like to come and join me for a sewing or pattern cutting course, then contact me by email at:
onitnotinit@mail.com and I will send you the details.
As promised, here is a quick guide to adapting the 8 panel skirt we drafted in our monthly free project guide, into a jersey version.
Firstly, if you are using jersey then there is no need to add extra for ease to your panel draft, just use your body measurements, as the knitted fabric will have enough flexibility for you to move. You can then continue as we did for the woven version. If you want to take a look at the instructions for drafting the panel then click here.
If you would like to elasticate the waist then you have 2 options for adapting the basic pattern draft as illustrated below. The pink option gives you gather at the waist line and is best for fabrics that don’t have enough stretch in them for you to be able to pull the skirt over your hips, option 2 in blue is for a more fitted version and relies on your fabric being stretchy enough to pull over the hips and bottom. Both methods require you inserting elastic into the channel at the waist. Make the rectangle above the waist line twice the width of your elastic, plus 1 cm for seam allowance.
Let me know if you have any questions and I would love to see some pictures of your makes!
In part 1 of this project we covered drafting the panel piece you need to make an 8 panelled skirt. In part 2 we look at the methods you can use to sew the skirt together and some tips on how to change the look and design of the skirt.
If you missed part one, drafting of the pattern, take a look here and draft yourself a skirt pattern that fits your individual body measurements perfectly.
A note on suitable fabric for this skirt.
Most medium weight fabrics would be suitable for this style, even a soft denim would also work well, or a light weight chiffon would also give a lovely fluid hem, this is a very versatile style and as you experiment with different fabrics you will find they all give you a slightly different look.
How much fabric will you need?
You will need to purchase twice the length of your panel if the fabric is 125 cm or less in width, or why not take the panel to the fabric shop and ask them to help you calculate. You will also need ¼ meter of medium weight fusible interfacing and a 20 cm zip, and some matching thread of course.
You will need some bias binding if you choose to bind the inside of the skirt facing or the hemline (you can calculate this by measuring the hem of the facing panels and skirt hem) or make your own binding – I have a handy template and guide to making your own bias binding here on my blog page (see below for the link).
You will also need a hook and eye fastener to finish the top of the zip.
Let’s start sewing.
Applying a facing to
the skirt waist.
A facing gives a lovely clean finish and the technique can
be used on any garment hem edge, it’s particularly good for finishing armholes
and necklines too!
If you are using the single facing piece, i.e. the one we made a pattern for in part 1, then you will need to cut out the pattern piece 8 times in fabric and fusible interfacing. Fuse the fabric pieces to give them some strength and then sew them together as illustrated below – Press the seams open and set the facing aside for now. If you want to know more about fusible interfacing take a look at my blog post on the best way to apply fusing at home.
Cut out and fuse your individual facing pieces.Leave one side open for the zip.
An alternative method for creating your facing involves a little extra pattern drafting, but it will save you sewing time, so it may be worth a try…
Place 4 of the top skirt individual facing sections side by side, for this method you have to trace them before you add seam allowance.
This method eliminates the seams and creates less bulk, and saves sewing time! Cut this pattern piece twice in fabric and twice in fusing.
Finishing the facing
If you want a lovely neat finish on the inside of your skirt, you can bind the hem of your facing, this looks fantastic! Your local fabric shop will have a wide selection of ready made bias binding, or you can look here for a free guide and template to making and applying your own home make binding. I absolutely love making my own!
Take a look at my free guide and template for creating bias binding!
Sewing the main skirt
panels
Take all 8 skirt panels and stitch them together, placing each piece with right sides together, leave one seam open at the top by 20 cm – this is for the zip insertion. Press the seams open and neaten with your chosen method, this may be a zig zag stitch or if you have an overlocker then this is perfect. Or why not go mad and bind all the seams.
Sew all 8 together – leave one seam open for the zip.
Inserting the zip
Many people are afraid of inserting a zip, if you follow
these simple steps, and take your time, then your zip will be perfect!
Having left the seam open where the zip is to be inserted (20 cm zip is perfect) – press your seams open, so you have a nice crease along the stitch line.
Take your time.
Turn the skirt so the right side is to the outside. With the right side of the zip facing downwards pin the zip to the seam allowance of the skirt, with the teeth lying next to the crease line and the edge of the zip tape to the edge of the seam allowance. Sew the zip in place, 3 mm away from the zip teeth. You will have to stop as you get towards the bottom of the zip , if you can manage to, leave your needle in the work to make the next step easier, lift the zipper foot up and zip up the zipper so that you can continue to sew down to just below the metal base of the zip closure.
Pop the zip inside the skirt and press the zip from the right side gently flattening the crease you pressed in before.
Press carefully.
Now pin the zip into position again as shown and top stitch the zip from the right side.
Pin and press
Finishing the waist
line
Now you can finish the waist line by placing the facing piece to the skirt waist line with right sides together, fold the facing back at the zip seam or overlap by 1 cm each side and sew along the waist line.
Now flip the facing inside the skirt and press, you have a lovely waist finish! You can either hand sew, or machine stitch the ends of the facing overlaps by folding them in and securing them to the edge of the zip tape, just be careful not to catch the zip teeth.
Now all you need to do is hem the skirt, A very small hem is best for this style, press the hem up gently and pin in position, you will need to ease the hem as you sew it, try not to drag the hem along and cause ripples, I always prefer a hand sewn hem.
Now you have made one skirt, why not experiment with length and flair and create as many different versions as you like! If you would like to make this in a soft jersey fabric then take a look at my next post where I show you how.
Such a versatile style!
If you have any questions or comments then just leave me a message, I would love to see some pictures of your makes!
Don’t forget to read my next post for some more ideas for developing this skirt into a jersey version.
Here we have part 2 in the 6 part series on how to move darts around the bodice block. Please take a look and be sure to give me a thumbs up in YouTube and leave a comment or a question. If you subscribe you will be sure to catch all my upcoming videos!
When I taught pattern cutting at degree level I always preferred to teach in full scale, as I believe it helps the student to get a second sense for proportion, fit and develop good cutting lines.
One year I decided to do a quick 15 minute session for those students that arrived early to class, in that session we used a half scale mannequin and very quickly covered a creative pattern cutting technique! I had fantastic feedback and my students told me they learnt a great deal from those sessions!
Today I have had a little fun preparing my blocks in half scale and sewing up a half scale toile! I plan to use these in my upcoming video tutorials.. so watch this space!
Super Cute Half Scale Bodice!
Back Bodice – Half Scale Version.
I must admit, I had to have a break after inserting one sleeve! It was quite stressful, but I know my half scale blocks fit my half scale stand and now I can work with them confidently!
For those of you that read my monthly magazine article in the French Publication DSM, here is a more detailed run through of the latest project. For everyone else, why not give this a try!
Part 1 –
Designing and Making Your Bespoke Flared Skirt
One Panel Creates A Skirt!
Have you ever wanted to make something that fits you
perfectly? Here is your chance to learn how to create the pattern for this
versatile 8 panel skirt, it is as simple as making 1 panel and cutting it out 8
times in fabric!
In part 2 of this project I will cover the skills you need
to sew the skirt.
Step 1 – Fill in your measurements on the handy chart below.
For this example I have inserted the average measurements for a size 12 in PINK for you to follow, you will of course have to substitute your own measurements for the pink ones!
The measurements in pink are an example set – insert your own.
Measure your waist and add some extra for movement, it you
want a fitted skirt add approximately 2 cm extra. If you want a looser skirt
you can add a little more. If you want to use a knitted fabric no extra above
your actual body measurement is needed. Now divide this total by 8 as
illustrated above.
Do the same for your top hip, this lies at 10 cm below your
waist and the same for your hip which lies at 21 cm below your waist line.
Decide on the skirt length you would like – we now have all the measurements we
need for you to make your pattern!
Step 2 – draw a vertical line on a large sheet of paper, the line needs to be slightly longer than the skirt length you have chosen. At the top of the line draw a horizontal line to represent the waist – each side of this line you can place the measurement you calculated for your waist (4.6 for my example placed equally each side of the centre). Ten centimeters below the waist level do the same for the top hip and again for the full hip. You can square down from the hip until you hit the line extended out for the length of skirt. Make the skirt long for an elegant evening version, or shorter for a flouncy summer skirt!
Step 3 – Now to add some flare! Decide where you would like the flare to ‘flare’ from. This can be as high up as the hip if you want. Place a horizontal line at this level to mark the flare line. Cut up the centre of the panel and to the side of the flare line and spread the pieces as illustrated below. You can open then as much or as little as you like, so long as they are opened equally each side.
Cut and Spread Equally
Step 4 – place the pieces on a new sheet of paper and trace the shape you have created. The waist can be shaped gently by extending the waist line up by 0.5 cm each side and gently curving at the centre.
Gently shape the waist…
Step 5 – all you need to do now is add some seam allowance and your main pattern piece is complete!
Step 6 – the
waist can be finished in several ways, the simplest way is to cut an exact copy
of the top of the skirt at a depth of 6 cm from the waist line, this will be
your facing panel and you will also cut the pattern piece 8 times in fabric.
You now have your pattern – in part 2 I will show you how to sew this lovely skirt and then we can take a look at how to develop the skirt for a knit fabric with an elasticated waist!
Such a versatile style!
See you next month for part 2 – sewing the paneled skirt.
I have been working on my latest block release for a long long time, trying hard to get a balance between super super body con fit and a dress that moves correctly in wear and finally I have it!
I also took the time to regrade and re-vamp the blocks sheet and add in some extra features. As I update my blocks from now on I am adding 1/4 scale versions of each block, perfect for practice and ideal for experimenting before you commit to drafting in full scale. I often work in 1/4 or half scale to develop complex patterns.
