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July 29, 2022
Sometimes I have one big subject here and sometimes there are a few smaller subjects that are nice to touch on. There's really no rhyme or reason for the connection of all these subjects, just some things that have come up that might be of interest to you.
First - Style and Sticking With One Style
This can be a very slippery slope. Some styles go beautifully with a lot of styles, and some can't be crossed or combined no matter what. Usually that depends upon the ornateness of the design style. When the style is very ornate....like below.
  
Then combining them with other styles gets very hard and only for the most sophisticated can these designs be mixed. For example even that Elizabethan collar on a classic garment would be overpowering and impossible to make it work.
But something classic and very sleek can be combined with another style as long as the styles don't clash. Here's some classic ideas that you might not think fit:
  
What's so fascinating about these styles is that you can put any of these styles together and it would still look fabulous. Additionally, these styles are totally timeless which means that you can wear these styles today and not be out of fashion. Well, the Maleficient outfit, might be a little much at the grocery store, but I wouldn't have any problem making this gown for a ball gown for a very sophisticated and secure client. It would be very strong and match
her personality.
When this sort of thing really means is that when you are combining collars, hems, sleeves and various styles into your core pattern, you want to make sure that you're not over-powering or under-powering your core pattern. Sometimes this takes a little practice and experience, but there's nothing like the present time, to start.
Here's something I find that when I'm combining a style or two or three for the first time, even when it's not exactly right it turns out okay because the fit, flattery and style of the core pattern is so good that it works....even when I make mistakes in combinations. So don't be afraid to try something new - like maybe an Elizabethan collar on a robe or something funky to wear around the house (just in case you aren't going to a ball anytime soon)!
Second - Detail - The Stitched Arrow
This is a beautiful detail - here's how to do that.
Here's where to use that stitched arrow.
  
It's easy to see here that all these arrowhead tacks are for places that will get strain, particularly the ends of welt-type pockets, but also pleats, vents and slits. Sometimes these arrowhead tacks can be in indiscreet locations making them all the more charming with a message like: "I know how to do this sort of thing so well, I don't have to have it in a showy location!" And brag away!!!!
These arrows look hard, but sit down and practice about six of them, and you will have this technique well in hand.
Third - the New Hem Style That Kids Love
This is probably one of the most flattering hemlines possible, and that kids are adopting should be no surprise. No matter what shape (Apple, Rectangle, Pear or Hourglass), no matter what size, this shirttail is so attractive and flattering. Play with the height of the hem to see what's most attractive for your style and shape, but it's a go-to look for a garment that might otherwise be a problem.
Fourth - Marking
For hems and even darts or side seams when you're altering, but you don't want to use a pencil or marking chalk, but you need to mark something, a light press will mark a line or spot and will stay in. This is great if you're working on a light-weight fabric and the pins have a tendency to fall out, particularly if you need to mark an area to work on later, and while working on another area, the pins can fall out.
Additionally some chalk doesn't come out that easily and even tailor's chalk can stain - it's more of a wax base than a chalk-type base.
OK I hope you enjoyed this lagniappe of fun thoughts on ideas and execution of those ideas. That's the fun of sewing. Sometimes these ideas and techniques can be very many steps, some of them are not so basic, but very important to consider.
When you're messing around with your core pattern, I certainly don't want discourage any creative endeavors, cause that's where some really remarkable designs come from. At the same time, to keep from tripping all over yourself, it's good to know some of these concepts and thoughts to consider in your designs.
Believe it or not, you will get far more advanced in working with your variations on your core pattern, than you think you can. Play away and have a lot of fun with this.
This is a beginning guide on what to do with your core pattern after you have fitted and worked on it.
All the work that you have done in your core pattern contains all the information to make a garment that you will totally love. This means you really don't have to buy another pattern for making skirts, pants or leggings. Variations on your core pattern makes it possible for you to have the styles you see in a photo or on Pinterest without having to look for the pattern that looks like it might work. You can now simply trace it onto your core pattern and
you're done.
This resource also contains some other important resources at huge discount because they are so important to this creative process of varying your core pattern. It also contains some downloads that aren't available in the Resource Library at all, but are vital toward making good design.
In this world of crazy, illogical fashion, we sewists are having to turn into designers. That sounds really hard and foreboding, but it's not. Unlike designers, we simply haven't had all the experience they have, most of that experience they got when they went to design school. More than anything I wanted to make this process encouraging, empowering and enlightening without having to worry about whether or not you could vary your core pattern.
You can! It isn't that hard. It is knowing some guidelines and charging out into the unknown. That's what we sewists do and we do it very well most of the time.
This is the beginning of the series into variations on core patterns. I wanted to start with something basic, so that you wouldn't feel so intimidated. It takes a while to write these up, cause I'm an idea factory, and coordinating and organizing these ideas can be monumental with the sewing muse yacking in my ear 24/7.
The resource is available now at a discount so that you can enjoy it before spring starts in full force. Right now, I'm thinking happy, colorful and pretty. Those are all fresh looks for future clothes. When things seem upside down, it's great to have something to make us happy and often bright, springtime and summertime fabrics are just as much as drab, dark and somber fabrics. I'm ready to be beautiful, comfortable and look flattering in my clothes and
I'm dying to share that with you.
Skirts, Core Pattern Variations, Part 1 (but there's more than skirts in here)
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