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I have concluded my April sewing with two more pairs of Ora Lin pirate pants! No pics because it's late, and also one is destined to be tie dyed.

This means I've made five (5) pairs of pants this month: 1 pair jeans (sad, needs altering when I can make myself rip the waistband apart), 1 pair cargo pants (an excellent first shot!), and 3 pairs pirate pants (soooo comfy).

#san sews #I will possibly take may to do other things and then try jeans again this summer

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Nothing but nothing motivates a sewing binge quite like a looming trip/vacation.

#san sews #this message brought to you by: #three pairs of pants finished. three (long overdue) bras cut and ready to be sewn tomorrow #and aspirations towards two more pairs of pirate pants if I finish said bras in time

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I definitely have some fit tweaks I want to make (don't I always), but they are done, they are cute, and they will be perfectly wearable for vacation next week!

Pattern is Cashmerette Esmond (size 28 with flat butt, full stomach, and shortened length adjustments), in a cotton-linen duck canvas from Califabrics.com (plenty still in stock as of April 2024). Embroidery is a modification of a pattern from emblibrary.com.

running the embroidery for my next pair of pants! 💚

#San sews #Clothes sewing #Garment sewing #Machine embroidery #Cashmerette patterns #Sewing

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Juuuust waiting for the fray-check to dry so I can cut my buttonholes and attach my buttons...

running the embroidery for my next pair of pants! 💚

#San sews

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Upsizing clothes! There are a million upcycling tutorials for clothes that are too big, but so few on how to make too small clothes you still love bigger!

Thank you for your suggestion! We all go through weight fluctuations in life, so it stands to reason our clothes should be able to fluctuate with us.

Resizing your clothes used to be a very common practice before the advent of fast fashion. Fast fashion sizing is extremely flawed, especially when it comes to plus size fashion, and we're stuck with a lot of vanity sizing, so it's a good skill to have regardless of whether you're looking to mend something old or buy something new.

How to upsize clothes:

Introduction:

There are many different ways to make a garment larger. The following list is not exhaustive, just a few ideas to get you started.

Grading patterns:

If you're making your own clothes, it's always useful to know how to modify a sewing pattern. The easiest way to adjust a pre-existing pattern to your size is slash and spread grading. First, you need to define which spots on the pattern need extra space. You then cut your pattern in that spot, and slide the resulting pattern pieces away from each other until you've got the size you need. Use paper to fill in the gaps. To ensure the resulting pattern makes for well-fitting clothes, make a mock-up and add, move, or remove darts where necessary to adapt it to your body type.

The image below shows potential slashing lines on pattern blocks for an AFAB body. Unfortunately this was the only diagram I could find, but know that other types of patterns use similar line placements. Each line is a spot that allows you to add extra space. To read more about this process, check out the corresponding article by Threads Magazine.

(Image source)

To make your clothes easier to let out in the future, make sure to provide ample seam allowance when cutting out your pattern pieces. This surplus fabric has several different uses, including giving you some wiggle room for when you need to size up your garment.

Now, let's take a look at pre-made garments.

Lengthening clothes:

A garment that's too short on you is easy to modify. Just add more material!

If it's a skirt or a dress, add ruffles to the bottom. Ruffles are easy to make by hand or with a sewing machine. You could also add lace, or wear the item with an underskirt.

For pants, let down your hem or sew on a new cuff. If this isn't enough, maybe consider turning your trousers into capri pants or shorts.

As for shirts, sewing an extra layer to the bottom edge is the easiest way to go, too. You could even combine two shirts into one to get an extra long shirt.

Another option is to cut your item in two and insert extra fabric between your separated garment parts.

(Image source)

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Letting out seams/darts:

Remember how we made sure to have ample seam allowance earlier? When a garment has surplus fabric in the seams and you only need a little extra space, you can undo the seams of your garment and sew them back together again, this time with a smaller seam allowance than before. The Spruce Crafts has a pretty good tutorial on how to let out seams. You won't be able to make major size changes using this technique, but if you only need a few centimetres, this is a good way to go.

A lot of garments also have darts. Darts are fabric folds that are sewn down in strategic places to help the fabric follow the body's curves. If a dart doesn't fit you the way you want it to, then unpick the dart and try on the garment. Either leave the dart open, or pin the dart in place however you want it, then take off the garment again and sew the dart back together.

Be careful not to rip the fabric when using a seam ripper. Also note that removing entire darts may change the garment's fit.

You can also add custom darts to achieve a better fit, but that's a topic for another time.

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Adding extra fabric to your garment:

If we need to add more room than seam allowance or darts can provide us with, we need to add extra material. Remember those slashing lines we looked at earlier? If you're working with a pre-existing garment rather than a pattern, those are the perfect places to chop up your clothes and add in extra fabric.

Check your sewing stash for fabric that's similar in weight and material to your original garment, or go thrift shopping for an item you could use to upsize your garment. Long skirts and maxi dresses are a great source of fabric for alterations like these!

Lace inserts are also a fun choice to add some room, and if you're working with a knit item, you could even knit or crochet your own custom insert.

Define the area where you want to add extra fabric on your item, and measure how much you need. Draw a straight line on your garment with chalk/soap. Make sure the line doesn't cross any important structural or functional parts of your garment like darts or button holes: refer to the slashing diagram we saw earlier if you're not sure what spot to pick. Cut the line open (or unpick the seam if it's situated on a seam), and add in your extra fabric. Finish off your new seams so they don't unravel later on, and you're done!

You can add straight strips of fabric for extra width or length, or you could use flared panels or even godets to make your item flair out.

Want to see this technique in action? Check out this video by Break n Remake:

Some ideas:

This Pinterest user cut a straight line down the front of a t-shirt and inserted a lace panel to add extra width in the front of the garment.

(Image source)

Busy Geemaw cut open the side seams of a shirt and used flared panels to add some extra width in the bust and hip area.

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This person added a panel to the sides of a pair of jeans to give them more space in the hip area. You could easily use a long straight panel or a panel that flares at the bottom to resize the entire garment instead of just the hips, or use a wide piece of elastic for extra stretch.

(Image source)

This person added a godet in the back of their shirt in order to get more space in the back.

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Blue Corduroy enlarged a pair of shorts by opening up the side seams and adding in strips of fabric.

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You don't need to resize the entire garment if you don't want to. For example, One Brown Mom turned this ankle-length skirt with a too small waistband into a well-fitting knee-length skirt by taking advantage of the skirt's flared shape.

(Image source)

Conclusion:

Throughout our lives, our weight will fluctuate and our bodies will change. There's no shame in this: it's just a fact of life. Therefore, knowing how to upsize an item that is too small for you is a useful skill to learn.

If you want more inspiration, check out these projects by Confessions of a Refashionista, One Brown Mom, and Thriftanista in the City.

#San saves references

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Will I finish tomorrow? Only time will tell.

running the embroidery for my next pair of pants! 💚

#San sews #Sewing #Machine embroidery #Still need to do all of the waistband stuff and the hems and the beltloops and waist buttons #But it should be doable #And then! Bras.

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running the embroidery for my next pair of pants! 💚

#San sews

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Pirate pants! Pattern by Ora Lin, the only change is a flat ass adjustment, sewn up in gray chambray with French seams and embroidery motifs from emblibrary.com.

All around a delightfully quick, satisfying, unfussy sew! I think it took me maybe 10-12 hours from cutting the pattern pieces out of the paper to wearable garment, and that's not accounting for breaks for means and like, some general dicking around. Would have been MUCH faster if I hadn't taken time to buy embroidery designs, tweak them, and run them.

In future I may add a few extra inches of length so they'll serve as full length pants if desired. As is they hit like, high ankle on me. (They're designed to be cropped, and worn tied to knee length, but I'm shorter than the pattern was designed for.)

#San sews #San saves resources #Once I've reached my benchmark to buy fabric again I WILL get some deep red linen

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Pirate pants! Pattern by Ora Lin, the only change is a flat ass adjustment, sewn up in gray chambray with French seams and embroidery motifs from emblibrary.com.

All around a delightfully quick, satisfying, unfussy sew! I think it took me maybe 10-12 hours from cutting the pattern pieces out of the paper to wearable garment, and that's not accounting for breaks for means and like, some general dicking around. Would have been MUCH faster if I hadn't taken time to buy embroidery designs, tweak them, and run them.

In future I may add a few extra inches of length so they'll serve as full length pants if desired. As is they hit like, high ankle on me. (They're designed to be cropped, and worn tied to knee length, but I'm shorter than the pattern was designed for.)

#San sews #Sewing #Garment sewing #Clothes sewing #Embroidered pants #Machine embroidery #Ora Lin patterns #Pirate pants

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Limited photos because the fit is deeply unflattering and my construction is decidedly sloppy, but my first jeans are done!

#san sews #I do get a kick out of matching the button the lining and the pocket embroidery

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Yellowed Pages - Submitted by @litlebudster

#ECA163 #FFECB8 #998456 #616047 #4D372F

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The best part about sewing my own clothes is doing fun contrast finishes on the inside where nobody else will see them.

#San sews #Garment sewing #Clothes sewing #Sewing #Fun pocket lining

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This would be easier if I saw more (positive) visual representation ob my body type, of course. It's hard to fit a garment when like 75%+ of one's internal expectations of what looks good/correct is bodies half my size.

The difficulty with making one's own jeans after basically wearing exclusively skirts for four years is that I don't know what I like. :/

...Still WAY less demoralizing than trying to find ready to wear, though.

#i know most of you didn't follow this sideblog for this kind of stuff #but also #it's an unavoidable part of my sewing experience!

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The difficulty with making one's own jeans after basically wearing exclusively skirts for four years is that I don't know what I like. :/

...Still WAY less demoralizing than trying to find ready to wear, though.

#san sews

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I was having writers block and so I took a break and soon enough it was 3 in the morning and I had impulsively sewn together a tiny mouse you’re welcome

#San saves resources #I always encourage a tiny free project just for funsies

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So my sister wants to start sewing more, because

a. She’s 5′ 11″ and can never find pants long enough for her legs or shirts long enough for her arms.

b. She hates synthetic fibers as much as I do and it’s difficult to find natural fiber clothes that aren’t made of cotton

c. She’s a biologist and would physically fistfight microplastics if given half a chance

So her gift from mom and dad for her birthday was a sewing machine. Not a super expensive one but a good solid serviceable one.

And recently she asked “So where do I GET wool or linen and thread that isn’t polyester” and mom was like ‘go ask your sister’

And I, of course, crashed into the group text like “GET A PEN I HAVE WEBSITES FOR U” and honestly I’m thrilled about this

#San saves resources

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It's been long enough since I launched my Etsy shop for costume embroidery patterns that I'm getting to see how different people have approached them, which is really really cool.

Here are two different takes on the acorns pattern: Classic blackwork on the front border of a shift, and a multicoloured pattern using satin stitch, cross-stitch, and thin outline using a single thread. The pattern in the one on the left has been washed off, while the one on the right shows the pattern that guided the stitching, before it got washed away in a water bath.

This week, I've added another pattern by the same designer (Kim Salazar) that I think is going to lead to even more cool variations:

If you're interested, please check out my Etsy store! I'm also running a Kickstarter to let me expand my catalog with new patterns and products.

#San saves resources