Last week we talked about how to get a professional finish on your handmade garments and I introduced you to some fashion industry techniques that you can use at home to help you achieve a high-end ready to wear look.

This week we’re diving a little bit deeper and I’m going to show you how varying your seam allowances can elevate your sewing. 

If you’ve been sewing with commercial patterns for any length of time, you’ll know that the seam allowances are generally a standard 5/8” (1.5 cm) on every pattern piece. This seam allowance definitely has its advantages and can even be a saving grace in many cases. It allows you some leeway for making fitting changes after a garment is cut, is suitable for a wide range of fabrics, and can accommodate several different kinds of seam finishes. This is smart considering pattern companies have very little to do with the type of fabric and seam finishes a sewist might choose to use on their project.

But this seam...

If you had a chance to watch last week’s video, you’ll know that this week I’m going to cover some of the most essential pattern making skills you’ll need when working with existing commercial patterns or designing your own patterns. The skills I highlight today will, without a doubt, give you better results with fitting your garment and simplify your sewing. Follow through with these tips and you’ll finally achieve the professional results you’re looking for. Watch the video to get all the details.

Resources Mentioned in this Video:

#1 Taking Pattern Measurements

The Perfect Fit Guide a free downloadable fitting guide that walks you through a seven step fitting process.

The First Fitting Session: How to Prepare: This video features a demonstration of how to measure a sewing pattern to prepare for the fitting process. (Free downloadable resources included!)

Four Things that will Get You to a Better Fit Faster: This video cover the...

Recently this question popped into my inbox: Once I have a block, what do I do with it? I get this question a lot so I thought it would be good to address it so everyone can get the benefit of my answer.

Before I do, here’s my definition of what a block is:  A block, sometimes referred to as a sloper, is the foundation of all other patterns. A block can come in the form of a bodice block, a skirt block, or a pant block for either woven or knit fabrics, but in essence, it is the most basic form of a pattern drafted to a specific set of body measurements and fit to a specific body shape. In my definition, a block includes wearing ease, which is the minimum amount of ease needed to accommodate regular day-to-day activities like breathing, reaching, sitting, and walking. This wearing easy can be anywhere between 2” and 4” or 5 to 10 cm and depends entirely on what you feel comfortable in.

Once the basic bodice block is drafted and refined to fit, it’s...

In this week's video I wanted to answer a question that I got from a member of the In-House Patterns Studio Facebook Group.

She asked:  How do you get started with pattern making?

She wanted to know where to go to get the best pattern making instruction and basically how to begin designing her own patterns that fit.

I believe this is a growing desire among garment sewing enthusiasts. As we gain and master more advanced sewing skills we become intellectually and creatively ready to level up. We become tired of constantly making the same fitting adjustments to commercial patterns and compromising on styles that are close but not exactly what we were looking for. I believe this question or desire is a natural step in growing your creative abilities.

If you're interested in this topic, watch this video to hear my answer.

After you've finished watching you can explore the links to the FREE resources I mentioned in the video:

FREE Scaled Block Patterns (get your...

In this final video of the Pattern Fundamentals series, we're going to use the basic sleeve block to design the pattern of one of the most popular sleeve styles this year.

If you've missed the previous lessons in the series, I encourage you to watch them.  They are loaded with essential information you'll need for pattern manipulation.

Just click the links below to watch:

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS: Two Essential Skills for Successful Pattern Manipulation

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS: How to True Darts and Manage Dart Volume

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS:  Three Ways to Manage the Back Shoulder Dart

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS:  How to Create and Balance a Flared Skirt

Now let's design the trumpet sleeve pattern. Watch the video to find out how!

As I mentioned in the video, get your FREE Scaled Block Patterns to practice your pattern work. Click the image below to get started!

Click the image to  see the Pinterest Board.

 If you've enjoyed this series on pattern making and...

Here is the third video from this month's series on Pattern Fundamentals.

In the last two videos I showed you how to rotate darts, how to true them up and how to manage large dart volumes.  If you missed those just click the links below to watch.

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS: Two Essential Skills for Successful Pattern Manipulation

PATTERN FUNDAMENTALS: How to True Darts and Manage Dart Volume

Today's video covers three ways to manipulate the back shoulder dart. We'll cover how to rotate it to the neckline, how to create a yoke seam and how to eliminate it entirely without affecting the fit. If you've already read this popular article, you'll find that this week's video brings it all to life.

Enjoy!

As I mentioned in the video, get your FREE Scaled Block Patterns to practice your pattern work. Click the image below to get started!

Share your pattern work from the Pattern Fundamentals series on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram by posting a photo with the...

I've got a new episode of Pattern Fundamentals for you!

In this week's video, I'm finishing the pattern work we started last week and giving you some inside information about darts. I'll show you how to true darts and determine their dart roof, what direction to press the dart volume and why you might want to break the general rule. I'm also going to show you how you can manage large dart volumes for a smoother fit. 

Watch now so you can put it all into action today!

As I mentioned in the video, get your FREE DOWNLOAD containing a set of scaled block patterns to practice your pattern work. Click the image below to get started!

Share your pattern work from the Pattern Fundamentals series on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram by posting a photo with the hashtag #inhousepatternsstudio. 

See you next week!

All My Best,

Alexandra

Say hello to the month of May and a new series on the blog.  

This month I'm presenting Pattern Fundamentals, a series highlighting the skills you'll need to master in order to manipulate patterns for fit and style.  With fitting adjustments, pattern adjustments follow so in order to understand how to make pattern adjustments correctly, you need to understand how patterns work. Follow along with me this month to learn some essential professional pattern making techniques.

In this week's video, I cover two essential pattern manipulation techniques. Watch now to discover what they are and learn how to do them. 

As I mentioned in the video, I have another FREE DOWNLOAD for you!  In this one, you get a set of scaled block patterns so you can work through all the featured pattern making exercises with me. Click the image below to get started!

If you would like to share your pattern work in the FREE Facebook Group, click the image below to join!...