If you’re a follower of my blog, you know I love a good pattern hack. When I first started sewing I was totally intimidated by pattern hacking, or making pattern changes, because I was fearful I would screw up the fit or not know how to make my vision come to life. Now that I am a more experienced seamstress I am a pretty confident pattern hacker. Here, I am sharing my tips for how to successfully hack your favorite patterns.
You’ve found a pattern that you’ve adjusted to fit and just love. Maybe this particular pattern has made its way into your tried and true pattern stash. If this sounds familiar, it’s time to hack that pattern! Try re-imagining the pattern in multiple ways. Sketch out your ideas with detailed notes and challenge yourself to see how many different versions you can come up with. During the creative process don’t get hung up on the “how am I going to do this?” and instead focus your energy on imagining as many new ideas as you can. And remember you have a 14,000+ community group of super-talented curvy-sewists ready to help you day and night, there isn’t a project we can’t help you figure out!
After you’ve brainstormed ideas, trace off your pattern and hack from there. Always trace your pattern onto tracing paper, such as Swedish tracing paper, medical pattern paper, packing paper, whatever you use, first before hacking. You may go through several draft patterns before you arrive at your intended result. And make sure you’re working from a pattern that fits well (or has already been altered to fit).
Start making design changes. I like to start with simple hacks such as lengthening a t-shirt pattern into a dress similar to what I did here and here, changing the shape of a sleeve similar here, or turning a knee-length dress into a maxi dress. Once you’ve started experimenting with minor changes you’ll have the confidence to tackle something a bit more ambitious. Like a complete overhaul featured here, where I took the bodice from a jumpsuit pattern and turned it into a button-down peplum top.
Think outside the directions. When pattern hacking there aren’t going to be written directions guiding you through every step. Trust your instinct and your skill and experiment with your own techniques. And remember, seam rippers were invented for a reason, if you make a mistake, rip it out and try again. When I made my woven button down peplum top I created the placket on the top before attaching the skirt. It wasn’t until I began to attach my peplum skirt to the bodice that I realized folding the placket had to come last. I unpicked the placket, attached the skirt, serged the skirt THEN folded over the placket on both the bodice and the peplum skirt enclosing all the seams.
My favorite thing about pattern hacking is that with a little creativity you can double, triple or even quadruple the power of your pattern stash. Just imagine if you hacked each of your patterns once or twice! I for one have nearly stopped purchasing patterns (unless someone super-awesome releases a terrific pattern that I just must have), and instead focus my creativity on making changes to my existing stash to make my garment visions come to life.
I do hope you’ll give pattern-hacking a try! And if you ever need help please reach out!
Hi Mary
This pattern hacking month came at the right time. About a year ago I got back into making clothes and used youtube improve on the little skill I already had. When you watch all these videos you do not see the mistakes one makes in getting to the finished garment and could quite innocently believe that you shouldn’t be making them. I am slowly getting into the mind frame that one pattern can be hacked and that when a pattern comes all neatly packaged that a) yes you do need to take it out of the envelope and b) you have to cut it. but the best thing of all is that you can also hack it and it doesn’t have to be used for solely as it came.
Love your blog.
🙂
Hi Dee! Mistakes are part of the process and you’re right we don’t see nearly enough of them online. Thanks for reading and thanks for following my blog!
I love your blog!
I had been reading sewing blogs for the last 6 months to find out what kind of machine others were using/reccomending. I needed to replace my 27 year old Husqvarna that could not be repaired. A new Husqvarna was too $$. And a used one at a good price was too far away. I had looked at the Singer heavy duty off and on. And then I saw that that was your machine, right then I knew it was for me! LOL! I used your link, it came last week! I love it! and your blog!
Hey Eliz! Oh I am so glad you like it! Ya know, people say a lot of awful things about singers but I think the 4411 is an exception. It’s super-heavy and solid and has no bells and whistles (which frankly I don’t need!). Although one day I can imagine getting something really special, for now I use this machine and borrow industrial machines at my design school. A good sewist can sew on anything 🙂
Thanks for reading the blog!
love to but tshrts with specific designs but find the shirts are way to big on top if they fit hips. Any suggestions on fixing them to look like they fit and not sacks.
Hi Sharon! I know this all too well. In the t-shirt example I am wearing the Cashmerette Concord T in a 16G/H graded to a 20 at the hips. I use a hip curve ruler to really shape the pattern and grade it smoothly between the drastic differences in my curves (14 inches between waist and hips!). I generally do a couple fittings, trying to shirt on several times and shaving off bit by bit with my serger until I get a perfect fit. Hope that helps!
You certainly are an inspiration for pattern hacking Mary Alice! Your makes are beautiful, creative and flattering.
Thanks Kathleen!