How to Draft a Raglan Sleeve Top from a Regular Sleeve Top

I just added a 2 page download in the Tutorial Section of this blog on how to draft a Raglan Sleeve Top from a Regular Sleeve Top.  If you have a great fitting knit top with a regular sleeve, then this tutorial will be very helpful in converting that pattern to a Raglan.

Go to my tutorial section for the 2 page download

Silk Charmeuse Button Down Blouse

I'm in the process of designing this pattern for Hourglass Patterns©. This is my 3rd sample to get all the pattern pieces to fit together.

Let me first say, I love silk and any silk like material (you will see other discussions in my blog archives about silk). However, it's truly a labor of love to work with. It tests your patience and skill every step of construction, including cutting. In the end, it's all worthwhile to have a truly unique garment made of silk that fits to perfection. This is my new holiday shirt, which I will try to wear as many times possible to make it all worth the effort. I now need to make a few more for my clients.

This is made from charmeuse silk. It features a jewel neckline, pleated cuffs, neckline facings, yoke back with pleat, bust darts, front fisheye darts, a front placket with 6 buttons and a double fold baby hem.

Some tricks for working with silk:

• before cutting, soak it in water and hang dry (I use Eucalan no rinse delicate wash) (don't skip this step, this allows you to clean spots later.....trust me!),
• sew seams, darts etc. with medical tissue underneath then peel away the tissue paper gently,
• lay the silk on the medical paper for cutting (it keeps the silk from shifting, then pin the pieces to the medical paper for moving around
• use silk pins,
• sew button holes with a wash away light weight stabilizer,
• use a microtex needle, or size 8-10
• use silk thread if you have it, or a good quality thread like guetermann
• stabilize all the openings before construction (staystitsh or strips of 1/4 wide light weight tricot cut on the bias.
• use professional grade interfacing for chiffons and other silks. More expensive, but worth it. Here's where I buy mine: Fashion Sewing Supply

Hope this helps for you next silk project.

A look closer at the at the Pant Pattern

Here's a quick look at a basic pull-on pant with a 1.5" elastic for the waist.  While this pattern appears to be a simple construct, it's far from it.  This pattern is the outcome of about 4 slopers and countless hours in drafting time.  The perfect fit is not elusive, it's just a lot of patience.  In the end, it's worth every last second.  Once it's done you are on your way to never having to buy an ill fitting RTW pair of pants again.

Here's an overlay so you can really look closely at the difference between the Pant Front and the Pant Back:

Pic 1 Shows the Front and Back Matching at the side.  The orange wedge depicts how much higher the Back is than the Front.  Pay particular attention to the calf area.  You want to keep the side seam straight down the side of your leg.  In order for that to occur with my pattern, I needed extra room for the Back piece in the calf area.  Look at the crotch point.  See how much I need in the back than the front in order to get that placement perfectly located to fit me.  Also note that the Front piece from the waist to the high hip area is larger so the seam in that area rolls toward the back just slightly.  

Now take a look at Pic 2.  Back and Front are aligned at the center points.  See how the crotch point of the Front is higher than the Back.  The standard is about .5 inches, but for me it's just under.  

This sloper is now the basis for every pant I make in the future.   Ease is taken out for stretch pants and ease is added for woven pants.  

Here's the final Pant:  

Laurie Gatnik

Selling on ETSY

Selling on ETSY has been a goal of mine for about 3 years.  It's been a very fun journey getting to this place.  But it's not without it's challenges.  In short, I put every free moment into it.  When I'm not working on marketing, which includes numerous hours of hand and digital drawing, promotions and social media, then I'm working on designing, pattern making and testing.   When you have a love of sewing like I do, you work really hard just to get to the testing!!!!!

Hourglass Pattern Raglan Long Sleeve or 3/4 Sleeve Knit Top

This is my Raglan Pattern that is sized from 4-28 so it will fit plus size women.  This is my all time favorite T-Shirt style.  It's super easy to sew, it goes together in less than 1 hour.  I love to make this shirt with stretch bamboo.  It has a great silk like feel and washes really well.  I'm a fitness instructor so this is my go to shirt for everyday wear.

Visit my pattern store on ETSY for this pattern: Hourglass Patterns©: Raglan Long Sleeve Knit Top

New Hourglass Pattern: Pleated Cuff, Drape Neck Long Sleeve Knit Top

I added a new pattern to my ETSY Store:

You can buy this pattern on ETSY:  Hourglass Patterns©: Drape Neck Top with Pleated Cuff

The sewing tutorial is here:  DKLSPC Sewing Tutorial

The pattern includes a jig to help form perfect pleats at the cuff.

This is a client favorite.  Not only is it super comfortable, but you will always look put together in this top.  This top can be made in just over an hour with 2-2 1/2 yards of fabric.  I'm modeling the top in ITY Jersey with plenty of stretch.






I have made this top in every imaginable color and knit fabric.  It pairs just as nicely with jeans as it does a pencil skirt.  There's plenty of ease at the sides to stylize this top to your preference.

Visual Tutorial for Pattern Grading

Since I do a lot of pattern grading for my designs, I thought would do a quick visual tutorial of why you don't want to use adobe to grade your patterns. I grade using the standard protocol for grading along the Cardinal points.  When you're dealing with a large size run like Hourglass Patterns 4-28, the lure is to use adobe scaling, however I don't recommend it;  it's close but you can see the discrepancies in my illustration.

If you're not familiar with grading, here's the rule: 1 size=2" grade. If you have a front and back, both pattern pieces receive a portion of that 2". You divide that growth along the cardinal points; both vertical and horizontal.

My example shows a grade of 4" or 2 sizes. 



You can see when I overlay in the last picture that the waist is off, as is the neckline and armhole. It's pretty darn close in the picture, but you know in reality how that affects you're original design, not to mention fit. As a seamstress, you know, that fitting begins with the shoulder.

I hope this helps you with your next grading project.

Hourglass Patterns© Storefront Launch

I have finally started my pattern business. Please visit my new storefront to purchase my 1st available Hourglass Pattern©. This has been a long journey.....but day by day everything started to come together. The hours I put into my artwork alone is staggering. But in the end I learned many new skills and now have something I can really feel proud of.

Here's my first pattern: This is a learning pattern that is great for beginners and can be made in less than 1 hour with 1 yard of fabric.

I have made this top for clients more times than I can count. ITY fabric is a great choice for this design, especially for office and evening wear. I've also made this with eyelash fabric for a layering piece. Below is some pics of me modeling this pattern.



Me modeling this design:

The Collar and Stay.....Perfection is Required

The collar and stay are the focal points of a well made tailored shirt, needless to say perfect sewing is required.

Key notes: 

•  Cut your collar last. Why: Because if you have a center back seam in your pattern design and you change that for fitting purposes your collar will no longer fit into the neckline. Same holds true if you adjust your shoulder seams. 
•  Test your collar with a muslim and fit it to your shirt neckline after you make any adjustments to back and shoulders seams.  

Here's my test collar for the black shirt above:
I keep my bodice muslim on hand to fit new collar designs.  I do an entire muslim collar to ensure a perfect fit so I have no surprises when I cut into my fashion fabric.

Back View:  I know the collar is big enough when it meets the back,

rolls nicely to cover the seam and has no rippling whatsoever.

Front View:  I know the stay meets at the center front and the collar is coming
out of the stay exactly where I want it for the design.

Inside view:  Neat and tidy.

Pin Fit your collar into the neckline.  At this juncture you know if it's going to fit.

If it fits, use your favorite method for sewing it in.  I like to mark on the stay
where I can feel the center front seam, then I sew on that line to ensure
it meets up exactly.  No mistakes can be made at this stage.

Make sure you turn up the upper collar seam allowances back before sewing.

Again, this is only one method for sewing in the collar.  I have 2

methods that I use.  This one works well for me consistently and it's 

quick for doing muslins.

Good luck on your next collar!!!